Mass Audubon closed a crucial gap within 8,000 acres of contiguous protected land in the Great Marsh when it purchased 75 acres of vulnerable habitat in Rowley last week. Protecting this mix of salt marsh and upland islands means Mass Audubon can proceed with plans for its newest wildlife sanctuary, Rough Meadows, which began with the vision and generous bequest of the late Professor Alfred J. Chandler in 2007. Thanks to Mass Audubon’s partnership with committed allies and generous supporters, Professor Chandler’s North Shore dream is now a reality.
The regional land trust for the North Shore, the Essex County Greenbelt Association (“Greenbelt”), worked in partnership with Mass Audubon to achieve this outcome. The purchase was funded by a grant from the Open Space Conservancy, Inc., an affiliate of the Open Space Institute; a contribution from the town of Rowley’s Community Preservation funds; a grant from the Federal North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA); and generous donations from private foundations and individual supporters of the Mass Audubon lead initiative. The state Department of Conservation and Recreation is also a project participant, and will acquire a conservation easement on the property, to be co-held with the town and Greenbelt.
Mass Audubon Director of Land Protection Bob Wilber noted that the Rough Meadows initiative speaks to the land-protection mission of New England’s largest conservation organization and to that of its partners. “Seventy five very important acres in the Great Marsh are protected today due to the combined efforts of many – from the public and private conservation partners, to the grant makers and many private donors who believed in this project,” Wilber said. “All played essential roles in bringing this wonderful outcome about. People, plants and animals will benefit for generations to come.”
Though designated as BioMap and Living Waters Core Habitat, a State Area of Critical Environmental Concern, and an Important Bird Area, the land was under direct threat of development into at least 10 residential lots before Mass Audubon purchased it. Conservation of this property protects the existing salt marsh and also the adjacent upland where the salt marsh may eventually migrate due to sea level rise associated with climate change. The protected land provides numerous benefits to people, including the preservation of water resources, shellfish beds, tidal creeks, and estuaries, and providing for increased public safety to coastal residences and businesses by helping to absorb storm-related floodwaters.
The newly protected land is part of the largest complex of salt marshes north of Chesapeake Bay and is the most significant coastal ecosystem in Massachusetts. Salt marshes are one of the most productive natural ecosystems on Earth, and provide important wildlife habitat, flood and erosion control, and improved water quality. They are also one of the most threatened habitats due to predicted sea level rise as a result of climate change.
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