Ownership Patterns

Who owns all of this land anyway?

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Well, private landowners own the bulk of it. As part of our efforts to learn about North Quabbin landowners we compiled a database of all parcels greater than 10 acres. According to the database, private landowners, including individuals, non-profits, and businesses, own 59% of North Quabbin land. Public entities such as the Metropolitan District Commission, the Department of Environmental Management, and the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife own 38%, while municipalities and the federal government own the remaining 3%.

The state of Massachusetts owns the largest blocks of land in the region. The Metropolitan District Commissions owns over 33,000 acres of Quabbin watershed land in the North Quabbin and the Department of Environmental Management manages six state forests and parks and owns over 25,000 acres in the region.

Private parcels average about 40 acres in size, creating a checkerboard of ownerships each with their own system of management (including no management at all). The decisions made on individual parcels can have a major effect on regional forest management if considered collectively. These small private landholdings are increasingly included in regional land protection and forest management efforts. Reaching so many landowners is difficult, but many organizations such as the North Quabbin Woods program have increased outreach efforts. Fortunately, the majority (67%) of private landowners live in the North Quabbin region making them more accessible to outreach efforts.


Find out:

What do landowners think about forest management? 
What is the North Quabbin Woods Outreach Program?