by Chris Rodstrom, The Trustees of Reservations
(TTOR), Land Protection Specialist
The rolling hills of the Nashua River Valley
are draped by numerous orchards, farms, and woodlands. In its 1999
publication "Conserving Our Common Wealth: A Vision for the
Massachusetts Landscape," The Trustees of Reservations identified
145 square miles of potentially significant scenic, historic and
ecological landscapes in the region, of which only 18% had been
protected.
The threats to the remaining open space in this area
are great. In particular the commercial, industrial and residential
development along the I-495 corridor is rapidly consuming the remaining
agricultural land. Growth in the high-technology companies locating
here is creating a demand for both office space and new housing.
We also find that as the apple industry struggles in the region,
marginal orchards are becoming an attractive target for developers,
despite the potential soil contamination problems commonly found
in orchards.
With the hard work of groups like the Nashua River
Watershed Association, local land trusts, municipalities, The Trustees
of Reservations, and state agencies, important landscapes continue
to be permanently protected. However, much more needs to be done
to protect and connect threatened landscapes and to create a viable
network of open space for the public to use and enjoy.
It is especially critical that funding for open
space preservation initiatives continue. Funding initiatives combining
state, municipal and local private contributions can preserve the
most important landscapes in the Nashua River Watershed, even as
the wave of development washes over the region.
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