Area of Critical Environmental Concern (Massachusetts)

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The Massachusetts Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) Program is a list of state-designated places within the Commonwealth that receive special attention due to their natural and cultural resources. The program was established in 1975 and includes a list of thirty ACECs covering over 268,000 acres in seventy six communities throughout the state. The ACEC Program is administered by the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) on behalf of the Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs.[1]

List of ACECs in Massachusetts[edit]

Ref# ACEC Name Image Area (acres) Designated Location Notes
1 Bourne Back River 1,850 1989 Bourne
2 Canoe River Aquifer and Associated Areas 17,200 1991 Easton, Foxborough, Mansfield, Norton, Sharon, and Taunton Includes Watson Pond, Lake Sabbatia, and the Snake River
3 Cedar Swamp 1,650 1975 Hopkinton
4 Central Nashua River Valley 12,900 1996 Bolton, Harvard, Lancaster, and Leominster
5 Cranberry Brook Watershed 1,050 1983 Braintree and Holbrook
6 Ellisville Harbor 600 1980 Plymouth
7 Fowl Meadow and Ponkapoag Bog 8,350 1992 Boston, Canton, Dedham, Milton, Norwood, Randolph, Sharon, and Westwood
8 Golden Hills 500 1987 Melrose, Saugus, and Wakefield
9 Great Marsh 25,500 1979 Essex, Gloucester, Ipswich, Newbury, and Rowley originally designated as Parker River/Essex Bay
10 Herring River Watershed 4,450 1991 Bourne and Plymouth
11 Hinsdale Flats Watershed 14,500 1992 Dalton, Hinsdale, Peru, and Washington
12 Hockomock Swamp 16,950 1990 Bridgewater, Easton, Norton, Raynham, Taunton, and West Bridgewater
13 Inner Cape Cod Bay 2,600 1985 Brewster, Eastham, and Orleans
14 Kampoosa Bog Drainage Basin 1,350 1995 Lee and Stockbridge
15 Karner Brook Watershed 7,000 1992 Egremont and Mount Washington
16 Miscoe, Warren, and Whitehall Watersheds 8,700 2000 Grafton, Hopkinton, and Upton
17 Neponset River Estuary 1,300 1995 Boston, Milton, and Quincy
18 Petapawag 25,680 2002 Ayer, Dunstable, Groton, Pepperell, and Tyngsborough Lower Nashua River and Salmon Brook areas.
19 Pleasant Bay 9,240 1987 Brewster, Chatham, Harwich, and Orleans
20 Pocasset River 160 1980 Bourne
21 Rumney Marshes 2,800 1988 Boston, Lynn, Revere, Saugus, and Winthrop
22 Sandy Neck Barrier Beach System 9,130 1978 Barnstable and Sandwich
23 Schenob Brook Drainage Basin 13,750 1990 Mount Washington and Sheffield
24 Squannassit 37,420 2002 Ashby, Ayer, Groton, Harvard, Lancaster, Lunenburg, Pepperell, Shirley, and Townsend Squannacook River and Mulpus Brook areas.
25 Three Mile River Watershed 14,280 2008 Dighton, Norton, Taunton
26 Upper Housatonic River 12,280 2009 Lee, Lenox, Pittsfield, Washington
27 Waquoit Bay 2,580 1979 Falmouth and Mashpee
28 Weir River 950 1986 Cohasset, Hingham, and Hull
29 Wellfleet Harbor 12,480 1989 Eastham, Truro, and Wellfleet
30 Weymouth Back River 800 1982 Hingham and Weymouth

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References[edit]