Association to Preserve Cape Cod

Above: Wings Grove Beach, Yarmouth. Photo by Sue Machie

APCC Ecosystem Restoration Program

Above: Dr. Castagno collects and deploys sediment traps at Chase Garden Creek.

Collaboration at Chase Garden Creek

APCC values the many partnerships that make our work possible. By collaborating with local, state-wide, and regional organizations and agencies, APCC continues to support and protect Cape Cod’s natural habitats. At the Chase Garden Creek salt marsh in Yarmouth, Jordan Mora, APCC lead ecologist & science advisor, and Molly Autery, APCC salt marsh specialist, work closely with Dr. Katie Castagno of the Center for Coastal Studies (CCS) to investigate marsh resilience and sediment deposition. This collaborative study will inform restoration efforts at Chase Garden Creek and other marshes across Cape Cod.

Dr. Castagno is a coastal geologist and the director of the Land-Sea Interaction Program at CCS. This past summer, Dr. Castagno, with the help of several interns, deployed a series of sediment traps at Chase Garden Creek. A sediment trap is a container that holds sediment washed onto the salt marsh during high tides. These traps are collected each month, and Dr. Castagno measures the amount of sediment that has accumulated. This process allows us to estimate how much sediment is delivered to the marsh, a critical step in understanding how healthy or “resilient” a salt marsh is to the impacts of climate change and sea level rise.

The sediment data collected by Dr. Castagno complements other kinds of data collected by Jordan and Molly at Chase Garden Creek, such as vegetation cover and water levels. APCC's Ecological Restoration Program team is grateful for the continued support of Dr. Castagno and CCS. Their expertise and resources are essential for our work at Chase Garden Creek!

Above: Molly Autery displays an empty sediment trap before it gets deployed in the marsh. Dr. Castagno constructs the traps using centrifuge tubes and netting to keep critters like crabs and snails from crawling in.

APCC participated in WaterWorks at Cape Cod Community College

APCC outreach and science staff members, Dee Marsh, Sophia Feuerhake, and Lynn Francis, participated in the WaterWorks Blue Economy Career Fair on January 14 at the Cape Cod Community College. High school and college students from Barnstable, Dukes, Nantucket, and Plymouth counties came to visit over 40 interactive exhibits where they learned about careers in STEM and the Blue Economy. Students gained a better understanding of the education, preparation, and training they need to pursue careers in the Blue Economy.

Students visiting the APCC's booth could view illustrations of several APCC staff career pathways, such as research scientist, data analyst, restoration ecologist, and program manager. Students were challenged to brainstorm and develop their own blue economy career pathways. Many were surprised at how much they learned about their educational, personal, and professional goals and snapped photos of their plans to help guide them toward becoming part of the blue economy in the coming years.

Cape Cod Commission releases tools and resources to support freshwater; Cape Cod Water Quality Data Portal and Cape Cod Pond Buffer Guidance

(Click on the photos below to view.)

Bud ID – Northern Red Oak

by Erin Camire, Ecolandscape Program Coordinator

It’s that time again for more bud identification, and this time around we’ll be focusing on the northern red oak, Quercus rubra, and comparing it to the feature we identified on black oak, Quercus velutina in the last two weeks.

Like all the oaks, terminal bud clusters are another great feature to be on the lookout for, which is the placement of multiple buds around the twig’s end. Additionally, red oak also features marcescence, and over the winter you can look at the leaf shape for any standout features. Typically, red oaks have narrow sinuses (or indents) in the leaves, but I find oak leaves to be incredibly variable, and I would much rather key out the buds over the leaves any day!

Once again, there is an opposite branch arrangement. When focusing in on the buds, you’ll notice imbricate scales, which are extremely similar to black oak. Before you start to sweat, not knowing how to differentiate the two, let’s get into bud coverings, which is a great feature to keep in mind when keying out the oaks.

When we covered black oaks in previous weeks, one of the most prominent traits is the abundance of pubescence these buds showcase. So now, as we move on to red oaks, keep this feature in the front of your mind, as Quercus rubra tends to have no pubescence. I say “tends” because I have seen these buds with small tufts of hair right at the tip of the bud, but never with hairs all along the bud like black oak.

Now, let’s take a step back and cover the general bud description, noting the key features. Red oak buds are tan to light brown in color, vaguely egg-shaped, and typically come to a sharp point. On average, these buds are far smaller than black oak buds, but feature the same imbricate scales. Be on the lookout for little to no pubescence, and any leaves that are still hanging on to further assist you. That’s about all you need to know for red oaks, so that’s another oak identification down!

Next time around we’re going to change things up a bit, and take a quick break from the oaks so we can talk about another amazing species that is prevalent across the cape, red maple (Acer rubrum).

Spotlight on Rodenticides: They're Poison!

Great news! A state bill, An Act Restricting the use of Rodenticides in the Environment, has been filed in the House by Rep. Hawkins HD.1721 and Senate by Sen. Moore SD.1447. These bills would phase out the use of SGARs in Massachusetts, and needs support from as many legislators as possible to gain some momentum. Ask your legislator to cosponsor the bills: TAKE ACTION

Rodenticides are having an unacceptable impact on our wildlife.

Above is a recorded webinar given by Wild Care Cape Cod's executive director, Stephanie Ellis for APCC in June 2023.

Do you have a contract with a pest control service to control rodents? Do you know what methods they are using? If it's bait boxes that contain rat poison, have them removed—all of them. There are other alternatives. Your contractor may be using them according to the regulations, but that's the problem. The regulations need to be changed. In fact, we believe as many do, there should be a state ban on their use.

If you want to help,

SIGN UP with MA Audubon.

Cape Cod has a regional effort: "Rescue Our Raptors."

Local partners include Cape Wildlife Center, Wild Care Cape Cod,

Sierra Club Cape Cod, and APCC.

Stay informed on Facebook: Rescue Cape Cod Raptors

Events Hosted by Others

Grow Native Massachusetts

A Cape-wide Conservation Event Calendar

The Compact of Cape Cod Conservation Trusts (“the Compact”) and its nonprofit members launched a new regional calendar of events. The Conservation Calendar includes programs across Cape Cod hosted by these groups. The goal of the calendar is to encourage visitors and residents to take part in nature and environmental events. You can always find the link to the calendar on APCC's website under News & Events.

A Cape Cod Native Plant-selector

~ to help you choose the perfect native plants for your garden.

Black Huckleberry

Gaylussacia baccata

Email membership@apcc.org and we'll send you a CapeCodNativePlants.org decal.

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

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, please contact us.

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

APCC Merch

Available for online purchase and shipping in the U.S. is free:

APCC caps

$25

+++++++++++++++++

Garden for Life T's

$30

Click here

for more information and to order.

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 the 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.