2009 in review...

The Brewster Natural Resources Department includes shellfish propagation and management, harbormaster duties (boats and moorings), and management of public lands, including coastal beaches, flats, and ponds. We also work with various town and county committees and boards related to Brewster's natural environment.

The department includes:
Chris Miller, Director
Ryan Burch, Natural Resources Assistant/Assistant Harbormaster
Jim Gallagher, Conservation Administrator/Natural Resources Assistant

The department samples public bathing beaches weekly in season (for bacteria). We also monitor the nutrient/pesticide and herbicide use at Captains Golf Course and the Freemans Way Recreation Fields on a tri-annual basis.

Working with the Brewster Pond and Lake Stewards, we sample the ponds in town, monitoring water quality.

We host an AmeriCorp individual placement each year; this year we are working on publishing information on improving Brewster's pond water quality.

AmeriCorp also assisted us with group days, providing a dozen eager volunteers to take on some more advanced projects in town, including sorting oysters in our propagation areas; clearing brush and downed trees in our fire management areas of the Punkhorns, and helping to maintain the field habitat project at Wings Island.

We run an active summer intern program. This year we had an independant study on water quality and suitability for shellfish growth in Freemans Pond. We also had a regular group of high school interns working with us on shellfish, land management, and other duties.

We also have an active volunteer program for adults. This year we had one intern come in weekly for several hours, who could work independantly on several vital projects. We also have a core group of volunteers who assist with shellfish work, including oyster propagation, and stocking quahogs in our summer area off Saints Landing. Without this additional help we could not offer the level of service the town has come to expect.

We have begun work on replacing the undersized culverts on Stony Brook under Rt. 6a as part of a federal ARRA stimulus grant. We expect to spend countless hours on this during 2010, culminating in the culvert replacement in fall 2010.

The undersized culverts are failing; and they prevent much of the tide waters from flooding the salt marsh south of Rt. 6a. The larger culverts will restore over 20 acres of salt marsh, and will help several rare plant species in the Stony Brook Valley.

Stony Brook is also one of the best herring runs in the state, and improving this culvert is part of our efforts to maintain and improve this fish run.

Part of this project includes work on the Lee Baldwin Trail at the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History, as the larger culverts will allow more salt water onto the marsh south of 6a. This will flood out the trail at certain tides; as mitigation, we will be reworking portions of the trail.

This has been a great public/private partnership between the Town, NOAA Restoration Center (the funding source), the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History (the landowner for the marsh restoration area), the Association to Preserve Cape Cod (co-project manager), Coastal Zone Management/Wetland Restoration Program, and Division of Marine Fisheries (project management and sponsorship), MA Highways (owner of the roadway and culvert), Brewster Alewife Committee, and countless others.

Quivett Marsh Vista

Check out the new video, courtesy of the Compact of Cape Cod Conservation Trusts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gFs-V39pAE

Brewster Conservation Trust paid for 1/2 of the cost of this newest Brewster conservation property; the video is another way for them to raise the money to repay the loan they used to help purchase the property for Brewster.

July 20

The Brewster Department of Natural Resources is an excellent way to get involved in the community . It offers three different volunteer programs to choose from.

Land Management/ Maintenance:

• Assist with implementing land management plans for various town owned properties

• Removal of invasive species using hand tools

• Conduct routine trail maintenance
  

• Organize a community based volunteer day to maintain or clean town owned property

• Maintain the grounds around the shellfish departmment

The Land Management/ Maintenance position is a great way to learn about land management, habitat restoration, and trail construction and maintenance.

Water Technician:

• Weekly water samples are taken from the Town's public swimming beaches and ponds

• Monthly water samples are taken from Long Pond, which include using the instruments: YSI, secchi disk and grab sample tube

• Assist with water samples taken at Captain's Golf Course
  

• Help organize a community Beach Sweep

• Weekly maintenance and cleaning of the department's boats

The water Technician position is ideal for learning about vessels, field sampling, community outreach, and boat maintenance

Shellfish Aquaculture/ Propagation Assistant:

• Oysters are sorted by size at low tide and relocated to designated beds

• Repair of shellfish gearing equipment

• Transport and distribute quahogs to designated areas

• Maintain department boats

• Develop educational programs such as "Learn to Shellfish Day"

• Assist with town's mooring regulations

The Shellfish Aquaculture/ Propagation Assistant position will help you learn more about the life cycle of certain species of shellfish. You will also learn how to maintain shellfish farms.

