BOSTON—The Healey-Driscoll Administration announced today $2.1 million in grants to support 17 projects focused on restoring rivers and wetlands throughout Massachusetts. These projects, funded by the Department of Fish and Game’s (DFG) Division of Ecological Restoration (DER), will help strengthen resilience to climate change, reduce flood risks, improve water quality and public safety, and restore wildlife habitat.
“Restoring nature saves money and protects our communities. For every $1 spent on wetland restoration, over $7 is saved on disaster recovery costs,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper. “These critical projects help our cities and towns build resilience to hazards like flooding, drought, and sea-level rise. Supporting wetland restoration helps the environment and builds safer, healthier communities.”
“As we face the intertwined crises of climate change and biodiversity loss, our partners across our state are stepping up to take action to protect our wildlife and way of life. We are proud to support these critical projects that will undoubtedly have a positive impact on biodiversity, which is the foundation for life in Massachusetts,” said DFG Commissioner Tom O’Shea. “With every river mile improved, culvert upgraded, and wetland restored, we secure clean water, protection from extreme weather, habitat for rare and imperiled species, and outdoor recreation opportunities.”
DER’s Priority Projects Program is funding 16 projects that focus on river and wetland restoration efforts. These projects were selected through a competitive process, projects will provide significant ecological, social, and economic benefits to the state. Specifically, they will remove aging, unsafe dams, restore former cranberry farms into healthy, resilient wetlands, replace undersized and degrading culverts with safer structures, and restore tidal flow to damaged coastal estuaries and salt marshes.
In addition, DER is awarding $111,000 to the Town of Westborough through the Culvert Replacement Municipal Assistance (CRMA) grants, which help municipalities build capacity for replacing undersized, degraded culverts with stronger, safer structures that meet the Massachusetts Stream Crossing Standards. Awarded funding in 2024, the Jackstraw Brook Culvert Replacement project is receiving additional support for design and engineering work to replace three culverts on Upton Road and Morse Street over Jackstraw Brook, which is a coldwater fishery where flooding has been a serious issue.
“We are proud to support these priority restoration projects with funding and technical assistance,” said DER Director Beth Lambert. “We applaud our municipal, non-profit, and private partners for their leadership. Together, we are restoring our diverse rivers, wetlands, and watersheds for the benefit of people and the environment.”
Funding will support the following priority projects:
Abbey Brook Restoration & Revitalization; City of Chicopee: $100,000 This award will support design work for phase two of the Abbey Brook Restoration and Revitalization Project in Chicopee, which will ultimately remove two dams, replace an undersized culvert, and “daylight” a 250-foot stretch of river that currently runs underground. This work will restore ecosystem health, improve water quality and stormwater management, and enhance public safety in an Environmental Justice community.
Bayview Cranberry Bog Restoration; Cape Cod Conservation District: $20,000 This award will support design and planning for the Bayview Cranberry Bog Restoration in West Yarmouth, which will restore wetlands on approximately 45 acres of abandoned cranberry farmland adjacent to the Cape Cod Hospital.
Becker Pond Dam Removal; The Nature Conservancy: $400,000 This award will support the construction phase of the Becker Pond Dam Removal in Mount Washington, which will remove an aging, obsolete dam on an important coldwater tributary of Schenob Brook and increase outdoor recreation opportunities.
Bowen’s Pond Dam Removal; Bowen’s Pond LLC: $20,000 This award will support project permitting and construction bidding for the Bowen’s Pond Dam Removal in Wendell, which will restore ecosystem health to Osgood Brook, an important coldwater fishery.
Childs River Restoration; Falmouth Rod & Gun Club: $6,200 This award will support monitoring and invasive species management at the site of the Childs River Restoration project, which completed construction in 2021 and resulted in restoration of wetlands and improved fish passage with the removal of an earthen dam.
Frost Fish Creek Restoration; Chatham Conservation Foundation: $15,000 This award will support survey work for the Frost Fish Creek Restoration in Chatham, which will improve water quality and restore wetland health and function within Frost Fish Creek by restoring natural tidal exchange and stream flow to an upstream salt marsh and a former cranberry bog.
Ipswich Mills Dam Removal; Ipswich River Water Association: $63,000 This award will support permitting for the Ipswich Mills Dam Removal in Ipswich, which will restore migratory fish passage, improve river health, and reconnect the Ipswich River with the ocean for the first time in over 100 years.
Kinne Brook Culvert Replacement; Trout Unlimited: $37,000 This award will support and initiate site preparation for pre-construction activities for the Kinne Brook Culvert Replacement, which will replace one undersized culvert on Kinne Brook Road and remove one collapsed culvert in the Hiram H. Fox Wildlife Management Area.
Mattapoisett Bogs Restoration; Buzzards Bay Coalition: $150,000 This award will support adaptive management, monitoring, and invasive plant management for the Mattapoisett Bogs Restoration in Mattapoisett, which recently completed work to restore 57 acres of natural wetland and upland habitat by naturalizing the flow of water through a formerly farmed cranberry bog and by removing barriers to fish and aquatic wildlife on Tripps Mill Brook.
