BLT Preserves Bumps River Parcel and Completes Corridor Protection

As of April, 2019, this 6-acre woodland on Mill Pond in Centerville, called Mill Pond West Shore, is permanently protected, thanks to the conservation goals (and patience) of the Maddalena family. On the land conservation radar for over 30 years since the first Open Space Plan, the protection of the Bumps River wetland corridor is now complete, and made possible through a partnership effort by the Barnstable Land Trust and the Town of Barnstable.

This was the last remaining undeveloped parcel on the west side of the Mill Pond; it is a significant part of the scenic backdrop to the Mill Pond as viewed from Bumps River Road. The parcel connects to 27 acres of land preserved by the Town over the past 35 years to protect water quality and wildlife along the Bumps River wetland corridor including Scudder Bay. BLT owns land on the south side of Bumps River Road and the Coombs Bogs property is to the north.

The land was acquired by the Town with Community Preservation Act funding and Barnstable Land Trust holds the conservation restriction. The acquisition was made possible with the help of a Massachusetts Conservation Land Tax Credit, a state incentive program supporting the protection of land for conservation. The tax credit was available because the property is a Commonwealth-designated priority habitat for rare species, a critical natural landscape, and core habitat for wildlife.