Project Reports - 2008

Land Protection and Community Preservation

Project Leader: Robert Levite

Contributing Extension Staff and Faculty:

• Robert Levite

This project addressed the following UMass Extension Critical Issues:

• Ecosystem Management, Protection and Restoration
• Land Use Management

Description

The extremely high population density and the dwindling natural resources of the Commonwealth demand that we look at new and better methods for developing land and growing our economy in ways that preserve the long term health and vitality of our, towns, communities and citizens.  To do this, we must design approaches and technologies that support sustainable growth.  The Land Protection and Community Preservation project encourages sustainable growth by providing the residents of the northern towns of the Quinebaug Shetucket watershed corridor with outreach, education and facilitation that will encourage capacity building and the consideration of land, water and sustainability issues in the day to day decision making processes of the towns and the region.

Activity Summary

Project staff completed Phase 2 of the Historic Landscape Project, which involved facilitating private meetings between consultants and town members in 14 of the 22 Massachusetts towns within the Blackstone and Quinebaug/Shetucket Heritage Corridors, and generating a listing for each town of its key historical and cultural landscapes.  Stage 3 began in the spring of 2008.  Consultants prepared narratives detailing each landscape and its significance, along with suggested steps for protecting those landscapes.  This stage also involves teaching within each of the corridor towns about protective steps and mechanisms that can be set in place to ensure that these landscapes are not harmed or removed.

The Extension Land Protection and Community Preservation Project also conducted several independent workshops on issues such as support for farms, tax incentives for land donations, and public records/open meeting issues.  At the same time, the program provided significant support to the Massachusetts Land Trust Coalition (MLTC) in stewarding legal interns who prepared critical educational white papers for use by the land trust community and completed a booklet of easement defense initiatives that are now being utilized not only by Massachusetts land trusts, but by other land trusts around the country as well.  The project leader also served as Chair of the MLTC Attorney Panel, which keeps the legal community informed on critical administrative and court decisions that affect land and water resource protection and helps to mobilize the legal community to support legal interpretations that complement land protection. 

Summary of Activities

As a result of the Land Protection and Community Preservation Project a significant number of municipal board members and policy makers, as well as community activists and citizens have increased their knowledge and skills for establishing partnerships and initiatives that foster protection of land and water resources.  In many cases, this work has helped educate officials of the need to update zoning and subdivision regulations and to acknowledge issues related to smart growth and sustainability.  Specific examples of numerous additional impacts include the following:

• Oxford, MA nearly passed the Community Preservation Act (lost by only 2 votes), with the support of numerous town board members who had previously been doubtful about the need for CPA
• The Charlton, MA planning board and board of selectmen convened a rare joint meeting to discuss road issues and reached an accord that was unanimous and that will impact any future decisions in town regarding private ways
• The town of Charlton, MA agreed to have the Green Valley Institute produce a co-occurring resource map for use in planning and zoning considerations and in establishing conservation priorities
• The towns of Webster and Dudley, MA realized that ecological assessments could heavily impact not only their tax base, but also their water resource strategies

Planned outcomes and observed or measured progress

• 155 Participants developed the knowledge and skills to promote, implement or participate in strategic land conservation programs that protected ecosystems, water and other natural resources.

Activities, delivery mode and participants reached

Community Preservation Act outreach, education and facilitation in cooperation with the North Quabbin Partnership and the Trust for Public Land
3 completed, 600 adult participants

Green Valley Institute Fact Sheet
3 completed, 250 adult participants

Green Valley Institute Historic Landscape Inventory educational series
6 completed, 200 adult participants

Green Valley Institute Local Facilitation
9 completed, 215 adult participants

Green Valley Institute News Articles
3 completed, 10000 adult participants

Green Valley Institute Workshops
7 completed, 100 adult participants

Maintain website: townboard.org
1 completed, 1200 adult participants

Mass Land Trust Coalition Conference Presentation
2 completed, 105 adult participants

Mass Land Trust Coalition Easement Defense Policy Advisories
1 completed, 1000 adult participants

Mass Land Trust Coalition Legal Project
2 completed, 200 adult participants

Statewide presentations on land and water resource protection, Low Impact Development (LID), smart growth, sustainability, historical and cultural landscape protection
4 completed, 60 adult participants

This project is a part of the Natural Resource & Environmental Conservation program