More than half a million dollars in Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs grants will be coming to Franklin County to support conservation and recreation projects.
Charlemont and Heath received $100,000 and $16,500, respectively, to make improvements to existing recreation facilities in town, and Rowe and the Franklin Land Trust were awarded $173,173 and $223,095, respectively, to conserve a total of 226 acres of land.
“These projects support local economies, improve public health and make our neighborhoods better places to live,” Gov. Maura Healey said in a statement. “This funding helps ensure that every resident has access to the benefits of nature.”
Franklin Land Trust
The Franklin Land Trust will be using its $223,095 to purchase a 47-acre property abutting the Crowningshield Conservation Area in Heath. Alain Peteroy, deputy director of the Franklin Land Trust, said the property was identified as a conservation goal because it is a habitat for native trout and other at-risk local species.
“It has over a third of a mile of frontage on Burrington Brook, a key coldwater fishery for trout,” Peteroy said. “Native brook trout go up the brook to spawn, so we want to preserve this habitat so the trout can continue to be resilient.”
She added that the property includes 19 acres of healthy forest providing essential shade for the brook, and 18 acres of prime farmland used for haying.
Peteroy said the land trust would need to raise additional funds to purchase the property, but has yet to determine a specific fundraising goal. If the Franklin Land Trust reaches its goal, the Branch View Farm property will be put under a conservation restriction with the Department of Fish and Game, merged with the Crowningshield property and opened to the public for recreational use.
Rowe
The Rowe Open Space and Recreation Committee plans to use its $173,173 award to purchase 179 acres of forest.
The acquisition will connect the Monroe and Mohawk Trail state forests, and will preserve the Steele Brook, a coldwater fishery habitat. The area is designated as a Critical Natural Landscape by the MassWildlife’s Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program.
In an email, Open Space and Recreation Committee Chair Justine Krumm explained the committee had been working for months with the Conservation Commission, Mass Audubon and the Franklin Land Trust to evaluate the ecological, educational and recreational potential of the property. They found it is a key habitat for two native bat species: the little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus) and the big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus).
“The property’s mix of forested uplands, wetlands and scenic ridgelines supports a diversity of native species and contributes significantly to Rowe’s rural character and natural beauty. Protecting this land would strengthen regional conservation efforts by linking existing protected open spaces and wildlife corridors throughout northern Franklin County,” Krumm wrote. “This purchase would permanently conserve the property under the stewardship of the Conservation Commission, ensuring public access for passive recreation only and protection of Rowe’s natural resources for generations to come.”
Charlemont
Charlemont’s $100,000 will be put toward repairs and improvements to the tennis courts in front of Hawlemont Regional School, including repairing cracks; resurfacing the court; painting lines to accommodate tennis, pickleball and basketball; and installing basketball hoops and Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant pathways.
The town will host a Special Town Meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 9, to seek voter approval to officially designate the tennis court land as a town park so the grant can be accepted and used to fund the repairs.
