Association to Preserve Cape Cod

09/05/2026

Mike Palmer, APCC restoration ecologist and manager of our herring monitoring program, speaking at the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History in Brewster! 🐟🐟🐟

🐟Did you know the Cape’s iconic Herring Runs are a vital source of information for scientists?

Join Michael Palmer - from Assoc. to Preserve Cape Cod - and learn how they’re collecting data on population trends, habitat needs and stream conditions.

He’ll also talk about their volunteer program and how you can get involved in this essential work.

Thursday, September 10 at 1pm at Cape Cod Museum of Natural History. Get tickets on the website.

Part of our Migration Season of events.

09/04/2026

We're rounding up our favorite Team SOS sightings from around the Cape since we launched in February!

Thanks to everyone putting up signs and spreading the word. The movement of people who love Cape Cod and are ready to protect it for good is growing.

Email [email protected] to get your flag and share your photo with .

09/03/2026

Join Our Restoration Team to See Clean Water Projects in Action During Cape Cod Clean Water Week

Cape Cod Clean Water Week will be held this September, bringing together residents, organizations, scientists, and water advocates to celebrate Cape Cod’s waters and highlight ongoing work to protect clean water. Hosted by the Barnstable County’s Clean Water Center, the week features educational events, guided tours, discussions, and opportunities to learn more about local water quality initiatives.

APCC is proud to join partners across the Cape in celebrating Clean Water Week with two opportunities to get out in the field and see some of our recent clean water projects in action!

Scargo Lake Boat Ramp Restoration Tour & Water Quality Discussion
🚣September 15 | 10:00–11:30 a.m. | Dr. Lord’s Rd South Parking Lot, Dennis

Join the town of Dennis, APCC, and Horsley Witten Group for a guided tour and discussion at Scargo Lake. Learn how stormwater improvements at Dr. Lord’s Road are helping protect water quality and hear updates on the upstream culvert restoration project and ongoing pond monitoring programs. Participants are also welcome to bring a board or kayak for an optional paddle to Scargo Town Landing.

Ribbon Cutting: Mashpee-Wakeby Pond Boat Ramp Improvements
🚣🏼September 16 | 10:00–11:00 a.m. | Fisherman’s Landing, Mashpee

Celebrate the completion of improvements at the popular Mashpee-Wakeby Pond boat ramp with the Department of Fish & Game’s Office of Fishing & Boating Access, Office of Coastal Zone Management, town of Mashpee, APCC, and Horsley Witten Group. The project brings together green stormwater infrastructure and resilience upgrades to help protect water quality at this treasured Cape Cod boating and fishing destination. Following a ribbon cutting, engineers from Horsley Witten Group along with APCC staff will lead a tour of the new green stormwater infrastructure system.

09/01/2026

APCC is excited to collaborate with the Planetary Health Alliance in a special initiative: Planetary Health Stories: A Community Arts & Storytelling

Join us for a two-part series that brings women together to share, through writing, poetry, art, and photography, what they are witnessing, grieving, and hoping for as climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, and changes in food systems reshape the places they call home.

The first is a webinar on Thursday, September 10th at 5:30 p.m. And a special workshop for women on Friday, September 18th at APCC's headquarters, Dennis, in the Koppel Center. Seating is limited.

To learn more about the project and to register for one or both events: https://apcc.org/apcc-is-partnering-with-planetary-health-alliance/

08/31/2026

You've been asking the questions. Here are answers.

Protecting the Cape's high-priority natural resource land isn't easy, but it is possible. Here's exactly what we're working toward, how it gets done, and where you fit in.

Swipe to learn more.

08/30/2026

08/30/2026

08/28/2026

There's a lot we can't control right now. But no matter what happens nationally or globally, we still get a say in what happens to the land right here on the Cape.

We can:
➡️ Restore wetlands and marshes
➡️ Enhance our ability to adapt to the extremes of temperature, storminess, and flooding that are here and getting worse
➡️ Reduce the nutrient load to our waters, ponds, bays, and wetlands so they're better positioned to handle rising temperatures
➡️ Increase our resilience and buy ourselves time from the worst effects of climate change

Join Team SOS if you're ready to take action: TheCapeWeShape.org

08/27/2026

Summer Fieldwork Continues at Weir Creek Salt Marsh

The Ecosystem Restoration Program recently completed vegetation monitoring at Weir Creek in West Dennis, MA, returning to pre-established plots at several long-term monitoring locations in the marsh. Vegetation was first monitored at these locations in 2024 with support from the Cape Cod Conservation District , providing baseline measurements of vegetation communities in Weir Creek. Monitoring was conducted again in 2026 with support from a Salt Marsh Restoration and Monitoring grant from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection and coincides with recent sediment and hydrological monitoring at Weir Creek.

Vegetation monitoring provides critical information about salt marsh condition and change. At each monitoring plot, a 1-meter by 1-meter quadrat made of PVC pipe is laid down on the marsh to define the area where observations will be made. Staff record the individual plant species within the plot and estimate their percent cover, along with the amount of bare ground and dead plant material. Together with the data collected in 2024, this new dataset will provide valuable information about salt marsh conditions before drainage enhancements and culvert replacement. Following restoration, these pre-restoration data will help APCC and partners measure success and guide adaptive management actions.

This past week was also the last for our 2026 Restoration Intern, Ryan Weinsier. The ERP team thanks Ryan for her hard work and dedication to APCC’s mission. We wish you the best, Ryan!

08/26/2026

The Cape is beautiful, but look closer, and it's in distress.

It's sending out an SOS, calling on us to protect the remaining high-priority natural resource land that makes life here possible—for all living creatures.

Will you answer the call? https://thecapeweshape.org