Conservancy Acquires 578 Acres in Blandford for Cross-Mass Pike Wildlife Corridor

Protecting Wildlife and Natural Habitats in Blandford

The Nature Conservancy recently acquired 578 acres of land in Blandford, Massachusetts, marking a significant step toward creating a safe passage for wildlife to cross beneath the Massachusetts Turnpike. This acquisition aligns with broader efforts to ensure that animals can move freely across the landscape, which is increasingly important as human infrastructure continues to expand.

When visitors walk along Chester Road, they are surrounded by the natural sounds of the forest and fields. However, just a short distance into the property, the noise of traffic on the Massachusetts Turnpike becomes apparent. Richard Cavanaugh, the land protection manager for The Nature Conservancy in Massachusetts, described the impact of the highway on the environment. “You get a sense of how intrusive the Mass Pike is,” he said. “And how loud and furious it is.”

The newly acquired land is located near two culverts that span under all six lanes of the turnpike and its median. Unfortunately, these structures are only 4 feet wide and often fill with water, making them unsuitable for many species of wildlife. To address this issue, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, the state’s Department of Conservation and Recreation, and the Department of Fish and Game will collaborate with The Nature Conservancy to monitor the culverts. Their goal is to determine how much water accumulates, what types of wildlife use the space, and what modifications could make these passages more effective.

One potential solution being considered is enlarging the tunnels or adding a dry shelf — a kind of catwalk — to allow bobcats and other animals to safely cross from one side of the highway to the other. These changes could significantly improve connectivity for wildlife in the region.

The Nature Conservancy has long envisioned the Appalachian region as a vast network of connected, resilient lands and waters — a biodiversity superhighway that would help plants and animals adapt to climate change. However, the east-west corridor of the Massachusetts Turnpike disrupts this vision. “Any chance to mitigate that asphalt curtain is a helpful thing,” Cavanaugh noted.

The need for safer wildlife crossings became clear during Cavanaugh’s first visit to the property. While hiking along the pike’s shoulder, he discovered the rib cage and skull of a bear that had been struck by a vehicle while attempting to cross the highway. The bear appeared to have dragged itself toward the woods before dying.

The land includes uplands, grasslands, and both young and mature forests. It is situated on the west side of Chester Road, near the borders of the towns of Chester, Becket, and Otis. The property was purchased by The Nature Conservancy from the heirs of Howard and Judith A. Terry for $1.56 million on July 7. Judith operated the family’s Balsam Acres Christmas Tree Farm on part of the land until her passing in 2024. Howard, a patent attorney and avid outdoorsman, passed away in 2014.

Several years ago, The Nature Conservancy conducted an analysis of large privately owned tracts of land along the turnpike in the Hilltowns. The goal was to identify properties that could connect existing public lands. “This is one of the few sites that wasn’t protected that showed up in that analysis,” Cavanaugh said.

After Judith’s death, the Terry family expressed interest in preserving the land but wanted to sell it quickly, faster than the state could manage. As a result, The Nature Conservancy stepped in, purchasing the property with the understanding that it will eventually be transferred to the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) and MassWildlife.

Both agencies already own adjacent properties, including the Chester-Blandford State Forest. This new acquisition connects 40,000 acres of contiguous, permanently protected land. The protected area also includes conserved watershed land owned by the Springfield Water and Sewer Commission.

Peebles Brook, which flows through the property, feeds into the commission’s Borden Brook and Cobble Mountain reservoirs, providing drinking water for Springfield. The Sanderson, Cushman, Finley, and Peebles brooks are all coldwater fisheries, supporting the renowned Westfield River trout population. There are also three vernal pools on the land.

In the future, the property will be open for activities such as hiking and hunting. The state is considering options for the former Christmas tree farm, including potentially reopening it or restoring the land to a more natural state. The area is also home to the vulnerable New England cottontail rabbit, which faces threats from habitat loss.