Up and down, round and round the trunk of an old oak tree, I watched a pair of squirrels squabble, and I wondered – do they know how close they came to losing their home?

The oak tree they are circling has survived for centuries through hurricanes, drought, moth infestations, and more – does the tree know how close it came to the blade of a chainsaw?

Thanks to the support of the Opacum community and generous donors, when these 28 acres in Monson, the squirrels, and the old oak tree needed help, we were ready to act quickly to protect the land, the squirrels, and the oak tree before it was too late.

We were ready to act because we had the financial support of donors. Without that donor support, this ecologically and historically important land would have been sold, the oak tree cut down, and the squirrel’s home lost forever.

Our communities are at a crossroads. Look to our east, and you can see the changes that are coming. We need homes and we need businesses, but we also need to be careful to protect the important land, water, and wildlife habitat in our region from being lost to development.

We are VERY LUCKY to live in an area with wetlands that haven’t been filled in, aquifers that haven’t been paved over, and forests that haven’t been cut down. There is still time, but we need to act now.

That’s why we are asking you to donate generously to our end-of-year appeal, so that we can Act Fast, Plan Ahead and Protect Forever these important places.

Thanks to a generous matching fund from the Opacum Land Trust Board of Directors, the first $13,000 in donations will be matched!

Your support means future generations will continue to enjoy clean air and water, wildlife in their backyard, and outdoor spaces for kids to play in.

Together, we can decide what the future will look like. Please donate to the end of year appeal today.