Cousins River Fields & Marsh

MCHT acquired the Cousins River Fields & Marsh Preserve in 2023, with support from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s North American Wetlands Conservation Grants Program, the Town of Yarmouth, and from many generous private donors. The purchase was part of a partnership conservation project, involving the Freeport Conservation Trust and the Royal River Conservation Trust. 

Cousins River Fields & Marsh Preserve includes a mix of fields, upland forests, and salt marsh. Used for more than a century as pasture and for hay production, the property’s 19 acres of fields have decreased in recent decades. However, evidence remains of past activities, including a granite foundation of a historic barn in the northern field. 

Today, the meadows are being managed to preserve this open habitat feature and minimize invasive plants. Upland forests cover more than 43 acres, dominated by pine-oak but also some stands of early-successional aspen and birch. The preserve’s signature feature, salt marsh grass, covers over 18 acres with several gullies draining into it. This coastal wetland is part of a larger marsh system with multiple owners.

Due to the preserve’s diverse habitats, it attracts many types of wildlife. Deer and turkey are common in the fields and woodlands. Resident and migratory songbirds can be found throughout the property. Look for salt marsh sparrows, as well as wading birds, such as herons and egrets, feeding in the marsh.

This is a new preserve, and a place we hope many will visit and enjoy! Visit on your own or check out our events page to see if there’s an event happening here anytime soon.

Marshes, like the one at Cousins River Fields & Marsh Preserve, provide daily benefits to people and wildlife. These highly productive ecosystems keep our environment cleaner and safer, and they are essential habitat for countless species: many of Maine’s commercially harvested fish, shellfish, and baitworm species spend some portion of their life cycle in marshes.

Tidal marshes protect our communities by acting as sponges, soaking up storm surge and reducing flood damage and erosion, saving the state millions of dollars annually. They keep our water clean by filtering out excess nutrients and other harmful chemicals, and they are extremely effective at storing carbon and keeping it out of the air we breathe—as much as 10 times more effective that Maine forests per acre! 

By protecting marshes and land surrounding them, and by restoring marshes to ensure they’re functioning properly, we can make it possible for marshes to migrate inland and reestablish themselves as sea level rises. Conservation of Maine’s marshes has an outsized impact on the health of the Maine coast and is key to strengthening our natural climate change resilience. Learn more by reading about our Marshes for Tomorrow Initiative.

You can help increase accessibility at Cousins River. We’re fundraising to add a mile of accessible trail and amenities at this preserve. We want to ensure conserved lands and outdoor experiences are truly open to all.