Field Trips

Cousins River Marsh Trip

Description:

The Cousins River Marsh, on the border between Yarmouth and Freeport, Maine is a typical example of a common variety of Maine’s mid-coast tidal wetlands. These mid-sized wetlands formed in glacial valleys over thousands of years of gradually rising seas, forming distinctive narrow tidal wetland systems. The morphology and ecology of these systems is shaped by the interplay of tidal exchange with freshwater inflows via surface and groundwater.

The Cousins River Marsh has been identified as one of sixteen priority sites for saltmarsh sparrow, a species of state and federal conservation concern. It has been the focus of significant effort over a period of years by a coalition of conservation organizations, including Maine Coast Heritage Trust Freeport Conservation Trust, and the Fish and Wildlife Service’s Gulf of Maine Coastal Program to permanently protect, and provide public and educational access to the wetland and adjacent uplands.

Like most of Maine’s tidal wetlands, the Cousins River Marsh has a complex history of human use. Looking closely, one can see remnants of past practices in the form of relict ditches, old roadbeds, and berms. Those structures have altered surface water hydrology and are thought to have contributed to the development of a “megapool” in the center of the marsh.

Loss of vegetation throughout the megapool system likely limits the ability of the marsh surface to trap marine-derived sediment, and so has reduced resilience of the marsh to sea level rise. A coalition of groups and individuals have initiated efforts to remediate historic changes to surface hydrology to enhance resilience.

Please join Curtis Bohlen of the Casco Bay Estuary Partnership, Carrie Kinne of Freeport Conservation Trust and other project leaders to learn about how land trusts, restoration specialists and scientists are working together to protect the long-term health of the marsh.

Host/Leader: Curtis Bohlen, Casco Bay Estuary Partnership, Carrie Kinne of Freeport Conservation Trust and other project leaders

Date & Time: April 20, 1:30 to 3:30 pm

Pre-Registration Required: Sign-ups for the field trip (no charge) and box lunches (additional charge) will be at the registration table.

Cost: Free

Meeting Location: Freeport Conservation Trust’s Walsh Preserve Trailhead, off Old County Road in Freeport. The Walsh Preserve trailhead can be found readily using Google maps.  A paper map will also be available at the conference. 

Transportation: The site is about a ten-minute drive from the Harraseekett Inn. Parking is somewhat limited; please carpool if possible. Feel free to bring a box lunch. You will have a moment to eat while we introduce the people and organizations working on the project.

Max Number of Participants (if applicable): N/A

Personal Gear Required/Recommended: Participants are encouraged to wear rubber boots or comfortable shoes that they don’t mind getting wet and muddy.  We will hold the field trip in light rain, but if in case of heavy rain, we may need to cancel.  If we do, we will make a decision on whether to cancel the field trip by noon.  Expect the trip to last a couple of hours.