Features

For a unique adventure, experienced paddlers can travel up into the narrow marsh channels at Broad Marsh Conservation Area in Wareham.

Salt marsh views stretch in every direction on a trip to Broad Marsh Conservation Area. The Buzzards Bay Coalition acquired this property as part of the Onset Bay Reserve in May 2018, and protected it with help from the Wareham Land Trust. This conservation area encompasses a calm bay bordered by suburban woodlands that narrows into a winding river through salt marsh. It is currently only accessible by water.

The salt marsh river branches off into many side channels, where an ambitious paddler can venture between tall grasses to look for wildlife. These channels are narrow and sometimes grow thick with marsh grass, making them difficult to navigate; as such, we recommend that only experienced paddlers venture up into these parts of the marsh. This marsh is best explored at high tide.

Habitats & Wildlife

MassWildlife’s Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program (NHESP) classifies this entire area as priority habitat for rare wildlife. As you paddle through the marsh, look out for wetland birds like egrets, great blue and green heron, and hunting osprey. In the winter this is a great place to look for migratory ducks, such as species of merganser, scoter, and eider.

Below your boat, a rich ecosystem of fish and shellfish flourishes in the marsh. You’ll see many ribbed mussels growing around the base of marsh grass, oysters scattered on the bottom, and even juvenile bluefish and striped bass taking refuge in these sheltered waters.

Property Owned By

Buzzards Bay Coalition

The Buzzards Bay Coalition is a membership-supported nonprofit organization dedicated to the restoration, protection, and sustainable use and enjoyment of our irreplaceable Bay and its watershed.