Association to Preserve Cape Cod

Photo by Sue Machie

What I'm Thinking...

That's Complicated

by Andrew Gottlieb, Executive Director

The messaging around a proper response to climate change often, and necessarily, focuses on high level measures. Slogans promoting the conversion of power generation to low carbon sources, transitioning over to electric vehicles, and increasing coastal resilience are needed to draw attention to the issue. That said, they miss the underlying complexity associated with making the transition happen.

This issue was driven home this weekend in a conversation with a visiting 20-something-year-old who works in a tech start-up focused on shipping port logistics. The conversation revolved on technology choices for loading and unloading freight with low emission equipment in response to ports becoming targeted centers for emissions reductions. The conversation was enlightening and optimistic in that it conveyed how some smart and entrepreneurial people see opportunity imbedded in the energy transition.

Despite some high level complaining about how the economic transition required by the energy transition will raise costs, our conversation had a very different perspective. Spurred by clear regulatory standards serving as an economic signal, this next generation of business leaders sees profit for the first businesses that can crack the code of adapting the business practices of today to what we need to meet necessary climate change goals. The options on the table not only lower the climate impact of port management, they also offer health benefits to the neighbors by eliminating diesel exhaust, and lower the costs of shipping in a counter to inflationary pressures. The benefits to society are hard to ignore.

Like a lot of things in America, it is revealing to follow the money. While the legacy carbon intense fuel suppliers want to keep us looking back, these new business people see a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow for those looking forward on energy. It is up to us to keep the pressure on for clear and enforceable climate goals, so that investors and entrepreneurs will become our ally in developing the new economy that will help make climate response both an ecological and economic success.

Take Action to protect the Upper Cape Water Supply Reserve

The Massachusetts National Guard, acting through the Massachusetts Military Division, is once again seeking bids to construct a multipurpose machine gun range (MPMGR) on top of the Upper Cape Water Supply Reserve.

Please write Governor Healey today and

demand that she direct her staff to cancel this bid solicitation.

Messages can be sent via a form on the state's website here: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/email-the-governors-office#email-the-governor-&-lt.-governor-using-this-form-

We'd like to exceed 1,000 emails to Governor Healey,

demanding that she ensure this project does not go forward.

Here's a sample message you can copy and paste into the comments box on the form:

Dear Gov. Healey,

I am writing to urge you to use your authority in putting a stop to the multipurpose machine gun range proposed for the Upper Cape Water Supply Reserve. I am very concerned about the Massachusetts National Guard’s recent transparent efforts to prevent existing project funds from expiring on September 30 by opening up another bidding process and securing a construction contract. A construction contract signed before October 1 would enable the Guard to continue to try to force the MPMGR on Cape Cod residents who are justifiably concerned that the project threatens the Upper Cape’s only source of drinking water.

This action by the Guard to advance contracting of the project is a further breach of the public trust and the commitment by your administration—which was agreed to by the Guard—that the project would not move forward until the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has completed its work on the Sole Source Aquifer study and the state’s Environmental Management Commission has reviewed the project. Please use your authority as governor to order the bidding process to stop and to put a halt to this ill-conceived project. Thank you.

SAVE THE DATE

APCC's Annual Meeting

Sunday, August 25th

12:00 p.m.

Under the tent at the Dennis Inn

26 Scarsdale Rd, Dennis 02638

Registration will be open next week.

APCC's Ecosystem Restoration Program

Above: APCC interns, Hannah Brown and Rory Edwards, checking the continuous data loggers from one of the sampling sites at Weir Creek.

Sampling the Salt Marsh - Data Collection at Weir Creek

This past week, APCC staff were out at Weir Creek in Dennis to check on several of the continuous data loggers installed at the project site. The data loggers need to be checked and cleaned by APCC staff regularly to prevent erroneous data collection.

Weir Creek is an estuarine system in Dennis currently subject to multiple tidal restrictions. In conjunction with the town of Dennis, Cape Cod Conservation District, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Friends of Bass River, and other partners, APCC is working to replace two undersized culverts running under Lower County Road. The replacement of the existing pipe culverts is expected to improve overall drainage, allowing the system to more quickly return to pre-storm surge water levels. Additionally, it will allow more salt water to enter the upper reaches of the estuary, thus encouraging salt marsh habitat and eliminating invasive vegetation. Overall, these improvements should strengthen the climate resilience of this residential community.

