Paddling down the Taunton River’s miles of flat water, one might spot a river otter slip below the stream surface or an American bittern fishing in the reeds. Hessel’s hairstreak and frosted elfin moths haunt the region’s vast tracks of pine barren forests. And the Northern red-bellied cooter makes its home in coastal ponds formed by Ice Age glaciers.

From farms to cranberry bogs to drinking water, the lives of people in this region are closely linked to these natural resources. But over the past 30 years, the region has lost one-third of its forest and agricultural land, and its population is forecasted to grow by 200,000 people over the next two decades.

The window of opportunity to preserve lands and waters in Massachusetts’ most rapidly growing region is closing quickly. But with the well being of people and nature at stake, The Nature Conservancy is safeguarding lands and waters vital to local communities and local wildlife. 

The Taunton River Watershed

The Taunton River rises from Hockomock Swamp, a 17,000-acre wetland where small streams meander through grassy fens and white cedar and red maple woodlands. The swamp’s Wampanoag name means “place where spirits dwell,” from a belief that good spirits led visitors to abundant deer and fish. Predators like bald eagles, river otter and osprey still enjoy its rich habitat.

Uninterrupted by dams, the Taunton is the main artery of a freshwater system that drains 562 square miles of Southeast Massachusetts, providing valuable services like water filtration, flood protection and recreation to 38 towns. Commercially and ecologically important fisheries run from Rhode Island’s Narragansett Bay through the River and its tributaries. The Taunton is southern New England’s most intact coastal river.

Plymouth Pinelands

Just east of the watershed lies another unique resource: the Plymouth Pinelands, a fire-adapted ecosystem that arose from the landscape of sand and gravel left behind by retreating glaciers. The forest’s 20,000 acres of pine barrens and pond shores harbor species found in few other places on Earth.

The coastal plain ponds in this ecosystem are also windows on the Plymouth-Carver Sole Source Aquifer, a 500-billion gallon underground resource that supplies drinking water to six Southeast Massachusetts communities.

How We Work

From habitat loss to accelerating demands for water, rapid regional growth threatens the health the Taunton River watershed and the Plymouth Pinelands. With your help, the Conservancy can protect and restore lands and waters for all those who call Southeast Massachusetts home.

• Protecting Lands and Waters
  Since the protection of Black Pond in 1962, the Conservancy has helped protect over 2,300 acres in 11 Southeast Massachusetts towns. Our science-driven planning process, Conservation by Design, tells us what to protect and what strategies to employ. Download our new map of habitat protection priorities in the Taunton watershed.

• Keeping Ponds and Rivers Healthy
  The rivers and ponds of Southeast Massachusetts depend on sound management of groundwater. Natural flowing water and vegetated banks are also critical for fish and animals to travel freely between the places where they spawn and feed. Explore freshwater strategies in our latest report, A New Way for Water.
   
• Restoring with Fire
  Prescribed fire — the deliberate and controlled application of fire for habitat management — is a critical restoration tool for the pine barrens of Southeast Massachusetts. Many plants and animals in this ecosystem rely upon recurrent fires for their survival.  Learn more about prescribed fire.
   
• Building Sustainable Communities
  The Conservancy works with committees and coalitions to shape growth so that new residents and businesses can be accommodated without swallowing natural areas. An essential part of this work is the careful stewardship of water resources. Read about our first Aquifer summit.

Nature picture credits (top to bottom, left to right): Photo © Alison Bowden (Nemasket River); Photo © Dave Spier (Northern red bellied cooter).