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The Town of Brewster Department of Public Works is offering private residents the option to have their catch basins cleaned. Regular cleaning removes accumulated debris, sediment, and pollutants that can clog the basin and lead to backups, flooding, and environmental contamination. As of August 12, neighborhood associations can sign up for this service. Click here to access the application. The completed form and accompanying payment of $65 must be received by the Town by October 1.  The BPC held its Annual Meeting on Saturday, August 9, at the Cape Cod Bible Alliance Church in East Brewster, with over 80 members and guests attending the two-hour event. If you missed the meeting, a full video recording will be available soon on our website and YouTube channel. In the meantime, here is a recap of what was presented and discussed.
The business portion of the meeting included a review of the BPC’s long-term strategic goals and priorities for the 2025-2026 business year; a review of the organization’s 2024 Full Year and July YTD finances provided by Treasurer, Rob Condon; a bylaw change and Board elections. Susan also recognized two retiring Board members, Rob Condon and Tim Chase, and introduced two new Board members, Bruce Semple and David Jacobs.
Julie began her presentation with a brief review of what cyanobacteria is, how it is formed, environmental conditions that contribute to it, and how the differing characteristics of ponds affect its formation. She also explained the different types of toxins that cyanobacteria can produce and the side effects that might result from exposure. Julie also explained the APCC’s cyanobacteria monitoring program including its work with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Conservation and the Department of Health at individual towns to analyze water samples and provide warning and use restriction notices to the public when safety concerns are identified. She concluded by encouraging the audience to review the APCC Cyanobacteria Monitoring 2025 map for up-to-date news of the status of the ponds that are being monitored. To view all the slides presented at the meeting, click here.
The BPC thanks Agway of Cape Cod (a business partner) for its sponsorship of this year’s event and the Cape Cod Bible Alliance Church for the use of its facilities, audiovisual capabilities, and the support of its staff. Susan Baur, founder of the Old Ladies Against Underwater Garbage (OLAUG), will captivate attendees with the efforts of this energetic group of ladies who swim in Cape Cod's freshwater ponds collecting trash. The BPC is sponsoring her talk on Wednesday, September 10, from 2 to 3:30 PM, at the Brewster Ladies Library (1822 Main Street). This free event will be held in the main auditorium and is open to the public. This summer has been a busy one for the group, with more than 20 dives scheduled throughout the area. Although some planned dives have been complicated by cases of cyanobacteria, it's been a banner year for trash! OLAUG has hauled parts of an 18-foot dock and portions of a yellow corvette. As Susan says, "Every dive is an adventure and gives us another story to tell." You won't want to miss hearing about OLAUG's adventures! The Brewster Ponds Coalition (BPC) and the Association to Preserve Cape Cod (APCC) have suspended cyanobacteria monitoring in Nickerson State Park.
APCC and BPC are partners in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of cyanobacteria in certain ponds within Nickerson State Park. We have been notified by the state Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) that our access to the park for the purposes of data collection is contingent upon our obtaining a DCR research permit. Cyano monitoring has been taking place for over 6 years without this requirement. We have been told by DCR to stop monitoring until and unless the permit is granted. The required permit has been applied for. We are currently unable to continue sampling for cyanobacteria within Nickerson State Park until further notice. APCC’s Cyano map will color the ponds within Nickerson State Park as grey, the coloration of ponds not actively being sampled. Users of the ponds within the park are advised to educate themselves about cyanobacteria blooms and use their own judgement and observations to make decisions governing use of the ponds. Click here to access the APCC Cyanobacteria Monitoring 2025 map. The weather was perfect on Saturday, July 12 for the 14th annual Brewster Conservation Day (BCD). This year’s event featured a new location at the Sea Camps Property that provided more space to include expanded activities for adults and children alike. The Brewster Conservation Trust, the Town of Brewster, and the Brewster Ponds Coalition once again sponsored the event. New this year was “The Creativity Zone,” a special area created just for children that included hands-on crafts, face painting, sing-alongs, and more - all that underscored this year’s theme of “Trees: Superheroes of the Natural World.” The BPC exhibit included CapeCorps’ “The Big Flush,” manned by BPC volunteers. Many children enjoyed being “flushed,” with sounds mimicking a real flushing toilet. They also had fun chatting with Shelly the Turtle! Additionally, the BPC exhibit gave visitors the opportunity to receive information on our signature programs including the Pond Protection Pledge, Citizen Science, and Pond Education, as well as learning more about membership and volunteer opportunities.  Saturday, August 9 8:30 to 9:00 AM: Registration & Breakfast 9:00 to 11:00 AM: Business Meeting & Guest Speaker Cape Cod Bible Alliance Church (3600 Main Street, Brewster) Don't miss this important BPC annual event! Following registration and breakfast, a brief summary of the past year's events, awards, and a business meeting will take place before the Annual Meeting's guest speaker.
The Annual Meeting is free to BPC members, so be sure to reserve your spot. For non-members, we are suggesting a $10 donation at the event. Many thanks to Agway of Cape Cod, a BPC business partner, for its sponsorship of this year's meeting.