This summer’s Weir Creek sampling effort focuses on better understanding the current site conditions before replacing the culverts. Some of the data being collected at Weir Creek include:

salt marsh vegetation monitoring, to provide insight into the current health of the system and will establish baseline conditions for monitoring changes over time.
dissolved oxygen, for the purpose of understanding the habitat suitability for fish and shellfish species. These data will be compared to post-restoration conditions to determine if the improved tidal flow and drainage increases the dissolved oxygen available in the system.
salinity, to inform us about the potential for shifts in the vegetation community in the upstream marsh. An increase in salinity is important for improving the integrity of the salt marsh.
water quality monitoring data, to assist us in evaluating the impact of the tidal restoration on nutrient dynamics in Bass River. Through restoration, the project aims to improve water quality through nutrient uptake in the restored salt marsh.

Collectively, these data will help us understand the current conditions at Weir Creek, so that we can evaluate project efficacy and monitor the long-term impacts of our restoration efforts. For further information about our work at Weir Creek, please visit APCC's website.

Acknowledgements: This work is being funded by a 2022 EPA Southeast New England Program (SNEP) Watershed Implementation Grant, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation National Coastal Resilience Fund, and other private funding sources.

Pond News

Orleans Pond Coalition kicks off a new campaign for clean water!

The H2Orleans Pond Pledge—a pledge to preserve and protect our waters—is a program to encourage residents of Orleans to take simple but important actions to preserve and enhance our ponds, lakes and saltwater estuaries for recreational enjoyment and the health of our ecosystems.

The core tenets of the pledge are intended to be both accessible and impactful:

Avoid using fertilizers and pesticides
Support the town’s sewering efforts
Embrace a Cape-friendly lawn

As an Orleans property owner, when you sign up to take the H2Orleans Pond Pledge, you will receive a yard sign to place on your lawn or in your garden along with background information on why taking the pledge matters so much to our waters.

OPC is asking Orleans residents to sign up here, and OPC will hand deliver signs and materials to you directly. Thank you in advance for supporting this exciting new initiative.

Cape Cod Ponds Network

Reminder!

Cape Cod Ponds Network next meeting

at the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History

Thursday, August 8th, 6:00 p.m.

Register to attend here.

Bugs Need More ♥

Wishing You Lots of... Arthropods!

Insects and other invertebrates in the family of arthropods are so important to our existence. Edward O. Wilson, one of the most outstanding conservationist biologists of our time, said, “If all mankind were to disappear, the world would regenerate back to the rich state of equilibrium that existed ten thousand years ago. If insects were to vanish, the environment would collapse into chaos.” Dr. Jonas Salk, who developed the polio vaccine, is credited with saying, “If all the insects were to disappear from the earth, within 50 years all life on earth would end. If all human beings disappeared from the earth, within 50 years all forms of life would flourish.” More than 75 percent of plants require pollination by insects. Get the picture? As someone else said, we need nature, nature doesn’t need us. And fighting against nature costs a lot of money. If we just understood the natural world a bit more, we might coexist with a lot less conflict.

We’ve been led to believe that insects and other bugs are all pests. This is so untrue! Out of the approximately 1,000,000 species of insects (the six-legged invertebrates) that have been identified in the world to date, only one tenth of one percent (1,000) are regarded as serious pests to humans. And to be conservative, you might say one percent because at times there are insects that can be a periodic nuisance. It is our tendency to declare certain bugs to be without value, mostly because we don’t know anything about them. If we investigated a bit more and took a moment to be a little more tolerant, we’d likely be surprised and maybe we’ll be slower to grab the pesticide can.

Let’s start with the subject of a common arthropod phobia—spiders. In Science of Nature journal, researchers estimate globally the cumulative weight of these eight-legged creatures to be about 25 million tons. The researchers went on to determine arachnids annually consume hundreds of millions of tons, (400-800 million) of insects and other creatures. Yes, we’re talking TONS. Spiders eat ten percent of their weight daily. In a Washington Post article by Chris Ingraham, this was equated to a human eating 20 lbs. of meat per day. So, the takeaway is, spiders help control populations of insects and other small critters in a significant way. Spiders are valuable. Read more.

We are taking appointments now through August (first come, first serve). Click here for more information.

2024 testimonials:

This is so fantastic!! You have provided so many great ideas and lots of detail, everything I need to be successful!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!! - Kathy W.

Thank you for your ideas, suggestions, recommendations, and education. - Judith B.

Most excellent!! VERY well done, and SO much useful information. Definitely exceeded my expectations, which were pretty high! - Eli W.

