Land Acquisition for Forest Reserves Grant Program
Land Acquisition for Forest Reserves Grant Program supports municipalities and conservation organizations in protecting forests to sustain older habitats, biodiversity, carbon storage, and passive recreation.
This grant was recently updated
The FY27 application deadline is February 18, 2027, replacing February 6, 2026, at 3 p.m. for FY26; applications now cover FY27 or FY28 projects. Municipal applicants face explicit voting, open-space conversion, and MBTA Communities Act compliance requirements, and all acquired or gifted land must now have a conservation restriction.
Funder: Division of Conservation Services
Due Dates: November 12, 2026 (Session RSVP) | November 16, 2026 (Information session) | February 18, 2027 (Application) | June 30, 2028 (Project expenditures)
Funding Amounts: Up to $425,000, reimbursing up to 50% of eligible project costs
Summary: Supports permanent protection of forest reserves for passive management, older forest habitats, carbon storage, and compatible public recreation.
Key Information: Acquired or gifted land must have a permanent conservation restriction prohibiting timber harvest and active forest management.
Description
The Massachusetts Division of Conservation Services, within the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA), administers this program as part of the Forests as Climate Solutions Initiative. It supports municipalities and qualified conservation organizations in permanently protecting forested land through fee-simple acquisitions or conservation restrictions. Applications may also seek eligible acquisition-related costs associated with donated land or perpetual restrictions.
The program protects forests where natural processes determine forest structure and composition. Priorities include developing older forest habitats, maintaining connected forest blocks and wildlife corridors, supporting biodiversity and climate resilience, and sustaining carbon sequestration and storage. Forest reserves also provide opportunities for compatible passive recreation, ecological research, comparative forest studies, and long-term monitoring.
