Association to Preserve Cape Cod

Above: Fort Hill, Eastham. Photo by Sue Machie

What I'm Thinking...

NAS Revealed

by Andrew Gottlieb, Executive Director

Back in September, we alerted you to the Massachusetts National Guard’s plan to engage the National Academies of Science (NAS) to review the proposed multipurpose machine gun range (MPMGR) in an article called, “Beware the Secret Meetings.” The proceedings of that meeting are no longer secret. The meeting transcript, along with several ancillary financial documents, were turned over to APCC by the Guard in response to several new public records requests made by APCC in February.

The NAS session was held on October 30, 2024, and cost the Massachusetts taxpayers roughly $53,000. The transcript is most noteworthy for what is missing. No one in attendance said that the information provided by the Guard was sufficient to support the Guard’s claim that the MPMGR would not imperil the Upper Cape Water Supply Reserve. Numerous reviewers cited concerns with sampling methodologies and study construction, as well as taking issue with sampling detection limits being higher than protective limits used by Massachusetts to ensure public health and environmental quality.

The proceedings, while by design not representing any sort of group consensus, in our reading validates the questions EPA raised about the data not supporting the conclusions made by the Guard. What does it all mean? That question is anyone’s bet. Unless the Guard tries to revive the MPMGR project, this meeting transcript is an interesting final chapter to a long story that proves that questions remained unanswered about the projects risks and impacts.

If the Guard tries to revive the project, then the proceedings are a starting point for what additional studies are needed to come to a technically defensible position on the impact of the project. The proceedings are also important in independently documenting data and analytic deficiencies if the new EPA leadership throws out the draft finding of significant impact. The NSA discussion provides an important backstop to a politically motivated reversal of EPA’s position.

As is always the case, the availability of this document for the public to see helps keep everyone honest. Now more than ever, public vigilance is required. APCC is pleased to have played an important part in ensuring that the public has a chance to read and assess the discussion that took place at this publicly-funded event.

APCC In the News

WCAI - Mass. National Guard to pay $26K to opponents of machine gun range

APCC at Cape Cod Natural History Conference

Above: APCC staff: Julie Hambrook, JT Percy, Lynn Francis, Sophia Feuerhake, and Molly Autery

APCC staff participated in the 28th annual Mass Audubon Natural History Conference on Saturday, March 8th. The conference brings together local community members, restoration and conservation practitioners, and environmental scientists for a day of learning and networking. APCC's salt marsh restoration ecologist, Molly Autery, and freshwater science coordinator, Sophia Feuerhake, gave talks about the Chase Garden Creek salt marsh restoration project and APCC’s freshwater monitoring programs, respectively.

Pond and cyanobacteria program manager, Julie Hambrook, presented a poster on APCC’s bio-Survey program. Lynn Francis, pond and cyanobacteria operations manager, and JT Percy, senior pond monitoring technician, communicated with the many visitors who stopped by APCC’s table. It was a wonderful conference and an exciting way to meet those interested in APCC’s projects and programs.

Above: APCC freshwater science coordinator, Sophia Feuerhake, presenting.

Above: APCC salt marsh restoration specialist, Molly Autery, presenting.

We Welcome May Lopopolo to APCC's Team for the

Cape Cod Regional Monitoring Pond Program!

May has just joined us as APCC's 2025 seasonal pond technician!

May Lopopolo graduated from the University of Vermont in 2024 with a degree in environmental science. This field season, she looks forward to working with volunteers and exploring new ponds.

Last summer, May was one of the cyanobacteria monitoring interns for APCC. She loved working for APCC and collecting data on the ponds so much that she decided to come back and join the pond monitoring team sampling ponds under the Cape Cod Commission's Freshwater Initiative.

We are thrilled to have May aboard, and know our volunteers will enjoy getting to know her.

Above: May Lopopolo last week on her first day out on the pond.

PONDS NETWORK

Old Ladies Against Underwater Garbage (OLAUGs)

The OLAUGs are aiming to clean 20 ponds this summer and also begin the process of starting another chapter of the organization. They have commitments to videographers and other media to fulfill as part of several cleanups, but will also hold a friends and family dive for people who want to see how they work.

