H A RW I C HC O N S E RVAT I O N

TRUST w w w . H a r w i c h C o n s e r v a t i o n Tr u s t . o rg

PR E S E RV E LA N D FO R E V E R FA L L 2010 NE W S L E T T E R

TH I S GE N E R AT I O N’S CA R E TA K E R SPreserving Land & History on Long Pond

- Story on page 4 -

IN THIS ISSUEConservationists of the Year page 2 RSVP for HCT’s Annual Meeting page 3Reserve NOW for Mission Wolf page 3 Preserving Land & History pages 4-7

Thank You for Giving page 8Winter 2011 Talks page 9Volunteer Awards page 10Land Stewardship page 11 Memorials/Gifts pages 12 & 13

Business Support pages 14 & 15

Walk leaders to be honored withHCT’s Volunteer EverGreen Aw a r don November 7th.

P.O. Box 101 South Harwich, MA 02661

508-432-3997 • hct@cape.com

www.HarwichConservationTrust.org

BOARD OF TRUSTEESPresident - Robert F. Smith, Esq.

Vice President - Thomas M. EvansTreasurer - Edward A. RubelSecretary - Donna J. Peterson

William F. Baldwin, Matt CushingColin A. Leonard, Bruce Nightingale,William R. Schumann, Andrea Silbert

STAFFExecutive Director - Michael W. Lach

O u t reach and Steward s h i pC o o rd i n a t o r-Ryan J. Mann

HCT’s MissionHCT preserves landto protect woods,

w a t e r, wildlifeand our shared quality

of life in Harwich.

HARWICH

C O N S E RVAT I O NTRUST

2 H a rwich Conservation Tru s t Fall 2010

The Cape Cod Chronicle, Cape Codder,Harwich Oracle , and Cape CodTi m e s newspapers are HCT’s 2010Conservationists of the Year Awardrecipients for their comprehensive,consistent coverage of enviro n-mental issues affecting Harwich andCape Cod. Clear, concise, and com-pelling stories about the importanceof widely supported land pro t e c t i o nprojects that preserve wildlife habi-tat, water quality, and Cape Codcharacter raise aware n e s s for resi-dents and countless visitors. Otherstories range the enviro n m e n t a lspectrum from water quality con-cerns to renewable energy to fas-cinating wildlife. The opinion pagesoffer a forum for debate on a r a n g eof topics and the enviro n m e n ts u rfaces in every edition. Thesenewspapers focus on environmen-tal stories that track our commonc h a l l e n g e s , c h ronicle contro v e r s y ,a n d identify unanswere d questions.Taken together, their coverage h e l p sshape the future of our s h a redspecial place.

C o n s e rv a t i o n i s tof the Ye a r

Aw a rdThe Conservationist of the Year Awardis given annually to an honored guestwho has actively helped protect thew o o d s , waters, and wildlife of Harwich.Nominations for individuals, groups,businesses, or other entities activelyhelping to protect the Harwich envi-ronment are accepted on a rolling basis.

PAST RECIPIENTS:2005: Anne & Joe Welch2006: Barbara & Charles Birdsey2007: AmeriCorps2008: Wequassett2009: Town of Harwich Natural Resources Dept.

Fall 2010 H a rwich Conservation Tru s t 1 5

Business Support

Tree Removals • Stump Grinding • Tree & Shrub Pruning • Free EstimatesMA Certified Arborist #2290 • Fully Insured

5 0 8 - 9 4 5 - 1 5 5 4

Fall 2010 H a rwich Conservation Tru s t 31 4 H a rwich Conservation Tru s t Fall 2010

Ann Hart is a locala rtist supporting HCT.She kindly share dher images with us inthis newsletter. Herw a t e rcolors can beseen at GalleryAntonia in Chatham,as well as at herw e b s i t e :w w w. a n n h a rt s a rt . o rg

Free! But RSVP forHCT’s Annual Celebration & Meeting

Wequassett on Pleasant BaySunday, November 7th, 5-7pm

Featured Speaker: Greg Skomal“Tracking Great White Sharks”

Join us to honor local newspapers (Cape Cod Chronicle, Cape Codder,Harwich Oracle, and Cape Cod Times) with HCT’s Conservationist of t h eYear Award and outstanding HCT volunteers with our EverGreen Aw a r d s .

RSVP by October 29th for this free event.Call HCT at 508-432-3997 or email: hct@cape.com

Mission Wolf - LIVE WOLF PROGRAM

Reserve in advance at w w w. H a rw i c h C o n s e rv a t i o n Tru s t . o rgor by check (payable to Harwich Conservation Trust)

Mail to P.O.Box 101, South Harwich, MA 02661Shows will be held in the gym of the Harwich Community Center at 100 Oak St.

Sponsored by The Cape Cod Times, The Cape Cod Chronicle, The Cape Codder,Harwich Oracle, The Register, and White Marlie

E v e n t s / P ro g r a m sBusiness Support E v e n t s / P ro g r a m sBusiness Support

Andale CaféBates HardwareBB’s Automotive

Benson, Young & Downes Ins.Bothfield FinancialBox Office Cafe

Cape Aquatics Pools & Hot Tu b sCape Cod Associates

Cape Cod Claddagh Inn& Irish Pub

Cape Cod ComputerCape Cod Five

The Chatham Corner StoreWm. Coffin & Sons Rubbish

RemovalColdwell Banker Murray REColin Leonard Enterprises

Cranberry JewelersCranberry LiquorsCrocker Nurseries

CVS PharmacyDairy Queen

Dino’s BreakfastDriscoll Plumbing & Heating

EAS PaintingEmber

Fettig Tile CompanyForest Beach DesignFour Hundred EastGardens By The Sea

George’s Fish MarketHandkerchief Shoals InnHandren Bros. Building

Hannon ElectricHarwich Paint and Decorating

Harwich Pet SupplyHarwich Remodeling Center

Harwichport Heating & CoolingHarwich Spirits Shoppe

Heather’s HairportHemeon’s Garage

Henry T. Crosby & SonHess Route 137

Hot Stove SaloonDennis Hoye, Head ProJohn Martin Excavating

Kennedy Gallery & StudiosLa Barge Real Estate

Lower Cape IrrigationLuddy’s Paint & Wallpaper

William MaloneyMatt’s AutomotiveMayflower Glass

M. Smith & CompanyMobile PC Doctor

Monahan & CompanyMoran Engineering, Inc.

Nor’east ComfortNorthern Paving

8th Annual Golf Tournament SponsorsBack Office Associates, Cape Cod Cooperative Bank,

The Cape Cod Chronicle, Wequassett Resort

Dan O’Leary, LandscapePersonalized Fitness Solutions

Peterson Realty Inc.Potted Geranium

Heinz ProftR&K Landscape

Realty ExecutivesThe Boston Red Sox

Rockland Trust (Chatham)Rick Roy Construction LLC

RuggiesSanders, Walsh & Eaton

SDM Electric, Inc.Shaws Market

Robert F. Smith, Esq. Stinson & Ford Stop & ShopStove Place II

SubwaySummit Insulation

Sundae School Ice CreamThe Port

Today Real EstateTree Wizard

Waystack RealtyWeatherdeck Restaurant

Windsong AntiquesWinstead Inn & Beach ResortWB Mason Office Supplies

ThursdayOctober 21st

Special 6:30 pm showLimited to 125 people

EVERY SEAT IS A FRONT ROW SEAT!$100/person

(under age five cannot attend)

FridayOctober 22nd5 pm or 7 pm show$10 for ages 12 - adult

$5 for ages 5 - 11(under age five cannot attend)

4 H a rwich Conservation Tru s t Fall 2010

This Generation's CaretakersInterview with an anonymous landownerWritten by Mary J Metzger

“We came only in the summers, asthere was no heat or electricity in ourcamp. There was just a dirt cart paththen (the late 1930’s), wide enough fora horse and cart or an old beat-up car.The first thing we would do on arrivalwould be to prune the path back to themain road so the car wouldn’t getscratched up. From here, you couldn’tsee another house on Long Pond, andonly two other fishing camps. It wasdeep woods.”

That land is private, but what’s left ofthose deep woods is preserved with aconservation restriction held by theHarwich Conservation Trust. Thesememories belong to a family whoseties to their pond-shore land go backto 1790. In that year, their ancestor,Nathan Underwood, accepted an offerto take the minister’s job at what isnow the Harwich First CongregationalChurch. Nathan had grown up on adairy farm in Lexington, fought in theRevolution, and then studied atHarvard Divinity School, graduating in1788. He was stepping into a con-tentious local squabble.

