200 Acres Along the NET Conserved

Trust for Public Land, in partnership with the National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announces the conservation of 200 acres along the New England National Scenic Trail (NET) in Southwick, MA. Congress designated the NET a National Scenic Trail in 2009, and this purchase is the first federal acquisition for NET trail protection. The NET is a 235-mile footpath that runs from the coast of CT to the border of NH and MA. Although designated a National Scenic Trail by Congress, only about half of the 90-mile trail in MA exists on protected conservation land. The other half is vulnerable over time to shifts in ownership and changes in land use that could result in broken sections or lengthy road walks. The property, and about 1/3 of a mile of the NET itself, will be overseen as part of the Silvio O. Conte National Wildlife Refuge. The Appalachian Mountain Club's Western MA Chapter will manage and maintain the property under the new federal ownership. Visit the Trust for Public Land for more information on this historic acquisition.