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Association to Preserve Cape Cod, Woods Hole Group outline large Susuet Creek salt‑marsh restoration; commission approves and grants variances
Summary
APCC and Woods Hole Group presented a large planting project for Susuet Creek that includes up to 91,540 spartina plugs covering about 79,360 sq ft of restoration planting; commissioners approved the NOI and granted variances for limited access within the 50‑foot buffer, with three years of monitoring funded by grants and a private foundation.
Jordan Mora of the Association to Preserve Cape Cod and scientists from Woods Hole Group described a multi‑partner restoration planned for Susuet Creek upstream of Bridge Street, aimed at reestablishing native salt‑marsh vegetation in persistent bare areas and building resilience to sea‑level rise.
Woods Hole Group’s Mary Scholl and Adam Finkel described site surveys, elevation mapping and a planting plan that would deploy spartina alterniflora plugs at one‑foot on‑center spacing in targeted zones. Scholl noted the proposed installation could involve “up to 91,540 plugs” and that the project’s area of planting alteration was about 79,360 square feet; Finkel explained that the square footage reflects plantings rather than permanent fill.
Jordan Mora said funding comes from the MassBays National Estuary Partnership, the Division of Ecological Restoration and a private foundation and includes support for three years of post‑installation monitoring. The implementation plan calls for careful low‑impact access (hand‑carried trays, shallow‑draft vessels at mid‑tide, or walking access) and contingency measures such as short‑term biodegradable stakes and optional temporary goose‑exclusion fencing if browse is observed.
Commissioners asked about establishment timelines, possible crab or goose impacts and alternative thin‑layer deposition approaches. Woods Hole Group said monitoring would continue for three years and that the pilot planting results suggested plant establishment could lead to passive sediment accretion over time. The commission voted to approve the project under the Wetlands Protection Act, granted variances needed for temporary access within the 50‑foot buffer, and continued the hearing administratively for order preparation.
What’s next: staff will draft an order of conditions, and the project team expects to plant in May, with three years of funded monitoring to track survivorship and rhizome expansion.
