For much of the coastal United States, water quality continues to worsen due to excess nitrogen (N) from agricultural production and urban development. Restoration of freshwater wetlands, especially those connected to streams (i.e., fluvial wetlands), is a promising management option for curtailing watershed inputs of N to coastal embayments, with regional models assuming 77% retention of N by natural wetlands. In this study, we combine modeling, field measurements, and mass-balance analysis to quantify N inputs and retention in a 56-ha, 7-year-old restored fluvial wetland in southeastern Massachusetts, United States. Rapid watershed land-use change, including development of ~30% of forested land between 2001 and 2019, contributed to wastewater and turfgrass fertilizers accounting for the majority (80%) of watershed inputs of N to the restored wetland compared with the atmosphere (13%), a landfill (7%), and agricultural fertilizers (<1%). Field measurements showed that in-stream processes retained 28% of surface water and groundwater inputs of nitrate (NO₃⁻), which was slightly lower than N retention for restored wetlands and about half the N retention in natural wetlands. NO₃⁻ retention of 1,029 kg N yr⁻¹ was not strongly correlated with stream residence time or NO₃⁻ inputs, but rather to stream temperature, pointing to environmental effects on in-stream processes such as uptake and denitrification. Although NO₃⁻ retention may increase as the wetland matures, the current N removal rate suggests that regional models may overestimate N removal in restored wetlands and that wetland restoration is an unlikely substitute for centralized sewering or other forms of enhanced wastewater management.

The summit report is now available: Views from the Summit

On Friday, July 10, Glorianna and Alex Hackman, Mass Audubon Director of Ecological Restoration, explored the growing platform to evaluate how areas planted with Atlantic white cedars and other areas were developing. They were excited to discover a large area colonized by Three-square bullrush. The Wampanoag people have used this plant for many years (centuries) to weave their baskets. Alex played a pivotal role in Tidmarsh's restoration, serving as the project’s lead manager with the State of Massachusetts Dept. of Ecological Restoration prior to joining Mass Audubon.

Inventoring AWC trees at the LO Nursery

Assessing the Impact of Landscape Context on Acoustic Indices for Monitoring Restored Cranberry Bogs in Plymouth, Massachusetts

Our 2026 summit is being held Today, May 22 at the UMass Cranberry Station (virtual or in-person). Below are links to the summit web page and registration form.

Pat Ferrar and I visited Upper Coonamesset to measure the trees we planted last year.

In late April, a King Rail was discovered by visiting birders at Foothills Preserve in Plymouth. From April 25 through at least the 28th, the bird attracted more than 30 visitors and provided unusually good views of a species that is rarely seen in Massachusetts. At the same time, two adult Little Blue Herons, also uncommon in the state, have been using the site for more than a week, adding to the steady interest from birders.

This winter was cone with a lot of heavy weather. A big February nor’easter had winds over 60 mph and dumped over 30” of snow. Much of Plymouth, Cape, and the Islands lost power for several days. Most schools were closed for a week.

Francesca LoPresti, Pat Ferrar and Chris Neill have been working with Kelly Omand and Nantucket Conservation Foundation scientists to compare methods for assessing the vegetation community. Francesca LoPresti gave talk at the sandplain grasslands conference that compares the point intercept (used by NCF) and plot based methods (used by Woodwell Climate Research Center). In summary, one point intercept transect identified an equivalent number of species to one 3 by 3 m quadrat. The point intercept methods yields higher estimate of percent cover compared to plots. The plots require less time to monitor than transects, so plots tend to be more practical for identifying species when high throughput monitoring is needed. See the