Fall River Open Space Plan
V. INVENTORY OF LANDS OF CONSERVATION & RECREATION INTEREST
A. Protected Lands
For purposes of this Open Space and Recreation Plan, land was considered permanently protected if it fell into one of the following categories:
- Federal land owned by a federal conservation agency, therefore protected by PL 88-578
- State land owned by a state conservation agency, therefore protected by Article 97 of the Massachusetts Constitution (see Appendix)
- City lands owned by or under the jurisdiction of: 1.) Conservation Commission, therefore protected by MGL 40*8C & Article 97 or 2.) Water Department, therefore protected by Article 97.
- Owned by a non-profit organization dedicated to land conservation (ie. land trust)
- Protected in perpetuity by a Conservation Restriction (MGL ch.184)
All information included in this Inventory was compiled from the City of Fall River Assessors records. Data such as lot acreages, present managing agencies and Assessors Map and Lot numbers are subject to the accuracy of the City's records as of May 1997.
Freetown/Fall River State Forest
The Freetown-Fall River State Forest comprises nearly 5,700 acres and straddles the border between the town of Freetown and the City of Fall River. The forest is managed by Massachusetts Department of Environmental Management (DEM) with headquarters off Slab Bridge Road in Assonet.
The Freetown-Fall River State Forest began in 1934 when the State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) purchased 323 acres for $4,500. Most of the present property was acquired by the end of 1935. Two Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camps were located in the Forest from 1935-37, one managed by the US Forest Service and the other managed by the National Park Service. The crews worked on Gypsy Moth control, dug water holes for fire suppression, planted trees, cleared the area for the headquarters, garage and parking lots, and cleared and graded most of the roads and major trails found today in the Forest.
A 227.5 acre portion of the State Forest was set aside as an Indian Reservation by the Acts of 1939. In 1976, an Executive Order from Governor Dukakis strengthed the Reservation by granting tribal rights to the Wampanoag Nation in this section of Forest. A small but important acquisition occurred in 1955 when the State purchased about 60 acres of land at the northern end of the Forest. The parcel includes a natural granite formation that is a startling likeness of a human profile. Profile Rock is a Wampanoag Nation holy site.
A 1989 acquisition, by the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, of 210 acres from the Acushnet Saw Mills Company abuts the Freetown-Fall River State Forest and is managed by the DEM as well. The Forest is open to the general public year round. Hunters are excluded from the Watuppa Wampanoag Reservation. Fishing is permitted in Rattlesnake Brook.
FREETOWN-FALL RIVER STATE FOREST PARCEL INVENTORY
All of the following are from Assessor Map #: W-19
| Lot # | Acreage | Lot # | Acreage | Lot # | Acreage | ||
| 1 | 37.98 | 32 | 15 | 87 | 25 | ||
| 3 | 11.0 | 36 | 22 | 88 | 12 | ||
| 4 | 38.9 | 37 | 70.54 | 90 | 10.11 | ||
| 5 | 40 | 55 | 12.23 | 91 | 11.64 | ||
| 6 | 7.0 | 56 | 11.32 | 92 | 9.38 | ||
| 7 | 10.0 | 57 | 7.0 | 93 | 7.81 | ||
| 8 | 17.0 | 58 | 170 | 94 | 10 | ||
| 9 | 10.0 | 70 | 152 | 95 | 22.14 | ||
| 10 | 5.43 | 72 | 50.33 | 96 | 36 | ||
| 11 | 36 | 73 | 13 | 98 | 15 | ||
| 12 | 86 | 74 | 10 | 99 | 114 | ||
| 13 | 37.95 | 75 | 64 | 101 | 22.5 | ||
| 14 | 41.45 | 76 | 152.3 | 102 | 49.75 | ||
| 17 | 18.0 | 77 | 33.78 | 127 | 20 | ||
| 26 | 39.63 | 80 | 40 | 128 | 37 | ||
| 27 | 40 | 81 | 27 | 129 | 31 | ||
| 28 | 20 | 83 | 34.5 | 130 | 39 | ||
| 29 | 30 | 84 | 5.16 | 156 | 18 | ||
| 30 | 13 | 85 | 38.57 | 170 | 3 | ||
| 31 | 14.5 | 86 | 25 | 180 | 4.5 |
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
PARCEL INVENTORY
Heritage State Park
Owner: Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Assessor Map #: N-13 Lot #: 3
Book: 1360 Page: 304
Location/Access: Davol Street
Funds Used:
Zoning: Industrial
Managing Agency: Dept. of Environmental Management
Acreage: 1.6 Acres Transfer Date: 4/17/81
Public Access: Yes
Recreation Potential: Excellent
Condition: Excellent
Owner: Commonwealth of Masachusetts
Assessor Map #: N-13 Lot #: 5
Book: 1360 Page: 304
Location/Access: Davol Street
Funds Used:
Zoning: Industrial
Managing Agency: Dept. of Environmental Management
Acreage: 39,285 SF Transfer Date: 4/17/81
Public Access: Yes
Recreation Potential: Excellent
Condition: Excellent
Owner: Commonwealth of Masachusetts
Assessor Map #: O-24 Lot #: 1
Book: 1360 Page: 304
Location/Access: Davol Street
