Towns of Bolton and Clinton Bolton and Clinton, MA

Nashua River Communities Resilient Lands Management Project

BSC and its partners worked with the Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions to develop a tool for creating wetland bylaws and regulations for municipalities. The tool is based on compiled research and extensive community outreach with the public, commercial real estate managers, and municipal agency leaders. It allows users to tailor effective and defensible bylaws from a curated set of climate adaptation–focused elements.

As part of the development team, the Towns of Bolton and Clinton were the first to apply and test this tool. These updated bylaws provide local officials with stronger, research-backed methods to manage natural lands in ways that enhance community resilience. By adopting improved land management practices and updated regulations, participating towns can more effectively address climate mitigation and adaptation goals while safeguarding critical environmental resources.

The guide focuses on strategic conservation and strengthening the ecosystem services of natural lands, including water supply, flood management, soil formation, biodiversity, wildlife habitat, and temperature regulation. With increasing development pressure and extreme weather, forests, wetlands, and agricultural land are under new strain, making it essential to reevaluate how these resources are managed and protected.