Fifty Years Forward Cape Cod Land Trust Success, 1962-2017 THE COMPACT OF CAPE COD CONSERVATION TRUSTS, INC. The Compact of Cape Cod Conservation Trusts, Inc. was formed in 1986 as a non-profit service center assisting six local land trusts on the Lower Cape. The Compact now works with 27 local and regional land trust and watershed associations on their projects to acquire and manage important natural areas as protected open space. The Compact also advises its members on non-profit administration, fundraising, public relations, and other important matters regarding preservation. Because most local land trusts are managed by volunteers, they find the full-time staff support provided by The Compact crucial to fulfilling their land conservation goals. The Compact also conducts research and promotes land projects that foster a regional approach to open space protection. The Compact is supported by annual dues from member land trusts, donations, and grants from private foundations. For more information, visit: www.thecompact.net Cover photo: Fox Hill Island in Chatham Harbor was the first land gift made to a Cape Cod land trust in 1962. Photo Credit: Paul Gasek 2 half of the local land trusts, explaining the tax advantages of land conser- Saving Cape Cod’s Wild Beauty vation to property owners, drafting documents, conducting natural – The Compact after 30 years, 1986—2016 resource inventories, writing grants, coordinating town and state land agencies, researching priority lands, training volunteers, designing trail These emblems of land are scattered across Cape Cod. They are plans, and, most importantly, communicating a conservation ethic to pine woods and wildflower meadows, kettle ponds, sandy beaches, salt Cape citizens. Through The Compact, Cape land trusts gain access to marshes, and bay islands. Some are obvious landmarks, while others are professional staff help, and learn from each other. The Compact provides obscure, found only along a foot trail off a dirt road. Collectively, they timely, unsecured loans to help land trusts buy land through its revolv- are 8,500 acres of open space preserved by local nonprofit land trusts in ing $600,000 Charles H. Thomsen Land Fund for Cape Cod. each Cape town. These acres have achieved their potential to remain nat- It is important to note what The ural, while around them development sprouts. This summer marks the Compact and its land trusts’ purposes are. 30th anniversary of the founding of a unique non-profit environmental They are nonprofits and not part of town organization, The Compact of Cape Cod Conservation Trusts, Inc. It is or county government. They do not oppose the oldest self-sustaining regional federation of land trusts in the United specific developments, but provide States. Since 1986, The Compact has provided technical and funding conservation alternatives. Nor do they assistance to local non-profit engaged in preserving open space lobby for legislation or candidates. As throughout the Cape. There are 1,800 land trusts in the U.S., about 140 in private groups, they can work efficiently our state; The Compact includes 27 operating in SE Massachusetts. with landowners. As nonprofits, they can The Compact came to life in the basement of the Cape Cod Muse- accept land or donations that are tax- um of Natural History. The 1980s development boom was at peak on deductible. The Compact, through its Cape. Ansel Chaplin of Truro polled six land trusts for interest in pool- member organizations, is the largest ing funds to support a regional entity designed to advance their efforts. environmental entity on the Cape. The delegates were hesitant. Some were parochial, jealously guarding The biggest difficulties facing their community’s identity. Some feared creating distant bureaucracy The Compact and land trusts for the and others wondered about financial sustainability. “Well, Brewster’s future are the small fragmented parcels of in,” said John Lobingier of the Brewster Conservation Trust. That broke Mark Robinson land on the Cape and fundraising against the logjam and the others followed. It was a form of social compact, each Executive Director , 1986—present their real estate market value. Funding agreeing to work together for the good of the Cape’s environment. partnerships among various non-profit and public agencies must be Chaplin was elected President and served for 15 years; Richard formed to buy most parcels for conservation. Luckily, these groups have Johnston of Dennis presided for the next 15 years. Mark Robinson of a populace that cares about its environment and is supportive in preserv- Cotuit was hired as founding Executive Director, a position he still holds ing natural open space. 