The first day of harvesting went very well with more than 4 TONS of plants being removed and taken to the Town Of Brewster Transfer Station for composting. The intent of this project is to remove a large enough quantity of phosphorus from the pond sediment/water column so that it leads to improved water quality over time.
Many thanks to Ryan Burch from the Brewster DNR who operated the town owned Eco-Harvester all day as well as to volunteers Peter Trull, Konrad Schultz, Brian Penney, John Hall and Team Leader John Keith.
0 Comments
 On Monday, June 29, the Town of Brewster Health Department posted a Cyanobacteria Advisory at the Walker's Pond Landing on Slough Road. This is due to elevated levels of Dolichospermum which indicates high levels of cyanobacteria.
At this time the water is unsafe for children and pets. Until further notice:
https://www.mass.gov/guides/cyanobacterial-harmful-algal-blooms-cyanohabs-water  A sampling of Brewster Pond Photos submitted by YOU! Many answered the BPC’s call for pond-fun images for inclusion in the 2020 Brewster Ponds Guide. They illustrate Brewster ponds’ beauty and the many ways we enjoy them! Enjoy this collage sampler of submitted images, created by BPC volunteer, Amy Darbyshire.
The Pond Guide includes photos submitted by Rob Boas, Barry Donahue, Laura Eldridge, Andrea Genser, Eric Levy, Theresa Martin, Sue Meyer, Kathy Nelson, Carl Santamaria, Judy Stevens, Susan Spencer, and Mike Wajewski. All submitted images--whether or not in the Ponds Guide--are now part of the BPC photo archive for use in other BPC publications, social media, and communications. Thank you all, for your contributions! Get your copy of the 2020 Ponds Guide at the display boxes at these Brewster town landings: Long Pond, Schoolhouse Pond, Sheep Pond, Slough Pond, Upper Mill Pond, and Walkers Pond. Also available when these locations reopen: Town Hall, Brewster Ladies Library, Department of Natural Resources, and Nickerson State Park. Thanks again to the BPC Business Partners for their Ponds Guide sponsorship: J. M. O'Reilly & Associates, Leighton Realty, SUPfari Adventures, the Brewster Bookstore, Crocker Nurseries, and Ace Hardware.  Schoolhouse Pond--Photo Courtesy of Susan Bridges As of May 13, the Barnstable County Department of Health believes that Cape Cod is on a downward trend of COVID-19 cases. [Click here for story.] But the State of Massachusetts, the Town of Brewster, and local organizations remain cautious to prevent a COVID-19 reoccurrence by minimizing crowds and maintaining social distancing.
In view of these efforts, the BPC board decided to postpone or cancel programs and events:
 The Town of Brewster is in the process of updating its Open Space and Recreation Plan, which provides a framework for continued conservation and recreation planning in Brewster. The update is required for Brewster to remain eligible for State funding to acquire and protect open space and recreation parcels. The first part of the process is to survey Brewster residents to obtain their views on the Town’s open space and recreation priorities.
Click here to access the survey. Several survey questions relate to Brewster ponds and recreation: - the importance of preserving buffer areas around ponds and suggested town preservation actions - frequency of visiting Town ponds and adjacent conservation lands - input into future recreational pond activity planning Your input is important! Thanks for taking a few moments to fill out the survey! Thank you to the many people who emailed us their summer pond fun pics to be used for publication in this Summer’s new Brewster Ponds Guide booklet. (See some great examples above!) If you have not yet done so, there’s still time.
