Bowles Field Conservation Project
Together, we are working to forever protect one of Barnstable’s special places, Bowles Field, a 5-acre field on Commerce Road. Since the 1990’s Barnstable Land Trust has been working with the Brazelton family to conserve large parcels of their once 100-acre farm. With community support, BLT will purchase one of the three remaining parcels, and the family will donate a conservation restriction on the two adjacent parcels, completing the conservation of a 34-acre area extending to Barnstable Harbor and connecting with the conservation lands owned by Mass Audubon. A small walking trail will provide public access and a bench.
This iconic field and the view from Commerce Road out to Barnstable Harbor is a unique and treasured vista for the hundreds of neighborhood walkers, residents, and visitors. The original farm was purchased by Admiral Bowles in the late 1800’s, and hosted cows, pigs, and crops. The historic landscape is home to a beautiful field of native bluestem grasses and a wildlife corridor extending to the water.
This land has important conservation, historic, cultural and community values:
It contains and connects to important wildlife habitat, including areas that are of local significance for biodiversity, and a major wildlife corridor.
It contains a native habitat type that is in danger of vanishing from Barnstable; the property is 100% within important and critically imperiled sandplain grassland containing native little bluestem grass.
It lies within the Hurricane Surge Inundation zone; proximal to coastal wetlands so that the land buffers neighboring homes against storm damage.
The land is located within historic Cobb’s Hill, originally settled in the late 1600’s, along scenic Commerce Road. It lies within the Old King’s Highway Regional Historic District and ancient Native American and historical period archaeological sites are recorded in proximity along Maraspin Creek and across Commerce Road.
The land hosts a historic landscape and view of the fields and harbor along a scenic road that is a favorite view for locals and visitors alike.
Starting in 1993, with a gift of 2.2 acres to the land trust and continuing with a 7-acre parcel in 2001 and 20 acres in 2007, the family has conserved large pieces of the farm; family members still live on adjacent parcels. The remaining 5 acres could be subdivided into three house lots, but the family wishes to preserve the open fields and views by selling one lot to BLT and donating a conservation restriction on the other two lots. A small walking trail will provide public access and a bench.
This land has important conservation, historic, cultural and community values:
It contains and connects to important wildlife habitat, including areas that are of local significance for biodiversity, and a major wildlife corridor.
It contains a native habitat type that is in danger of vanishing from Barnstable; the property is 100% within important and critically imperiled sandplain grassland containing native little bluestem grass.
It lies within the Hurricane Surge Inundation zone; proximal to coastal wetlands so that the land buffers neighboring homes against storm damage.
The land is located within historic Cobb’s Hill, originally settled in the late 1600’s, along scenic Commerce Road. It lies within the Old King’s Highway Regional Historic District and ancient Native American and historical period archaeological sites are recorded in proximity along Maraspin Creek and across Commerce Road.
The land hosts a historic landscape and view of the fields and harbor along a scenic road that is a favorite view for locals and visitors alike.
