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Despite nearly a decade of studies and thousands of pages of documents, the state nor the ski area operator ever produced a single map for the public showing the ski area expansion in relation to the protected areas of Wachusett Mountain State Reservation. Cross referencing the state's documents and the ski area's proposal, we have generated detailed maps to show you just what is at stake at Mt Wachusett. Click on the images below to view each map full size.

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A private ski area developer which leases land from the Department of Conservation and Recreation received final approval from the Supreme Judicial Court to proceed with the clearcutting of 12.5 acres of parkland, including mature northern red oak forests in the heart of the publicly owned Wachusett Mountain State Reservation. The Supreme Judicial Court ruling establishes a dangerous precedent by allowing the further destruction of our public parks by a private entity without requiring the demonstration of any public need for the project.

The ski area has already expanded several times over the past decade, including new ski lifts, a major lodge expansion, and major improvements made to snowmaking, lighting, and other infrastructure, some of which occurred without environmental review. The ski area capacity is now double what it was in 1990, and well above what was recommended as the maximum capacity in the state’s original ski area master plan.

The current project, however, is far more devastating than any of these past expansions. While providing only a very minimal increase in capacity, it will create the greatest damage to the natural areas of the reservation since the initial expansion of the ski area in the 1980’s by the same operators. The old growth forest which surrounds the summit of Mt. Wachusett is the fourth largest in the Commonwealth, and the largest stand east of the Connecticut River. The old growth forest is an exceedingly rare resource which should be held in trust for all citizens of the Commonwealth and for future generations. The proposed clear-cut area is directly adjacent to this area and contains spectacular northern red oaks of 140 or more years of age – a forest type which is quite rare in Massachusetts.

Stewardship of our public lands requires an orderly process whereby resources are first inventoried and then appropriate usage is determined. This was in fact required by EOEA Secretary Coxe, who mandated that a Resource Management and Protection Plan (RMPP) be developed for the mountain prior to any approval of expansion of the ski area. This process was never followed. Instead, the developers submitted their own expansion plan without the benefit of an RMPP, which EOEA Secretary Robert Durand then approved. Following this expansion approval, the RMPP was finalized, with the certificate stating the “[t]he mountains forested slopes are an irreplaceable natural resource…[t]he approximate 900 acre Biodiversity Significance Overlay will be managed in a “hands off” manner to protect the maturing forests around the summit and allow them to regain an old growth character.”

The Biodiversity Significance Overlay is the site-specific buffer zone for the old growth forests on Mt. Wachusett. The proposed clear-cut area is “maturing forest” and located wholly within the buffer zone that DEM’s own planners and scientists deemed worthy of protection. The end result is a management plan that has been ignored and a decision made that purports to protect forests around the summit while simultaneously sanctioning the clearcutting of those very same forests. Such actions are inconsistent with the proper stewardship of our public lands.

Visit our Wachusett Action Page to help prevent the further clearcutting of our public parks.