Hinckleys Pond Herring River Headwaters Eco-Restoration

Harwich, MA

The Hinckleys Pond project includes two retired cranberry bogs. The 11-acre Warner Bog (west) and 19-acre Jenkins Bog (east) bookend Hinckleys Pond at the headwaters of the Herring River estuary and are immediately downstream of river herring spawning habitat in Long Pond and Seymour Pond. The goal of this project is to restore 30± acres of retired bogs to natural wetlands and restore 500 feet of pond shoreline on Hinckleys Pond to achieve the following outcomes: restoration of freshwater wetland habitat with native plants to benefit wildlife, improved recreational opportunities including an all persons accessible trail, and improvement to water quality in Hinckleys Pond and the Herring River to benefit river herring and other aquatic species.

The Harwich Conservation Trust (HCT) acquired a 31-acre property in 2022 including the 19-acre Jenkins Bog. The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) owns and manages the 25-mile Cape Cod Rail Trail bike path through the Jenkins Bog site. HCT is coordinating closely with DCR on connection from the bogs to this trail. The Warner Bogs are owned by the Brown family, with access by private roads and a system of recreational trails. A final conservation restriction will be put in place on the property as part of the proposed restoration project. Between 2021 and 2022, Inter-Fluve, under contract to HCT, conducted initial and supplemental field investigations, site surveys, collected ground and surface water data with seven loggers, and developed 60% design plans. Final design and permitting work were completed in 2024 and construction is expected to be completed in 2025.

Additional Resources

Project Funding

The project has received financial support from multiple sources. The Brown family has been a financial supporter throughout all phases of the project. The Harwich Conservation Trust (HCT) has secured funding from various grants, including the 2021 South East New England Program (SNEP) Watershed Grant for data collection, design, and permitting; the 2023 National Estuary Program Coastal Watershed Grant, funded in part by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under cooperative agreement 83967501 with Restore America’s Estuaries; and the 2024 Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation MassTrails Grant to support the construction of an all-persons accessible trail. Additionally, the Association to Preserve Cape Cod has contributed funds received from private foundations and a federal grant (award NA24NMFX463C0065-T1-01) from the NOAA Restoration Center, U.S. Department of Commerce.

Partners

Harwich Conservation Trust
Association to Preserve Cape Cod
Brown Family
Inter-Fluve
NOAA Restoration Center
Restore America’s Estuaries
Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation