Association to Preserve Cape Cod - this week... |
Trailing arbutus, the Massachusetts state flower. Photo by Sue Machie |
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| Big Problems Require Big Solutions by Andrew Gottlieb, Executive Director
Faced with the dual threat of declining water quality and the increasing lack of affordable housing, isn’t it rational to look for new answers to these long-standing problems? Both problems have similar origins: the way we manage the landscape and how we decide where we build and what we protect. The results have been bad across the board. The Cape’s housing market is distorted by a lack of inventory that has driven prices to levels requiring annual household incomes approaching $200,000 for those fortunate enough to find a house to qualify for a mortgage. The lack of housing has forced roughly 50 percent of our work force to commute from off-Cape and that is bad for everyone, especially the businesses forced to restrict hours due to worker limitations. Lastly, and most near and dear to our hearts here at APCC, the landscape, critical habitats, and water quality have all suffered because not enough land has been protected. Sprawl has been encouraged and wastewater treatment has been inadequate.
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Faced with all these challenges, and hearing nothing but calls for more of the same approaches that have led us to the problems we face, we at APCC looked for something different to change the discussion. APCC put a big idea on the table in a letter to Governor Healey and Lt. Governor Driscoll that proposes the rethinking of the use of Joint Base Cape Cod in a generational opportunity to solve some of the Cape’s most difficult economic and environmental challenges. APCC asked the Healey-Driscoll administration to formally evaluate retaining remaining essential JBCC functions such as the Coast Guard while utilizing the underdeveloped, already disturbed areas of the base to develop much-needed housing to help address the Cape’s lack of affordable housing. We suggested that action be paired with strengthening the current faux protections of the Upper Cape Water Supply Reserve on the northern 15,000 acres with a permanent conservation restriction.
We expect a wide range of reaction to this big idea, but that is the point. We are facing big problems that will not be solved by nibbling around the edges. We can’t pretend to address big problems without being willing to challenge assumptions made decades ago about what is in the region’s best interests. What made sense in the late 90s and early 2000s may no longer make that much sense in today’s world. Maybe the same decisions about what’s most important now will be the same the last time the best uses of JBCC were looked at, but that would surprise me. There are bound to be disagreements, but that is the way hard questions get resolved.
Bring on the discussion. |
Early season field work for APCC's restoration ecologists, April Wobst and Jordan Mora, as data loggers were deployed in Parkers River in Yarmouth to measure the impact of tidal restoration. The benefits of the early season work are few bugs and great views of ospreys recently returned to their nests. |
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APCC in the news...
Ocean Sanctuaries Act Could Stop Pigrim Release - Provincetown Independent
APCC wants Healey Administration to re-think uses of Upper Cape military base - WCAI
APCC Calls On Governor To Reconsider Joint Base Cape Cod Uses - The Enterprise |
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In celebration of Global Volunteer Month, APCC recognizes the work our volunteers do to help support APCC's mission throughout the year. Our talented and energetic volunteers connect us to our communities through outreach, research, and education. Their efforts make a difference every day! |
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| By popular request...
APCC Caps are now available for purchase! $25 includes shipping & handling Click here for more information and to order. ~ This is one great way to show your support for APCC's work. |
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Please Join Us for an APCC Film Event on
Thursday, May 11th at 7 p.m. The Erie Situation
at the Cape Cinema, Dennis A panel discussion will follow the showing.
Tickets $15 through Cape Cinema Proceeds support APCC |
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| Hanging in the Balance ~ A New APCC Report
Hanging in the Balance: An Urgent Call for Protecting Cape Cod’s Natural Resources is a report by APCC that provides a comprehensive analysis of key natural resources on Cape Cod. The report examines past and present impacts to natural resources, current threats, case studies, and recommended actions that promote protection, preservation and restoration of the region’s most important resource areas.
Click here for the report pdf. |
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It's Storytime!
Click on the photo below to reach the Hanging in the Balance story map. Don't know what a story map is? It's a format that allows images, both still shots, maps, and video to be linked together in one smooth transition accompanied by text. Once you click the photo, you will be at the story map. Then simply scroll down through the images and text that tell the story.
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The Jewels of Cape Cod ~ Our Freshwater Ponds |
Micha Pond, Sandwich. Photo by Sue Machie.
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Pond Stories is a collection of writings and other media from Cape Codders and visitors who love the 890 local ponds that dot the Cape. We hope this collection of stories awakens your inner environmentalist to think deeper about our human impacts to these unique bodies of water. |
Send us your favorite pond photo, story, poem, video, artwork—we want to share with everyone why the Cape's ponds and lakes are so special! Email your pond connection to [email protected] |
Have a favorite pond? Want to connect with others who are active in protecting their ponds? Join the Cape Cod Ponds Network. For more information about past meetings of the Pond Network and to sign up (scroll down the page), click here.
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| Just a Teaser -
We will hold our third annual native plant sale in early June. More information to come in May. In the meantime, be thinking about where you have room for more native plants, and where lawn can be reduced and planting beds expanded. Click here for some garden examples and scroll down the page. |
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The Pollinator Pathway Cape Cod is a group of organizations promoting native plants and pollinator-friendly land care practices to create a boat load of safe oases for our native bees, butterflies and a whole host of other pollinators that are crucial to the health of our ecosystems. Join us! It's easy. There are no fees. You just need to pledge to ADD native plants, SUBTRACT a little lawn, AVOID yard chemicals, especially pesticides, and LEAVE the leaves. And, help us spread the word. If you wish, please get on the map to show your support of pollinators!
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A Cape Cod Native Plant-finder
~ to help you choose the perfect native plant for your garden location. |
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| Wild Geranium, Geranium maculatum |
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| Rain Barrels for Cape Cod
Order online from Upcycle Products $99 each
includes FedEx shipping to your door APCC receives a portion of the proceeds.
For more information, click here. |
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| APCC Enewsletters. Our weekly newsletters are now archived on our website and easily shared. You can find past newsletters and share with your friends to sign up for future enewsletters HERE.
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Are you thinking of going solar? We hope so! In partnership with SUNPOWER BY E2 SOLAR in Dennis, APCC receives $500 for every solar installation when APCC is named as referral.
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| Thank you to the homeowners who just contracted to install solar panels through E2 Solar. May the sun always shine for you! |
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Expressions Gallery, 578 Main Street, Chatham
CLICK HERE |
Expressions Gallery donates 20 percent of its profits to APCC's work. |
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Thank you to our business sponsors |
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