North Beach Erosion in Chatham Washes 'Town Hall' Camp Away

“North Beach Erosion Continues, ‘Town Hall’ Camp Succumbs”
The Cape Cod Chronicle, July 10, 2008
By Alan Pollock

Allan Pollock reports that continued erosion at North Beach in Chatham has claimed another victim: ‘Town Hall’ camp. Owner John Kelley was unable to move his camp structure before it floated out into Pleasant Bay because the beach had been closed to protect nesting Piping Plover birds. The buildings of several other camp onwers are being stored temporarily on the Hammatt property thanks to a recent conservation district zoning change.

Related articles:

•  “Catch-22 at North Beach,”
     Cape Cod Times, July 9, 2008

Dispute Settled Over Strong Island in Pleasant Bay

“Agreement Settles Legal Dispute Over Strong Island”
The Cape Cod Chronicle, July 10, 2008
By Tim Wood

Tim Wood reports that an agreement settling a legal dispute over Strong Island, a 55-acre island in Pleasant Bay, has been reached between the Chatham Conservation Foundation and the heirs of the island’s former owner. The island, which is open to the public, was sold to the foundation in 1974 for $700,000. The heirs were granted exclusive use of a three-acre “reserve” through the year 2073. The two parties have disagreed over replacement of an underwater electrical cable and development on the island.

Friends of Pleasant Bay to Hold Annual Meeting in Harwich on July 17th

The 22nd Annual Meeting of the Friends of Pleasant Bay will be held on Thursday, July 17, 2008, at the Wequassett Inn on Route 28 in East Harwich. Keynote speaker Ted Keon, Director of the Coastal Resources Department in Chatham, will speak about recent barrier beach breaches and the formation of the new Chatham Inlet. The meeting is open to the public free of charge.

Chatham Conservation Foundation’s Bulletin for Spring/Summer 2008

The Chatham Conservation Foundation has published its Spring/Summer 2008 Bulletin. Contents include:

•  The New Federal Farm Bill and Conservation Restrictions
•  Recent Land Acquisitions and Gifts
•  The Chatham Railroad Company
•  Joseph A Nickerson, Jr., Remembered

Founded in 1962, the Chatham Conservation Foundation has protected nearly 650 acres of open space. The Foundation’s 2008 Annual Meeting will be held August 4, 2008, at the Wequassett Inn, Chatham.

Recent Nonprofit 990 Filings for Public Review

Recent IRS Form 990 filings for several local nonprofit organizations are available for public review:

Chatham Conservation Foundation, Form 990 for FY 2007
   •  Revenue of $1,727,084
   •  Expenses of $748,865
   •  Net Assets of $17,406,520

Felix Neck Wildlife Trust, Form 990 for FY 2007
   •  Revenue of $12,944
   •  Expenses of $14,781
   •  Net Assets of $313,016

Vineyard Open Land Foundation, Form 990 for FY 2007
   •  Revenue of $95,589
   •  Expenses of $134,253
   •  Net Assets of $10,216,535

Filings for prior years are available through the Foundation Center or GuideStar.

Court to Decide if West Chatham Lot Near Oyster River is Buildable

“Owners Want Court To Declare W. Chatham Lot Buildable”
The Cape Cod Chronicle, June 5, 2008
By Tim Wood

CHATHAM -- A West Chatham couple has asked the Massachusetts Land Court to decide if a single-family house can be built on a lot bordering a marsh near the Oyster River. ...

It is one of two lots in the 1965 Valley Farm Estates subdivision not owned by the town or the Chatham Conservation Foundation. The town purchased most of the property as open space in 2006. At last month’s annual town meeting, voters rejected purchasing one of the privately held parcels, a .47 acre lot fronting on Barn Hill Road. The land bank and community preservation fund were to contribute $125,000 each toward the $300,000 purchase, with the Foundation contributing the final $50,000. ... ©

Read the full article in The Cape Cod Chronicle.

National Fish and Wildlife Foundation: The Nature of Learning Grants

Last week, Philanthropy News Digest reported that the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation is seeking applications from organizations interested in initiating The Nature of Learning program in their communities:

“ The Nature of Learning is a community-based environmental education initiative of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service National Wildlife Refuge System that seeks to use National Wildlife Refuges as outdoor classrooms to promote a greater understanding of local conservation issues; encourage an interdisciplinary approach to learning that seeks to enhance student academic achievement; utilize field experiences and student-led stewardship projects to connect classroom lessons to real-world issues; and involve a partnership among local schools, community groups, natural resource professionals, and local businesses.

Programs must involve a partnership among a local school(s), community group (e.g., Refuge Support Group), and National Wildlife Refuge. Programs must promote an understanding of local conservation issues, improve scientific literacy, and conform to appropriate academic standards of learning. Preference will be given to start-up programs that can demonstrate a commitment to sustaining the program over time.

First year start-up grants are available for up to $10,000 each. Second year follow-up grants of up to $5,000 each are available to support continued implementation of The Nature of Learning program.”

The deadline for submitting an application is June 16, 2008. Visit the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation web site for more information and the complete Request for Proposals.