30 years later, assisted by staffers Michael Lach (since 2000), and Paula Remember, the backyard you save may be your own! Pariseau (2004-2015). They have become the one-stop shop, the go-to crew for all matters of land conservation on the Cape. They work on be- 3 This booklet highlights the 27 member organizations of The Compact Sandwich Conservation Trust Association to Harwich Brewster Eastham Preserve Cape Conservation Conservation Conservation Cod Trust Trust Foundation Orleans Conservation Trust Massachusetts Audubon Society Friends of Wellfleet Herring River Conservation Trust Chatham Conservation Foundation The Nature Conservancy 5 About APCC: Association to Preserve Cape Cod The Association to Founded: 1968 Preserve Cape Cod (APCC) is the region’s leading environmental advocacy organization working for the adoption of laws, policies, and programs that protect and enhance Cape Cod’s natural resources and quality of life. Currently, APCC coordinates many coastal restoration projects on Cape Cod. Paines Creek, Brewster Land Conservation Through the Years... Milestones in open space protection on Cape Cod are noted throughout the booklet: 6 Barnstable Clean Water Coalition (formerly, Three Bays Preservation) Founded: 1996 About BCWC: Barnstable Clean Water Coalition (BCWC) was founded as Three Bays Preservation in 1996. Today, theirs is a “rescue mission” to restore and preserve clean drinking and recreational water in Barnstable. BCWC’s work has allowed for a thorough, year- round study of the watershed that encompasses West, North and Cotuit Bays. BCWC revitalized Sampsons Island and Dead Neck in Cotuit/ Osterville with Mass Audubon to protect this critical shorebird nesting habitat. Sampsons Island Land Conservation Through the Years... 1891 The Trustees of Reservations chartered in Massachusetts as the state’s first non-profit land trust 7 Barnstable Land Trust Founded: 1983 Land Protected to Date: Total Land Protected: 1,081 acres Much of BLT’s efforts focus Owned: 723 acres on preserving key parcels to Conservation Restriction: 358 acres protect the town’s most fragile ecosystems, including the Great Marsh, the Marstons Mills Significant Properties: (map) River, and the Three Bays. Eagle Pond Fuller Farm Coombs Bog Bayview Farm Highlighted Success: Barnstable Land Trust (BLT) recently rallied the community to save 19 acres of forested land surrounding Lowell Park. The park is home to the Cape League Cotuit Kettleers baseball field, and one of Cotuit’s community and environmental treasures. Over 1,600 people contributed to this campaign, the most in BLT history. Fuller Farm, Marstons Mills Land Conservation Through the Years... 1909 Awareness to protect aquifer lands evolves with the first public wellfield in Truro (to serve Provincetown) 8 Land Protected to Date: Bourne Conservation Trust Total Land Protected: 270 acres Owned: 253 acres Founded: 1980 Conservation Restriction: 17 acres Significant Properties: Lawrence Island (map) Red Brook Pond (map) Major Trails: Bourne Sisters Woodland Cataumet Greenway (map) Little Bay Highlighted Success: Bourne Conservation Trust (BCT) has preserved two historic farms in Cataumet. BCT has a large group of committed trail-meisters. Above is the Bourne Sisters Woodland Meister Carl Wirsen and his dog Meister Molly. Bourne Sisters Woodland Land Conservation Through the Years... 1913 Village Improvement Society creates public park in Dennis Village 9 Land Protected to Date: Brewster Conservation Trust Total Land Protected: 982 acres Founded: 1983 Owned: 533 acres Conservation Restriction: 449 acres Significant Properties: Hay Conservation Lands ( page 4) Eddy Sisters & the Community Garden Huckleberry Hill Windmill Meadows Major Trails: Eddy Bay Trail Eddy Sisters Trail Bakers Pond Trail Highlighted Success: One of the highest priorities for BCT is the protection of pond shores and drinking water. In cooperation with the Towns of Children are taught how to Brewster and Orleans and the Brewster and Dennis Water Departments, BCT has helped measure the height of trees to acquire 150 acres in the sensitive Zone II during an Eddy School visit wellfield protection areas in the past decade. to the Hay Conservation Center. Land Conservation Through the Years... 1920 First gift of land to establish Sandy Neck in Barnstable as a park and bathing beach; additions have continued into 2015 to preserve 4,700 acres of barrier beach and salt marsh 10 Buzzards Bay Coalition Founded: 1987 BBC is dedicated to the restoration, protection, and sustainable use and enjoyment of the irreplaceable Buzzards Bay Buzzards Bay as well as its watershed. Highlighted Success: Buzzards Bay Coalition (BBC) has permanently protected over 8,000 acres of the most important forests, wetlands, and streams in the bay’s watershed. BBC recently completed the conservation of the 115 acre, Chapoquoit Beach, Falmouth $8.1 million Ocean View Farm. Land Conservation Through the Years... 1930 Armstrong Kelley Park established as public park in Osterville 11 Chatham Conservation Foundation Founded: 1962 Land Protected to Date: Total Land Protected: 817 acres Owned: 603 acres Conservation Restriction: 214 acres Significant Properties: Goose Pond Muddy Creek Major Trails: (map) Barclay Pond and Trail Strong Island Frost Fish Creek CCF was founded in 1962, Highlighted Success: From 1974-2004 the Chatham Conservation becoming the first private Foundation (CCF) steadily acquired 145.74 town-wide land trust on acres of Strong Island through donations Cape Cod. and a land purchase.
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