When Harwich was incorporated in1694 it included what is now Bre w s t e r.The parish meeting house was in thenorthern reaches. The southern popu-lation had to traverse seven miles(one way) from Harwich to the NorthParish each Sabbath through the s o g g ymiddle lands of ponds, swamps, andsloughs. A South Parish was officiallysanctioned by the state legislature in1746 and a meetinghouse and minister

Fall 2010 H a rwich Conservation Tru s t 1 3

Gifts to HCT - in honor of and in memory ofIn Memory of Greg Fishbein

Sara Shields & Bruce Fishbein

In Memory of all Veterans:RIP, Fighting & Retired

Peter & Bridget O’Rourke

In Honor of all who helpsuch a worthy cause

Marcia Andrews

In Memory of Eric BennettDonald Bennett & Linda Chicklas

In Memory of James AlcockElizabeth Naughton

In Memory of Judd J. CorbettUrsula K. Corbett

In Memory & Honor of Lee BaldwinFlorence & Gail Hancock

Connie Pina

In Memory of Oliver PeltonCarol Pelton

In Memory of Doris & Howard DoaneSarah Doane

In Memory of Recci & Elaine KennedyRobert Kennedy

In Memory of Eve ToolinMichael & May Ann Brockelman

In Honor of Mary Jane & Donald CurranWedding Remembrance

Cornelia Doherty

In Memory of Martha SmithSheila & Preston Smith

In Memory of Mark KeiltyThe Hot Stove Saloon

In Memory of Martha & Frederick DavisBonnie & Ross Hall

In Memory of Thad WicksMartha Wicks

In Memory of Eric GarhamPatricia Eastman

In Memory of Trudy DuquetteBetts Swanton & Diane Kopec

Debra LeachMarcia Andrews

Cindy Briggs & Anne BriggsBradford & Betsy Babb

Ralph Mackenzie & Georgene RiedlAdeline Harrington

In Memory of Walter & Esther TrainerSara Trainer

In Memory of Robert W. UdellJoyce Udell

In Memory of Dana MorsePaul & Sheila Sones

Gifts to HCT - in honor of and in memory of

RAPTOR SHOW RECAPOn July 15th, over 800 people came to see the“Bird Man,” otherwise known as Tom Ricardi,a birds of prey rehabilitation expert creditedwith restoring the American bald eagle to theNortheast. He shared his expertise and inspi-rational experiences.Since retiring as a state game warden, Tomhas devoted much of his time to rehabilitating

injured hawks, owls, and eagles at his center in Conway, MA. Many of these injuredbirds can be reintroduced to the wild, but the more serious injuries require life-longcare. Tom’s shows offer a unique opportunity for the public to learn about birds ofprey and get a close-up look. Audiences were in awe at the Harwich CommunityCenter as they watched the show’s stars, including red-tailed hawk, great-hornedowl, peregrine falcon, American kestrel, turkey vulture and even a golden eagle.

P re s e rving Land & HistoryP re s e rving Land & Historyneeded to be pro c u red. Rev. Pell camein 1747 with the offer of grain, cordwood and a house. This deal was latersweetened with an offer of hay.

Rev. Pell never quite took to the lessp ro s p e rous South Parish and expre s s e dhis doubts about its success even afterhis death at age 41, when his wishesto be buried in the North Parishchurch’s burying ground were carriedout. Rev. Pell believed the SouthParish’s graveyard would soon beabandoned to a pine/oak wasteland.

Pell’s successor, Nathan Underwood,came to Harwich with a realistic planfor his permanent place in the com-munity. Drawing on his dairy heritage,he acquired land on Long Pond and atRed River with the idea of using thesalt marsh hay to feed inland-raisedcows. At his own expense, he built alarge parsonage/farmhouse on twelveacres in Harwich Center. “Rather outof place on Cape Cod,” wrote SidneyBrooks, “containing more shining milkpans than could be well filled.”

The farmstead flourished with barns,sheds, gardens, and a “thrifty cherryo rchard,” thanks in part to Mrs.Underwood, “a model of a pastor’s aswell as a farmer’s wife.” She also gavehim seven sons.