They welcome anyone in the Cape Cod Pond Network who can suggest a pond for them to scout this season and clean next season—never a charge except for coffee and cookies. They also give presentations from October through May. Contact: OLAUG.MA@gmail.com

March 7, 2025:

Following nearly seven months of below-normal precipitation, Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) Secretary Rebecca Tepper declared the Connecticut River Valley region has been raised to a Level – 3 Critical Drought. The Western region has been raised to a Level – 2 Significant Drought. Critical and Significant drought conditions persist in all other regions across the state.

Over the past month, most of the state received between 2-4 inches of rain and snow, which is 1-1.5 inches below normal. The data collected by the Drought Management Task Force (DMTF) reflects the observations made from the start of the drying conditions in August 2024 through the end of February. Overall, most of the state is in an 8-13 inches deficit since August, with the Cape and Islands at 5-8 inches deficit of precipitation.

Read more here.

Listen or read on WBUR here.

Butterfly Decline

A new study published in Science has found that populations of butterflies across the United States are declining. In addition to dramatic declines for individual species, the study concluded that total abundance of butterflies has declined by 22 percent from 2000 to 2020. That means that for every five butterflies seen 20 years ago, now there are only four.

From the Xerces Society: “Researchers at the Xerces Society, US Fish & Wildlife, and many universities across the USA have put together a comprehensive look at how butterfly populations have changed from 2000 to 2020. By putting together data from many different butterfly surveys, they discovered that the total number of butterflies, in general, has dropped by 22 percent. That means that for every five butterflies seen 20 years ago, now there are only four.

"However, different species of butterflies have fared worse than others. While populations of a few species have actually increased, many more have declined, and sometimes dramatically. 107 species declined by more than 50 percent, and 22 species declined by more than 90 percent.

"We know what the major threats are — pesticide use, habitat loss, and climate change — and what we can do to help. Butterflies need host plants on which to lay eggs, wildflowers on which to feed, a refuge from pesticides, and sites to overwinter. There is hope for these animals if we focus on providing habitat for butterflies across all landscapes, from cities and towns to agricultural lands and natural areas.”

Advocacy Works

Above: Great horned owlets. Photo courtesy of Fred Atwood

You speak up and your elected officials respond! To date, a big thank you to the following legislators from our region that have signed on to cosponsor the state bill, An Act Restricting the Use of Rodenticides in the Environment.

Sen. Fernandes
Rep. Vieira
Rep. Xiarhos
Rep. Luddy
Rep. Flanagan
Rep. Moakley

The bill has been filed in the House by Rep. James Hawkins (HD.1721) and Senate by Sen. Michael Moore (SD.1447). These bills would phase out the use of second generation anticoagulant rodenticides (SGARs) in Massachusetts, and need support from as many legislators as possible to gain some momentum.

Ask your legislator to cosponsor the bills.

Raptors, foxes, coyotes, and other predators help keep our ecosystems in balance. Shocking numbers have been sickened and killed after eating poisoned rodents. Cape Cod wildlife advocates meet every month on the fourth Thursday of the month, 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. via Zoom. To join, sign up with Mass Audubon here. To register for the monthly meetings, register here.

Local partners with APCC are Cape Wildlife Center, Wild Care Cape Cod,

and Sierra Club Cape Cod. Stay informed on Facebook: Rescue Cape Cod Raptors

Above: At Bound Brook in Dennis, volunteers hike to the counting site to receive training on how to monitor the migrating river herring. Photo credits: Gerry Beetham (left, right) and Laurie Keeran (center).

Volunteer for River Herring:

A Simple Act That Makes a Big Difference!

Spring is almost here, and that means Cape Cod’s river herring are about to embark on their epic journey upstream to spawn—an incredible, vital event for our region’s ecosystems. To make sure these essential fish populations continue to thrive, we need YOU on our team!

Every year, passionate volunteers like you join forces with APCC and local run coordinators to monitor herring runs across Cape Cod, participating in visual herring counts that provide the critical data needed to protect our waters. But here’s the catch: We’re still struggling to fill volunteer shifts—especially in key areas like Mashpee, Sandwich, and Yarmouth. And without enough volunteers, we risk leaving critical gaps in our understanding of these amazing fish. That’s where you come in!

