In 2005, the first Wildlands and Woodlands vision recommended protecting 50 percent of Massachusetts (2.5 million acres) in forest.
The Massachusetts vision called for the permanent protection of:
- 2.25 million acres of Woodlands, mostly privately owned and managed for multiple goods and services
- 250,000 acres of Wildland reserves, mostly publicly owned and allowed to grow naturally
Since the publication of the Massachusetts Wildlands and Woodlands report, a growing number of partners of more than 60 conservation organizations, private sector representatives, Woodland Councils, state agencies, and other collaborations of like-minded individuals has been working to achieve the vision in Massachusetts and elsewhere in New England, using the strategies that work best in their communities.