Please email us your best summertime pics of people enjoying our beautiful ponds: swimming, fishing, sailing, boating, kayaking, paddle-boarding, or just sunbathing. We’ll let you know if your photo has been selected for use and give you a photo credit. Photos must be of the publicly accessed ponds in Brewster. Those are Long, Schoolhouse, Sheep, Slough, Upper Mill, and Walkers ponds as well as the larger ponds in Nickerson State Park. (Big Cliff, Little Cliff, and Flax ponds.) Please email your highest resolution digital photos today to photos@brewsterponds.org. Provide your name, the name of the pond, and a short description (for example, “Smith family kayaking at Upper Mill Pond.”) The free BPC Ponds Guide will be available at the Brewster Chamber Of Commerce Visitor Center, Town Hall, the Brewster Department of Natural Resources, the Nickerson State Park Visitors Center, the Brewster Ladies Library, at pond trail heads and at each pond that has a public access point/landing. Thanks for sharing your special photos! Thanks to BPC members for sharing their pond fun photos! Do you have a special photo of your family or friends having fun at your favorite Brewster pond? Here's your chance to share it with the public!
The BPC is updating its popular Brewster Ponds Guide. It will have a better map, more information--and more colorful photos. New photos are needed--specifically images of people enjoying Brewster's ponds - swimming, kayaking, sailing, fishing, and sunbathing. The Ponds Guide only includes ponds with public access so the photos must be of people enjoying one of the following ponds: Long Pond, Schoolhouse Pond, Sheep Pond (Fisherman’s Landing), Slough Pond, Upper Mill Pond, and Walkers Pond. Also included will be the larger ponds at Nickerson State Park, including Cliff Pond, Little Cliff Pond, and Flax Pond. One picture will be chosen for each pond, with the photographer credited. Here's how to submit your photo: Email your highest resolution digital photos to the BPC at photos@brewsterponds.org by April 19, 2020. Provide your name, the name of the pond, and a short description (for example, “Smith family kayaking at Upper Mill Pond.”) The free BPC Ponds Guide will be available at the Brewster Chamber Of Commerce Visitor Center, Town Hall, the Brewster Department of Natural Resources, the Nickerson State Park Visitors Center, the Brewster Ladies Library, at pond trail heads and at each pond that has a public access point/landing. Thanks for sharing your special photo!  Slough Pond in March--photo courtesy of Susan SpencerIn light of the Centers for Disease Control's recommendation to distance oneself from others and Massachusetts Governor Baker's Stay at Home Order that's in effect until at least Tuesday, April 7th, here is an update on scheduled BPC events and activities.
The following BPC events are cancelled or postponed:
Thank you for your ongoing support, and please take care! (Left) Mingle with Members Over Doughnuts; (Right) Learn about BPC Programs and Volunteer Opportunities BPC Spring Social and Volunteer Fair March 28, 2020 9:00-11:00 am Brewster Baptist Church The BPC is postponing the Spring Social and Volunteer Fair on March 28th at the Brewster Baptist Church due to health concerns about the Coronavirus (COVID-19). We are monitoring the situation, and this event will be rescheduled to a future date, and announced well in advance. The BPC looks forward to a fun and productive 2020 season! Come kick things off at the Spring Social and Volunteer Fair! - Mingle with members over coffee and doughnuts. - Chat with BPC board members and volunteers at the tabletop displays to learn about: -- Pond Education, Citizen Science, and Trail Monitor programs -- Communications, Technology, and Membership activities -- Upcoming BPC and Town Events It’d be sad to run out of donuts, so please RSVP by emailing RSVP@brewsterponds.org by March 21, and list the names and emails of the people attending. You will receive a confirmation email.
Hope to see you there! It's here!!! The BPC announces the newest of edition of Ripples, its annual publication.  This year's theme is member involvement; an issue highlight is three members' sharing their passions, their volunteer experiences, and their direct impact on their chosen BPC program. Their stories illustrate the importance of getting involved because without your help, who is going to protect Brewster's ponds? The BPC is the only nonprofit dedicated to protecting the health, beauty, and enjoyment of Brewster’s 80+ ponds from degraded water quality due to septic system discharge, stormwater runoff, and other factors. You can help the BPC continue its important work in 2020:
Thank you! Your Support Makes a Difference for Brewster's Ponds!
|
Archives
September 2020
Categories |
RSS Feed
|
|
|