Taking a walk outside is good for your mind and body. At the Discover Buzzards Bay launch at The Sawmill, attendees walked the trails along the river and through the woods.

Discover Buzzards Bay is a resource to help local residents find unique and exciting ways to explore the outdoors, get some exercise, and connect with nature. The centerpiece of Discover Buzzards Bay is savebuzzardsbay.org/discover, a portal to hundreds of outdoor adventures across the Buzzards Bay region.

Whether you’re looking for a new trail to walk, route to cycle, waterway to paddle or shellfish bed to dig, you can use Discover Buzzards Bay to get outside and discover woods, wetlands and waterways from Fall River to Wareham and beyond. The website includes outdoor events, ideas for new activities to try with friends and family, and information about more than 100 public parks, trails, beaches and boat launches around the area. Over the next two years, Discover Buzzards Bay will grow to include more than 300 places and dozens of activities and adventures to explore.

“People take care of things they know and love; unfortunately, fewer people today know Buzzards Bay’s beaches, salt marshes and streams,” said Coalition President Mark Rasmussen. Across the region, more than 30% of local residents don’t use the Bay for fishing, swimming, or boating in the course of a year; another 30% use the Bay less than once per month on average. “Through Discover Buzzards Bay, more people will be able to experience – and connect with – the Bay and its watershed.”

The Discover Buzzards Bay partnership was unveiled at a public event at The Sawmill this afternoon. Coalition staff and Dr. Robert McGowen of Southcoast Health led members of the public on a walk along the park’s trails, sharing the benefits of outdoor recreation to physical and emotional health. Along the edge of the Acushnet River, environmental educators showed visitors how to search for animals in the water using nets, buckets, and magnifying glasses.

“At Southcoast Health, we believe that an active lifestyle is the first step to better health,” said Kerry Mello, Community Benefits Manager for Southcoast Health. “We are proud to support organizations that share this belief and deliver wellness to our region.”

As part of Discover Buzzards Bay, the Coalition and Southcoast Health will be leading a series of monthly walks called “Sunday Strolls” at trails across the South Coast. The first Sunday Stroll will take place on Sunday, Dec. 4 from 10-11 a.m. at William Minot Forest in Wareham.