Senator Eldridge and Representative Hogan Announce $1.1M Grant to the Stow Acres North Acquisition and Climate Resilience Master Plan
This project will preserve approximately 111 acres, or two-thirds, of the Stow Acres North Course for conservation and recreation
Stow, MA – State Senator Jamie Eldrige (D-Acton) and State Representative Kate Hogan (D-Stow) are pleased to announce a state grant of $1,135,000, awarded to the Stow Acres North Acquisition and Climate Resilience Master Plan. The plan guides the restoration and development of approximately 111 acres of land. The grant was announced on August 30 by the Baker-Polito administration and the Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA).
This grant helps preserve the area for conservation and recreation purposes while providing a blueprint for enhanced resilience of the entire site, including wetland restoration, enhancement of flood storage capacity, removal of golf elements, planting of trees, shrubs, and riparian buffers, increasing landscape diversity and complexity, wildlife habitat enhancement, design of trails, and state of the art “green” public recreation amenities.
Administered by the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA), the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Action Grant offers financial resources to municipalities that are seeking to advance priority climate adaptation actions to address climate change impacts resulting from extreme weather, sea level rise, inland and coastal flooding, severe heat, and other climate impacts.
The state program requires participating municipalities to incorporate its nine core principles, ranging from the development of proactive actions and nature-based solutions to engagements with environmental justice (EJ) populations and more.
Senator Eldridge and Representative Hogan sent letters of support to the MVP Program in late April, expressing their support for the Town of Stow’s application. Eldridge supports the collaborative planning effort with Stow Conservation Trust, the golf club owner and a developer, in conserving and transforming the largest remaining property in Stow.
“The grant will provide the town with an opportunity to create a more resilient landscape in the heart of Stow and in the Assabet River Watershed. Given the size of the property, it is likely that the area will draw visitors and offer a regional trail and park destination. My congratulations and thanks to the Town of Stow and the people who made this happen,” said Senator Jamie Eldridge. “I am grateful to the EEA for administering the MVP program and awarding the grant to Stow and many other towns.”
"As the largest undeveloped parcel of land in our town, Stow Acres represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet our desire to protect valuable open space with the need for housing stock. Years of planning, a unique public-private partnership, and deep community involvement have yielded a model plan that provides needed housing stock while protecting our town's valuable green space. I'm proud to call Stow my home and honored to have played a role in this effort," said Representative Kate Hogan.
The grant was part of a $32.8 million package awarded by the Baker-Polito administration. The MVP program launched in 2017 and has since continued to make investments in building climate change resilience throughout the Commonwealth.
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Photo courtesy of Stow’s official website, available at https://www.stow-ma.gov/stow-acres-open-space-recreation-and-housing-page/pages/stow-acres-land-protection.
