A Message from the President |
First, let me welcome you all to the Spring 2021 edition of FCCNS eNews. In this edition you will find a fascinating article by Bill Burke about the NPS building boom that resulted in the visitor centers and bath houses in the CCNS, as well as an article by Martha Craig about the mission of the Friends of Herring River (which I will mention again, below).
But first, I want to congratulate Agnes Mittermayr who was just elected as the newest member of the Board of Directors of the FCCNS. She is an environmental scientist who works for the Center for Coastal Studies in Provincetown. She has been in that position for the past several years and is very involved in the preservation of the natural environment, including that of the Cape Cod National Seashore. She has also participated in the studies that have been done leading up to the Herring River restoration project, one of the priorities of the CCNS. Clearly she will bring an important perspective to our organization. On behalf of the entire board I want to welcome Agnes to our team!
And, speaking of the Herring River project, I am pleased to announce that the Board of the Friends voted unanimously in favor of making an initial donation of $5,000 to the Friends of Herring River. That organization is to the Herring River restoration project what FCCNS is to the Seashore. They are dedicated to raising public interest and awareness of the importance of the restoration of the Herring River Estuary, as well as helping to generate funds to complete the project. It is interesting to note that 80% of the land that will benefit from the restored tidal flow when the project is complete is within the boundaries of the CCNS! That justifies this project being one of the Parks priorities for the foreseeable future, and consequently one of Friends’ as well.
I hope you have all been able to view Superintendent Brian Carlstrom’s “State of the Seashore: the year in review and a look ahead” presentation. If not, please look for the YouTube link in this edition of the eNews.
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Finally, I want to thank all of you who support the Friends through your membership dues, individual donations and volunteer work with Friends’ activities like the Cut, Pile and Burn crew as well as the Trail Maintenance crews. Without your support, financial as well as physical, the Friends would not be able to support the preservation of the CCNS resources that are so precious to all of us. Thank you!
Peter Eisenbarth
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Check it Out:
State of the Seashore 2021
Superintendent Brian Carlstrom gives his annual State of the Seashore update in a virtual format for 2021.
He is joined by Pete Eisenbarth, President of the Friends of the Cape Cod National Seashore. The presentation is followed by a picture compilation of 2021 park operations.
Here is the link:
Here is the link with audio description for those with vision difficulties:
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$40,000 DONATED FOR SHOREBIRD INTERNS
Friends of Cape Cod National Seashore has recently funded $40,000 for the 2021 shorebird intern program. This program funds four interns for 16 weeks who will work alongside the seashore’s professional staff performing vital shorebird protection and monitoring work.
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Park Partner: The Herring River Project
by Martha Craig,
Director, Friends of the Herring River
Tidal flow to the Herring River in Wellfleet and Truro was nearly eliminated in 1909 by the construction of the Chequessett Neck Road dike, causing a whole host of environmental changes and problems. The Herring River Restoration Project will return natural tidal flow to the Herring River estuary by replacing the old dike at the river’s mouth with a new bridge and removing other tidal restrictions. Restoring tidal flow to the river will reverse the severe damage that has occurred over the past 100+ years and bring back the important ecological, economic and social benefits that a healthy and productive estuary provides. Salt marsh vegetation, fish and shellfish habitat, water quality, fish passage, and carbon storage capacity will all significantly improve with restoration. Much of the Herring River estuary is within the Cape Cod National Seashore. Tidal restoration will improve the health of Seashore resources and create exciting new recreational opportunities. Permit applications for the restoration project were recently filed with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection and submittal of a permit application to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is imminent.
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Friends of Herring River (FHR) is working with project partners, including the Cape Cod National Seashore, Town of Wellfleet, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service, Massachusetts Division of Ecological Restoration and others, to bring this long-overdue project to fruition. FHR also provides public outreach and education about the river and the many benefits to restoration, as well as helps to organize the annual herring count at Old King’s Highway in Wellfleet. For more information about Friends of Herring River and the Herring River Restoration Project, visit www.herringriver.org. You can also subscribe to the FHR e-newsletter at the bottom of the homepage.
