State protects UMass forests, farmland

by Daniel J. Fitzgibbons, Chronicle staff

bill signed into law Jan. 1 by Acting Gov. Jane Swift will conserve more than 1,900 acres of UMass forest lands in four area towns and places a University-owned parcel in South Deerfield under the state's Agricultural Preservation Restriction (APR) program.

     Under the Chapter 499 legislation, the campus and the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs (EOEA) agree to permanently conserve forested tracts in Belchertown, Pelham, Sunderland and Leverett. The original bill was filed by Sen. Stephen Brewer (D-Barre).

     The agreement is aimed at enhancing the research and educational experiences that the campus's Department of Natural Resources Conservation provides to students and local landowners, while shielding the properties from future development.

     While the original agreement called for EOEA to provide $100,000 annually to the campus for five years, the final language appears in a separate environmental bond bill and calls for a minimum funding level of $45,000 per year. Once available, the funds will support educational programs on the best ways to manage forests to generate products while conserving water resources and biodiversity.

     The APR designation for the South Deerfield property was originally filed by Rep. Stephen Kulik (D-Worthington) and Rep. Ellen Story (D-Amherst) and tacked onto the forest preservation measure. This land is currently used by the College of Natural Resources and the Environment and UMass Extension for a variety of agricultural research projects that will not be effected by this restriction. The new law also permits the University to enter into lease agreements with area farmers to use part of the property while retaining the revenue for the purpose of enhancing the agricultural programs in the college.