Closed to visitors while heavy machinery excavated sand and removed man-made irrigation structures, the former cranberry bog site along Acushnet Road was formally re-opened in a public event on Nov. 25.

Under clear skies and a setting sun, Buzzards Bay Coalition staff convened with their partners, including those from the US Department of Agriculture, the Massachusetts Division of Ecological Restoration, and the Town of Mattapoisett to celebrate the successful collaboration and what the future will bring.

This comprehensive community improvement includes freshwater wetlands that benefit natural vegetation and wildlife, fish and wildlife passage along Tripps Mill Brook (a tributary of the Mattapoisett River), turtle nesting habitat, and floodplain connectivity. Most importantly, it will help protect the public drinking water supply for the towns of Marion, Mattapoisett, Fairhaven and Rochester.

The site can be enjoyed by visitors who can traverse the groomed paths that provide varied views of the natural flora and fauna. The paths connect with eight miles of trails throughout the entire 600-acre Mattapoisett River Reserve, a network of conservation properties the Coalition and its partners have worked to protect.

This ecological restoration project was designed in conjunction with GZA Engineering and partners at the Massachusetts Division of Ecological Restoration (MA DER) and USDA-NRCS. Restoration was performed by Luciano’s Excavation, Inc. of Taunton. Funding for the restoration project has been made possible by the USDA-NRCS, MA DER, MA Department of Conservation & Recreation’s Recreational Trails Program, the Massachusetts Environmental Trust, and BBC supporters.