Making Space: Restoring Cranberry Bogs for Marsh Migration

As part of the Making Space Initiative, Mass Audubon has developed an online tool that prioritizes cranberry farms for conservation and restoration based on their potential to support inland salt marsh migration. This prioritization tool is based on an effort to map previously undigitized cranberry bogs only found in historical USGS topo maps. Through this effort Mass Audubon identified approximately 3000 additional acres of previously undocumented active and abandoned cranberry farmland. The resulting web-based map supports the prioritization model that ranks potential restoration sites using ecological, economic, and social criteria. Ranking criteria and scoring methods were informed by a working group of partner organizations, including CCCGA (Massachusetts Cranberries), Living Observatory, Native Land Conservancy, and Buzzards Bay Coalition. The prioritization tool provides preliminary screening of sites; detailed field assessments and landowner outreach are needed to confirm suitability and recruit sites for conservation and restoration.

How to access? The tool is currently published online here: [model]

For more information on the development of the prioritization model and map of cranberry bogs please see technical memo here: [technical memo]

Citation
Emily Jones & Jack Nessen (2026). Making Space: The Southeastern Massachusetts Marsh Migration Initiative [Interactive web map]. Mass Audubon. https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/e38e3946f3e44580a2c4787081e1f03f (DEVELOPMENT VERSION)