More than 15 percent of all land surrounding tributaries flowing to Buzzards Bay is owned by cranberry growers. And in some areas of the watershed, those figures are greater than 50 percent land ownership. As cranberry growers think about the transition of their lands, there is a huge opportunity to affect the health of the Bay for generations.

How do cranberry bogs impact downstream waters?

In 2011, the Coalition began collaborating with partners to understand and quantify how cranberry agriculture affected downstream waters. Ten years later, it released its findings. Watershed management plans can be developed with confidence that there is adequate information about the amount of nitrogen and phosphorous produced by farmed bogs.

Which bogs should be prioritized for restoration?

The report found that bogs that should be prioritized for restoration are flow-through bogs, bogs closest to the estuary, and bogs that intercept water carrying nitrogen from upstream developed areas.

What’s happening to Massachusetts’ cranberry industry?

With global changes in the cranberry industry squeezing Massachusetts' historic bogs in favor of more industrial-scale growing in other states and countries, many local growers are looking for options for what to do with their land - not just their bogs but the tens of thousands of acres of forests and wetlands that they also own. The Coalition is partnering with growers to retire bogs that they feel are not high-performing, purchasing land for conservation and ultimately restoration. 

Why does conservation and restoration matter?

For years, it was feared that bogs would be abandoned and the adjacent buildable land would be sold off to developers. Or sand and gravel mining. Or clearcut for solar panel arrays. But there is another option: preserve the land and restore the bogs back to wetlands, and allow everyone to enjoy the land in its return to its natural origins. This can significantly reduce the amount of nitrogen pollution in local rivers and can forever protect lands that are vital to the health of Buzzards Bay.