Note that Cape Cod and the Islands have four National Wildlife Refuges:

•  Mashpee National Wildlife Refuge
•  Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge
•  Nantucket National Wildlife Refuge
•  Nomans Land Island National Wildlife Refuge

For some background information and perspective on the state of funding for our National Wildlife Refuges, please read the following pieces:

•  “America’s 548 National Wildlife Refuges Under-Funded By 43 Percent,” a press release issued May 22, 2008, by the Cooperative Alliance for Refuge Enhancement

•  Restoring America's Wildlife Refuges 2008: A Plan to Solve the Refuge System Funding Crisis, a report by the Cooperative Alliance for Refuge Enhancement (May 2008)

•  Restoring Our Refuges: a Plan for Massachusetts, a fact sheet prepared by the Cooperative Alliance for Refuge Enhancement (2008)

The Shifting Sands of Chatham

"Shifting Sands: Strong Forces Confront Our Coastlines"
Special Places, Spring 2008
By Peter H. Taylor

As far back as I can remember I have enjoyed watching huge, storm-driven waves bash the coastline. There’s something thrilling and beautiful about mountains of ocean water hitting sand and rock. Slower-paced forces of coastal change, such as tides, currents, and seasonal shifts in sea life, are just as exciting. The meeting of land and sea is defined by ceaseless change, and that’s what makes coastal ecology and oceanography so interesting to me. ... ©

Read the full article in Special Places, a quarterly publication for members and supporters of The Trustees of Reservations.

2007 Town Annual Reports

Several towns have posted their 2007 Annual Reports on the Internet. While reading these reports isn't as enjoyable as reading a Robert Finch essay, it's a great way to learn about the accomplishments of municipal conservation, land acquisition, open space, and community preservation committees.

Reports for the following towns are available in pdf format. Note that some of the files are quite large and can take a while to download.

•  Barnstable (44 MB, 236 pages)

•  Bourne (11.7 MB, 368 pages)

•  Chatham (15.1 MB, 274 pages)

•  Dennis (4.4 MB, 467 pages)

•  Falmouth (2.5 MB, 216 pages)

•  Orleans (1.8 MB, 187 pages)

•  Provincetown (668 KB, 229 pages)

•  Sandwich (2.1 MB, 160 pages)

•  West Tisbury (5.3 MB, 194 pages)

Chatham Rejects Funds for Lot on Barn Hill Road

The Cape Cod Chronicle reports that on Monday evening Chatham town meeting rejected Article 17 (and, hence, Article 18):

“Voters rejected a $125,000 request from the land bank and open space committee to use land bank funds to buy a half-acre buildable lot off Barn Hill Road. Committee member Jack Farrell said the land would serve as a gateway to the so-called Valley Farm Estates property, six parcels to the east purchased for open space by the town in 2006. The proposal called for the town to contribute $250,000 to the purchase, through land bank and community preservation funds, with the Chatham Conservation Foundation kicking in the additional $50,000 to meet the $300,000 asking price. Several people cited the price for the land as too high, especially if the land is to be used for parking so people can access the adjacent land.”

For more details about Article 17 and Article 18, see our blog post of May 11, 2008.

Chatham to Vote on Land Bank and CPA Funds for Lot on Barn Hill Road

When Chatham town meeting commences on Monday, May 12, 2008, voters will consider Article 17 and Article 18, to approve $125,000 in Land Bank funds and $125,000 in FY 2009 Community Preservation Act Funds, respectively, for the purchase of a half-acre on Barn Hill Road and Valley Farm Drive for conservation and open space.

As the town warrant notes about Article 17, “The purpose of this article is to approve the purchase of a property on Barn Hill Road and Valley Farm Drive consisting of approximately 0.47 acres for conservation and open space. Though not a large parcel, its strategic location fits many of the criteria that the Land Bank reviews when considering a purchase ...

This building lot abuts the Town’s Valley Farm conservation property purchased in 2006. Protection of this lot fronting on Barn Hill Road will serve to protect the scenic vistas to the Oyster River from the public roadway. In addition, the parcel will provide an ideal and appropriate location for a small parking area that will facilitate public access at the entrance to the Valley Farm property and to the trails of the conservation area.

The Valley Farm area is known to support wildlife habitat of rare and endangered species and the prevention of development on this lot will further serve to protect the area. This proposal is congruent with the goals of the Long Range Comprehensive Plan by virtue of conserving open space.

This purchase is a collaborative effort between the Community Preservation Committee, the Land Bank Committee, and the Chatham Conservation Foundation, Inc. Approval of this article will appropriate Land Bank Funds in the amount of $125,000 towards the $300,000 purchase price [and approval of Article 18 will appropriate Community Preservation funds in the amount of $125,000 towards the $300,000 purchase price]. The remaining funds are to be provided by the Chatham Conservation Foundation, Inc. in the amount of $50,000. The Town will own the property and the Conservation Foundation will hold the conservation restriction."

Pleasant Bay Resource Management Plan Update

The Pleasant Bay Resource Management Alliance (Towns of Chatham, Harwich, Brewster and Orleans) has released the final version of the 2008 Update to The Pleasant Bay Resource Management Plan.

At more than 100 pages, the plan is worth reading. Among the interesting tidbits is Table 8, which details “Shorefront Parcels on Pleasant Bay (By Ownership)”:

•  Municipal, 384.46 acres (13%)
•  Federal (CNNS), 910.33 acres (30%)
•  Private Conservation Trust, 505.90 acres (17%)
•  Private – Undeveloped, 275.53 acres (9%)
•  Private – Developed, 945.55 acres, (31%)