Show your support for BCD 2024! This annual conservation fair is scheduled for Saturday, July 13 from 9:30 AM - 1 PM at Drummer Boy Park, with the theme "Trees: Superheroes of the Natural World." New this year is merchandise for sale! Click here to see the items. To make a purchase, click here for the online order form. Make your order soon, as the deadline is May 31.
Plan to attend BCD 2024 which will feature unique environmental exhibits focusing on aquaculture, recycling, native plant gardening, and so much more. New this year will be exhibits and presentations related to the history of Cape Cod's forests, their environmental benefits, and how we can protect them for the future. As in years past, the BPC exhibit will feature "The Big Flush." BCD is sponsored by the Brewster Conservation Trust (BCT), the Town of Brewster Department of Natural Resources, the Brewster Historical Society, and the BPC. More information can be found on the BCT website. The Pollinator Pathway Cape Cod is a regional initiative that strives to “increase pollinator-friendly habitats and food sources for bees, butterflies, hummingbirds and other pollinating insects and wildlife across Cape Cod.” Given our mission to protect the environment – including water resources and habitats – our Board has voted to endorse this non-profit organization and its important work to educate, engage, and demonstrate to the community how native landscapes can protect the Cape Cod environment. You can learn all about the activities, resources, and how to develop your own “pathway” by visiting the Pollinator Pathway Cape Cod website. And be sure to download its fact sheet about native flowers, shrubs, and trees that are beneficial for bringing these important pollinators into your own backyard. Image from flowermag.com
The weekend of May 4-5 was busy for the BPC! Our events began on Saturday, May 4 as we hosted a Spring Herring Run Eco Paddle with our business partner, SUPfari Adventures. Six participants joined the paddle and enjoyed a beautiful morning on the waters of Upper Mill and Lower Mill ponds. Ryan Burch, owner of SUPfari Adventures and Senior Shellfish and Natural Resource Officer with the Brewster Department of Natural Resources, and his guides explained the system of ponds making up the Stony Brook Herring Run, the history of fishing for herring in Brewster and Cape Cod Bay, and the steps the town and state are taking to protect the herring population. Below is a photo of the group before they took to the water. On Sunday, May 5, the town held the annual Brewster in Bloom Parade. The parade was full of floats, displays, and marchers, capping off the weekend’s activities that celebrated Brewster’s history, beautiful landscape, artistic community, and local businesses. For the second year, the BPC had a float which highlighted our mission and featured Board members and “Shelly the Turtle” waving to the crowd (pictured below).
Saturday, June 8 9:30 - 11:30 AM The Brewster Baptist Church 1848 Main Street The BPC is pleased to announce the speakers presenting at this year's Pond Summit. Bryan Horsley, from the Massachusetts Alternative Septic System Test Center (MASSTC), will describe how innovative toilets can remove nitrogen and phosphorus from wastewater. Hilary Sandler, Director of the UMass Cranberry Station in East Wareham, will talk about the impact of cranberry bogs on pond health. We will wrap up the Pond Summit with BPC Board member Marty Burke explaining how to bring the Pond Protection Pledge Program to your neighborhood. The Pond Summit will begin with registration, coffee, and pastries at 9:30 AM, followed by the presentations starting at 10 AM. More details will be coming soon so check back for updates here and in our monthly newsletters. This event is being sponsored by Agway of Cape Cod, a BPC business partner. Click here to register, as this will assist us in planning. Drone photograph provided by Tim Chase.