Funds Used:
Zoning: Industrial
Managing Agency: Dept. of Environmental Management
Acreage: 2.66 Acres Transfer Date: 4/17/81
Public Access: Yes
Recreation Potential: Excellent
Condition: Excellent
DEM Hockey Rink
Owner: Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Assessor Map #: P-11 Lot #: 65EX
Book: 1153 Page: 73
Location/Access: 272 Elsbree Street
Zoning: S
Description: Hockey Rink
Managing Agency: Dept. of Environmental Management
Acreage: 4.1 Acres Transfer Date:
Public Access: Yes
Condition: Fair
Degree of Protection: Perpetuity
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
DIVISION OF FISHERIES AND WILFLIFE (DFWELE)
PARCEL INVENTORY
SITE NAME: COOK POND
Owner: Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Assessor Map #: C-10 Lot #: 12
Book: 1024 Page: 420
Location/Access: Newton Street
Funds Used: $11,000 on 12/29/71
Zoning: R-8
Description: Boat Ramp
Managing Agency: DFWELE
Acreage: 2.98 Acres Transfer Date:
Public Access: Yes
Recreation Potential: Excellent
Condition: Good
Degree of Protection: ss.6 of Ch.131 MGL, Ch.802 of Acts of 1967
SITE NAME : DIVISION OF FISHERIES AND WILDLIFE
Owner: Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Assessor Map #: O-19 Lot #: 1
Book: 1107 Page: 19
Location/Access: Brownell Street
Funds Used:
Zoning: Industrial
Description: On Taunton River
Managing Agency: DFWELE
Acreage: 2.21 Acres Transfer Date: 8/6/74
Public Access: Yes
Recreation Potential: Good
Condition: Good
Degree of Protection: Perpetuity
SITE NAME: DIVISION OF FISHERIES AND WILDLIFE
Owner: Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Assessor Map #: W-42 Lot #: 20
Book: 2259 Page: 286
Location/Access: Copicut Road
Funds Used:
Zoning: R-80
Description: forestland north of Copicut Reservoir
Managing Agency: DFWELE
Acreage: 142.72 Acres Transfer Date:
Public Access: Yes
Recreation Potential: Good
Condition: Excellent
Degree of Protection: Perpetuity
SITE NAME: DIVISION OF FISHERIES AND WILDLIFE
Owner: City of Fall River
Assessor Map #: W-43 Lot #: 16
Book: 2215 Page: 308
Location/Access: Copicut Road
Funds Used:
Zoning: R-80
Description: T.F.L.
Managing Agency: DFWELE
Acreage: 3.0 Acres Transfer Date:
Public Access: Yes
Recreation Potential: Good
Condition: Good
Degree of Protection: Perpetuity
The Greater Fall River Land Conservancy
The Greater Fall River Land Conservancy is a private, nonprofit organization founded in 1996 to preserve and protect the natural heritage of Fall River and surrounding areas for the benefit and enjoyment of the public. Land Trusts like the GFRLC protect land directly by accepting donations of land or conservation restrictions, or by buying land. To date, the Conservancy has acquired 50 acres of land in the North Watuppa watershed for permanent protection. Cumulatively. land trusts in southeastern Masachusetts have protected over 5,000 acres of wildlife habitats, scenic open space, farmland, and forestlands. Specifically, the Land Conservancy...
- Acquires and protects open land...watersheds, wetlands, and wildlands
- Assists individuals and groups with land conservation opportunities
- Demonstrates land stewardship techniques and benefits
- Promotes greater awareness of our surrounding natural resources
Owner: Greater Fall River Land Conservancy
Assessor Map #: W-10 Lot #: 1 & 2
Book: 3079 Page: 59
Location/Access: near Watuppa Reservation
Funds Used: Charitable Donation
Zoning: A-3
Description: Mature Forestland
Managing Agency: GFRLC Board of Directors
Acreage: 50 Acres Transfer Date: 1997
Public Access: Yes
Recreation Potential: Good
Condition: Excellent
Degree of Protection: Perpetuity
The Watuppa Reservation
The Watuppa Water Board owns more than 4,000 acres of forestland along the North Watuppa Pond and Copicut Reservoir for water supply protection. The majority of these lands were purchased in the early part of this century in a concentrated effort to,permanently protect the City water supply. All of these acquisitions were focused on the North Watuppa Pond where more than 80% of the Pond's watershed is protected. Along the Copicut Reservoir, however, the City only owns the immediate pond frontage.
In order to protect the ponds from contamination, the Watuppa Water Board prohibits most public uses of the North Watuppa and Copicut Ponds and watershed lands. Recently, however, the Water Board has been more flexible in allowing passive uses of a portion of its less environmentally sensitive lands. In 1995, the City opened the Tattapanum Trail off of Wilson Road to the public for walking. The creation of the nature trail reflects a viewpoint that limited, planned, ecologically sound uses can be compatible with water quality protection.
continued...