Association to Preserve Cape Cod |
Wing Island, Brewster. Photo by Sue Machie. |
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| Firing on All Cylinders by Andrew Gottlieb, APCC Executive Director |
Most of the work we do daily is profoundly local. APCC works with members, local officials and partnering organizations to bring about change and to improve our environment, essentially making our communities better places to live. It is not unusual that our efforts extend to working with state officials and the legislature to get things done that are beyond the reach of local government and may require regional or statewide action to become possible. APCC’s central role in the creation of the Cape and Islands Water Protection Fund is one such example of taking our work to the state level.
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Last week was a little different though. Months of hard work at the federal level yielded dividends on two fronts, but also tee us up for more work ahead. Our efforts to continue protecting the Upper Cape Water Supply Reserve from contamination from a proposed multipurpose machine gun range got a boost from Congress, which rejected efforts to authorize additional funds for its construction. The entire region benefited from Friday’s announcement that over $400 million in federal money will be awarded for the replacement of the Sagamore Bridge with requests for another $1.1 billion pending. APCC has been working with our federal delegation and the Healey Administration to help make Cape Cod Canal bridge replacements a reality.
While gratified with this success at the federal level, we know that the gun range project proponents will not take no for an answer and will continue to look for ways to complete the project. We at APCC will remain vigilant until the project is abandoned. That has not happened yet so we, and you, have much to do to make sure that our water supply is protected. As for the bridges, there is work remaining to make certain the $1.1 billion in additional funds come our way and to then pivot to securing more federal funds for the Bourne Bridge replacement and the Healey administration in helping make Cape Cod Canal bridge replacements a reality. (As an aside, having a seat at the table in the bridge funding process puts APCC in the position to be involved in the design of the project and mitigation discussions to assure that the replacement solves more problems than it creates.)
While the hours of daylight continue to get shorter for the rest of this week, our days at APCC remain long. Long, yet highly productive. The year is wrapping up well for APCC and I hope the same can be said for all our members and those you hold dear. |
In the News...
WCAI Defense authorization bill passed, but funding gap remains for proposed machine gun range on JBCC |
APCC in the field...
APCC's Ecosystem Restoration Program works with Cape towns and other project partners, like Horsley Witten (HW), to identify and then conduct preliminary surveys of locations for stormwater improvement across Cape Cod. This month APCC's restoration technician, Eliza Fitzgerald, joined HW for field surveys and test pit digging at sites in Yarmouth, Falmouth, and Marstons Mills. These site surveys help to better inform the design of stormwater infrastructure, such as bioretention areas and other infiltration techniques. Improved stormwater management in these coastal areas can help prevent high volumes of pollutants and bacteria from flowing into our freshwater ponds and coastal embayments.
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Now accepting applications for Pond Monitoring Technician |
APCC seeks a seasonal pond monitoring technician to conduct pond water quality monitoring as part of APCC’s Cape Cod Regional Pond Monitoring Program funded through the Cape Cod Commission’s Freshwater Initiative. More information and how to apply can be found here. |
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| 2023 Plant Hardiness Zone Map Updated |
The new map probably is not a surprise to you longtime Cape Cod gardeners who have been seeing a trend—warmer winters and some "annuals" that now survive through to the next growing season. |
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We took a look back at the previous maps for an example of a local change on Cape Cod. Chatham: zone 6a on the 1990 map; zone 7a on the 2012 map; and now Chatham is zone 7b on the 2023 updated map.
To dig deeper and to read more about the development of the map and what it means, read the press release of the USDA Agricultural Research Service: Temperature updates to plant hardiness zones are not necessarily reflective of global climate change because of the highly variable nature of the extreme minimum temperature of the year, as well as the use of increasingly sophisticated mapping methods and the inclusion of data from more weather stations. Consequently, map developers involved in the project cautioned against attributing temperature updates made to some zones as reliable and accurate indicators of global climate change (which is usually based on trends in overall average temperatures recorded over long time periods).
The new interactive map allows you to zoom into anywhere in the country and the USDA's grower tips. It lives here: Plant Hardiness Zone Map. And as you revel in the seed catalogs coming in the mail any day now, you may find that you have a broader choice of what to plant! |
The Woolly Bear ~ Harbinger of Winter Weather? |
Sheila Sund from Salem, United States, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons |
Familiar to most of us is the furry black and orange-brown woolly bear caterpillar commonly seen this time of year. Such an endearing name, woolly bear; the label no doubt comes from its appearance and hibernating habit. Pyrrharctia isabella can be quite conspicuous crossing roads and driveways (and some of us have been known to safely swerve to avoid running over one).
