Splashy debut: New AmeriCorps member joins HCT team at herring run cleanout

Some folks get to ease into their first day on the job, with leisurely introductions and a swell catered lunch. But when AmeriCorps member Lillian Pogany showed up for her first day with the Harwich Conservation Trust (HCT), she grabbed a shovel and began mucking out a herring run. And she was delighted!

“I’m very glad to be here and I can’t wait to see what I can do for Harwich,” said Pogany, pausing briefly between shovelfuls.

Pogany was part of an all-star team of herring run heroes that included HCT staff and volunteers, AmeriCorps members and folks from the Harwich Department of Natural Resources and the state Division of Marine Fisheries.

Sandy slop was flying as the crew dug out the run, a vital herring highway that connects Long Pond to the wide world beyond.

Helping herring with hard work was a satisfying way for Pogany to start her affiliation with HCT. The 2025 UMass Amherst graduate majored in environmental science, and looks forward to adding practical know-how to her impressive academic achievements.

A dedication to service

“I chose AmeriCorps because of the service opportunity, and because it will allow me to develop a whole new skillset,” said Pogany. “I’m learning how to use power tools, I’m doing fire training so we can do controlled burns. I’m done with school, so I really wanted to get out in the field.”

Pogany jumped into fieldwork this summer with the state Division of Conservation and Recreation at the Quabbin Reservoir, which covers 39 square miles and has 181 miles of shoreline. She helped biologists track and manage invasive populations of aquatic plants and zooplankton.

“Every day I was out on a boat,” said Pogany. “It was really breathtaking. I was so grateful for that opportunity.” 

For the next set of months, Pogany will live and work on the Cape. Barnstable County’s AmeriCorps Cape Cod program, part of a larger national service network, offers people from around the country an opportunity to address issues facing the Cape’s fragile environment. AmeriCorps volunteers focus on improving and preserving the quality of natural resources through hands-on conservation and education initiatives.

Part of her work will involve helping the Harwich Conservation Trust on a variety of projects that include trail maintenance and the tough task of clearing herring runs.

Why clear herring runs?

“It’s our annual herring workday,” said Harwich Natural Resource Director Stephanie Sykes “So we are opening up the run for the young of the year.”

These baby herring were born in Long Pond and are looking to bust a move back to the ocean. Drought conditions have lowered the water level in many ponds, so it’s essential that the runs are as clear as possible to get the water flowing.

“They’re going out to the ocean to find the right temperature gradients where there’s zooplankton,” said Brad Chase, Diadromous Fisheries Project Leader for the state’s Division of Marine Fisheries. “They want to feed all the time. Once the food supply here is exhausted, they need to get out to marine waters and find zooplankton to feed on.”

Chase also hopes fall rains will raise pond levels, creating better conditions for the mass fishy exodus.

And while rain is unpredictable, shovels and muscle power are reliable assets. These are the kind of meaningful environmental projects where the contributions of AmeriCorps really shine.

For Pogany, it’s another step along a career path that will make meaningful impacts in Harwich and beyond. “At this point I know that my goals are probably aligned with lifelong service,” she said. “I’ve really been focused on following the opportunities, taking every chance I can get, because I love the work and I love the chance to become part of the community I’m working with.”

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