Our Mashpee Wampanoag community is being invited to help shape the next phase of the Upper Quashnet River Restoration, a project focused on returning former cranberry bog lands to a healthier, connected coldwater river system flowing from John’s Pond toward Waquoit Bay. Our connection to these waters and our knowledge of the land make Tribal participation especially important as plans move forward.
Over many decades, cranberry farming, berms, and changes to the river’s natural flow affected water quality and habitat throughout the Quashnet. The restoration is intended to reconnect the river through the former bog landscape, improve coldwater habitat for brook trout and river herring, restore wetlands, and strengthen habitat for wildlife.
Just as important, the project team is asking our community to help shape how people will experience and care for the restored landscape. Tribal members can provide input on trails, crossings, signage, access, vegetation, education, and long-term stewardship. This is an opportunity to make sure the project reflects the history of this place, our relationship to the land and water, and what we want future generations to inherit.
Two upcoming opportunities will give our community a chance to participate directly.
A Community Engagement Restoration Site Walk will be held Saturday, October 24, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the John’s Pond Park Conservation Area in Mashpee. The rain date is Sunday, October 25. Participants will walk the project area with conservation staff, engineers, and ecologists, learn about the proposed restoration, and share ideas about access, trails, signage, viewpoints, and long-term care. The walk is approximately 1 to 1.5 miles over uneven terrain. The event is free, but registration is required.
A Community Engagement Meeting will follow on Thursday, November 5, 2026, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the Waquoit Meeting Room at Mashpee Town Hall, 16 Great Neck Road North. The project team will present the 50% design plans and gather additional community input on access, use, education, and stewardship. Registration is strongly encouraged.
Our voices matter in decisions about the health and future of our homelands. Tribal members who care about the Quashnet River, our fisheries, wetlands, wildlife, and the ways our families will use these lands in the future are encouraged to take part.
For more information, please contact Janez Ruzzo at Janez.Ruzzo@mwtribe-nsn.gov.
