Although Rochester doesn’t touch Buzzards Bay’s coastline, more than 90% of the town’s land area lies within the Buzzards Bay watershed. The Mattapoisett River and the Sippican River flow through Rochester, which connect the town to Buzzards Bay. Rochester is 36 square miles in size, surrounded by the communities of Mattapoisett, Marion, Wareham, Middleborough, and Freetown and Lakeville. As of the 2010 Census, Rochester was home to 5,232 residents.

Top Stories in Rochester

Safeguarding 436 acres for clean drinking water

Two key projects, one complete and one in progress, will preserve a total of 436 acres of land in the Mattapoisett River Valley and Dartmouth’s Paskamansett River Valley, protecting local public drinking water supplies. 

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State Invests More Than $1M to Restore Wetlands at BBC’s Mattapoisett and Rochester Reserves

The Massachusetts Department of Fish & Game’s Division of Ecological Restoration (DER) is investing more than $1M to advance restoration of natural wetlands at two retired cranberry farms and at other impacted aquatic habitats throughout the Bay watershed.

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Doggett Brook Farm Legacy Preserved

This May, the Buzzards Bay Coalition sold the Doggett Brook Farm to a young farming family that will continue Rochester's farming tradition.

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Upcoming Events Near Rochester

Buzzards Bay Coalition Golf Tournament
Fri, October 18
12:30PM - 7:00PM
The Bay Club,
Mattapoisett
Buzzards Bay Swim – Registration Now Open!
Sat, June 22
6:30AM - 10:30AM
Fort Phoenix State Reservation,
Fairhaven
Falmouth Road Race
Sun, August 18
Woods Hole to Falmouth Heights,
Falmouth

Places To Go in Rochester

East Over Reservation

With fields, stone walls, and golden yellow barns, East Over Reservation is a reminder of Rochester’s rural character.

Shoolman Preserve

This farm and forest along the Mattapoisett River in Rochester was preserved for birds — and explorers like you!

Rochester

Although Rochester doesn’t touch Buzzards Bay’s coastline, more than 90% of the town’s land area lies within the Buzzards Bay watershed.

Current Issues

Land Conservation

Conserving land is one of the most important ways to protect clean water in Buzzards Bay. Since 1998, the Coalition has forever preserved more than 7,000 acres of land across our region.

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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: