Walks in Wellfleet – Hold the Date Saturday, September 13, 2008 This year, the Second Annual Wellfleet Conservation Trust “Walks in Wellfleet” will take place on Saturday, September 13th on Bound Brook Island. It will be a historic and educational walk, starting with a tour and talk by Cape Cod National Seashore historian Bill Burke at the Atwood Higgins House which exemplifies sound environmental architecture followed by early Cape Codders – homes which include features such as being built on the leeward side of hillsides, a central chimney, steep pitched roof, and a south facing façade for passive heating in the winter. Following a talk and tour of the house and grounds, we’ll offer three options for walks on Bound Brook, varying from a short one mile walk to a longer walk to Wellfleet Bay and return of about three miles. Historic sites to be visited include the monument commemorating the Island Schoolhouse built in 1840, the smallpox cemetery, and a special view of Cape Cod Bay from an overlook near the Truro town line. Guides from the Cape Cod National Seashore will accompany each walk. Continued on Page 2 What happened when Skull & Bones man Gifford Pinchot met wilderness prophet John Muir met Rough Rider Teddy Roosevelt? That is the subject of Forces of Nature, a staged dramatic reading for three actors to be presented at W.H.A.T. Julie Harris Stage at 2357 Route 6, Saturday, September 27, 2008. The show, sponsored by the We l l f l e e t Conservation Trust, will feature a simultaneous display of nature slides as the play is read by the actors (to be announced). A gala buffet reception will take place for select ticket holders. Keep up to date on details by visiting our new web site at www.wellfleetconserva- tiontrust.org and by looking for W.H.A.T. mail- ings in order to ensure tickets for this Cape Cod and Massachusetts premiere. Continued on Page 2 Atwood Higgins House on Bound Brook Island Newsletter of the Wellfleet Conservation Trust June 2008 www.wellfleetconservationtrust.org “Forces of Nature” Cape Cod Premiere Wellfleet Conservation Trust Newsletter • June 2008 • Page 1
Transcript
Walks in Wellfleet – Hold the DateSaturday, September 13, 2008
This year, the Second Annual Wellfleet Conservation Trust“ Walks in Wellfleet” will take place on Saturday,September 13th on Bound Brook Island. It will be ahistoric and educational walk, starting with a tour and talkby Cape Cod National Seashore historian Bill Burke at the Atwood Higgins House whichexemplifies sound environmental architecture followed by early Cape Codders – homes whichinclude features such as being built on the leeward side of hillsides, a central chimney, steeppitched roof, and a south facing façade for passive heating in the winter.
Following a talk and tour of the house and grounds, we’ll offer three options for walks on BoundBrook, varying from a short one mile walk to a longer walk to Wellfleet Bay and return of about threemiles. Historic sites to be visited include the monument commemorating the Island Schoolhousebuilt in 1840, the smallpox cemetery, and a special view of Cape Cod Bay from an overlook nearthe Truro town line. Guides from the Cape Cod National Seashore will accompany each walk.
Continued on Page 2
What happened when Skull & Bones manGifford Pinchot met wilderness prophet JohnMuir met Rough Rider Teddy Roosevelt? Thatis the subject of Forces of Nature, a stageddramatic reading for three actors to bepresented at W.H.A.T. Julie Harris Stage at2357 Route 6, Saturday, September 27, 2008.The show, sponsored by the We l l f l e e tConservation Trust, will feature a simultaneous
display of nature slides as the play is read bythe actors (to be announced). A gala buffetreception will take place for select ticketholders. Keep up to date on details by visitingour new web site at www.wellfleetconserva-tiontrust.org and by looking for W.H.A.T. mail-ings in order to ensure tickets for this CapeCod and Massachusetts premiere.
Continued on Page 2
Atwood Higgins Houseon Bound Brook Island
Newsletter of the Wellfleet Conservation TrustJune 2008
www.wellfleetconservationtrust.org
“Forces of Nature” Cape Cod Premiere
Wellfleet Conservation Trust Newsletter • June 2008 • Page 1
“Forces of Nature” C ape Cod PremiereContinued from Page 1
Forces of Nature, a play in 3 Acts by Stephen Most, was produced for the first time at the BushnellCenter for the Performing Arts in Hartford Connecticut. Simsbury-born Gifford Pinchot (1865-1946)was the first Chief of the U.S. Forest Service. He had a strong hand in guiding the fledglingorganization toward the philosophy of the “greatest good for the greatest number.” In the play, as inreal life, his ideas clash with John Muir’s.
Scottish immigrant and Wisconsin-raised John Muir (1835-1914) was one of the first modernpreservationists. Muir threw himself into his role with great vigor intent on preserving a pristinewilderness. He saw the greatest threat to Yosemite and the Sierras to be livestock, especially domesticsheep. Initially good friends, Pinchot and Muir hotly debated their differing views on land preservation,leading to a rift in the conservation movement that continues to this day. Both men opposed recklessexploitation of natural resources.
In 1903 President Theodore Roosevelt accompanied Muir on a visit to Yosemite. While traveling bystage coach into the area, Muir convinced the President of the need to protect the valley throughfederal controls and management. They camped out at Glacier Point, talking late into the night andwere dusted with a fresh snowfall – a night Roosevelt would never forget.
We hope the September 27 production of Forces of Nature will offer another unforgettable night for allwho attend.
Page 2 • Wellfleet Conservation Trust Newsletter • June 2008
In MemoriamThe Trust notes the recent passing of two former board members and long time supporters of theConservation Trust, Ed Simon and John Wallace. John Wallace was a founding member of theConservation Trust. The first meetings of the Trust were held at John’s long dining room table.WCT President, Dennis O’Connell, recounts how in 1984, his father and John Wallace told himabout a new organization that Wallace and others were establishing and how he “should sendmoney until you can do more”! Ed Simon was a long time member of the board. Ed and NormaSimon placed the very first Conservation Restriction in Wellfleet on a portion of their property onOld County Road. Both the Wallace and Simon families are important members of the Wellfleet
conservation community. We are thankful for having the benefit of these gentlemen’s inputs.
“Walks in Wellfleet”Continued from Page 1
We’ll start with the tour at the Atwood HigginsHouse at 9 am on September 13th, followed bythe walk of your choosing and return. The longerwalk should be back to the Atwood Higgins housearound noon. The rain date is the following day.
We hope, if you are in Wellfleet that weekend andthat you’ll join other WCT members andtownspeople for this special event. Last year,
seventy five walkers participated on the walk onG r i ffin Island and the feedback was highlypositive, with several Wellfleetians noting that thewalk brought them to places they had nevervisited. We have a rich history and anextraordinary environment in our town, and wehope you will come out and enjoy the day with us.
As we get closer to the date, look for updatedinformation on our new web site. Please vist:www.wellfleetconservationtrust.org.
Wellfleet Conservation Trust Newsletter • June 2008 • Page 7
June 2008
Dear WCT Members,
WCT is finishing up its 24th successful year. We are a leader in conservation efforts topreserve Wellfleet for enjoyment by the current and future generations. WCT isfortunate to have partners help in our mission – The Town of Wellfleet through theOpen Space Committee and the Conservation Commission work closely with us.Through our combined efforts we accomplish more. At the recent Town Meeting, thiscooperation was evident when WCT was awarded $100,000 to help fund the purchaseof an acre of land contiguous with the Pilgrim Spring Upland. Our request wassupported by the Select Board, the Community Preservation Committee, the OpenSpace Committee and the Conservation Commission. The entire transaction wasreally made possible by the land owner who agreed to sell us the land at a “BargainPrice.” The Town will continue to be a partner as WCT designated the CPA grant to bethe vehicle for the Town’s acquisition of a Conservation Restriction on that land.
The cooperative efforts are also seen in the soon-to-be-published trail guides which willbe on our web site soon, if not already by the time you read this. You can downloadthe guides from our new web site and, after publication, they will be available at manylocations around town. These are very pleasant trails and recommended for yourenjoyment and to assist you to educate the next generations in the values and fun ofnature.
I hope to see you at the WCT Annual Meeting on Saturday August 16th at the WellfleetLibrary at 10 AM. We will update you on our accomplishments over the past year andthen Mr. Seth Rolbein, Editor and Publisher of “The Cape Cod Voice”, will address uson some of the history for the development of the Cape Cod National Seashore. Wewill send post card reminders.
WCT continues to examine other locations to preserve. We are working on significantConservation Restrictions and we seek to acquire properties with significantconservation values - some may have commensurate price tags! We also want to beready to partner with the Town in their efforts.
This newsletter is our annual appeal – the envelope is enclosed! On behalf of Trustees,thank you for your continuing support.
Page 8 • Wellfleet Conservation Trust Newsletter • June 2008
Saturday Event Location
August 16 Annual Meeting Wellfleet Public Library
September 13 Walks in Wellfleet Bound Brook Island
September 27 “Forces of Nature” W.H.A.T. Julie Harris Stage A Play in 3 Acts 2357 Route 6, Wellfleet
November 15 State of Wellfleet Wellfleet Elementary SchoolHarbor Conference
For more information visit: www.wellfleetconservationtrust.org
Four Special Saturdays
SPRING 2008 WCT Land Acquisition UpdateIn our last newsletter, we highlighted the boom in conservation restrictions that weexperienced in 2007, owing to an enhanced income tax deduction law approved byCongress. As we go to press this spring, Congress and the President are poised to extendthe tax incentives for another two years; we will know for sure soon. Perhaps 2008 will beanother boom year for interest in CRs as a way to preserve land. Recall that a CR enablesa landowner to keep title to the land and continue to use it for family use, but extinguishesbuilding potential in it.
Meanwhile, we are using our other landconservation techniques: gifts of land outrightand bargain purchases of land. In November2007, Mr. Howard Kaplan of Newton MA donatedtitle to a 0.4-acre lot on the north end of OldWharf Point to the Trust. It is a sloping bankcovered with bearberry and other coastal heath-land plants. The lot overlooks and abuts saltmarsh and barrier beach owned by the Trust.During one of our site visits, a red-tailed hawkswooped right over the open heath, diving forvoles or some other small critter his keen eye had spied. Mr. Kaplan’s gift means one lesshouse on a steep slope and one less septic system on Old Wharf Point, where drinkingwater wells are precious to preserve. We thank him for this generosity.
This spring, WCT bought a 1-acre building lot on Pilgrim Spring Road from Mr. Ira Ziering ofCalifornia. Mr. Ziering has been generous to us and the Town frequently, selling land atbargain prices for conservation, donating marsh area to WCT, and placing a CR on hiscottage lot near Fox Island Marsh. Without Mr. Ziering’s enthusiastic cooperation, therewould be no open space swath along Pilgrim Spring Road connecting through to the majortown open space near Paine Hollow Road.
This time, we negotiated a purchase of his extra lot for $200,000 or 58% of its appraised fairmarket value. We secured a $65,000 grant from the State’s Conservation PartnershipProgram. The Town Community Preservation Committee recommended a $100,000contribution, which Town Meeting approved, and the Town will hold a CR over the lot, whileWCT will own it, providing an extra layer of conservation protection to it. Private fundraisingfrom WCT secured the remaining funds. The lot hosts a small patch of broom crowberry, aSpecies of Special Concern in Massachusetts and rare in the world, though fairly commonin Wellfleet itself. The lot also abuts Pilgrim Springs Conservation Area on two sides andwill preserve the peace of the trailhead established at the road.
The Ziering purchase represents another link in the chain of parcel acquisitions in the PilgrimSpring Woodlands, with the Town and Trust working hand in hand. In total, eight differentnegotiations have resulted in 48 acres of upland near the Harbor being protected aspermanent open space. We have more than 1.5 miles of walking trails and several simplesitting benches installed for public enjoyment. Please enjoy them!
LAND•ACQUISITION•UPDATE
Wellfleet Conservation Trust Newsletter • June 2008 • Page 3
Mary Rogers admires new bench atPilgrim Springs Woodlands
The Herring River Tidal Restoration Project hasentered into its second phase. The Herring RiverConceptual Restoration Plan was presented andaccepted by the Towns of Wellfleet and Truroand the Cape Cod National Seashore. The con-ceptual plan was a two-year project prepared bythe Herring River Technical Committee. The newHerring River Restoration Committee has beenworking on its charge of taking the steps neces-sary in order to implement the Herring RiverRestoration Plan. The Committee is reviewingand updating the data compiled to date. The lat-est study, commissioned by the Committee, is acomputer model that will give us a digital imageof tidal rises in the river basin.
The Restoration Committee has started thefederal and state review process. We arecompiling the necessary environmental
notification documents that will lead to publichearings on the restoration plan. The goal is tohave as much public input into the project alter-natives as possible.
The committee must now establish the fundingsources for this significant project. Seriousdiscussions have begun with many local, state,federal and public organization funding sources.The budget will probably have to come from all ofthese sources. The Committee is very optimisticthat the challenge can be met. The Committeefeels more public involvement is critical to thesuccess of this historic project and will work toestablish a forum for this purpose.
(Editor’s note – Gary Joseph, a founding Trustee of WCT,is Wellfleet’s Representative and chair of the Herring RiverRestoration Committee.)
Herring River Tidal Restoration Project
Page 4 • Wellfleet Conservation Trust Newsletter • June 2008
On the Road Again...For the fourth season, the WCT isparticipating in the state's volunteer Adopt aHighway program. The Trust receives terrificsigns along the highway, and the program hasour help in keeping Route 6 looking nice fromVan Rensselaer's to Paine Hollow Road. Weare especially enthusiastic about this sectionof the road because it passes our beautifulview out over Blackfish Creek.
On every third Wednesday of the month, atseven AM, you will see us in our orange vestsand carrying great yellow bags – honk or waveto say hello. Better yet, join us and enjoy theearly morning doing something for our com-munity. Good work, good conversation andgood coffee when we are done! Call GiniePage 349-6810 if you would like to help out.
New Web SiteVisit our new web site:
www.wellfleetconservationtrust.orgLearn more about the activities andresources of the Trust, what you can do andlandowner options to support the objectivesof the Trust, conservation land and trails,events, links to other conservation sites andother important information. We invite yoursuggestions on other material we mightinclude on the web site to best meet yourinterests. Give it a try - go to the web site and“contact us” with your ideas and comments.
by Mary Rogers
On a cold and rainy Saturday morning in early May, Iwent to interview Marsha and Bob Dubeau about theConservation Restriction (CR) placed on theirproperty at 40 Richman Lane. In our livelydiscussion of the area, they anticipated almost everyquestion before I asked as we sat in their cozy livingroom overlooking Wellfleet Harbor.
They are the first private owners of their house,originally the main bungalow for Camp Chequessett.Bob pulled out his album of old photos andmemorabilia from the early days of CampChequessett and we chatted about one of its famouscamper’s poems. Marsha thought Elizabeth Bishopmay have been writing about the house when Bishoprefers to “the ugly bungalow.”
Bob Dubeau’s introduction to Wellfleet was at a verydifferent kind of camp. In 1957 he came to CampWellfleet, the U.S. Army training camp, now theheadquarters of the National Seashore in SouthWellfleet. Later the Dubeaus came back every yearwith their young family to summer on Lieutenant’sIsland until they “found” the bungalow.
