There are few success stories in New England like the success of Red Brook.
Through a partnership with TU, Mass Wildlife, the Trustees of the Reservations, and a host of others, including U.S. Fish and Wildlife, Red Brook in Wareham has been brought back from the brink. It took approximately $4 million of Commonwealth funding, and the countless hours of volunteers over three decades, but wow, sea run brook trout — or “salters” — thrive there.
According to Peter Schilling, a long-time Boston TU member and former chapter president, “I’ve been involved in TU for the past 30 plus years here, and over the years we’ve done some pretty cool stuff to help wild trout in this state. We’ve electroshocked fish up to 19 inches and pushing three pounds, believe it or not. Some of the people who know the stream the best have caught fish like that, but keep it to themselves. It’s an incredible success.”
It’s not just a local success, either. The streams here on the East coast are ground zero for the last best habitat in the country for these trout. Maine has them, but there is little research and attention being paid there.
Now, Red Brook is threatened — and might be destroyed.
Near to Red Brook’s headwaters a proposed zoning change would open up 963 acres of sensitive pine barren uplands to extensive, dense development. To put that area in perspective, you could fit almost 50 Gillette Stadiums in that footprint.
This isn’t a light development project, either. According to Schilling, “Their initial proposal called for a race track and casino, hotels and multi-family housing. They withdrew that, and are now just proposing the zoning change, not revealing what they will put there. The developer pushing the zoning change is from Quincy, and has a development at a former naval base which has killer views of downtown Boston, 650 boat slips, and 2,000 people.”
All of this would be a zoning change within an existing special water district.
This didn’t seem to bother the local planning board, who recommended 3-1 in favor.
The last hope to stop this is April 10, 2021, at a Town Meeting — the great New England institution at which big decision are made.
I am heartbroken thinking of this going through. For 30 years, the Commonwealth, together with a broad partnership of people and organizations, has come together to do something truly remarkable — protect and restore a species, one that is truly as much as a native citizen of New England as I am, and one well deserving of our ongoing care and protection.
I am not alone, either. Mark S. Tisa, Director of Mass Wildlife, has written a letter expressing concern over the development. The Cape Cod Trout Unlimited chapter is mobilizing, as is the Southeastern Massachusetts Chapter. You can read Peter Schilling’s full CCTU newsletter piece here, and the Southeastern Chapter letter here.)
How can you help? Great question — because your help is necessary to stop this.
Help Protect Salter Brook Trout
If you would like to help or get involved with CCTU’s efforts, check out their website for a donate link and contact info: ma-ri-tucouncil.org
To get updates about the efforts to oppose this zoning change, contact Warren Winders at Redbrook@verizon.net, or see Warren’s Facebook Page.
If you would like to make a financial contribution to the efforts to protect Red Brook, send a check to:
Southeastern Massachusetts Pine Barrens Alliance Inc.
158 Center Hill Road, Plymouth, MA 02360
Pinebarrensalliance.org.
Sharl Heller is the President and point of contact for SMPBA. Phone 774-773-9982.
Make checks payable to SEMPBA with a notation for CLWC in the tag line of the check.
