- Division of Ecological Restoration
Foothills Preserve and West Beaver Dam Brook Restoration Project (Plymouth)
DER continues to support the Town of Plymouth, USDA NRCS, and Mass Audubon to restore wetlands on this approximately 50 acre former farm site. DER has provided $70,000 in cash grant funding to the Town to support engineering design and permitting services. Project engineer Inter-Fluve, Inc. has recently completed draft preliminary designs. Armed with a recently issued MEPA certificate the next steps are permitting, which DER will support with in-house expertise.
Mill Brook Bogs Restoration Project (Freetown
Working for landowner MassWildlife and conservation easement holder NRCS, DER is providing lead project management services for restoration of this 125-acre retired commercial cranberry farm. Stantec Consulting Services is under contract to DER to develop preliminary engineering plans by the end of June 2019. This work builds upon initial restoration concepts developed by DER, and continued thinking about how to heal the land and invite visitors into this public open space. Over the next few months, DER will file numerous grant applications to help support the next phases of engineering as well as project implementation. DER expects to prepare and file MEPA documentation this coming summer, leading next to project permitting.
Coonamessett River Restoration Project (Falmouth)
The project is poised for implementation! Final funding and contracting details are being resolved now. Expect the start of restoration in the next several months, and stay tuned for more updates.
Childs River Restoration Project (Falmouth and Mashpee)
The Falmouth Rod and Gun Club, which owns the restoration area, has secured the MEPA Certificate for the project, including wetland restoration on two small former cranberry bogs, removal of a dam, and replacement of a culvert. The project enjoys broad partner support, including from the Association to Preserve Cape Cod (APCC), who is assisting with overall project management. Grant funding from DER is supporting additional data collection this spring by project engineer Inter-Fluve, Inc. Permitting and additional fundraising steps are up next.
Robert F. Smith Cold Brook Preserve (Harwich)
Landowner Harwich Conservation Trust (HCT) has secured the MEPA certificate for the project. The project team, including DER, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Town of Harwich, and UMass Dartmouth, are now considering design changes to help best accommodate future sea level rise for this low lying former cranberry bog. Additional data collection to help inform design is scheduled for this spring and summer. Final design changes will occur prior to the start of project permitting this fall. Fundraising is also in progress to support implementation.
Mattapoisett Bogs (Mattapoissett)
The Buzzards Bay Coalition (BBC) recently hired GZA GeoEnvironmental, Inc. to develop conceptual design alternatives for wetland restoration and visitor experience on this large public open space. DER grant funding and technical assistance support this work, and help build upon preliminary data collection and design by USDA NRCS. In the months ahead, expect more updates on public meetings, design alternatives, and a preferred approach that will emerge.
Image Foothills Preserve and West Beaver Dam Brook site
