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Title
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Establishment of the Coonamessett Greenway Heritage Trail
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Description
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Cranberry bogs formed a large part of Falmouth's economy in the 19th and early 20th centuries, supported mostly by immigrant labor from Portugal and Cape Verde. In modern times these bogs are no longer in use, and the Coonamessett Greenway Heritage Trail as well as other similar projects in the area represent efforts to restore them back to the ecosystems they were before European colonization. The project was undertaken by the 300 Committee and Coonamessett River land trusts, local privately-funded organizations which purchase land in Falmouth and convert it into conservation land to prevent it from being developed. While not a significant event in the town history, it represents a shift in ideals and a general devaluing of agriculture relative to natural spaces. The fact that it is a publicly accessible walking trail is also indicative of the town's tourist economy. The project aimed to help restore the health of the river ecosystem, which has since been challenged by controversial housing developments upstream.
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Date
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2018 – 2021
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Location - Physical Location
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99b John Parker Road, East Falmouth, MA, 02536
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Name
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Dennis Moraga
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cites
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https://www.crivertrust.org/greenway-heritage-trail