Thursday, June 20: beginning at 9:15 AM
The BPC Cycling Group rides again this summer! Join us for the first of our FREE cycling tours as we explore the backroads and kettle ponds of Brewster and beyond. This ride will be on Thursday, June 20 when we will ride the Cape Cod Rail Trail past four kettle ponds and into Harwich and back. More rides are planned for July, August, and September. Registration is required and the ride is limited to 12 cyclists. Meet up instructions will be provided prior to the ride. Please read the "BPC Cycling Group's Rules of the Road" for important information. Saturday, May 18: beginning at 10 AM
(Rain date: Sunday, May 19) Join the BPC and leader Nancy Ortiz for a three-mile narrated hike through the north area of the Punkhorn Parklands on Saturday, May 18 (rain date is Sunday, May 19). Those interested can join us for an additional short hike afterward to the beautiful Eagle Point that overlooks Upper Mill Pond. Wear comfortable walking shoes and bring along water and a snack. The area is mostly flat, but there will be some rocky trails and roots. You are encouraged to take photos. There is a maximum of 25 participants for this free event. Details will be sent to registered participants before the walk. REGISTER HERE! Pictured below is the group that participated in the 2023 hike. Tuesday, June 4: 4:30 - 6:30 PM Brewster Ladies Library 1822 Main Street, Brewster There are many plants and insects on Cape Cod that are not native to our specific environment. Many of us don't know where to start in identifying them and learning how to manage them. The BPC invites you to this free informative talk by Beth Taylor, a Barnstable County Master Gardener, about removing invasive plants and insects from your landscape and promoting native species. There will be ample time for questions and answers. Please register here to attend! Pictured above (left to right) are: Beth Taylor, Barnstable County Master Gardener; the invasive plant bittersweet; and the effects of the invasive southern pine bark beetles. (Plant and insect photos copyright UGA Entomology Department.)
Session 1: Tuesday, April 16 from 4 - 6 PM; Brewster Council on Aging (1673 Main Street) Session 2: Saturday, April 20 from 10 AM - 12 PM; Brewster Ladies Library (1822 Main Street) These two community information forums are being held to discuss the Spring Warrant article related to water resources. Come learn about the projects that the article will fund and why it’s important to support them. Find out how an Integrated Water Resources Management Plan (IWRMP) differs from a Comprehensive Wastewater Management Plan (CWMP) and what will be included in the town’s 2024 updated IWRMP. Also, learn why it’s especially important for Brewster to have a Pond Management Plan and why individual pond studies are critical. Additional topics will include the BPC's goals regarding wastewater management and the pros and cons of various solutions. We encourage you to attend and bring your questions along! Photograph courtesy of William F. Pomeroy.
On March 26, the BPC held an informative talk on decentralized or "package" wastewater treatment plants that manage wastewater in specific neighborhoods and locations. David Bennett - a Brewster resident, environmental services engineer, Chair of the Town of Brewster Board of Health, and member of the town's Water Resources Task Force - delivered an engaging presentation and provided handouts that detailed an overview of such plants and their associated economics, public health effects, and sustainability. These handouts were prepared by the EPA Decentralized Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Partnership. To download the documents, simply click on each link: Dave Bennett's Presentation Decentralized Wastewater Treatment - Introduction Decentralized Wastewater Treatment - Economics Decentralized Wastewater Treatment - Green Decentralized Wastewater Treatment - Public Health Pictured above is Mr. Bennett delivering his presentation at the Brewster Ladies Library.
Herring Run Eco Paddle Saturday, May 4: 10 AM - 12 PM Upper Mill Pond, Brewster Join us for an inspiring day on the waters of one of the most iconic and productive herring runs on all of Cape Cod - the Stony Brook Run and Mill Ponds in Brewster. The BPC and SUPfari Adventures (a BPC business partner) invite you to this Eco Paddle on Saturday, May 4 from 10 AM - 12 PM (rain date is Sunday, May 5). Each paddle is limited to 12 participants. SUPfari Adventures will supply kayaks, paddles, and life jackets. If you have your own equipment, feel free to bring that along! The fee is $75 per person; pre-registration and payment are required. Reservations are limited and will go fast, so be sure to sign up soon! Photograph above left: a previous Eco Paddle on Upper Mill Pond. Photograph above right: juvenile alewives (river herring) in Slough Pond by Janice Riley, used with her permission.
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