Fall 2010 H a rwich Conservation Tru s t 51 2 H a rwich Conservation Tru s t Fall 2010

It was good that Nathan Underwoodhad planned ahead for his family’ssecurity. In 1803, the more prosperousNorth Parish was able to form its owntown (Brewster). By 1809, theC o n g regational minority could nolonger levy taxes for support of theSouth Parish from the growing Baptistand Methodist populations. NathanUnderwood served as pastor until1828 with very little remuneration.

But what was the condition of thatLong Pond property that NathanUnderwood acquired in 1790?

The first European settlers to the Capedescribed a “goodly land, wooded tothe brink of the seas.” In less than a cen-tury, the land had been mostly cleare dfor crops and pastureland. Timber wasused for fences, buildings, ships, windmills, and for heating and cooking fuel.The last 30 acres of Chatham’s originalf o rest was felled in 1815, followed theyear after with one of the Cape’s firstpine re f o restation efforts to try to staveoff rapid topsoil erosion.

Yet it is possible the inland portions ofHarwich remained more wooded.According to Harwich historian JosiahPaine, the Selectmen’s report of 1781shows 58% of the land was woodedand unimproved with 34% given overto pastures, 4% to salt and fresh mead-ows and 4% to tilled land. When theState Legislature approved Brewster’sseparation in 1803, it cited the SouthParish of Harwich to have two-thirdsof the woodland and all the “valuableCedar Swamps.”

Nathan Underwood’s dairy cows weretended on what was part of the Quasonp u rchase. These long and narro wp a rcels of land between the souths h o re of Long Pond and what is nowQueen Anne’s Rd. had been purc h a s e din 1713 from the native people for the

Gifts to HCT - in honor of and in memory ofIn Memory of Irene GayBette & Francis Gouveia

Robert W. CollinsJanice & Robert Spongberg

Pleasant Bay Homeowner’s AssociationColchester Middle School Special Education

Marianne NealyKatie KeidelJen GamacheJen Geroux

Julie TanguayDavid and Stacey Lee

Erika Boerger & Richard CaraherMary E. CunninghamJeffrey & Laura Marin

Alburt Rosenberg & Greta TysonJean E. Brown & FamilyWilliam & Jeanne Brown

Mary H. BrownElizabeth & Lincoln Thurber

In Memory of Bertha WeldDavid A. Haller, Jr.

In Memory of Marcia IddlesAndrea Aldrovandi

In Memory of Harold McKennaAnne McKenna

In Memory of Elizabeth L. PringKenneth F. Pring

In Memory of Louis A ChadukHarriet F Chaduk

In Memory of Rev Harlow T DoliberPauline M Doliber

In Memory of Frederick N AdamsJulia C Adams

In Memory of Philip S EaganMary M Eagan

In Memory of Catherine A O’BrienPatrick J O’Brien

In Memory of Isabel SmithDavid S. Crestin

Mr. & Mrs. Richard PickettAnne Hayes

In Memory of Isabel & Dayton SmithWilliam A West

In Memory of Henry BracchiJean Bracchi

In Memory of Richard & Rita TrifiroJim & Lana Argir

In Memory of Richard G. BaldaufJoanne M. Baldauf

In Memory of Ralph “Bud” Angieron what would have been his 100th year

Susan T. Shoch

In Memory of Ruth C. KeithLouisa J. MacPherson

In Memory of Edmee & Charles BradleyMaria & Robert Bradley

In Memory of Mary E. LangwayChester C. Langway Jr.

In Memory of Isabel SmithPaul J. Cuddy, Jr.

In Memory of Dr. Russell SmithDoris B. Schaub

In Memory of John Joseph HortonSusan Horton

In Memory of Evie ArmbrusterRonald Armbruster

In Memory of Peg SlicerJ. Samuel Slicer

In Memory of Carnig ThomasonPhilip Thomason

In Memory of Waldo A. StevensElizabeth Stevens

In Memory of Irene BielakowskiIrving David Weiner

In Memory of the US Armed ForcesRobert Naughton

In Memory ofSherman Alexander Robinson

Rosyln R. Mann

In Memory of Marion M. PhairDonald Phair

Gifts to HCT - in honor of and in memory of

Ice boats sometimesskated/sailed across

frozen Long Pond in winter.

