Cousins River Fields & Marsh, Yarmouth

This 82-acre preserve is helping to mitigate the worst impacts of climate change. And it’s a beautiful place to spend an hour or so! The property consists of a 25-acre field and is adjacent to a large, resilient saltwater marsh that will be important going forward as it can absorb sea surge, carbon dioxide, and heat. Ideally, the land around a marsh should be left undeveloped since the wetland will shift, or migrate, as sea level rises.

This is what the Maine Coast Heritage Trust says: “Marshes have…emerged as one of the most threatened yet important resources in our response to climate change.” They perform many important ecological tasks: provide habitat for plants, birds, wildlife, fish, and shellfish; filter and clean water; sequester carbon and absorb heat; and act as buffers for storm surge and sea level rise.

The paths here are mostly flat, and when they do go down an incline or up a hill, are gently graded. Additionally, several of the paths are wide and have a hardened surface—mostly wheelchair accessible except for short sections covered in wood chips (perhaps we visited mid-construction?). The trail system includes two loops through fields and two marsh overlooks with benches (and one swing).

Directions: The address is 221 Granite Street, Yarmouth. The driveway to the large parking area is about 1,000 south on the left after the intersection with East Main Street/Old County Road.