Association to Preserve Cape Cod |
Indian Lands, Dennis. Photo by Sue Machie.
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Advocacy
In a letter to Massachusetts Housing Secretary Ed Augustus, APCC put forward the notion that the answer to our housing problem, and therefore to our environmental protection challenges, lies in integrated strategy that promotes and enables:
- the purchase of deed restrictions on existing houses that ensures long-term affordability for working families;
- land use policies that encourage denser development of multi-family and rental housing in already disturbed and underdeveloped properties that have access to wastewater infrastructure;
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zoning changes that break the development patterns that have resulted in poor water quality, traffic and high housing prices;
- a major new open space acquisition effort that preserves the majority of the remaining critical habitat left unprotected; and
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utilization of those portions of Joint Base Cape Cod that may no longer be needed to meet critical national defense needs or that are not within the sensitive lands of the Upper Cape Water Supply Reserve.
Please see our attached letter to Governor Healey proposing a reconsideration of the utilization of JBCC property as a part of a comprehensive alternative approach to meeting the region’s housing needs.
APCC looks forward to working with Secretary Augustus and the rest of the Healey administration on land use policies that are fine tuned to the unique needs of Cape Cod. |
Au revoir...
This week we say goodbye to our summer cyanobacteria program interns! Thank you so much for all of your hard work—and we all wish you the very best in the coming year and beyond! |
Left to right: Lynn Francis (staff), Nick Sanders, Luke Boshar, Matthew Pittsley, Becca Miller, Julie Hambrook (staff), Caitlin Cavanaugh, and Lillie Ells.
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During the first week of August, APCC ecologists completed collection of elevation measurements for pre-restoration monitoring at the Barnstable Great Marsh as contracted with the Massachusetts Audubon Society. Elevation data was collected by “carrying” a known reference benchmark onto the marsh surface using high-accuracy (sub-millimeter) leveling equipment. In other words, the bar codes (rods) are setup on the reference mark and on a target location in the marsh, and the level measures the difference between these two bar code readings. APCC is grateful to the Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve for lending their equipment for this work.
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Above: Eliza Fitzgerald, restoration technician; Caitlin Cavanaugh, cyano intern; Lillie Ells, cyano intern |
When possible, our summer interns had opportunities to participate in APCC projects other than their program of focus. Here, interns in the cyanobacteria program got a day to help with salt marsh field work. All enjoyed the added experience! |
Above, left to right: Luke Boshar, cyano intern; Eliza Fitzgerald, restoration technician; Jordan Mora, restoration ecologist; and Matthew Pittsley, cyano intern. |
MA Division of Marine Fisheries - Notice to Lobster Trap Fishermen and other Interested Parties - Seasonally Recurring Low Oxygen Zones Detected in Cape Cod Bay. |
"Environmental sensors deployed by the Cape Cod Bay Study Fleet and by the Center for Coastal Studies, who are working cooperatively with DMF, have once again detected low oxygen zones in Cape Cod Bay.
"Data indicate that dissolved oxygen (DO) levels are low (< 4 mg/L) at several locations in the northeastern portion of Cape Cod Bay, between Provincetown and Wellfleet, and in the southern portion of Cape Cod Bay near Barnstable. Data collected by the Cape Cod Bay Study Fleet and by the Center for Coastal Studies show levels near the seabed of < 4.0 mg/L in several locations (see maps below); values less than 4.0 mg/L are considered mildly hypoxic, and values less than 2.0 mg/L are considered severely hypoxic.
"These low values of DO that we’ve observed are concerning, particularly since it is relatively early in the season compared to the timing of previous years. We suspect this is related to the extremely stratified water column; surface temperatures in Cape Cod Bay are in the mid to upper 60’s while bottom temperatures are around 50° F or lower in some places. "Lobster fishermen working in or near the affected areas should be aware of signs of hypoxia, which include blackened mud or scum on groundlines or traps and unusual amounts of lethargic or dead lobsters, crabs, or finfish in the traps. "Many mobile bottom dwelling animals like lobsters will move to avoid hypoxic conditions when they can, but will die if captured in traps and exposed to hypoxia for more than a few hours.
"DMF recommends fishermen check traps frequently, and possibly consider moving gear out of the affected region to prevent trapping lobsters or crabs in hypoxic conditions. DO conditions can change rapidly based on weather conditions (wind and waves) and it is difficult to predict exactly where or when hypoxic conditions will occur.
"We will continue to monitor the situation with the help of our partners at Center for Coastal Studies as well as members of the Cape Cod Bay Study Fleet. For more information on hypoxia and to see recent conditions as recorded by the Study Fleet, please visit www.mass.gov/capecodbaydo."
