HCT Celebrates Volunteers and Eco-Restoration Partners at 36th Annual Meeting
A beautiful evening overlooking Pleasant Bay
Harwich Conservation Trust’s (HCT) 36th Annual Meeting on August 12th was attended by over 170 members eager to celebrate this year’s accomplishments. Generously hosted by the Wequassett Resort, it was a perfect sunny summer evening overlooking Pleasant Bay with temps in the 70s. Folks mingled on the patio, enjoying a delicious assortment of hors d’oeuvres before gathering in the Pavillion to hear exciting HCT updates.
Ron Rich is HCT’s 2024 Volunteer of the Year
HCT’s Director of Land Stewardship Connor O’Brien recognized the many volunteers who dedicate time and talent to a range of projects that benefit the community. HCT volunteers are tending trails, monitoring 100 songbird nestboxes, counting herring, helping in the office, photographing events, cleaning up litter during Tour de Trash, and engaging in many other meaningful activities.
Connor also honored HCT’s 2024 Volunteer of the Year, Ron Rich. An integral part of HCT’s volunteer land stewardship team, Ron is always lending a hand on the trails, building benches, clearing fallen trees, and taking an active role in mentoring AmeriCorps members. Inspired by his dedication to the Trust, the audience showed their appreciation for Ron’s hard work with a standing ovation. Thank you, Ron, for your steadfast commitment over the years to maintain and enhance HCT Preserves for the benefit of wildlife and our Cape Cod community.
HCT walk leader and naturalist Andrea Higgins shared heartwarming stories and photos from an assortment of family programs she has led this year, including Preschool Explorer Adventures for kids ages 2-5, Ecosystem Explorers for kids ages 3-10, SAIL SHORE to SHORE in partnership with Monomoy High School, and more. Thanks to a generous anonymous donor, HCT was able to offer these programs free of charge this year for families eager to get out on the trails and learn about nature with their youngsters.
Guests and honorees soak up the sun on the patio
Executive Director Michael Lach shared exciting land-saving and eco-restoration accomplishments. Thanks to the generosity of the late Joanne Hall, four properties in historic Harwich Center are preserved forever, protecting wooded habitat along Sisson Road and Parallel Street. The Bell’s Neck — Herring River Watershed Project successfully preserved five acres to protect scenic forest along Bell’s Neck Road. Additionally, 10.29 acres of land stretching across the Harwich/Brewster town line was saved in partnership with Brewster Conservation Trust to connect a wildlife corridor between 200+ acres of Harwich Town Conservation Land and 900+ acres of Brewster Conservation Land.
The successful Red River Valley Preserve campaign protected 12.34 acres in 2023, and the new HCT campus planning is underway. This exciting project protected 750+ feet of Red River, connects to 475 acres of protected wildlife habitat, and saved the scenic forested view along busy Rt. 28 when traveling into Harwich from Chatham. The existing house will be renovated into a new HCT office and learning center complete with a walking trail, pollinator garden, and nature classroom space.
Featured speaker and Conservationist of the Year Nick Nelson presents updates on the Cold Brook Eco-Restoration Project
Michael introduced HCT’s newest land-saving campaign, the exciting Cape Cod Rail Trail Land Preservation Project. The 50-acre property consists of upland habitat and active cranberry bogs, owned and farmed by the Thacher family. It’s the largest remaining undeveloped parcel in Harwich and features panoramic views from the Cape Cod Rail Trail bike path and streams flowing to the Herring River.
It is the missing link in a constellation of nearby protected open space properties. If the land is not saved, it could be converted into a 9-lot subdivision, which would increase septic system nutrients for the Herring River that already suffers from impaired water quality. Eco-restoration potential of the site could create free flowing stream channels with enhanced fish passage and connectivity between natural wetland habitats. As we explore eco-restoration designs, Ray Thacher will continue to farm the bogs for the next couple of years. Our $3 million fundraising goal will cover the cost of acquisition and an eco-restoration feasibility study. Based on the study results, we would then seek town, state, and federal sources to fund the actual eco-restoration. If you would like to donate to this land-saving campaign, please click here.
The Cold Brook Ecological Restoration construction which broke ground in September of 2023 is now complete and has enhanced wildlife habitat, water quality and flow, and the walking trail experience with a half-mile All Persons Trail. The Cold Brook Trailhead and Public Access Project is underway to create the new trailhead, a parking area, and scenic overlook. The Preserve will reopen once construction is complete in the fall.
Cold Brook Eco-Restoration partners are recognized as HCT’s 2024 Conservationists of the Year
The Board of Trustees selected partners of the Cold Brook Ecological Restoration Project as HCT’s 2024 Conservationists of the Year for their inspiring dedication to return the Preserve to a thriving sanctuary with enhanced habitat diversity, ecosystem health, and water quality for the benefit of people and wildlife. Project partners included: the Town of Harwich, Massachusetts Division of Ecological Restoration, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, MassTrails, The Kelley Foundation, The BSC Group, CDM-Smith, Harwich Fire Association, SumCo, Horsley Witten Group, Inter-Fluve, Moran Engineering, School for Marine Science & Technology at UMass Dartmouth, Stimson Associates, TMDL Solutions, Woods Hole Group, and T.W. Nickerson.
Featured speaker Nick Nelson, fluvial geomorphologist with Inter-Fluve, spoke about the ecological restoration accomplishments this year at the Cold Brook Preserve and shared aerial photos of the progress, courtesy of HCT volunteers Steve and Eileen Furlong. Nick illustrated how the Cold Brook Preserve will change over time as the site settles, vegetation grows back, and a diversity of wildlife find homes in the variety of restored habitats.
It’s the enduring support of you and fellow HCT members and volunteers that make possible the ambitious land-saving projects and innovative eco-restoration initiatives each year. We’re grateful for your partnership to protect land and water for both wildlife and people. To see footage of some of the wildlife that you’ve helped save this year, please watch the trail cam videos below captured and compiled by HCT volunteer Andrea Petitto. Let’s keep striving together to make a lasting, local difference on this special corner of the Cape.
2024 Wildlife Footage
Annual Meeting photos courtesy of HCT volunteer photographer Gerry Beetham.