The Town of Brewster has just announced an important pond survey! Please consider completing the survey, as all information gathered will assist the Town in continuing to protect Brewster's ponds for future generations. This survey asks for input on how you use Brewster ponds and view their water quality and ecological health. Your feedback is essential to shaping the Town's first Pond Management Plan and guiding efforts to preserve these important natural resources. Through this survey and the development of the Pond Management Plan, both the Brewster Natural Resources Advisory Commission and the Town of Brewster are hoping to raise public awareness about how residents and visitors can help maintain and improve pond conditions. The survey will remain open until July 31, 2025. Please contact the Department of Natural Resources at (508) 896-4546 with any questions.   Brewster Conservation Day (BCD) 2025, now in its 14th year, will be held in a new location, with expanded activities and events, with the same fun and excitement you’ve come to expect from Cape Cod’s best loved conservation fair! And it's free! Come and enjoy this fun family event on Saturday, July 12, from 9:30 AM to 1:30 PM, rain or shine. This year’s theme is “Trees: Superheroes of the Natural World,” celebrating the critical role trees play in protecting our planet, sustaining wildlife, and enriching our lives. For the first time, BCD will take place at the Sea Camps Bay Property at 3057 Main Street, Brewster. With the additional space that this property allows, new activities are planned. ● Russell Norton, Barnstable County Cooperative Extension Horticulture and Agriculture Educator, will be the featured speaker. He'll discuss the role of trees and forests on Cape Cod over time. ● The brand new “Creativity Zone” will engage children of all ages in fun, hands-on activities related to the fair’s theme, organized in part by the Brewster Cultural Council. Alex Roberts of Dot to Dot Art Workshop will offer special activities, and artist Kate Sidwell will assist children in decorating a spirited tree constructed in honor of the event. ● A live music performance will be presented by students of Washashore Music. Additionally, singer-songwriter Paul Kehoe will perform children's favorites. There will be over 40 exhibitors that together celebrate our community’s natural resources and coastal habitat. Visitors will be able to engage in various interactive displays while learning about the importance of protecting our valuable resources. Animal lovers will enjoy displays about marine wildlife rescue and landscaping to attract wildlife. Other displays will celebrate sustainable landscaping practices, pond health and water quality, and native plants and pollinators. Once again, Mattie Dread, the voice and spirit of WOMR, will serve as the fair’s emcee, and crowd favorite Trevor the Juggler will entertain all. Don't miss Cape Corps' (formerly AmeriCorps) "The Big Flush," manned by BPC volunteers and winner of best BCD exhibit two years in a row. This fun activity always entertains and educates both children and adults alike! Our exhibit will also include information about our ongoing programs, including the Pond Protection Pledge, Citizen Science, and Pond Education. Come and enjoy the expanded activities of Brewster Conservation Day 2025 and see why this annual event is a perennial favorite! For more information, visit the Brewster Conservation Trust website.   A group of BPC members and friends joined us on Saturday, May 17, at Terra Firma Permagardens (a BPC business partner) for a presentation by Peter Jensen that focused on strengthening our outdoor landscapes to protect our aquifer. Peter, a regenerative agroecologist, explained the importance of understanding the topography of one's property in order to see how and where surface water goes. He showed the group the hugel terraces that were built in 2023. These terraces are now filled with native plants and the ditch in front of them catches water and runoff, soaking into the logs placed under the terraces so that the soil retains the moisture. In terms of promoting a meadow landscape, once it is determined where surface water flows, the grass at that point should cease to be mowed. Instead, mow pathways perpendicular to the hill so that you can walk through the area to be terraced, leaving most of the landscape unmowed to stop the groundwater from becoming runoff. Most importantly, Peter stressed the importance of maintaining a buffer of untouched plantings close to a pond and/or wetland area. The BPC is thankful for Terra Firma Permagarden’s partnership that clearly demonstrates its dedication to protecting our water resources.  It’s official! Brewster’s Integrated Water Resource Management Plan (IWRMP) will include important sections to address the BPC’s concerns regarding wastewater management. In response, the BPC has indefinitely postponed Citizens Petition article 18 to fund a Comprehensive Wastewater Management Plan (CWMP). The vote at Town Meeting on May 5 was overwhelmingly in favor of capital funding article 10. Of special concern to the BPC was item 10.1.a which requested $100K for water resource projects including updates to the IWRMP that will now include sections specifically related to wastewater management. During the comment period, John Keith, Environmental Engineer and BPC Vice President, explained the importance of the wastewater sections now added to the IWRMP and why the BPC Board voted to accept the updated IWRMP in lieu of proceeding with the Citizens Petition to fund a CWMP. Following article 10, the Town Moderator immediately moved on to Article 18, the BPC’s Citizens Petition article to fund a CWMP. As agreed, BPC President Susan Bridges began by making a motion to indefinitely postpone the article. She then went on to thank the 100+ people who signed the petition and acknowledged that with their support, the BPC was able to have its article on the warrant. Susan also thanked Peter Lombardi (Brewster Town Administrator), members of the Water Resources Task Force, and the Select Board for working with the BPC to include important sections of a wastewater management plan into the Town’s IWRMP. She repeated John’s comments about the BPC Board voting unanimously to accept the changes to the IWRMP in lieu of moving ahead with a CWMP and stated that this is a win for everyone. She also underscored the BPC’s commitment to work with the Town on water resource protection projects. The BPC is grateful to its members, friends, and the voters in Brewster for supporting this important effort. Pictured below is Susan Bridges addressing the audience and Town Moderator Charles Sumner at the podium.  |
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