Volunteers help the Coalition keep a watchful eye at The Sawmill

The opening of The Sawmill has also opened up a new volunteer opportunity with the Coalition: “adopting” one of our public reserves in Acushnet, Fairhaven, Mattapoisett, and Wareham.

a group of volunteers walking on the trail at The Sawmill in Acushnet

Through the Adopt A Reserve volunteer program, local residents who love the outdoors can sign up to help keep an eye on Coalition conservation areas like The Sawmill in Acushnet.

Through the Adopt A Reserve volunteer program, local residents who love the outdoors are signing up to visit one these reserves on a regular basis to walk the trails, inspect the grounds, and report on what they observe. The Sawmill has become a popular destination for walking, so these local residents are doing their part for the park by volunteering to do an activity that many people already enjoy.

“The help of volunteers gives us more eyes on the ground,” said Kelly Barber, the Coalition’s MassLIFT-AmeriCorps Land Stewardship Coordinator who organizes the Adopt A Reserve program. Volunteers note any misuse that has occurred on the grounds since they last visited, pick up litter if they are so inclined, and submit reports to Kelly.

Paulette Marshall is one of many volunteers who helps monitor The Sawmill. “Sometimes I come here before eight in the morning, and it’s just so lovely,” she said of the north river overlook, one of The Sawmill’s most scenic spots. “One morning…there was a little river otter. He definitely knew I was here. He’d come out of the water, and go under, pop up closer. And he was right there, right in front of me.”

Walking a property regularly provides volunteers with opportunities for lucky encounters like Paulette’s with the river otter. And, Kelly said, volunteering gives people “an extra motive or purpose to go outside and walk around: they’re helping a conservation organization.”

Paulette said she decided to volunteer because the Acushnet River has always been part of her life. “But it was unapproachable because of the mills and the condition of the river. So I thought that, with all the work that’s been done, I at least owed it to do my part. But now I would come here anyway – I just love it!”

Kelly agreed that volunteering is really about loving a property. “When volunteers connect with the property they monitor, they feel like they’re taking responsibility to help protect it.”

The reports that volunteers submit help notify the Coalition of any immediate or developing issues at our reserves. This allows Kelly and Matt Spinner, the Coalition’s land stewardship director, to respond more quickly to resolve these issues and keep the properties well cared for.

Volunteers sign up with Kelly to monitor trails based on their interest and availability. Some visit once a month, while others may visit multiple times a week. Most of the current volunteers are stationed at The Sawmill due to its high level of public use, but there are also volunteers opportunities available at LaPalme Farm in Acushnet, Horseshoe Mill in Wareham, and The Bogs and Tripps Mill in Mattapoisett.

If you want to help us protect these conservation areas by volunteering to Adopt a Reserve, contact MassLIFT-AmeriCorps Land Stewardship Coordinator Leah Howard at (508) 999-6363 ext. 217.

Category: On the Land

Take Action

Volunteer

Do you want to make a difference for Buzzards Bay? Then become a Coalition volunteer! You can help with events, water testing, outdoor cleanups, education programs, and more.

Learn More ›

Related Stories

2024 Buzzards Bay Coalition Guardian Awardees

Stormy skies cleared just in time for the Buzzards Bay Coalition’s 36th Annual Meeting, held May 23rd at the Onset Bay Center (OBC). More than 100 members gathered on the OBC terrace for conversation and cheer, enjoying clear views of a placid Onset Bay over to Wickets Island and beyond. The highlight of the evening, however, took place when guests moved into the Center’s McFadden Hall for the evening’s program and the presentation of the 2024 Buzzards Bay Guardian Awards.

Full Story ›
Bay Adventures are back with a full summer schedule

The Coalition is launching a full schedule of free outdoor activities for the summer, resuming its Bay Adventure program, which aims to connect people to outdoor fun on Buzzards Bay and its watershed lands.

Full Story ›
Spring Staycation at the Sawmill

The Coalition is offering a free packet of self-guided outdoor activities for children and families to explore during April school vacation week.

Full Story ›

Working to Save Buzzards Bay

The Buzzards Bay Coalition is a membership-supported organization dedicated to improving the health of the Buzzards Bay ecosystem for all through education, conservation, research, and advocacy.

We work to protect clean water on the Bay and on the land: