Concord Receives $400K State Grant for October Farm Protection Project

CONCORD, MA – Concord was awarded a $400,000 state grant on Monday for preservation efforts at the October Farm riverfront.

The town will use the money to acquire 80 acres of land with more than a mile of frontage along the Concord River. The acreage contains high-value upland and wetland habitats and provides a critical link to Estabrook Woods.

Gov. Charlie Baker's administration announced more than $3.9 million in grant awards to 13 communities Monday. The funding will go toward protecting more than 900 acres of land through the Local Acquisitions for National Diversity (LAND) Grant Program, which seeks to address climate change and protect biodiversity in Massachusetts.

"Our administration continues to invest in open space and habitat conservation to ensure that individuals and families across the Commonwealth have an opportunity to experience everything our state’s natural environment has to offer," Baker said in a statement. "Importantly, these visionary local projects will protect over 900 acres of beautiful open space and wildlife habitat for generations to come."

Formerly the Self-Help Program, the LAND Program was established in 1961 to assist municipal conservation commissions in garnering land to be protected and used for outdoor recreation.

"Municipal partnerships are very important to our administration, and we are committed to continuing to work with local communities to expand and conserve public land," said Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito in a statement."Critical funding like the Local Acquisitions for Natural Diversity Grants will help ensure Massachusetts’ cities and towns are able to protect natural environments for their residents to enjoy."

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