Vollinger Farm in Northampton permanently conserved with first-of-its-kind federal funding

Yahoo

2 days ago

NORTHAMPTON, Mass. (WWLP) – One of Northampton's largest remaining unprotected farms has been permanently conserved, thanks to a groundbreaking approach to federal conservation funding.
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Kestrel Land Trust announced the preservation of 122 acres of the 217-acre Vollinger Farm, ensuring the land remains dedicated to agriculture and wildlife habitat.
Located on North Farms Road, the property faces a higher risk of development than farmland in the floodplains of the Connecticut River. Recognizing its ecological and agricultural importance, landowner Robert 'Bob' Vollinger partnered with Kestrel Land Trust for more than five years to make conservation a reality.
'This complex process to become qualified for and hold an Agricultural Land Easement required a steep learning curve for everyone involved,' said Mark Wamsley, Kestrel's Conservation Director.
The project marks the first time Kestrel has held a federally funded easement, made possible through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). Kestrel participated in the program with The Nature Conservancy and other partners to access funding under the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program's Agricultural Land Easement (ACEP-ALE) component.
'ACEP-ALE aims to protect the long-term viability of the nation's food supply by preventing the conversion of productive farmland to non-agricultural uses,' said Rita Thibodeau, NRCS Massachusetts Assistant State Conservationist for Programs. 'The program supports preserving high-quality agricultural soils, maintaining the integrity of working farms, and ensuring that land remains in private ownership while under conservation protection.'
While Massachusetts commonly uses the state's Agricultural Preservation Restriction (APR) program to conserve farmland, the Vollinger Farm project used a different path. The RCPP version of ALE promotes innovation, enabling conservation of both farmland and critical wildlife habitat—a dual purpose well-suited to the mix of open fields and woodlands on the property.
In total, the RCPP contributed $749,500 in federal funding. Mass Audubon's Catalyst Fund added $100,000 to the project. Another 80 acres of the farm are currently protected under the state's Farm Viability Program, which funded barn renovations for Vollinger.
Vollinger Farm, which has been in the family for three generations, sits next to the Broad Brook–Fitzgerald Lake Greenway, the largest conservation area in Northampton. The farm once focused on dairy but has evolved under Bob Vollinger's stewardship to produce hay, raise beef cows, and grow seasonal crops like squash, mums, and Christmas trees.
'Conserving the farm was always my goal,' Vollinger said. 'Now it will also help me plan for the future and contribute to my retirement. I'm looking forward to spending more time on the farm and being out on the land in the coming years.'
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