APCC's Ecolandscape Audit Program is hands down, the best investment for the money that I have made in my yard EVER. What a comprehensive evaluation! It will leave you inspired to better your Cape Cod landscape in relation to water use, plant selection, and pollinator & animal habitat. Wonderful, wonderful! - Rick M.

Events Hosted by Others

Highfield’s Science & Environment Speaker Series is made possible in part through the generous support of the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod, The Falmouth Fund, The Brabson Family Foundation, Cape Cod 5, the Woods Hole Foundation, and Woodwell Climate Research Center.

This event is FREE but seats are limited, so please register for the event in advance.

Register online today or call 508-495-1878 ext. 2.

Brewster Ponds Coalition is celebrating its 10th year!

Annual Meeting

Saturday, August 10th, 8:30-11:00 a.m.

the Cape Cod Bible Alliance Church, Main Street, Brewster.

Guest speaker: Christopher Flanagan, Massachusetts House of Representatives for the 1st Barnstable District

Please register here.

Brewster Ponds Coalition and SUPfari Adventures Host

an Evening Glow Eco Paddle Fun-Raiser

Photo credit: SUPfari Adventures

BPC invites you to this guided fund-raising Eco Paddle on

Sunday, Aug 11, 7-8:30 p.m.

The paddle is $50 for ages 14-25 and $75 per person for over 25,

and is limited to 12 participants.

Pre-registration and payment are required.

Join BPC for a unique evening glow paddle illuminating the water underneath your kayak or SUP,

starting from Arey’s Pond in Orleans.

FRESHWATER POND SCIENCE 101
Free Zoom Webinar
THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 4:00-5:30 p.m.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87160986875?pwd=znULqp5EnLwRe1d1p5ExbFli4BBhab.1

Protecting our freshwater ponds requires passion, commitment, and knowledge. We need at least a basic understanding of pond science if we’re going to effectively communicate with our pond neighbors and develop effective strategies for protecting our ponds. With that in mind, we hope you will participate in this free Zoom webinar.

The webinar will provide an introduction to Freshwater Pond Science, helping us understand the basic biological, chemical, and physical processes that govern these dynamic and critically important ecosystems. By understanding pond ecology, water quality, the biodiversity of aquatic life in our ponds, cyanobacteria, and the impacts of human activities, we will be more effective in protecting our ponds.

The webinar will:

explain the importance of freshwater ponds in the ecosystem
cover the basic physical and chemical properties of freshwater ponds
identify key biological components of pond ecosystems, including plants, animals, and microorganisms
describe the nutrient cycles (nitrogen and phosphorus)
highlight human impacts on ponds, including pollution, invasive species, and conservation and restoration efforts.

The presentations will be followed by a generous amount of time for Q&A.

The presenters are:
Julie Hambrook Berkman, Ph.D. - As the Association to Preserve Cape Cod’s pond and cyanobacteria program manager, Julie is responsible for coordinating and managing the Pond Monitoring Program and the Cyanobacteria Monitoring Program. In her role, she builds and maintains partnerships with municipalities, agencies, organizations, and volunteers, engaging with interested citizens and organizations who care about Cape Cod’s 890 ponds to preserve pond water quality for the benefit of all.

Liz Moran, Ph.D. - Liz is a planning and restoration specialist at Anchor QEA and an environmental scientist with a long career in lake and watershed management. She is also a member of the Cape Cod Commission team that is guiding the Freshwater Ponds Initiative. Liz has worked on multiple pond assessment and restoration projects across the Cape.

If you know you plan to attend please send a note to FPCwebinarsevents@gmail.com

REGISTER HERE.

APCC's Cyanobacteria Monitoring Program

Our cyanobacteria monitoring map is live for 2024. Results are displayed on the interactive map. You can sign up for cyanobacteria bloom alerts here - and receive a notice when a bloom is detected.

Guidelines for Cape-friendly Landscapes - an APCC publication

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.

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

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 grateful for the several retail shops that are partnering with us 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, Sea Howl Bookshop, Soares Flower Garden Nursery, and Eight Cousins Bookshop.

If you are a retailer and would like to sell this publication at your store, contact Kristin at kandres@apcc.org.

You can also view the book's content as a pdf on our website.

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. Please get on the map to show your support of pollinators on Cape Cod!

You can purchase now your 9-inch aluminum Pollinator Pathway Cape Cod sign at Hyannis Country Garden, Crocker Nurseries, Brewster Book Store, Orleans Conservation Trust, and

Cape Abilities Farm.

If you are a retailer, and you would like to sell the signs, you can order online here, or email pollinators@apcc.org.

APCC Merch