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HELP DEFEND CAPE COD BAY
The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection has issued a preliminary denial of Holtec's proposed permit to discharge 1.1 million gallons of radioactive wastewater into Cape Cod Bay. The draft denial cannot be finalized until after a 30-day public comment period, which was recently extended to August 31st, at 5 p.m. DEP will hold a public hearing Aug. 24 hearing at 6 p.m. in the Great Hall at Plymouth Town Hall.
To estimate the number of people who would like to speak, DEP is asking attendees to fill out a voluntary pre-registration form online.
The public can submit comments electronically to: [email protected] or written comments can be submitted to: MassDEP Surface Water Discharge Permitting Program, 100 Cambridge St., Suite 900, Boston, MA 02114. The draft decision has it right; the Ocean Sanctuaries Act is clear: DEP’s action reflects the law and there is no other basis to do anything other than to finalize this decision.
Send your comments to DEP by August 31st. For a sample message, click here. |
We'll be at the Brewster Ladies Library today, Wednesday, August 16th starting at 1:00 until 2:30 p.m. to give a short presentation, answer your questions about eco-landscape design and best practices, have some time for networking and enjoy some light refreshments.
Free and no registration. |
CELEBRATE 55 Years with Us! |
Register Now for APCC's 2023 Annual Meeting Sunday, August 27, 2023
12:30 p.m. at the Dennis Inn Keynote speaker: The Honorable Kim Driscoll, Lt. Governor of the Commonwealth AWARDS - Esther Snyder Award for Environmental Excellence: Michael Lach, Executive Director of the Harwich Conservation Trust
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Paul Tsongas Environmental Recognition Award: DEP Title 5 and Watershed Permit Team
- APCC Special Recognitions: Nancy Horn & Chris Dennis, Friends of Peter’s Pond; Nauset Garden Club & Pollinator Pathway Cape Cod, Carol Alper & Gary Bowden
- APCC Honor Roll: Margo Fenn
Registration required.
CLICK HERE |
The Guidelines gives homeowners steps they can take in the design and maintenance of their properties that will support pollinators and birds, manage stormwater, conserve water, and protect the Cape's water quality. This 40-page booklet is beautifully illustrated by Marcy Ford with content that is easily digestible and supported by numerous resources for additional learning. We've enjoyed creating it and hope it will help you with ideas to help you steward your piece of Cape Cod and maybe foster an environmental ethic in the decisions we all make in our own managed landscapes. Get your copy here—and maybe one for a friend?
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| APCC is Hiring: A Year-round Position and Seasonal Paid Internship Available |
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Cyanobacteria Science Coordinator: APCC seeks an experienced project manager to manage the sample analysis, interpretation, and reporting of results for APCC’s Cyanobacteria Monitoring Program. The Cyanobacteria Science Coordinator is responsible for ensuring the overall scientific quality of the program through oversight of sample collection, analyses, interpretation, and reporting of monitoring results, and communicating results and other information to municipal officials, agencies, organizations, and the public in an accurate clear manner. The position is fulltime, year-round, salaried with benefits. For the full description, click here. To apply, email a cover letter and resume to Dr. Julie Hambrook at: [email protected]
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Internship for State of the Waters: Cape Cod: APCC seeks a college- or graduate-level intern to assist with our “State of the Waters: Cape Cod” project. The internship provides a paid salary but does not provide benefits. Work involves scoring and grading water quality data for coastal embayments, ponds, and drinking water. Applicants must be proficient in the use of Microsoft Excel for data entry, calculations, and data analysis and possess a high degree of attention to detail and accuracy. The internship will run from August 1 through October or potentially into November 2023.For more information, visit APCC’s website: https://apcc.org/employment/. To apply, email a cover letter and resume to Dr. Jo Ann Muramoto at: [email protected]
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| Arriving in your post office mailbox any day now—the APCC 2022 Annual Impact Report!
Inside, a message from the executive director and a review of APCC accomplishments in 2022.
If you can't wait, or if we don't have your mailing address, you can read online here. |
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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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The Jewels of Cape Cod ~ Our Freshwater Ponds |
Moody Pond, Mashpee. Photo by Diane Weisman. |
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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, CLICK HERE.
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APCC has QR code stickers that link to our cyanobacteria webpage. If you'd like one or more to post on or around your pond, request by email to [email protected] |
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| By popular request...
APCC Caps are 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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A Cape Cod Native Plant-selector ~ to help you choose the perfect native plant for your garden location. |
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| Spotted Bee Balm, Monarda punctata |
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Sally Baer's rain barrel! |
| 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 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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