The Ganson Project - The Trustees of Reservations

The Trustees of Reservations has an exciting opportunity to protect more than 200 acres of undeveloped land in the central Massachusetts town of Petersham. In partnership with the Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust, The Trustees is actively working to preserve five important parcels of land collectively known as the Ganson Project. This land will form critical links in an emerging greenway that will connect the Quabbin Reservoir to the Royalston Falls area. In time, this continuous ribbon of land could extend into New Hampshire.

Download a map of the Ganson project (PDF - 415K)

The Trustees is raising $39,000 to purchase a 69-acre parcel of land that abuts the 558-acre Brooks Woodland Preserve, an undisturbed forest of towering red oaks, hemlocks, and white pine. This addition will help protect the preserve's watershed and an important wildlife corridor, and will allow us to expand the many miles of woodland trails where visitors hike and cross-country ski. But we need your help!

Make a donation!

Protecting Biodiversity
The Ganson parcels are home to numerous streams that feed into the Swift River, the main tributary to the Quabbin Reservoir. Protecting the watershed of the Swift River will help maintain the water quality of the river and protect the biodiversity of the reservoir, the largest protected landscape in Massachusetts and home to rare species as well as a multitude of more common plants and wildlife. Moreover, these parcels add to the existing corridor of protected land along the Swift River and its tributaries north of the Quabbin Reservoir. Many species of wildlife including mink, fisher, and turtles utilize these streams as travel corridors.

Recreational Opportunities
Through the expansion of the current hiking and cross-country skiing trails at Brooks Woodland Preserve, the protection of these lands will also increase opportunities for visitors to explore various landscapes. Another parcel connected to the project will provide direct public access to the town's Babbitt Wildlife Sanctuary for the first time. And the diversity of species supported by the wildlife corridor will provide unique opportunities for nature study activities such as bird-watching.

We Need Your Support
The Trustees must raise $39,000 by the end of this year in order to complete the purchase of the 69-acre parcel abutting Brooks Woodland Preserve. Additional funds are needed to help the Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust protect the remaining four parcels. The seller requires that all five properties be sold as a package, which makes The Trustees' acquisition of the parcel abutting the Preserve essential to the protection of the entire 200 acres. Your support will help secure this natural treasure for future generations. All contributions are tax deductible.

Making a Donation

By Mail: Please mail check payable to The Trustees of Reservations, and include your name, address, daytime phone, and email address (if applicable), to:

The Ganson Project
The Trustees of Reservations
Doyle Conservation Center
464 Abbott Avenue
Leominster, MA 01453

By Phone: Call 978/921-1944 x1861 to make a donation using a credit card.
On-line: To make a contribution online, please click here.

For more information, please contact: