The Coalition has conserved land in South Dartmouth on either side of Slocums River to allow the salt marshes there space to move as rising sea level from climate change threatens to drown the existing salt marsh.

The purchase of land called Little River Farm will preserve 22 acres on Little River Road that abuts the salt marsh. The land is split up into two sections. One is a just under 10-acre stonewall-lined field where the Coalition now owns the land and a conservation restriction was granted to the Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust—an important partner in the project.

On the eastern side of the property, 12.18 acres of forest is being resold with the current residential housing. The Coalition will hold the conservation restriction on that privately owned land. The sale of that land and home to a private owner is expected to close later this month.

Both pieces of the purchased land on Little River Road are considered Coastal Adaption Areas for critical saltmarsh ecosystems and identified for salt marsh migration in the wake of climate change.

The Coalition also took ownership of two conservation restrictions on land on Barneys Joy Road on the west side of the river, both near Wainer Farm. One was gifted to the Coalition by Sam and Anna Knight and the other was purchased at a reduced price. One lot is forested land abutting the marsh; the other, a meadow in front of a residential house. The former is key for salt marsh migration. The latter is currently leased to the owner of nearby Jordan Farm for cattle grazing.

It is a very scenic landscape. “This turn on Barneys Joy is one of the most scenic spots on our Buzzards Bay Watershed Ride,” said Coalition Vice President of Watershed Protection Brendan Annett.

Conserved land near Wainer Farm in South Dartmouth