Welcome to the Southeastern Massachusetts Pine Barrens Alliance (SEMPBA)
The Southeastern Massachusetts Pine Barrens Alliance (SEMPBA) is dedicated to the conservation, restoration, and protection of the globally rare Massachusetts Coastal Pine Barrens ecoregion.
An all-volunteer nonprofit organization, SEMPBA develops educational resources, hosts public forums, and monitors habitat and species across the region. The organization has secured local, state, and federal grants in support of conservation initiatives, directing most of those funds to experts and established conservation partners whose work aligns with its mission.
SEMPBA’s Community Conservation Center, located within Plymouth’s Center Hill Preserve, serves as a hub for public engagement and environmental stewardship. The center regularly hosts conservation workshops, guided educational walks, and ongoing citizen science projects.
SEMPBA Joins the Plymouth Stewardship Alliance (PSA)
An organization whose mission is to see environmental stewardship integrated into all activities that shape Plymouth’s future. Our mission is to create a livable community for all by leveraging public engagement to protect land, water, and air.
View the video of the PSA Plymouth Selectboard Candidates' Conservation Forum. View video here.
Read It’s not easy being green—Highlights from Plymouth Stewardship Alliance’s Candidates Conservation Forum at Wildlands Trust, May 2, 2026. View here.
Horseshoe Crab Protection Bill Advances to House Ways & Means!
We are pleased to share that H.898, An Act to End the Use of Horseshoe Crabs for Bait, has been reported out favorably by the Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources.
We are deeply grateful to the eight members of the Committee who voted in favor. Their support reflects a growing recognition that protecting horseshoe crabs is essential to restoring coastal ecosystems, supporting migratory shorebirds, and advancing Massachusetts’ biodiversity goals.
The bill has now been assigned a new number: H.5266, and has been referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means, where its next phase of review will take place.
This stage is critical. The Committee will consider the bill’s broader policy and fiscal implications as it determines whether the legislation should advance.
Next Steps: Thoughtful Outreach Matters
If you would like to help, respectful, informed outreach can make a meaningful difference.
We encourage supporters to:
- Contact members of the House Committee on Ways and Means and express support for H.5266.
- Emphasize that the bill advances biodiversity protection and coastal resilience, aligns Massachusetts with regional leadership (New York and Connecticut), and is supported by scientists, conservation organizations, and hundreds of residents.
- Visit our Horseshoe Crab Advocates page for the names and email links to legislators serving on the House Ways and Means Committee.
Resources for Taking Action
Letter Template—A ready-to-use letter you can personalize and send to your legislators (download Word doc.).
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Info Sheet —Learn why ending the bait harvest is critical for the recovery of horseshoe crabs—and share it widely! -
Fact Sheet for Legislators —Clear, science-based facts to help inform policy decisions.
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Thank you for helping give horseshoe crabs a future!
SEMPBA and DCR Seasonal Forestry Internship
SEMPBA is proud to be in partnership with the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) to provide a paid internship designed to inspire careers in the fields of consulting forestry, service forestry, forest health and environmental advocacy.
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Join our 2026 Annual Spawning Horseshoe Crab Survey on Long Beach
Every spring, Atlantic horseshoe crabs (Limulus polyphemus) return to the beaches of the U.S. East Coast to mate and, in the case of females, lay tens of thousands of eggs.
The Southeastern Massachusetts Pine Barrens Alliance (SEMPBA) will once again participate in the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries (MDMF) Spawning Horseshoe Crab Survey on Plymouth’s Long Beach. The information we compile is used by the MDMF, along with data from other sites around the Commonwealth, to help determine horseshoe crab fishing and management regulations.
Contact SEMPBA (sharl@horseshoecrabs.org) to learn how you can become involved. Or sign up to survey here.
SEMPBA Joins the Plymouth Stewardship Alliance
Subterranean Resilience: Predicting, Assessing and Mitigating Saltwater Intrusion is a first-of-its-kind evaluation of the community’s susceptibility to saltwater intrusion, undertaken by researchers from the UMass-Amherst School of Earth and Sustainability, and a dozen local non-profit environmental and civic organizations who undertook a parallel program to raise awareness of climate resiliency issues regarding water quality. The grant also allowed for the creation of two legacy elements: the establishment of a community water testing station, and the creation of ‘One Water,’ an ongoing digital chronicle of local water-related projects and programs.
FINAL REPORT: Saltwater Intrusion Vulnerability Assessment in Plymouth, MA Compounding Effects of Sea Level Rise on Water Quality and Aquifer Sustainability, by the University of Massachusetts Amherst Hydrogeology Group Alexander Kirshen, Carly Lombardo, David Boutt, Daniel Corkran, Brendan Moran, & Rachel King. October 2023.
Click here to access the plant guide.
This native plant guide was funded in part by a Landscape Scale Restoration grant through the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
The SEMPBA Community Conservation Center is located at the beautiful Center Hill Preserve, 158 Center Hill Road, Plymouth, MA.
Phone 774-773-9982; Email Sharl at slheller@comcast.net.
