Bob Wilber, Director of Land Protection

For the last two years we have been working to protect 75 acres containing valuable salt marsh and upland within the Great Marsh ecosystem in Rowley. The unique location of this land, if protected, would knit together more than 8,000 acres of permanently conserved land.  After a myriad of last minute obstacles were resolved, we finally achieved that long sought goal earlier this week.

I’ve often remarked that working as a land protection professional is sort of like working in an Emergency Room of a busy hospital. A seemingly endless stream of ‘patients’ come before you—in varying stages of ‘trauma’, generally requiring immediate attention, and with the continued well-being of each one being so very important to someone, sometimes  everyone.  With two polar opposite futures—imminent development and conservation forever—often swinging in the balance, it can get pretty heavy. Emotions can become frayed, physical energy depleted, and relationships sometimes strained from the tension often involved in these high stakes endeavors.

But when a ‘patient’ is ‘saved’ after a threatening and complicated crisis is successfully unwound a powerful sense of satisfaction arises from being a part of doing something of real and lasting good. That is how we and so many of you who donated funds to make it happen feel about the news that the 75 critically important acres at the Great Marsh in Rowley were finally protected this week.

Because of the Chandler family who played such an important role, so many of you who contributed personal funds, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and Open Space Institute(both of which awarded substantial grants to this worthy project) the Town of Rowley, the state Department of Conservation and Recreation, and of course our valued conservation partner, the Essex County Greenbelt Association,  the plants and animals—both rare and common—that have quietly thrived there for eons will continue to do so forever.   Thank you all so very much.