Heavy Equipment in Place for Bird Island Restoration Project

With the heavy equipment in place, Cashman Dredging and Marine Contracting Co. is about to begin the Bird Island Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration project in Buzzards Bay, Marion, Mass.

This restoration scheme will be completed under the terms of a $3.1 million contract, awarded by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District, on September 29, 2015.

“The project involves the reconstruction of Bird Island, which is a 4-acre gravel and boulder-composed island in Buzzards Bay, approximately one-half mile off the coast of Sippican Point and 3 miles from the Marion town wharf,” said Project Manager Adam Burnett, of the Corps’ New England District.

The project will include barging in approximately 13,000 tons of armor stone to the island and reconstruction and repair of approximately 1,000 linear feet of stone revetment surrounding Bird Island, importing and filling approximately 5,000 cubic yards of gravel on the island, and planting native vegetation in order to re-establish and expand habitat for Federally endangered roseate terns and also common terns, which are listed as a Massachusetts species of special concern.

This restoration scheme will be completed in two construction seasons, with the final one in April 2017.

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