Mass Appeal

Massachusetts may get its first national forest if a plan being drawn up by the administration of Gov. Mitt Romney (R) comes to fruition. The plan's still in the preliminary stages -- so preliminary, in fact, that no maps have yet been sketched -- but a considerable chunk of northwestern Massachusetts could be affected, including parts of the Berkshire region. The administration says it will make sure it has the blessing of environmentalists, local residents, and town leaders before pressing forward. The proposal is particularly attractive to state officials because it would bring in federal dollars to protect and manage the land. State environmentalists have been warm to the idea of a new national forest in the past, and outdoor enthusiasts like the notion of land being opened up to the public for recreation. But don't don those hiking shoes yet -- it might take years before the proposal becomes reality, as it would need approval from both the state legislature and Congress, and require that a number of private landowners volunteer to sell their property to the feds.