BARRE, Mass. – More than 800 acres of land in Barre is now under the protection of local conservation groups, and those involved in the effort said it ensures the area will remain a quiet place for wildlife and outdoor recreation for generations to come.

The Hawes Hill Conservation Corridor includes land from eight property owners, all of whom agreed to let Mass Audubon and Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust protect it.

Dave Rothstein, land conservation specialist for Mass Audubon, said it’s a success story on several levels, largely because of Barre residents who owned the land.

“This was one of those projects which was a groundswell of local support over something that they value pretty highly, which was their land,” Rothstein said. “Their history and the fact their lands are actively working for agriculture, forestry, for meditation centers.”

David Spackman, president of Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust, said it was a lengthy process getting everyone on the same page.

“It was complicated with multiple parties of people who had land, which is often their largest asset and means to provide for the future,” Spackman said. “But they want to keep the legacy of the land and what it's been used for alive.”

Conserving the land also helps ensure access to clean drinking water, as it sits on a watershed filtering to the Quabbin Reservoir.

Peter Baker helps run a meditation retreat sitting partially on the 800 acres, which is visited by thousands of people per year who appreciate its serene atmosphere.

“It’s really beautiful land around here,” Baker said. “Even our land that hasn't been farmed for a century used to be farmed, and there’s beautiful stone walls throughout the woods. The woods is now getting mature from being there since the 19th century, so it's just a really special and beautiful place.”

Massachusetts has set a goal to conserve 30% of its land by 2030, and fifth-generation dairy farm owner Philip Stevens said that’s great news for the future of his industry.

“It’s really good because we're losing farms all the time, and with this collaboration, that puts our dairy farm right into the next generation, knowing this land is going to be here to produce hay and food for generations,” Stevens said.

The 800 acres is also surrounded by roughly 3,000 acres of nearby conservation land. Mass Audubon used funds from its new $75 million 30x30 Catalyst Fund for this project. The Fund seeks to battle climate change and the loss of biodiversity.

“Two things move the needle when it comes to land conservation: Skilled and generous people and dedicated funds that can be brought to the table in a timely manner,” said David O’Neill, president of Mass Audubon. “Our amazing staff and experienced partners made this happen, and now we all reap the rewards of the environmental and recreational benefits of protecting these pristine forests, fields and streams. We’d like to thank our many private and public funders and the landowners who joined with us to make this ambitious project a reality.”