Lake & Watershed Conservation

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Watershed and Lake Protection

Land in it's natural state provides the highest benefit to the present and future of Manchaug Pond and all our watershed water resources.

If you are a land owner in the Manchaug Pond watershed located in the towns of Sutton, Douglas and Oxford, please consider your land use, its contribution to the ecosystem, and its future protection. Three principal methods are available to landowners to permanently protect their land, offer a living legacy, benefit the lake for now and the future, and provide tax relief:

Conservation Restriction: the land owner places a voluntary and permanent restriction on their deed to protect the natural heritage of the property.
Gift or sale of the land for conservation, including a sale at a reduced price.
Bequest of land or conservation restriction.

Currently, the Manchaug Pond Foundation owns a total of 100+ acres of watershed saved from further development (26 acres in Douglas and 75 in Sutton), holds the deed to the flow rights of Manchaug Pond, negotiated the transfer of the dam to the town of Sutton with a $350,000 donated maintenance fund, and had past officer donate the Waters Farm 120 acres to Sutton Conservation Commission and another who was intrimental in protecting a number of prrperties with the Metacomet Land Trust.

Protected Today!

Flow Rights

In 2010, the newly formed Manchaug Pond Foundation received the deed for the flowage rights in both towns of Douglas and Sutton after successful negotiations for town ownership of the dam with Interface Global/Manchaug Reservoir Corp. In 2018, secured a new optimum water level rule curve approved by the Sutton Conservation Commission Order of Conditions.

Manchaug Pond Dam and Waterlevel

Negotiated local ownership with transfer to the Town of Sutton with a $350,00 donation from Interface Global to be held in a dam maintenance fund for future needs. Approved August 2012 at town meeting, ownership was transferred to the Town with an agreed partnership formed with the MPF fielding public concerns serving to educate users and in an advisory role with the town.

Sutton- Manchaug Pond Scenic Overlook.

A "jem of Sutton," this scenic roadside overlook offers spectacular views of horses in pasture, forest, the water resource of Manchaug Pond. Look to the sky for heron, eagle, kestrel and other large birds of prey and to the field and forest edge for wildlife, fox, coyote to turkey and more.

Sutton - 75 acres

Preserved 75 acres of pasture, forest and water resources in order to protect water quality and the continuation of agricultural use. The property is home to a world class Morgan horse stable and serves as a sanctuary to rescued miniature horses.

Douglas - 25 acres

Part of the larger Sutton parcel, 25 acres with nearly 1000 feet of shoreline as well as forested land protects two ponds, wetlands, streams and is priority habitat for an endangered species - the marbled salamander.

Manchaug Pond Overlook at Beaton Farm

The scenic roadside Overlook at Manchaug Pond on Waters Road in Sutton offers a stunning vista of gardens, fields, and forest with the beautiful 380 acre lake, Manchaug Pond, in the distance. The reproduction colonial homestead with its lovely perennial gardens combined with the fields, pasture and barns of a working horse stable make a quintessential landscape complimentary the rural focus of Waters Road. and the hillside watershed forests and wetlands of the beautiful 380 acre lake, Manchaug Pond.

In addition to its beauty, property encompasses prime hillside watershed which directly contribute run-off water to Manchaug Pond. Protecting water quality is at the core of the Manchaug Pond Foundation's mission as is the conservation and protection of 100 watershed acres of forested wetlands, streams, springs, two ponds and 875 feet of shoreline.

Additionally, this “jewel of Sutton” continues its agricultural heritage with the preservation of the Morgan horse stable, formerly the home of Brad and Kari Beaton's Hillock Farm, complementing the neighboring living-history museum, and the rural character of Sutton. Today the breeding and training of internationally award-winning Morgan horses continues under the private operation of the stable and fields. Also calling the stable home are many miniature horses, rescued from neglect and abuse, who now spend their remaining years in a nurturing and loving environment. In keeping with our mission, the Manchaug Pond Foundation is utilizing this agricultural use to further the educational outreach of our first and second Mass DEP 319 Non-point Source Pollution grants in bringing modern horsekeeping best management practices to the many horse owners in the watershed and beyond. With continued private donations and grants coupled with the leadership and cooperative effort of the stable and its clients, the stable will serve as a model facility.

The Acquisition

Saved from development in 2013 through the Town of Sutton's assignment of their Chapter 61A First Right of Refusal to the conservation non-profit, Manchaug Pond Foundation and a through a direct purchase of the Douglas water front and the home and the generous donation from a private donor who wished to remain anonymous, and two smaller donations, the Manchaug Pond Foundation was able to facilitate the direct purchase of the 75 acres of Chapter 61A farm land and forest and the Sutton home and 875 feet of shoreline on 25 acres in Douglas. Our deepest gratitude is extended to the Select Board of the Town of Sutton in assigning the first right of refusal to the Foundation and to our donors both great and small whose vision and extreme generosity made this preservation posssible.

Massachusetts Priority Habitat for Rare and Endangered Species

In the western oak and hickory forests of Manchaug Pond watershed, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts has designated a large area as Priority Habitat for Rare and Endangered Species. This designation process was just renewed in 2017 with the size of the area reduced.

This special habitat stretches from a woodland vernal pool on neighboring property into the majority of the 26.86 acre conservation parcel of includes forested streams, wetlands, and two small man-made ponds protected by the Manchaug Pond Foundation located in the town of Douglas. Located on assessors map as parcel #102-1 Rear Northwest Main Street, Manchaug Pond Foundation files annually for exemption from property tax ensuring that this special area of the lake watershed remains preserved.

Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program for species of special concern/threatened status: eagles, spotted, wood and eastern box turtles, and marbled salamanders. To report a sighting, use the MassWildlife Heritage Hub.