Gov. Patrick Announces Massachusetts Now Has 1.25 Million Acres of Open Space

Governor Deval Patrick announced late last month that Massachusetts now has 1.25 million acres of protected open space and 100,000 new acres protected over the past five years, echoing a trend found in Chelmsford as well.

The announcement was made at Halfway Pond in Plymouth, where the Department of Fish and Game and its Division of Fisheries and Wildlife had just acquired 94 acres of wildlife habitat for $2.5 million and recieved a gift conservation restriction of another 28.4 acres, permanently protecting the entire eastern section of the pond.

“(This) announcement marks an outstanding achievement in conservation which benefits our residents and is vital to the success and health of our communities,” said Massachusetts State Senate president Therese Murray.

Although Chelmsford's open space decreased by approximately 2 percent between 2000 and 2010, the town saw an increase from 1,004 to 1,165 acres of protected open space from 2010 to 2012, with an increase of 3,399 to 3,451 acres of total open and undeveloped land in town during the same time frame.