P re s e rving Land & HistoryP re s e rving Land & History

6 H a rwich Conservation Tru s t Fall 2010

Plimoth Plantation’s Old Comer families.Settlement in this part of Harwich wassparse, not only because of its soggynature. With the rapid loss of topsoil,Cape Codders were forced to turn to theseas for a living. And the increase ofpopulation and roads along the northand south shores reflected that reality.

While Brewster became the home ofp ro s p e rous whaling captains, Harwichdid well enough developing its ownpacket boat businesses. Like modernday truckers, these mariners transport-ed goods all along the East Coast. Therewas probably not a lot of change in theHarwich woods during this time.Sidney Brooks (1813-1886) describeslong walks in his youth in the NorthWoods stretching unfettered fro mHarwich Center to Long Pond. Thecommunity would have continued tocut firewood and ice from the are a .

The Civil War and arrival of the railro a ds e v e rely impacted the freight schoonerindustry, and Harwich’s tenuous holdon prosperity crumbled. The To w n ’ seconomy improved after Alvin Cahoon’s1846 experiment with commerc i a lcranberry farming caught on.

Any soggy plot in town could nowyield a little money, and familiesc l e a red swamps everywhere .

I n t e restingly, Nathan Underwood’sdescendants did not develop cranberrybogs on the Long Pond pro p e r t y .P e rhaps this is because the branch ofthe family that owned the land hadt u rned from theology and dairy farm i n gto the mercantile trade. By the turn ofthe century, the Long Pond land wasstill remote, used by the family only asa summer hunting and fishing camp.

Camping became all the rage in the1920’s with upscale Adirondack styledresort cabins in the Catskills. The fam-ily designed a "camp" to mirror thesesummer places. The camp house hada large stone fireplace and screenedporch facing the pond.

Fall 2010 H a rwich Conservation Tru s t 1 1

Land Steward s h i pThe Bank Street Bogs Nature Preservehas been a conservation destinationopen to the public since it wasacquired in 2001 by HCT. The 60-acresite includes more than two miles oflevel walking trails that offer views ofwetland, upland, and stream habitats.There is a diversity of wildlife, espe-cially birds, ranging from red-tailedhawks overhead to small songbirds toAmerican woodcock that amaze withaerial displays in spring.

Transitioning in different stages frompast cultivation, the plant communi-ties thrive here. Robert Zaremba,Ph.D., completed a botanical study in2007 discovering 278 species of plants(nearly 20% of the catalogued plantspecies in Barnstable County), addingto the area’s uniqueness.

Since 2008, HCT has been workingwith the USDA’s Barnstable CountyNatural Resources Conservation Servicethrough a program called the WildlifeHabitat Incentive Program (WHIP) toenhance the site’s natural qualities andencourage biodiversity. HCT’s eelm i g r a t i o n ramp, which just finished itsthird field season, was funded throughthis partnership with assistance fromthe state’s Division of Marine Fisheries.Plans are now underway to improvewater flow along Cold Brook (thestream that stretches from Grass Pondunder Bank St. through the Preserveto Saquatucket Harbor) and enhancefish passage. HCT was awarded a$18,325 grant from the MassachusettsDepartment of Coastal Zone Manage-m e n t (CZM) to fund the planningstage of this stream restoration project.

Thanks to volunteer time, energy anddedication, wildlife continue to benefitin many different ways. For examplethe bluebird nestbox monitoring pro-gram, with help from the Cape CodBird Club, had another successful year.

Eels had another banner year. Ten vol-unteers worked throughout the springand summer monitoring the eel migra-tion ramp. More than 5,000 eels wererecorded this season!

In mid-August, 120 volunteer highschool seniors from Providence DaySchool in Charlotte, NC spent twodays at the Preserve trimming trails,installing benches, and re m o v i n ghighly invasive purple loosestrife.Special thanks to HCT volunteersMike O’Neill, Larry Seberg, MattO’keefe, Ross Hall, and Marie andDennis Corcoran for their support dur-ing this event. Over 8,000 pounds ofdebris were removed. We look for-ward to having the senior class of2012 back next summer.

