The Small Parcel Program recognizes the special qualities and strategic value of smaller tracts of land in the spill area. Small parcels, which are typically 1,000 acres or less, are located on coves, along important stretches of river, at the mouths of rivers, adjacent to valuable tidelands, and, often, close to spill-area communities. These properties are acquired for their habitat qualities as well as for their importance for public recreational and subsistence use.
For organizational purposes, the small parcel program is broken into three sub-regions:
All parcels are purchased only from willing sellers, who have frequently approached federal and state land management agencies seeking purchase of their private landholdings for the permanent protection of their habitat values. To be considered for purchase, small parcels must meet strict criteria and be in the highest-habitat-value category under an updated spill-area-wide prioritization commissioned by the Trustee Council (and completed by Great Land Trust for the Council in 2014).
The map below depicts the three sub-regions of the spill area. For highlights on each region and a table listing the small parcels protected in each region, click on one of the three regions on the map below. Each regional table is linked to more detailed information on each parcel.