If you are in high school and looking to learn valuable "life skills" while serving your community, then fill out an application at the Brewster Department of Natural Resources. Pick any of the three positions that best interests you. We hope you join the volunteer program of the Brewster Natural Resources Department. If you have any other questions or want to learn more check out all of the information we have to offer on our website...

July 1

Our busiest season at the DNR...

We received a federal stimulus grant for our work to replace the restrictive culvert under 6A near Betty's Curve. This will improved the herring run to Stony Brook, and restore approximately 20 acres of salt marsh south of 6A. More to follow.

Completed in the last month:

• Installed the swim rafts at Long Pond beach and the Sailing program raft at Upper Mill.
• Installed the "no wake" floats in Long Pond; many of them replaced this year.
• Built and installed a new kayak rack for the Rec department at Long Pond.
• Purchased and installed three new bike racks at town landings.
• Purchased and installed three new kiosks in the Punkhorn Parklands (Calf Field Pond, Eagle Point, and the trail east of the parking area). Thanks to Brian Dinizio, AmeriCorp, for all his work in completing trail maintenance and creating the new trail guides.
• Wing Island erosion control on the trails (with AmeriCorp assistance).
• Lot of work at our newest property, Quivett Marsh Vista (on 6A at the west end of town). New split rail fencing, work on the parking area; removal of invasives and non-native plants, establishing a nature trail, removal of a metal shed and other detrius. Still more ongoing...

Ongoing:

• Weekly surface water sampling of public bathing beaches, fresh and salt.
• Pond monitoring has increased, in addition to our seasonal sampling of groundwater at Captains and the rec fields.
  
• Oysters are growing fast; we expect to purchase more seed this week.
• Shellfishing at our stocked area off Saints Landing on Thursdays and Sundays.
  
• Summer intern program has grown again; Monday is Water Quality work; Tuesday is Shellfish; Wednesday is Land Management. We couldn't get all of what's needed done without the support of our volunteers; thanks.
• Wildfire fuel reduction in the Punkhorn Parklands.
• Regulatory sign replacement of worn/damaged signs.
• Managing the mooring process; still have many unregistered moorings to bring into compliance.
  

The new DNR boat is being used weekly; very nice to have a suitable and safe way to manage the bay side.

Week ending Sunday April 26, 2009

Busy week at the Brewster DNR.

• Finished up the week of Littleneck harvest at Ellis Landing on Sunday the 19th. Weather was on and off all week, but most people got at least one full harvest over the Sunday to Sunday period. Couple photos here: http://picasaweb.google.com/BrewsterDNR/200904LittlenecksEllis#
  
  

On Tuesday we were scheduled to begin our "Learn to Shellfish" program, but it was rained out and postponed until Wednesday.

• On Wednesday we started the kids program at Spruce Hill, educating them on the life cycle of shellfish, how to identify them, and a bit on size and harvest limits (and why they are important). We provided an activity book based on one used in Barnstable. Everyone had fun digging quahogs and steamers (soft shell clams), as well as looking for other native shellfish. As I recall, we found a number of small oysters and a few of harvest size; some blue mussels and evidence of razor clams and scallops.
• Thursday's shellfish program included a visit to the town's shellfish grant off Mant's Landing, at the end of Robbins Hill Road. We worked the grant, culling the oysters by size, removing those that hadn't survived, and seeing what else lived on and around the grant. Then we moved in towards shore to look for more steamers and mussels.
• Friday completed the program, at Spruce Hill once again digging for steamers, quahogs, and heading out a bit to deeper water where The Channel starts.

Overall, a successful program that we hope to continue over summer break. Thanks to those that volunteered for the program, and to Wendy and Brewster Recreation who organized, advertised and sponsored us.