By the way, Fall is a great time to enjoythe Bank Street Bogs Nature Pre s e r v e .Wi l d f l o w e r s a re still blooming andmigratory birds are visiting during theirflights south. Pack your HCT Trail Guideand take a walk on the wild side.

Spotlight on Bank Street Bogs Nature PreserveLand Steward s h i p

ABOVE: Pleasant Lake with the General Storein the fore g round (familiar to Harwich re s i d e n t stoday), courtesy of Harwich Historical Society,www.harwichhistoricalsociety.org

LEFT: Pleasant Lake Railroad Crossing,courtesy Maps of Antiquity, Chatham, MA

P re s e rving Land & HistoryP re s e rving Land & History

Fall 2010 H a rwich Conservation Tru s t 7

LEFT: Visitors to LongPond in 1890.

BELOW: The campbefore 1970.

"There was no electricity. They had anice box, a wood stove, kerosene lamps,and indoor plumbing of sorts. They hadto draw water from the pond to flushtoilets. On summer evenings they couldalso sometimes hear music wafting fro ma speakeasy across the pond. C.D .Cahoon painted from this part of thes h o re and Elmer Cro w e l l c a r v e dworking decoys for a d u c k -blind here .The Provincetown writer J o h n D o sPassos also visited the house.”

This simple place of spirited relax-ation did not continue.

“The Mid-Cape Highway changed every -thing. Our land was broken in half byeminent domain. The same thing hap -pened with the extension of Long PondDrive in 1952 to what is now Route 137.The town presented a $1,200 check oneday in exchange for the takeover, andour land was further divided. We con -tinued to use what was left to us as asummer re t reat. There was an explosionof houses on quarter- a c re lots that yousee today around the rest of the pond.”

In 1972, the family brought in electricity,plumbing, central heating, and addedrooms to the camp. They spent theirwinters in Florida, but continued sum-mer gatherings. In 1990, the place wasturned over to the current generation.

The four acres of Red River salt marshw e re donated to the Chatham Conserva-t i o n Foundation. A portion of the LongPond p roperty across the road was soldw i t h the stipulation that only onehouse could be built. The six acres ofre m a i n i n g privately owned land (with-out public access) have been perma-nently protected with a conservationrestriction donated to HCT.

“Some nights in the winter, looking outacross a foggy pond from this protect-ed place, it’s easy to imagine how itlooked 12,000 years ago.”

This generation’sc a retakers havecontinued thefamily’s heritageof stewards h i p .Nathan Under-wood would beproud.

Skyler Lach,age 7

1 0 H a rwich Conservation Tru s t Fall 2010

Volunteer Aw a rd sChris Singer is the 2010 recipient ofHCT’s individual EverGreen VolunteerAward. He has been volunteering withHCT for the past four years. In thespring of 2007-2008, Chris volunteeredto certify vernal pools thro u g h o u tHarwich. In 2009, Chris coordinatedthe vernal pool certification team.

This past spring, Chris coordinated 60volunteers in our second annual her-ring count. Thank you Chris for all ofyour hard work!

HCT’s volunteer walk leaders are therecipients of the group EverGreenVolunteer Award. Our walk leaderstake folks on guided walks throughHCT and town-owned conservationlands to learn about the landscapes’flora and fauna as well as its humanhistory and conservation background.F rom birds to botany, Native Americanhistory to cranberry culture, the lead-ers share their time and naturalistinsights with countless visitors. Whilewalking and talking with others, theybuild a bridge of grassroots supportfor HCT’s mission of preserving landto protect woods, water, wildlife andour shared quality of life.

Volunteer Aw a rd s

Walk Leaders Honoredwith HCT’s Volunteer

EverGreen AwardMary Metzger, Coordinator (2006-10)

Beth Bierbower, Coordinator (2010)

Connie BoyceLeo CakounesJan Cormier

Ruth ConnaughtonFred Dunford, PhDDonna Wood Eaton

Rich EldredGail Hancock

Kim HumphreyTodd KelleyTom LeachFarley LewisBlair NikulaBob PrescottHeinz Proft

Deborah Richmond Peggy RosePat SarantisIrwin Schorr

Cynthia & Matt SutphinRufin Van Bossuyt

Robert Zaremba, PhD

P re s e rving Land & HistoryP re s e rving Land & History

Thank You For GivingThank you for giving in so many dif-f e rent ways over the years toenhance HCT’s land conservationsuccess. Businesses donate time,lab o r, and expertise. Volunteers donatetheir time and talents. Many peopledonate funds to save land and sup-port HCT as contributing members.

