The Buzzards Bay Coalition’s location in New England cranberry country has given its professionals a unique opportunity to develop expertise transforming farmed cranberry bogs to a more natural wetland state. That is why the nation-wide restoration community looks to the Coalition to give their perspective in the overall study of restoration best practices.
Restoration manager Evelyn Mortimer was invited to give a presentation at the Coastal and Estuarine Summit coordinated by Restore America’s Estuaries last month in San Francisco as part of a workshop including a host of marsh restoration strategies.
She outlined the legacy of cranberry agriculture, how tidal barriers and farming have disrupted wetland hydrology, landscapes under transition, and how restoration can support marsh migration and other climate resilience efforts.
Mortimer spoke about her recent work at Jack’s Marsh in Wareham, where project partners are assessing restoration options that include possible culvert replacement, berm removals, removing water control structures, reusing excavated materials on-site for filling drainage ditches and re-grading site elevations. Massachusetts Division of Ecological Restoration and Southeast New England Program are providing funding for the project’s design and eventual construction.
“The work we do restoring coastal cranberry bogs lends important insight into the overall progress of restoring wetlands globally,” says Mortimer. “And we are grateful to the Summit organizers for including our perspective on this panel so we can highlight the work we are doing.”
