Opacum Land Trust is excited to announce our Year-End Matching Challenge Fundraiser. This year, our goal is to reach $40,000 and the first $15,000 donated will be matched! Donate today to DOUBLE YOUR IMPACT!

We are asking for your help to PROTECT, CONNECT, and STEWARD local land.

We could not conserve land without your support, which helps us to cover our time, resources, and capacity to pursue ambitious projects and grants to support land conservation efforts in our local region.

Please give today and help us to continue this important work and expand our abilities to do even more to protect land, water, and wildlife for current and future generations.

By supporting the Year-End Matching Challenge, you will:

PROTECT More Land:

• You will conserve land, including 1,011 acres through the ambitious, Forest Legacy Program, bringing $2.5 million of federal grant funding to our community.
• You will protect and revive unique, historic properties like the former Sleepy Hollow property in Brimfield.

CONNECT More Land & Support Wildlife Habitat:

• You will conserve land that abuts already protected land, promoting forest resilience and biodiversity.
• By protecting connected lands, you will support critical wildlife habitats and corridors for at-risk and threatened species.

STEWARD & Increase Access to the Land:

• You will maintain and protect all of our properties so they continue to be open and free for the public to enjoy.
• By setting aside places for them to explore, you will get kids out from behind computer screens and into the outdoors and create a generation of kids that cares about nature. The future of conservation depends on them.

Donate via the button below or mail a check to: Opacum Land Trust, P.O. Box 233, Sturbridge, MA 01566

Project Updates

We are excited to share with you the progress we have made on our projects this year. Thanks to our generous donors and your continued support, we have been able to make significant strides forward. Here are updates on some of our key initiatives:

Sleepy Hollow

We are making great progress toward an exciting opportunity for Opacum to protect an 86-acre parcel in Brimfield that was a former Scouts’ camp. 

The location has a lovely beaver wetland and the 2011 tornado created open young forest habitat for birds like Whip-poor-wills. After Opacum acquires this land and makes some necessary repairs, it will be reopened to the public for trails and to the Scouts for camping and projects. 

Forest Legacy Program

The MassConn Sustainable Forest Partnership, coordinated by Opacum, was awarded a Forest Legacy Program grant to protect 1,011 acres of forest in our region.

Aptly titled the “Emerald Forest Borderlands”, this ambitious multi-year project will help to conserve and connect important wildlife habitat and increase resilience in our local forests.

Southbridge Tree Planting

With your help and support, we are heading into our final year of tree planting and working hard to reach our goal of planting 1,000 trees in Southbridge.

Urban tree planting programs like this improve the health of the community and the environment.

Trees cool temperatures, improve air quality, reduce pollution and runoff, sequester carbon, and so much more. Learn more and sign up for your free tree at www.OpacumLT.org.

Events and Outreach

We were thrilled to host many exciting and informative walks and talks in 2023, and we look forward to hosting more in 2024. Our goal is to continue providing our community with engaging and educational experiences that showcase the natural and cultural wonders around us.

In addition to our offerings for adults, we will be increasing our outreach with children and young people. We believe that introducing young people to the joys of nature is essential to the future of conservation.

Make a donation today – DOUBLE your Impact!

PLEASE join us to support LOCAL land conservation. 

Together we can protect local land, water, and wildlife for current and future generations.

Remember, the first $15,000 in donations will be matched!

Thank you for your generous support! We couldn’t do this work without you.