The folklore associated with the woolly bear caterpillar claims the coloring of the caterpillar can predict the severity of the coming winter. If the orange-brown center band is wide, a mild winter is thought to be ahead. Conversely, if the center band is narrow, well, let’s say you better fill the oil tank, stack the firewood and provision the pantry!
The woolly bear caterpillar became especially well known following a 1948 study by Dr. C. H. Curran, curator of insects at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, who attempted to prove this correlation between weather and caterpillar color. He spent eight years sampling the woolly bears each fall, but it wasn’t a serious scientific study and many years later the question remains. What we do know is that the band of orange-brown hairs actually relates to the age of the caterpillar. The further along the caterpillar is to the pupal stage, the wider the orange-brown center segments will be.
The woolly’s bristly hairs, called setae, serve a couple of beneficial purposes. The banded colors serve as a warning to predators that the caterpillar is not especially tasty, and if that proves not to be enough of a deterrent, a mouth full of bristles will prove it! Secondly, the coarse hairs capture water droplets which in turn readily freeze, basically encrusting the caterpillar and regulating the worm’s temperature over the winter. Without this adaptation, repeated freeze and thaw of the larval body would be taxing on the woolly worm’s energy resources.
Mature woolly bears search for overwintering sites under bark or inside cavities of rocks or logs where they will hibernate. They produce a chemical called a cryo-protectant which is sort of an antifreeze substance that also serves to safeguard the caterpillar’s tissue cells against damage from freezing. In the spring, they wake up and resume eating. When ready to pupate, the woolly worm will create a fuzzy cocoon with silk and its hairs where it will transform into a full-grown moth.
The woolly bear is the larval stage of the Isabella tiger moth, which is in the family of Arctiidae. There are 250 species of tiger moths in North America. Tiger moths are unusual in that they have the ability to vocalize to attract their mates. Ultrasonic sound is produced through an organ on their thorax that vibrates. The Isabella tiger moth is a common, medium-sized moth with a stout body and yellowish-orange to cream-colored wings spotted with black. The adult moth feeds on nectar of flowering plants.
Isabella tiger moths lay their eggs on a wide variety of green plants during the warm months of July and August where the caterpillars will emerge and begin feeding. While some caterpillars are known for having selective eating habits, the woolly worms are generalists. This means they feed on most any plant, like grasses, weeds and wildflowers. Neither the adult moth nor the woolly worm is considered a pest. In the web of life, the Isabella tiger moth and its larva are in turn predated on by parasitic wasps, mantids, birds and flies, which control their population.
Is the woolly bear the groundhog of winter? While there is no direct correlation to the winter weather to come, just seeing the little fuzzy caterpillars serves as an announcement of the change in seasons.
If you’ve got a woolly bear lover in your life, the Caterpillar Lab, an educational nonprofit in New Hampshire, has all things caterpillars to promote these charismatic creatures, including a bumper sticker: You guessed it – I brake for Woolly Bears.
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- this article, by APCC's associate director for education Kristin Andres, was printed in the December 13, 2023 edition of the Cape Cod Chronicle. |
As the calendar year comes to a close, we want to highlight one of the easiest ways to give: a Qualified Charitable Distribution.
If you are age 70½ or older, a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) from your IRA is a fantastic, tax-free way to support APCC while also helping to satisfy your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD). Gifts must come directly from your IRA to APCC, which you may initiate by contacting your IRA custodian. The APCC tax identification number is 04-2462788. |
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Give the Gift of an APCC Membership!
We offer three membership packages for the environmentalist in your life. $50|$75|$100 |
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Guidelines for Cape-friendly Landscapes - an APCC publication
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Thank you for this important book! Hopefully everyone of us with a yard will read it and put it to use! - Vicky Titcomb of Titcomb Bookshop |
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| 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.
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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? |
We are partnering with several retail shops to make this publication more widely available: Brewster Book Store, Birdwatchers General Store, Crocker Nurseries, Wellfleet Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary, Cape Abilities Farm, Cape Cod Museum of Natural History, the Cape Cod Lavender Farm, Heritage Museums and Gardens, Titcomb's Bookshop, and Sea Howl Bookshop.
If you are a retailer and would like to sell this publication at your store, contact Kristin at [email protected]. |
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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. Spearheaded by the Nauset Garden Club in 2021, the pathway has grown to 44 organizations and 277 residential properties across Cape Cod that are dedicated to supporting pollinators.
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. Please get on the map to show your support of pollinators on Cape Cod!
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| 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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| 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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APCC is rated four stars by Charity Navigator and 2023 Gold by Candid (formerly Guidestar). |
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