Since initiating restoration in Massachusetts in 1988, Ducks Unlimited and its partners have restored and conserved over 840 acres. As a part of the initial strategic planning effort for the New England Coast Initiative, Ducks Unlimited identified a minimum of 165 acres for potential future projects in the Massachusetts.  

Allens Pond, South Dartmouth

Ducks Unlimited Inc has joined forces with Massachusetts Audubon Society (MAS) for a grasslands restoration project at MAS’s Allens Pond Wildlife Sanctuary completed in Spring 2002.   The Allens Pond system encompasses a 165 coastal pond, approximately 227 acres of saltmarsh, freshwater streams, upland fields, coastal oak woodlands, forested wetlands, coastal heathlands, and a barrier beach. Ducks Unlimited helped plant warm season grasses in once was seventy acres of cornfields to revert this area native grassland. The open areas of upland habitat at Allens Pond have historically supported breeding grassland birds, including Northern Harriers, Short-eared Owls, and Eastern Meadowlarks. By restoring the agricultural fields, the neighboring wetlands will be enhanced by providing much-needed contiguous habitat, as well as reducing the impact of agriculture on the pond itself as well as providing cover, forage and nesting habitat for waterfowl.