Project Grant F25AP00932

THE SNIPATUIT COASTAL ATLANTIC WHITE CEDAR SWAMP PROJECT WILL PERMANENTLY PROTECT 101 ACRES (IN RED ON MAPS AND IDENTIFIED AS TRACT 1) OF AN IMPORTANT LARGE, FORESTED WETLAND COMPLEX AT THE HEADWATERS OF THE MATTAPOISETT RIVER WITH 1,600 FEET OF SHORELINE ON SNIPATUIT POND, A 700 ACRE LAKE IN ROCHESTER, MASSACHUSETTS. THE PROJECT INVOLVES THE GRANTEE ACQUIRING FEE TITLE TO THE PROPERTY WITH THE ROCHESTER LAND TRUST (RLT) HOLDING A CONSERVATION EASEMENT OVER THE PROJECT PROPERTY TO ADD AN ADDITIONAL LAYER OF PROTECTION OVER THE PROPERTY. THE REQUESTED GRANT FUNDS ($130,000) ARE PROPOSED TO BE USED ENTIRELY TOWARD THE GRANTEES ACQUISITION OF THE PROJECT PROPERTY. THE REMAINDER OF THE PROPERTYS ACQUISITION COST AND PROJECT COSTS ($130,000) WILL PROVIDE NON-FEDERAL CASH MATCH VALUE TO THIS PROJECT. THE PRIMARY GOALS OF THIS PROJECT ARE 1) TO PROTECT THE UNIQUE BIODIVERSITY AND ECOLOGICAL RESOURCES ASSOCIATED WITH THIS LAND, 2) TO PROTECT CRITICAL WETLANDS ASSOCIATED WITH MIGRATORY BIRD HABITATS, 3) TO PROTECT IMPORTANT WATER RESOURCES ASSOCIATED WITH THIS LAND, THE POND, THE MATTAPOISETT RIVER AND ITS AQUIFER AND WATERSHED AND 4) TO CONTINUE TO BUILD A LARGE CONTIGUOUS AREA OF PROTECTED LAND ENHANCING ALL OF THESE CONSERVATION VALUES.THE PROJECT IS A SIGNIFICANT PIECE OF AN IMPORTANT, LARGE ATLANTIC WHITE CEDAR FOREST ON THE WATERFRONT OF SNIPATUIT POND, A MASSACHUSETTS GREAT POND LAKE, AND IS A HIGH PRIORITY FOR PROTECTING THE BIODIVERSITY OF SOUTHEASTERN MASSACHUSETTS. ATLANTIC WHITE CEDAR SWAMPS ARE DESIGNATED IMPERILED (RANKED S2) PRIORITY NATURAL COMMUNITIES IN MASSACHUSETTS, AND THIS IS AN UNUSUALLY LARGE EXAMPLE WITH WATERFRONTAGE ON A LARGE LAKE IN A COASTAL AREA (CREATING UNIQUE HABITAT DIVERSITY). THE SITE IS ON THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF THE POND AND IS A CRITICAL PART OF AN 800-ACRE COASTAL ATLANTIC WHITE CEDAR SWAMP (WITHIN A LARGER 2,500-ACRE STATE-DESIGNATED FOREST BLOCK) THAT GRANTEE AND PARTNERS HAVE BEEN WORKING TO PROTECT. THAT ON-GOING EFFORT INCLUDES RLTS NEARBY 80-ACRE WALNUT PLAIN CEDAR SWAMP PROPERTY (A PRIOR NAWCA SMALL GRANT (2017) SUPPORTED PROJECT) AND GRANTEES LARGE 511-ACRE HEADWATERS RESERVE CONSERVATION AREA.