No longer ugly, the dilapidated house that theDubeaus rescued in 1979 has been restored
beautifully and tastefully expanded in its originallocation. The bungalow had been boarded up sincethe closure of Camp Mar-Ven, Camp Chequessett'ssuccessor. Camp Mar-Ven was owned and run byneighbor Sol Richman from whom the Dubeauspurchased the property. The Dubeaus pointed outthe Richman House, the camp’s infirmary, an originalswimming pool and the locations of other buildingsand features of the camps.
When we got around to talking about theConservation Restriction, it was clear that theDubeaus have preserved not just a striking naturalpiece of waterfront property but a part of Wellfleet’shistory. The CR land, extending down to the harbor,has all native growth: pines, oaks, some beach plumbushes and lots of poison ivy. It is a habitat forwildlife, including hawks, rabbits, turtles and coyotes.The view from the living room and porch isspectacular. I envisioned the glorious sunsets thefamily must see, but Marsha called it the best spot forviewing the Wellfleet fireworks.
Marsha and Bob said that they had heard about theTrust’s CR opportunities and had contacted us. MarkRobinson, Dennis O’Connell and Paula Goldbergmade all the arrangements to make it happen. TheDubeaus lavished praise on the guidance theyreceived in setting up the CR. O’Connell andGoldberg had done an excellent job, they said,working out all of their concerns and the proceduralcomplications every step of the way. T h e ycomplimented the WCT for being so easy to workwith.
Having put the land into the CR gives the Dubeausgreat peace of mind, Marsha said, to know the landwill be preserved in its unspoiled state in perpetuity.Marsha and Bob highly recommend the process toanyone thinking about doing a CR. Their children,also committed to conservation, think having the CRby the WCT is a good idea on the total property heldin trust by the family.
Thanks, Bob & Marsha, for giving the Town ofWellfleet a lasting legacy. The pleasure is ours foryears to come.
CR Success Story: An Interview with Marsha & Bob Dubeau
DuBeau CR Outlined inRelation to Wellfleet Harbor
Wellfleet Conservation Trust Newsletter • June 2008 • Page 5
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Heidi Fuchs – AmeriCorps Volunteer Extraordinaire
Regulating ATV ActivityOne of the troublesome problems for Conservation Trustand Conservation Commission land has been ATV and dirtbike riders who ignore postings prohibiting the activity inthe conservation area. It is an illegal activity that is nearlyunenforceable because the riders are gone by the time anylaw enforcement officers can arrive on the scene.
A recent accident in Harwich has called greater attention tothe situation and has prompted more postings onConservation land along the power lines in Wellfleet. Evenwith more promised vigilance from the police department,local riders can easily speed off onto other trails and avoida confrontation with the law. The ConservationCommission and the Open Space Committee hope thatthe increased warnings and threat of fines will discouragethe practice of hauling bikes and ATVs by truck or van andunloading them for rides along the Wellfleet power lines.
WCT supports the Town’s efforts, as lead by the OpenSpace Committee and the Conservation Commission, inits effort to prevent the excessive noise pollution anddamage to the terrain that riders create.
WCT offers its gratitude to AmeriCorps volunteer Heidi Fuchs, who hasbeen working behind the scenes and out in the field over the past year.Hidden away in a back office of Town Hall, Heidi has been a quiet forcegetting us organized in many ways. She revamped the field inspectionnotebooks and redid the maps depicting Trust land and CRs. Next sheinstituted procedures for contacting CR property owners and organized thefield books for monitoring the Conservation Restrictions. She hasattended WCT meetings throughout the year and kept us up to date withher activities out on the trails.
This May she held a GIS (geographical information systems) computerseminar for interested trustees so that we can continue to utilize themapping program that she has put to such good use for us.
Heidi will continue her service in Wellfleet for the Conservation Commission during thesummer months. We wish Heidi the very best in her future endeavors. Her time in Wellfleethas been well spent, and we appreciate all the energy, intelligence and actual muscle whichshe has provided for WCT projects.
