The Coalition for Buzzards Bay and Sippican Lands Trust Partner to Ensure Marion Lands are Always Protected

For Immediate Release

March 14, 2008

CONTACT:

Kristin Thoms

The Coalition for Buzzards Bay

(508) 999-6363, ext. 207

Jessica Whittaker, Sippican Lands Trust

(508) 748-3080

NEW BEDFORD, MA—The Coalition for Buzzards Bay and the Sippican Lands Trust recently joined forces to permanently protect 29 properties comprising nearly 300 acres of wetland and forest in Marion. The land trust, which owns the properties, partnered with the Coalition to provide an additional layer of protection on the land, which includes two of the land trusts’ most popular preserves, Brainard Marsh and Howland Marsh.

The protection deal - the first of its type for the Coalition - occurred in late December, when the land trust conveyed 280 acres of its land in Marion to the Coalition, which in turn, conveyed the lands back to the land trust via a deed that included specific language requiring the land to remain as open space. Through the deed restrictions recorded at Plymouth County Registry, the land trust must ensure the 280 acres remain as open space and in their natural condition, and the Coalition is obligated to defend the land as open space should conflicts arise in the future.

"Proper stewardship of protected land requires thinking long into the future," said Chris Bryant, President of the Board of Directors for the Sippican Lands Trust. Jessica Whittaker, Land Protection Specialist at Sippican Lands Trust added, "Partnering with the Coalition allows the Sippican Lands Trust to ensure for our donors and supporters that we will fulfill our mission to preserve land in perpetuity."

While Sippican Lands Trust remains at the forefront of land conservation efforts in Marion, the Coalition now stands behind them to guarantee land meant for permanent conservation is always protected from the hands of development. All 29 properties, which are scattered throughout the watershed, offer unspoiled refuge for a multitude of shore birds, marine organisms and other wildlife and comprise a kaleidoscope of habitats, such as woodlands, wooded swamp, salt marsh, and pristine beaches. Conservation of the land supports water quality protection in three of the most important harbors and coves in Buzzards Bay – the Weweantic River, Aucoot Cove, and Sippican Harbor.

“When our organization and other land trusts in the Buzzards Bay Watershed agree to accept and hold lands for permanent conservation, we take on a serious responsibility to ensure that they are indeed protected in perpetuity. And perpetuity is a very long time. That’s why the type of ‘double protection’ we’ve partnered with the Sippican Lands Trust to provide for lands in Marion is so important. By doing so, we’ve expanded both the legal framework for protection
and we’ve added the strength of two independent organizations to watch and defend these lands from misuse,” commented Coalition for Buzzards Bay Executive Director Mark Rasmussen. “The Sippican Lands Trust has again proven itself a regional leader by taking this step and The Coalition for Buzzards Bay is proud to support them.”

This approach to double protection for land trusts is modeled after similar efforts by the Compact of Cape Cod Conservation Trusts with land trusts on Cape Cod.

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The Coalition for Buzzards Bay is a private, non-profit membership organization dedicated to the protection, restoration, and sustainable use of Buzzards Bay and its watershed. The organization works to improve the health of the Bay ecosystem for all through education, conservation, research and advocacy and is supported by more than 5,000 members.

The Sippican Lands Trust, Inc. is a non-profit organization founded in 1974 for the acquisition, management and protection of natural areas in Marion. The Trust is a membership organization of approximately 700 members and currently protects over 1,100 acres of beautiful open space.