About coastal plain ponds
The Plymouth gentian (Sabatia kennedyana), a globally rare plant with striking pink and yellow flowers, inhabits the sandy and peaty shorelines of coastal plain ponds.
Coastal plain ponds are globally rare ecosystems that occur on sandy coastal outwash plains, commonly found in Southeastern Massachusetts. These unique ecosystems host plant communities that have developed the ability to withstand specific growing conditions associated with these ponds. Coastal plain ponds are characterized by their fluctuating water levels throughout the year, poor nutrient content, and acidity. Pond shores are typically flooded until mid-summer, then dry out in late summer and early autumn. Fluctuating water levels aid in preventing the growth of trees and shrubs, leaving pond shores dominated by seasonal herbaceous plants.
Unlike typical lakes and ponds, coastal plain ponds are predominantly fed by groundwater. Many of the plants found at these ponds have adapted to the fluctuating water levels and only occur at a small number of ponds in the area. Many of these specialized plants are globally rare, although they may have abundant populations around an individual pond. These plants grow in bands on the shoreline, species that require drier conditions will grow higher on the shore, and those more tolerant of moisture grow lower where sand and muck is only exposed in late summer.
Coastal plain ponds provide habitat for:
- 40 species of plants listed under the Massachusetts Endangered Species Act
- More than 45 species of dragonflies and damselflies
- Painted, musk, spotted, and snapping turtles
- Federally endangered northern red-bellied cooters
- Migrating and wintering waterfowl
- Warmwater fish and freshwater mussels
Threats
Climate change makes it easier for invasive plants to spread into sensitive habitat; drought conditions disrupt groundwater fluctuation
Shoreline development and disturbance can cause erosion; trampling by walkers, vehicles, and boats destroys habitat
Invasive plants can outcompete the specialized native vegetation that depends on the ponds' natural seasonal water level fluctuations
Invasive plant species are a major threat and are the primary focus of the Coastal Plain Pond Initiative. As invasive species spread, they reduce biodiversity, alter natural shoreline conditions, and degrade habitat for native wildlife. Managing invasive plants helps restore the open, diverse plant communities that make coastal plain ponds one of Massachusetts' rarest ecosystems. You may recognize some of the plants in the photos below, these are just some of the invasive plants present at coastal plain ponds.
Grey willow (Salix cinerea)
Oriental bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus)
Common reed (Phragmites australis)
Morrow's honeysuckle (Lonicera morrowii)
About the Coastal Plain Pond Initiative
MassWildlife’s Coastal Plain Ponds Initiative partners include Mass Audubon, Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), Town of Plymouth, Town of Barnstable, Town of Yarmouth, and private landowners like you. Together, participating landowners will create a network of healthy habitats that support biodiversity, improve ecosystem resilience, and ensure these rare landscapes are preserved for future generations.
The goal of the Coastal Plain Pond Initiative is to restore globally rare habitats. MassWildlife staff will focus on the following actions.
- Plant surveys: Identify and monitor native and invasive plant species present at each pond.
- Data analysis: Maintain a database of coastal plain ponds and assess their vulnerability to invasive plants and other threats.
- Habitat restoration: Remove invasive plants to restore and improve pond habitats.
- Outreach and collaboration: Work with private landowners to obtain permission to access their properties and restore coastal plain ponds to healthier habitats
We need access to about 100 coastal plain ponds! Each parcel is a piece of the puzzle—accessing full pond perimeters leads to higher success. Participating landowners create a network of healthy habitats.
How you can help
If you own property in Barnstable, Yarmouth, or Plymouth with access to a coastal plain pond shoreline, we need your help. We need access to shorelines at about 100 coastal plain ponds to conduct surveys and remove invasive plant species. Participating landowners create a network of healthy habitats that support biodiversity, improve ecosystem resilience, and ensure these rare landscapes are preserved for future generations!
- No restoration work will occur without your knowledge and approval.
- Every restoration project begins with a botanical survey to identify native, rare, and invasive plant species. Restoration ecologists use these findings to develop a customized plan with recommended management actions.
- When invasive plants need to be removed, methods may include mechanical removal or targeted herbicide treatments, based on site conditions and landowner preferences. All restoration work requires landowner approval.
- MassWildlife staff will conduct periodic follow-up surveys to monitor progress, assess restoration success, and support the long-term health of the coastal plain pond ecosystem.
- Participation in the Coastal Plain Pond Initiative is voluntary. The initiative is 100% grant funded; participating landowners do not pay for restoration work.