Old Swamp River Dam Removal; Town of Weymouth: $20,000 This award will support pre-construction site work for the Old Swamp River Dam Removal in Weymouth, which will restore fish passage on a coldwater fishery resource that historically supported a wild population of brook trout and currently provides critical spawning habitat for river herring.
Sesuit Creek Restoration; Association to Preserve Cape Cod: $14,000 This award will support design and permitting work for salt marsh planting for the Sesuit Creek Restoration in Dennis, which restored tidal flow to 57 acres of salt marsh habitat in 2008 by replacing a severely undersized culvert. This project has continued to be monitored for response to tidal restoration and has had a positive but slow recovery of salt marsh vegetation.
South Meadow Wetland Reserve Easement Restoration; Edgewood Bogs LLC: $446,000 This award will support construction for the South Meadow Wetland Reserve Easement in Carver, which will restore 30 acres of retired cranberry farmland to a self-sustaining natural wetland and stream system, enhancing fish and wildlife movement, climate resilience, ecological connectivity, and species diversity.
Town River Restoration; Town of Bridgewater: $11,000 This award will support invasive species management at the site of the Town River Restoration in East Bridgewater, which removed the High Street Dam and replaced the undersized and failing High Street culvert with an appropriately sized bridge. The project was completed in 2024 and enhanced access to 10 river miles and over 350 acres of critical spawning habitat for river herring and other migratory fish.
Upper Bass River Restoration; Town of Yarmouth: $25,000 This award will support preliminary design work for the Upper Bass River Restoration in Yarmouth, which will restore 57 acres of former cranberry bogs and replace two undersized road-stream crossings, resulting in improved water quality, restored wetland and stream processes, salt marsh migration opportunities, improved fish passage, and increased coastal resilience.
Wheelwright Pond Dam Removal; East Quabbin Land Trust: $667,000 This award will support construction for the Wheelwright Pond Dam Removal in Hardwick, Barre, and New Braintree, which will restore natural riverine processes and reconnect 130 miles of high-quality freshwater habitat in the Ware River Watershed, including 34 miles of coldwater fisheries habitat. Removal of the dam will be one of the largest and most significant dam removals in Massachusetts.
Windswept Cranberry Bog Restoration; Nantucket Conservation Foundation: $18,000 This award will support post-construction monitoring for the Windswept Cranberry Bog Wetland Restoration in Nantucket, which is currently finishing construction and will restore 40 acres of wetlands on retired cranberry farmland and reconnect the wetland and trail system to a larger assemblage of 231 acres of open space.
“I am so happy to see DER investing $2.1 million into crucial wetland restoration projects across the Commonwealth, and that among the grants awarded are four on the Cape and Islands. I know the selection process was competitive and I am very grateful to DER for focusing on our particularly fragile region,” said State Senator Julian Cyr (D-Truro). “From the Windswept Cranberry Bog on Nantucket to the Upper Bass River in Yarmouth, Sesuit Creek in Dennis, and Frost Fish Creek in Chatham, these efforts will not only preserve the unique ecosystems that define our coastline but will also help protect our water quality, mitigate flooding, and ensure the next generation can enjoy the same natural beauty that I did growing up.”
“As a State Senator representing many communities that are not only seaside but contain a variety of rivers and wetlands, I understand that strong restoration projects are not just a matter of the continuous development and preservation of our towns, it’s essential for our safety, economy, and way of life. Climate resilient communities are not only beneficial to those who live here and visit for tourism but also serve as critical hubs for wildlife to flourish, for fishermen to make a living, and for animals to continue to find a sanctuary within their natural habitat. Investing in robust infrastructure with this significant funding that Weymouth has received will protect and support wild populations of brook trout and river herring, ensuring that future generations of animals can thrive on the South Shore” said State Senator Patrick M. O’Connor (R-Weymouth).
“I’m pleased to learn about this award supporting the restoration of the Frost Fish Creek wetlands,” said State Representative Hadley Luddy (D-Orleans). “Not only are wetlands vital to preserving our unique ecosystem and wildlife habitats on Cape Cod, but they also play an important role in purifying our local water supply. I look forward to watching the Chatham Conservation Foundation’s continued progress on this restoration.”
“I am thrilled that the Healy-Driscoll Administration has announced Nantucket’s Windswept Cranberry Bog as one of DER’s projects receiving priority funding,” said State Representative Thomas Moakley (D-Falmouth). “This is a long-term investment in a watershed-scale restoration on the island which improves natural hydrology, eliminates barriers to fish and wildlife passage, enhances habitat, and provides opportunities for scientific research, public education, and outdoor recreation.”
“I’m grateful to the Healey-Driscoll Administration and the Department of Fish and Game for investing in our natural resources,” said State Representative Mark Sylvia (D-Fairhaven). “Congratulations to the Buzzards Bay Coalition for securing this grant, as their work on the Mattapoisett Bogs Restoration project is vital to enhancing wildlife habitat, improving water quality, and building resilience against climate change.”
