The cranberry bogs that were acquired by the Town in 2003 are the core of this, the first bog restoration project in the Commonwealth. The goal was to re-establish an Atlantic White Cedar swamp. These swamps were once common in our area and had been essentially logged out by the middle of the twentieth century. Cranberry growing infrastructure of ditches, dams, and culverts was pulled out to allow the shaping of a new riverbed, and the forming of hummocks of soil and multiple small pools to encourage a diverse population of plant growth. Bulldozers created larger ponds and channels to form a natural-looking drainage network. A huge deer fence was erected to prevent the deer from browsing the baby cedar trees.   Much was learned from this experiment and applied to later projects, such as the Tidmarsh bog restoration. In the ten years since this was completed the irrational exuberance of Mother Nature has reclaimed her wetlands. The success of this effort was demonstrated in recent years by the first river herring seen west of Long Pond Road in over 100 years.

Eel River Preserve is located at the intersection of Boot Pond Road and Long Pond Road. There is plentiful parking and a picnic table.