Conservation Land

The Canton Conservation Commission owns and manages several hundred acres of conservation land. The Conservation Commission Act (Massachusetts General Law Chapter 40, Section 8C) describes how that land can be managed. As conservation land, by law, only passive recreation activities are permitted to take place. Passive recreation includes hiking, walking, road biking, mountain biking, horseback riding, snowshoeing, canoeing, kayaking, bird watching, animal tracking, nature study, photography, and picnicking. Motorized activities like ATVs, ORVs, and motorboats are not passive recreation and not compatible with most natural resource protection and wildlife habitat objectives; therefore, they are not permitted on conservation land. Most land is specifically protected for natural resource protection, wildlife habitat preservation, and passive recreation. We encourage and invite all residents to explore our conservation land.