Fall 2021
A Message from the President
If you are like me you are asking yourself…”Where did the summer go?”.

But that is a pretty good sign that you were probably busy, with family and friends, enjoying the summer weather in this wonderful place called Cape Cod! I hope that is all true and that you were able to take advantage of some of the programs that were sponsored by the Friends, particularly the Salt Pond evening programs.
And speaking of Friends-sponsored events, the annual Science in the Seashore symposium is coming up. The Friends has always been a sponsor for the live, in-person event. This year, however, due to Covid restrictions the symposium will be a virtual event held on Thursday, September 23 from 9:30 AM to 1 PM.
For those who are not familiar, the symposium is an opportunity for scientists and cultural resource specialists who are doing research on a variety of seashore resources to present their research briefs and take questions. This is a rich learning opportunity about the research that continually takes place in the Cape Cod National Seashore (CCNS). A link to participate has been provided by Geoffrey Sanders, Chief of Natural Resource Management and Science, CCNS, and is included under Upcoming Events below.
So, please enjoy the last bit of summer here on the Cape, all in good health.
Peter Eisenbarth
Save the date: Look for an upcoming special edition of E-News for details about the following:

Donor Recognition and Dedication, Thursday, October 7
Join us for a donor recognition and dedication event for the recently renovated and rehabbed Atlantic White Cedar Swamp Trail.

Seashore Soundings with Superintendent Carlson, Thursday, October 14, 4 PM
Join Superintendent Brian Carlstrom for an update on seashore operations, from natural and cultural resources and construction to budget and COVID-19. Bring your questions! This talk will be held outdoors at the Salt Pond Amphitheater with bench and lawn seating available. Rain will cancel, except if COVID-19 restrictions lift, in which case the program might be moved indoors. Check with Salt Pond Visitor Center at 508-255-3421. 
UPCOMING EVENTS
September 23
9:30 - 1 PM
Cape Cod National Seashore’s Atlantic Research and Learning Center hosts this event (virtual this year) in partnership with Friends of the Cape Cod National Seashore and features brief presentations from field researchers on a variety of topics, including bats, ticks, and shoreline change. Link HERE to register.

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It's not too late to register to participate or to volunteer at this important fundraising event.
September 18, 9 AM at
Nauset Regional High School, Eastham.
Gratitude
We are grateful to all of our generous members and donors who are listed annually on our website.
Meet the 2021 Shorebird Interns

Friends of Cape Cod National Seashore funded $40,000 for the 2021 shorebird intern program. Four interns worked alongside the seashore’s professional staff performing vital shorebird protection and monitoring work during the nesting season. Here, in their own words, are some details about the individuals who contributed to the success of this year's shorebird program.
Nora Skinner, Walnut Cove, North Carolina
NC State University, BS Marine Science
Being able to work as a shorebird technician intern this season at CCNS really compelled me to continue to apply for similar positions where I can work hands-on in the field and share my passion for nature and conservation with the public. Next up for me is a position in North Carolina, as an Environmental Education & Stewardship Intern.
Koryna Boudinot, San Francisco, CA
Bachelor of Arts, Biology, Seattle University 
I plan to pursue opportunities in wildlife conservation. My experience this summer has provided me with hands-on experience in monitoring and protection with threatened species including the piping plover, least tern, and American oystercatcher - an invaluable opportunity!
Sarah Simmons, Lagrangeville, NY
SUNY Potsdam
My future plans are to pursue a career in natural resource management, specifically in wildlife. As an intern at Cape Cod, I learned about piping plover monitoring and protection and gained skills that will help me in the future, such as observing bird behavior, and driving an ATV. After my internship at CCNS I am going to work at a fish hatchery in Alaska for the fall season.
Carolyn Doyle, Dunellen, New Jersey,
Cornell University
At the end of August, I will be starting as a field work intern at the Ventana Wildlife Society in central California where I will monitor a population of wild California condors using radio telemetry. I am very grateful for my time as a shorebird intern at the Cape Cod National Seashore not only because of the valuable field work experience I gained, but also because of how rewarding I found the work to be. I quickly fell in love with the piping plovers and least terns and discovered a passion for shorebird conservation, one that I am sure will be lifelong. 

Special thanks to intern Norah Skinner for the photos with this article.
National Public Lands Day
Saturday, September 25,
9 AM to noon.
Friends are invited to participate in two much-needed projects for this annual volunteer event.
National Public Lands Day is the largest single-day volunteer effort in America and it celebrates the connection between people and green spaces in their community. On September 25th, Cape Cod National Seashore would like to invite you to support the park and your community with two projects that need your assistance.
 
  • Calling all gardeners! Learn about common native plants on the Cape while raking, pruning, and weeding the planting beds at Park Headquarters. Please Bring Your Own favorite gardening tools, work gloves and support gardening with native plants and park staff.
 
  • A short trail for all to enjoy! The Buttonbush Trail has provided everyone from every age and every ability the opportunity to experience the park but it needs your help. Bring work gloves and join us to maintain the rope rail, the stairs, and panels of this beloved little trail so all can continue to enjoy it.
 
Your time and energy that you invest into this park and community is what makes Cape Cod National Seashore so special, and we thank you for all you contribute.
 
If you are interested in joining us for one of these projects, please write to CACO_volunteer@nps.gov and emphasize which project you would like to join.
Park News
Operations Winding Down Following Busy Summer Season

Summer operations have been front and center as staff have pushed through Covid adaptations and all manner of weather--hot, humid, and rainy, to provide services to visitors ranging from friendly orientation assistance on the grounds of the two visitor centers; a warm welcome and sales of passes at six beach entrances; safety and life-saving measures from lifeguards at beaches and elsewhere from visitor and resource protection rangers; clean and well-equipped restrooms and beach facilities provided by maintenance staff. Maintenance staff toiled under hot and humid conditions to ensure Mobi Mats at beaches provided safe access to all. (NPS photo)
Informative and engaging public programs were offered by interpretive rangers (including some activities sponsored by Friends of the Cape Cod National Seashore). Coming off 2020, with visitation placing the national seashore in the top 10 of all national park service areas, summer 2021 felt equally busy at the seashore and in local communities.
Sharks & seals remained a popular topic on seashore programs this summer. (NPS photo)
Construction Update

Many projects are underway at the seashore to maintain and upgrade facilities. This includes new roofs at Salt Pond Visitor Center, Nauset Coast Guard Station, and several other buildings; interior and exterior rehabilitation of the Province Lands Visitor Center; multiple septic system upgrades; and advance work for replacement of over 1500 road, trail, and facility signs across the seashore, slated for 2022-23.  
New roofs on several seashore buildings, including the Nauset Coast Guard Station, will keep out the elements, ensuring longevity for both historic and non-historic buildings. (NPS photo)
Major Rehabilitation of Several Historic Buildings Underway

The $2m federally-funded rehabilitation of Highland Light continues and is slated for completion in late fall. The project is repairing significant structural issues caused by excess moisture that led to cracks and spalling of the masonry tower and corrosion of metal components. Mitigation measures are being taken to avoid such issues in the future. Nearby, the Truro Historical Society, the seashore's partner at the Highland House Museum, is moving toward completion of nearly $1m in building improvements funded through Town of Truro Community Preservation Act monies. Work includes roofing, siding, and interior repairs; artifact protection through construction of a new climate-controlled storage room; installation of an elevator to the second floor to improve accessibility; and electrical and alarm system upgrades.
Masonry and ironwork repairs continue at Highland Light. The major rehabilitation of this masonry tower is slated to be complete in late fall 2021.(NPS photo)
Similarly, the Nauset Light Preservation Society has obtained funds from the Town of Eastham for a contract to paint and repair Nauset Light this fall. Maintaining facilities in our harsh coastal environment is an ongoing National Park Service priority. We're grateful to our partners and towns who assist with this critical work. Nauset Light will be painted and repaired by International Chimney Corp. under contract to Nauset Light Preservation Society with funding from the Town of Eastham Community Preservation Act. (NPS photo)
Friends Sponsors Evenings at Salt Pond

After a COVID-related hiatus from public programs in summer 2020, Friends stepped up again this year to sponsor the Evenings at Salt Pond series. These outdoor performance events at the Salt Pond Amphitheater were well-attended this summer, with most events hosting 200+ audience members. Better yet, the weather was delightful! Payomet Performing Arts Center presented two circus shows. (NPS photo) 
Many visitors attended every performance, coming early to picnic, and grateful for the opportunity to see and hear talented performers in a safe outdoor setting. Performers included Zoe Lewis and the Souvenirs, CrabGrass, the Jason Spooner Band, Sarah Swain and the Oh Boys, Jung-Ho Pak and Michael Albaugh, Payomet's Cirque by the Sea, Big Jazz, and Kitty Hendricks Miller. Jung-Ho Pak and Michael Albaugh from Cape Symphony presented a multi-media program on the connections between nature and music. (NPS photo)
Donations to Friends Funds New Outdoor Exhibits

Thanks to a donation to Friends from the Chambers Family Foundation, there are two new outdoor exhibits at the Skiff Hill Shelter near Fort Hill in Eastham. Champlain's 1605 visit and the sharpening stone are the exhibit topics. Both delve into pre-contact life for the Wampanoag and Nausets, the alteration of life upon arrival of Europeans, and continuing cultural lifeways for the First People on whose ancestral homeland the national seashore lies. The two new exhibits join others at the site that discuss Native use of salt marsh resources, and salt marsh vulnerability to sea level rise. This new exhibit showcases traditional toolmaking by the First People and how these lifeways continue today. (NPS photo)
E-News Editor: Betsy Bray Layout: Marianne McCaffery
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