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Culture Corner with Park Historian Bill Burke
Mission 66 at Cape Cod National Seashore
Cape Cod Cape Cod National Seashore, born out of the National Park Service’s (NPS) post-war goals to introduce America’s most urban populations to the fresh air of national parks, was one of the first national seashores (1961). To complement but not overpower a place already steeped in tradition and culture, the NPS' innovative approach included a citizen’s advisory commission, suspension of eminent domain, and federal funds to acquire excess private lands.
The seashore was created in the heart of an audacious national park building program that dramatically upgraded existing facilities, added 70 new parks and expanded staffing and training. Between 1956 and 1966, the 50 year anniversary of the Service, Congress invested a billion dollars in a controversial program called Mission 66. The visitor centers, bathhouses and shelters you see today, and at many other national parks, are born out of that movement. Park designers and architects built modernistic buildings made of glass, steel, and other straightforward materials – a sharp departure from the old “Parkitecture” of log cabin design.
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When Service architects asked for input on Cape Cod facilities from prominent Modern architect Walter Gropius, he urged the NPS to project a new beginning:
“The Cape Cod shore is not a museum; it lives, it grows, it changes. It would be against its inherent tradition if we should try to preserve an external ‘cosmetic’ uniformity . . .New buildings in this area, therefore, must be invented, not copied.”.
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The hexagonal design of our two visitor centers, interpretive shelters, and bathhouses is bold and distinctive. They are placed in the landscape to maximize public vistas, inspiration, and enjoyment. Sixty years later, our beloved national seashore still retains most of its Mission 66 features and design elements, a testament to its ingenuity, fresh approach, and thoughtful planning.
Go out and enjoy your Mission 66 experience atop the Province Lands Visitor Center deck or along the Salt Pond shores in Eastham.
all images courtesy of NPS
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Park News
Spring has officially arrived at the national seashore! During the week of March 21 staff spotted the first piping plover of the season at Coast Guard Beach in Eastham. Days are getting longer, buds are appearing, and soon we'll enjoy the nightly spring peeper chorus.
Staff are gearing up for a busy season. Despite the pandemic, or perhaps because of it, the seashore was busy last spring and summer, offering an outdoor, safe-feeling respite. All signs point to another busy season, particularly if illness spread trends downward as vaccinations increase.
The seashore remains focused on keeping the staff and the public safe. A new Executive Order mandates the wearing of masks in federal buildings, and on federal lands where social distancing cannot be maintained. At the seashore, this includes areas around visitor centers and restrooms, beach entrance paths, the off-road permit station, and the tram boarding area, and anywhere else where people are gathering. Guidance from the CDC and the Department of the Interior will drive many of the seashore's operational decisions. We anticipate adapting, as we did last year, to ensure park resources are protected and the public has an enjoyable experience within the COVID environment.
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Construction
Several large projects are underway, including installation of a new septic system for the Marconi Area in Wellfleet, construction of a new bathhouse at Nauset Light Beach, and rehabilitation of Highland Light. These three projects will continue through spring. Three significant projects will be wrapping up soon--improvements to the septic system at Salt Pond to reduce resource impacts, rehabilitation of the satellite restroom building at Salt Pond, and construction of a new accessible path to Province Lands Visitor Center.
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Operations
Park rangers continue to greet the public at the front entrance of Salt Pond Visitor Center, and similar service will begin at Province Lands Visitor Center on May 1. We look forward to offering additional interpretive programs this year following COVID-safe protocols. The America's National Parks store at Salt Pond, operated by Eastern National, is open daily.
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The Off-Road Vehicle Corridor in Provincetown opens on April 15; Permits go on sale April 10.
Shorebird staff have arrived and have begun installing fencing to protect nesting shorebirds. The seashore is grateful to Friends of the Cape Cod National Seashore for the generous donation to fund four shorebird interns this summer. These internships provide valuable hands-on experience and National Park Service career awareness, while accomplishing important seashore work.
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Friends of the Cape Cod National Seashore| PO Box 550 Wellfleet, MA 02667| 508-957-0729
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