Kestrel Trust Protects 202 Acres of Shutesbury Forest
Dudleyville Forest is now permanently shielded from logging and development as a designated wildland in western Massachusetts.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in National Parks
Live Poll
Should your community spend public money to permanently protect local forestland from development?
Kestrel Land Trust and Northeast Wilderness Trust have permanently protected 202 acres of forestland in Shutesbury, designated as the Dudleyville Forest wildland. The property, previously used for timber production, will be left to natural processes with little to no human intervention.
Why it matters
The protection adds to a growing network of conserved land in Massachusetts, where wildlands currently account for 2.3% of the state. The effort is part of broader state and regional goals to expand reserve forests and protect biodiversity across Massachusetts.
The project drew $175,000 from the state's Acquisition for Forest Reserves Grant Program, $85,000 from Mass Audubon's 30×30 Catalyst Fund, and a $120,000 Wildlands Partnership award. The property sits beside the 3,486-acre Paul C. Jones Working Forest.
The players
Kestrel Land Trust
A conservation organization headquartered in Amherst, Massachusetts, that works to protect land across the region.
Northeast Wilderness Trust
A nonprofit that establishes and protects wildland reserves across the Northeast, partnering with local land trusts.
The details
Kestrel Land Trust purchased the property in 2025 and worked with Northeast Wilderness Trust to secure the permanent designation. The forest lies west of the Quabbin region and is part of a collaborative effort that now totals more than 400 acres of protected land in the Connecticut River Valley.
Timeline
2025: Kestrel Land Trust purchased the Dudleyville Forest property.
November 5, 2026: Permanent protection of Dudleyville Forest was announced.
Roadmap
The Dudleyville designation adds protected acreage toward Massachusetts' stated goals of protecting 30% of land by 2030 and 40% by 2050. It follows a state push to designate roughly 10% of its forests as reserves.
Visitors interested in the Dudleyville Forest can expect a wildland managed for natural processes rather than recreation infrastructure, so plan accordingly. The property's location west of the Quabbin region makes it a potential stop for those exploring the area's conserved lands.
The takeaway
Protected wildlands like Dudleyville Forest show how private land trusts and state grants can work together to lock in long-term conservation. Readers who value open space can support similar efforts through local land trusts.
Further reading
Explore more on National Parks to see how protected landscapes like the Dudleyville Forest fit into the wider Massachusetts conservation picture.
Source note: This article includes information reported by 22 News WWLP.
Live Poll
Should your community spend public money to permanently protect local forestland from development?