Thanks to diverse donations, HCTsupporters are creating lasting lega-cies by preserving land that protectsour woods, water, wildlife and ourshared quality of life in Harwich onCape Cod. Donors can also benefittax-wise since donations to HCT, a501c3 nonprofit land trust organiza-tion, are tax-deductible to the fullextent of the law. Below is a sam-pling of how folks are giving to HCTnow, to save land for tomorrow.

Giving to Save Land:• Membership donations, year-endgifts, appreciated securities (HCT canprovide account and routing num-bers), and other unrestricted giftssupport HCT to advance land conser-vation, stewardship, and other impor-tant projects.

• Restricted donations to HCT’s SaveLand – Save Water Initiative help topreserve priority lands within water-sheds that protect sensitive waterresources including Pleasant Bay, ourharbors, Nantucket Sound, freshwaterponds, and our sole source drinkingwater aquifer.

• Donations of land and/or conser-vation restrictions.

Thank You For Giving• For some supporters, a bequest is aforward-thinking way of making asignificant gift to Harwich Conserva-tion Trust (HCT). You may provide abequest for HCT by creating a newwill, adding a codicil to your presentwill, including Harwich ConservationTrust in your revocable trust, or des-ignating Harwich Conservation Trustas the beneficiary of your retirementplan or insurance policy.

To ensure that your exact intentionsa re carried out, wills, codicils, and trustsshould be pre p a red by and with theadvice of your attorney. HCT is avail-able for additional information on thevarious methods of designating a be-quest to Harwich Conservation Tr u s tor for guidance in planning a gift.

You make HCT possible.You make land

conservation possible.Thanks again.

8 H a rwich Conservation Tru s t Fall 2010 Fall 2010 H a rwich Conservation Tru s t 9

Winter 2011 Ta l k sWinter 2011 Ta l k sWINTER TALKS - Discover Your Nature with HCT!

All talks held at the Harwich Community Center.Visit www.HarwichConservationTrust.org for dates and times

Orchids of Cape CodWhile most everyone is familiar with the pink ladyslipper, there are over 25 other orchids found on CapeCod and the Islands. Rich Eldred, botanist, will talkabout the beauty and mysterious nature of theseunusual flowers. Rich is a reporter for the Cape Codderand Harwich Oracle newspapers. He holds a degree inBotany from the University of New Hampshire and aMasters in Plant Science (Ecology) from the Universityof Western Ontario.

Spadefoot Toads on Cape CodThe Eastern Spadefoot Toad (Scaphiopus holbrookii) is the rarest frog speciesin Massachusetts; its status in the state is listed as “threatened”. Ian Ives willexplore the secret life history of this elusive and little known species as wellas discuss his project aimed at protecting the Eastern Spadefoot Toad populationon Cape Cod. Ian is the Director at Mass Audubon’s Long Pasture, Ashumetand Skunknett River Wildlife Sanctuaries on Cape Cod.

Cape Cod Bay and Beyond -Current and Future Ocean ChallengesWe look forward to this informative talk which will focus on challenges facingCape Cod Bay and the seas beyond. Richard F. Delaney is the ExecutiveDirector of the Center for Coastal Studies in Provincetown. Previously, Mr.Delaney was the Assistant Secretary of Environmental Affairs in Massachusettsand the Director of the Coastal Zone Management Program. He also wasfounding Director of the Urban Harbors Institute at the University ofMassachusetts Boston where he continues as a Senior Fellow.

A Half Century of Changes in Cape Cod Land Cover andImplications for the FutureWith almost 400 years since the Pilgrims landed, land use on the Cape haschanged dramatically. Tom Stone will share his striking images regarding landuse on the Cape. Stone is an environmental geologist who specializes inremote sensing and GIS applications studying land cover changes on CapeCod, as well as in the northeastern US and the tropics. He is a Senior ResearchAssociate at the Woods Hole Research Center in Falmouth, MA.

Grass pink orchid (Calopogon tuberosus)Photo: Rich Eldred