Fall 2020
A Message from the President
This is my first letter as president of the Friends of the Cape Cod National Seashore (FCCNS), and I want you all to know how honored I am to be serving in this capacity. 

My first two years on the Board taught me the real value of this organization: You, its members. You provide the energy, inspiration and vision so vital to our mission, to promote the many Cape Cod National Seashore (CCNS) programs and protect the park’s fragile resources. That is an enormous responsibility and you, the members, have shown time and again your commitment to that mission.

Just this past August the Friends was the recipient of an incredibly generous donation from the James Wadsworth Living Trust in the amount of $25,000. Clearly, this donation will go a long way toward achieving our goals. Also mentioned in the donation material was the contribution of Carol Wadsworth as a volunteer at the Seashore. As a volunteer-supported organization, we particularly appreciate the valuable services volunteers provide, vital to the success of our efforts. We, and the CCNS, are very thankful for both.

These past months have been challenging for all of us, and the impact of Covid-19 on FCCNS has been dramatic, particularly over the normally busy summer season. Your loyalty and resilience were evidenced by your continued support, financially through your membership and other donations and spiritually by the many offers from volunteers, who are anxious to get back to work when it can be done safely. We will be in touch!

Thank you again for your support.

Peter Eisenbarth 
UPCOMING
 EVENTS
Link to the Cape Cod National Seashore website for current conditions and information
 
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When shopping at Amazon, use the Amazon "Smile" program and select Friends of the Cape Cod National Seashore as your charity.
CBS Sunday Morning
featured the seals at Head of the Meadow Beach in a recent "Do Nothing for Two Minutes" segment.
Park Partner: Cape Cod Modern House Trust
by Betsy Bray, First VP, FCCNS

As one of the National Seashore’s many partners, The Cape Cod Modern Trust (CCMHT) has preserved and now manages four modern houses in the area and educates visitors and the local community about these architectural treasures.
 
For the past ten years I have been an active volunteer in these efforts, most currently as a Sunday Tour Guide and Registrar. In this role, I have welcomed hundreds of people to the uniquely ‘Cape Cod Modern’ houses of Wellfleet. Due to Covid-19, there were no tours this summer

CCMHT began in 2007 with the mission of preventing the demolition of a group of significant modern houses owned by the Cape Cod National Seashore. Many have now been renovated and re-purposed as places for creativity, scholarship, and public education. These houses are a little-known cultural asset of the Cape, and those of us who are involved in the Trust are committed to saving them for future generations.

The four Cape Cod Modern House Trust houses that are located in the Cape Cod National Seashore are:
·      The 1970 Kugel/Gips House by Charles Zehnder
·      The 1961 Hatch House by Jack Hall
·      The 1953 Weidlinger House by Paul Weidlinger
·      The 1961 Kohlberg House by Luther Crowell
To find out more, check out the book Cape Cod Modern by Peter McMahon and Christine Cipriani. Peter is the Founding Director of the Cape Cod Modern House Trust.

Few realize that these houses can be rented by the week. 

Click here for further information about the CCMHT and on how you can arrange a stay.
News from the Park:

Great American Outdoors Act

On August 4, 2020, President Trump signed the Great American Outdoors Act into law. This landmark conservation legislation will use revenues from energy development to provide up to $1.9 billion a year for five years to provide needed maintenance for critical facilities and infrastructure in our national parks, forests, wildlife refuges, recreation areas, and American Indian schools. It will also use royalties from offshore oil and natural gas to permanently fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund to the tune of $900 million a year to invest in conservation and recreation opportunities.

While specific projects to be funded have not yet been determined, seashore staff are setting priorities for facility projects in anticipation of funds being available for critical infrastructure maintenance. This is an unprecedented level of investment in seashore infrastructure that will improve and enhance visitor experiences for many generations.
Community Engagement

In an effort to engage with the public in safe and creative ways during COVID-19, the national seashore and the Outer Cape Libraries in Truro and Provincetown established StoryWalks® on the Beech Forest Trail and the Small's Swamp Trail. Families have enjoyed the opportunity to read as they ramble these beautiful trails. The stories are up through October.
Highland Light Rehabilitation Underway!

The $2 million major rehabilitation of Highland Light in Truro has commenced. The lighthouse is one of the seashore's premier historic structures. There are several aspects to the rehabilitation. Most importantly, the tower's original structural ventilation will be restored to prevent the building from holding moisture, a key reason for the masonry deterioration over the past many years. Non-breathable exterior coatings will be removed and masonry will be repaired or replaced.
New windows will be installed, and metal elements will be repaired or replaced. 
Your Membership and Donation Dollars at Work

The Atlantic White Cedar Swamp Trail repair and rehab project is complete and the trail is fully open. This is the perfect time of year to enjoy this beautiful corner of the park.
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