By Bob Katzen

The Healey Administration announced more than $5 million in grants to protect forest land which will be managed as reserves. These projects are designed to fight climate change and allow forests to mature, strengthening how these habitats store carbon. The grant program, a result of the Forest as Climate Solutions Initiative, aims to designate 10 percent of Massachusetts forests as reserves, where active management is limited and natural processes play out.

“Forests are our best natural carbon sinks,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper. “As trees age, they absorb and store more carbon dioxide – crucial in helping us fight climate change. By supporting community and land trust efforts to limit land conversion and increase permanent land conservation, we are preserving forests for generations to come.”

“Few things are more important than protecting our environment, and I’m elated that our state is preserving these beautiful pieces of land in Ashland and around the entire commonwealth,” said Senate President Karen Spilka (D-Ashland).