Volunteering is EASY, FUN, and IMPACTFUL! No experience? No problem! We’ll provide all the training you need to spot river herring and gather data. All it takes is 10 minutes a day to make a real, lasting difference in herring conservation. And the best part? You can sign up for as many shifts as you’d like—help out once per week or make a more regular commitment.

Every count counts. By volunteering, you’ll be joining a community of passionate individuals working together to protect Cape Cod’s legacy. Join the movement and help us protect these incredible fish. Together, we’ll make sure these herring continue to thrive for generations to come!

Visit our herring volunteer webpage for all the details and to sign up today! Let’s count Cape Cod’s herring—together!

Sign Up

VOLUNTEER!

If you are a farmer or someone who wants to grow native plants to sell, or just want to be updated on the program's development, please submit an interest form that appears on our webpage. We will be sending periodic email notices of workshops and meetings.

Funding for the project is provided by Barnstable County and its Economic Development Council License Plate Grant Program through the Cape Cod Commission.

Events Hosted by Others

Join the Brewster Ponds Coalition for a presentation by Jon Idman, the town of Brewster's director of community planning and land use management, and town planner. His presentation will include an overview of his responsibilities as Brewster's town planner, current projects such as the recently updated Water Quality Protection District (WQPD) bylaw and its proposed amendments, and a discussion of current and future planning department challenges and concerns.

This event is free and open to the public, and will be held at the Brewster Ladies Library, 1822 Main Street in Brewster, on Wednesday, March 12th, from 3:30 - 5 p.m. Please register for this free event at: https://tinyurl.com/BPC-Town-Projects-12Mar25.

On Thursday, March 20th at 12 p.m. ET, the University of Rhode STEEP Superfund Research Program is hosting a webinar about PFAS on Cape Cod entitled "Household Exposures and Community Solutions." The webinar will explore how PFAS are found not only in drinking water, but also around the home and in everyday household items.

Rainer Lohmann, director of STEEP, will share recent findings on PFAS in household dust and consumer goods.

Chris Powicki, chair of the Sierra Club Cape Cod & the Islands Group, will highlight community-driven efforts to minimize exposures.

Laurel Schaider, STEEP researcher and senior scientist at Silent Spring Institute, will moderate the discussion, providing expertise on PFAS exposures and environmental health.

The virtual event is free and open to the public. All are welcome. To register, visit: https://web.uri.edu/steep/cape_webinar/

The March 20th webinar is the first in a new series launched by STEEP called "PFAS on Cape Cod: Connecting Communities with Science for Solutions." The series aims to provide community members, health professionals, and policymakers with up-to-date research, practical solutions, and an opportunity to engage directly with experts. Each one-hour webinar will include presentations and a live Q&A, with recordings available on the STEEP website for those unable to attend. To learn more about the series, visit the STEEP website.

Early Registration is open for the Gulf of Maine Monitoring & Research Symposium.

The Gulf of Maine Monitoring and Research Symposium 2025 will be held on April 8-9, 2025, in Haverhill, MA. The symposium is hosted by the MassBays National Estuaries Partnership, MIT Sea Grant, the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, and the Northeastern Regional Association of Coastal Ocean Observing Systems.

The symposium will convene monitoring program coordinators and researchers, data-users, and policymakers. Keynote speakers, Janet Duffy-Anderson Ph.D. and Damian Brady Ph.D., will talk about drivers of change in the Gulf of Maine and current efforts to highlight the need for action. Through a series of presentations, attendees will learn about ongoing water quality and habitat monitoring programs and discover ongoing research efforts that characterize the changing physical and ecological conditions in the Gulf of Maine.

Early registration for the symposium is open through March 6th, and registration for the symposium closes April 1st. A special registration fee is available for students. A limited number of scholarships are available to those who might otherwise not have the resources to participate in the symposium.

For more information, including general registration and scholarship applications, go to the Symposium home page here.

April Wobst, APCC restoration program manager and MassBays’ Cape Cod regional coordinator, said that she “looks forward to attending the symposium and the opportunity to meet with MassBays and Gulf of Maine partners to learn about and discuss monitoring and research across our region.”

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.

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

Photo credit: homeredwardprice, CC BY 2.0

Beaked Hazelnut

Corylus cornuta

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 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.