Biodiversity, conservation headline agency’s new strategic plan

BOSTON (SHNS) – A state agency tasked with safeguarding natural resources in Massachusetts intends to expand land protection efforts, launch a blue carbon incentives program, and create new opportunities for environmental justice communities to access nature, among a bevy of other ambitious goals outlined in a newly released strategic plan .

The Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game, housed within the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, also plans to pursue legislation next session to change its name as part of a rebranding strategy to double down on its biodiversity, climate resilience and environmental justice initiatives.

“This is us meeting the moment where we’re dealing with really two crises, both with climate change and biodiversity loss,” Fish and Game Commissioner Thomas O’Shea told the News Service Monday. “The actions that we take today are really going to make a difference for the next generation.”

The agency’s 64-page strategic plan for 2025 through 2030, called “Connections: Working Together for Nature,” says the agency will double its pace of land protection.

On average, 6,000 acres will be protected each year by June 2030 — compared to the existing average of 3,000 acres — to help the state meet its goal of conserving 40 percent of Massachusetts land by 2050, DFG officials say. The plan aims to ensure that at least 70 percent of that protected land is forested, O’Shea said.

By 2030, DFG also wants to “protect, restore, and/or reconnect” 3,000 acres of floodplain habitats deemed “ecologically valuable”; boost the number of restored acres of eelgrass, which store a large volume of carbon dioxide; prioritize removing invasive species on agency conservation lands; remove six department-owned dams that are in “poor” or “unsafe condition,” with the aim of connecting aquatic habitats; and finish eight culvert or small bridge replacement projects.

In a statement Friday, Gov. Maura Healey commended DFG “for bringing the full force of the agency to combatting climate change and protecting our most precious natural resources” and said the agency was “taking action to ensure Massachusetts’ rich ecosystems and diverse wildlife thrive and are accessible to all.”

The plan also builds on Healey’s executive order directing the agency to develop biodiversity conservation goals for 2030, 2040 and 2050.

To help Massachusetts reach its zero emission goals, DFG’s plan calls for a blue carbon incentives program, as officials look to maximize climate mitigation opportunities from marine and estuarine habitats, including eelgrasses and salt marshes.

The goal is to enroll 4,000 to 6,500 acres of salt marsh into the program by 2030. The program would pave the way for “large-scale restoration and permanent protection,” as landowners are given financial incentives to protect salt marshes, according to the plan and O’Shea.

“The Department will develop a greenhouse gas inventory for salt marsh, submerged aquatic vegetation, and marine macroalgae,” the plan states. “We will establish a Blue Carbon Incentives Program to support a statewide vision for carbon sequestration and coastal resilience.” The plan adds, “We will increase carbon sequestration in freshwater wetlands across the state through land acquisition, ecological restoration, and habitat management projects.”

O’Shea said the incentives program, which is still under development, would be the first of its kind in the nation. DFG plans to map out eligibility requirements by December 2026, and then provide information and technical assistance on program opportunities in January 2027.

DFG’s plan incorporates strategies to better connect environmental justice (EJ) communities to natural resources, as well as strengthen relationships with tribes and Indigenous peoples. Officials say they will seek to implement language access plans to help individuals with limited English proficiency, raise public awareness of existing wildlife management areas, and develop new recreation and nature opportunities that are located in or near EJ communities.

“Everyone deserves the ability to explore and find joy in our natural world,” Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll said in a statement. “With this clear focus, more people, especially those living in environmental justice communities, will be able to enjoy the many wonders Massachusetts has to offer.”

Doubling down on food security initiatives, DFG says it will increase the amount of venison donated through the Hunters Share the Harvest Program — in which hunters can help combat hunger — by 1,500 pounds each year from 2024 through 2028. DFG will also promote access to local seafood, plus increase monitoring of “harmful” algal blooms” to protect shellfish harvesting, according to the plan.

As DFG looks to achieve its climate and biodiversity goals and build relationships with new groups — including EJ, Indigenous and community-based organizations — a new brand identity and agency name is on the horizon.

“We just want to make sure that people aren’t confused about who we are and what we do,” O’Shea said, as he discussed the opportunity to unify DFG’s four divisions dealing with ecological restoration, fisheries and wildlife, marine fisheries, and fishing and boating access.

DFG says it will work with staff, constituents, EEA and the Legislature to propose a new name for the agency by October 2024. By January 2025, DFG says legislation for the name change will be filed with the support of stakeholders and the Healey administration.

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