Photo gallery here: http://picasaweb.google.com/BrewsterDNR/200904LrnShellfish#

The Friends of the Punkhorns also met to do some trail work at the north end near the parking lot, both on Thursday and again on Sunday. Great to see people take an active interest in protecting and enhancing their public resources.

Also this week, we participated in some IFAW training (IFAW is the International Fund for Animal Welfare; on Cape Cod, they handle all stranded/injured/dead marine mammals, such as dolphins, whales and seals. 24 hour stranding hotline: (508) 743-9548 ). On Saturday (early), we went to Provincetown to help release two rehabilitated Harp seals with IFAW. Beautiful day; whales in all directions feeding on massive schools of bait fish. The seals travelled up all night from a rehab facility in NJ down near Atlantic City, and quickly headed off to sea northward.

Brewster has had several strandings or dead dolphins and seals this winter, probably because of the way the currents and winter winds bring things in to our beaches. Be aware that it is normal for seals to haul out on our beaches; they usually don't need help, other than keeping dogs and visitors at a safe distance. We're moving into pup season for harbor seals, so don't be surprised if there are a few hanging around in the next month or so.

Monday, March 9, 2009

• 2009 Shellfishing permits available at Selectman's office in Town Hall. Non commercial shellfishing regulations
• Mooring permit applications due by February 15th.

Completed:

• The town's oysters were put out on the flats from winter storage on Saturday March 7th. Thanks to all the volunteers who make this program possible.
• New DNR boat selected and delivered; work ongoing to get it ready for the season.
• Field maintenance at Wings Island is generally complete for the spring. Additional work will continue to clean up areas inaccessible by the tractor. AmeriCorp assistance on March 2 during a snow and sleet storm was essential in completing this work.
  
• Stony Brook crossing at Rt. 6A. The feasibility study to remove the tidal restriction and restore saltmarsh south of 6A, while maintaining the herring run, is complete, and we are working on engineering design with partners from the state Coastal Zone Management, APCC and the Museum of Natural History.
• Beach erosion control fencing was installed at Spruce Hill conservation area with the help of AmeriCorp on March 6th. We also did trail maintenance and cleaned up about 1/2 truck full of garbage from the swamp near the end of the trail.

Oyster propagation funding from the county for 2009 has been reduced by 3/4 for oyster seed, and no quahog seed; so the department is looking for creative ways to fundraise so we can continue this popular program. We've raised a few hundred $ through sales of the "Brewster Oysters" shirts and hats in a joint venture with the other private aquaculture grants in town.

Ongoing:

• New kiosks and trail maps for Punkhorn Parklands.
• Establishing a "Friends of the Punkhorns" group, email Brian at BDinizio@town.brewster.ma.us
  
• Wildfire fuel reduction in the Punkhorn Parklands.
• Regulatory sign review to replace worn/damaged signs.
• Permitting and design work for stormwater control at Betty's Curve and the culvert project at Stony Brook and 6A.
  
• Oyster propagation work.
• Refit of the new DNR boat.
• Repair to the DNR building (replacing some rotten floor joists, new supports for garage floor, rotten sill and floor in garage area, garage door repair or replacement)...
  

• Proposals for new DNR boat due by January 30th.
• 2009 Shellfishing permits available at Selectman's office in Town Hall. Non commercial shellfishing regulations
• Mooring permit applications due by February 15th.

Oyster propagation funding from the county for 2009 has been cut (initially we thought it was cut by 1/3 less for oysters, and no quahog seed; now the news is worse; no funding at all); so the department is looking for creative ways to fundraise so we can continue this popular program. We've raised a few hundred $ through sales of the "Brewster Oysters" shirts and hats in a joint venture with the other private aquaculture grants in town.

Ongoing:

• Field maintenance at Wings Island, early February. Making good progress; should be done by the end of the month.
  
• New kiosks and trail maps for Punkhorn Parklands.
• Wildfire fuel reduction in the Punkhorn Parklands.
• Regulatory sign review to replace worn/damaged signs.
• Stony Brook crossing at Rt. 6A: continuing work on a feasibility study to remove the tidal restriction and restore saltmarsh south of 6A, while maintaining the herring run.
• Beach erosion control fencing and dune grass planting at Spruce Hill conservation area.