Previously farmed cranberry bogs in Rochester are being transformed back to wildlife-friendly, natural, and better functioning freshwater wetlands and grassland habitat, allowing the land to better absorb and filter water into the groundwater aquifer and to the headwaters that lead to the Bay downstream.

Pending two final approvals, a fleet of excavators will soon be on site to remove the top surface of the bog and open up the dikes that separate each of the bog cells. They will use the sand material placed on the bog surface during decades of farming and in the berms to fill ditches in the bog cells. They’ll also smooth out steep slopes where irrigation canals once were, naturalizing the flow of water and helping wildlife movement. This excavation will also release the long-buried wetland seed bank and bring the surface of the soil (and the roots of water-loving wetland plants) closer to underlying groundwater. No soil material will leave the site; it will all be utilized as mentioned or to restore sand plain grassland higher up the slope adjacent to the wetlands.

Construction crews will also remove the remaining buried irrigation tubing and pipes left over from the farming operation. Some upland tree removal will take place to allow crews the ability to access pipes for removal and conduct necessary grading.

This restoration will eventually allow for the Atlantic White Cedars just north of the bogs to migrate south and expand this rare swamp habitat. Atlantic White Cedars were abundant in the area before most were felled by logging in the 1800s. Remaining Atlantic White Cedar swamps are imperiled and are considered a priority habitat by the state for restoration due to their unique vegetation and limited distribution.

This project’s outcome will be very similar to that of Mattapoisett Bogs, further downstream in the Mattapoisett River Valley. The Coalition has partnered with EA Engineering, Science, and Technology, Inc. to develop the design and Sum-Co Eco Contracting for construction. This same engineering-construction team also assisted the Coalition with restoration of The Sawmill in Acushnet. Sum-Co has completed many of the cranberry bog wetland restorations in the area, including the Coonamessett River, Eel River, and Tidmarsh restoration projects.

While construction is underway, the entire property will be closed to the public. People who enjoy the site can use the opportunity to explore other properties in Rochester throughout the summer and fall. Such properties include East Over Reservation, Haskell Swamp Wildlife Management Area, and Kirby Preserve. For a list and information on those properties, go here.

Stuart Bogs Bird’s-Eye View