The Buzzards Bay Coalition has purchased 27 acres of forest and wetlands, filling a remaining gap in a large complex of preserved land that will be crucial for salt marsh migration at Aucoot Cove in Marion (outlined in red in our map).

The Town of Marion currently owns acres of land around this recently purchased land. The acquisition nearly completes the protection of the Aucoot Cove shoreline.

The area outlined in red is 27 acres that nearly completes the conservation of land around Aucoot Cove.

“This acquisition is an important piece of this scenic and environmentally important cove between Marion and Mattapoisett,” says Brendan Annett, the Coalition’s Vice President of Watershed Protection. “As sea level rise begins to drown the seaward end of our salt marshes, this available protected land around the cove will give the marsh somewhere to go in the coming decades.”

This protection of these wetlands and buffering coastal forest will benefit Bay water quality; conserve critical habitat for fish, birds, and other wildlife; preserve the uninterrupted natural scenic beauty of the area; and expand outdoor recreational opportunities at this waterfront site for the community.

Two thirds of the funding for this project came from Coalition donors; the other third came from a North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) grant from the federal government’s US Fish and Wildlife Service.