The cleaning power of oysters
The cleaning power of oysters Tasty bivalves provide clear water and denitrification, and play an important part in local marine ecosystems. The Martha’s Vineyard Times By Lucas Thors December 23, 2020 Oysters naturally clean the water column, reduce nitrogen, and are a vital part of the marine ecosystem on Martha’s Vineyard. — Lucas Thors Oysters […]
Barnstable High School launches $1.2M environmental science & technology lab (12/23/20)
Barnstable High School launches $1.2M environmental science & technology lab Barnstable Patriot Bronwen Howells Walsh Dec 23, 2020 As head of Barnstable High School’s new $1.2 million Environmental Science and Technology Lab, Michael Smith cannot wait to get to work. Now entering his 18th year of teaching at BHS, Smith teaching environmental science and biology in the […]
Pot Calling the Kettle….Pond?
Kettle Pond History and Ecology Folks all over the world travel to Cape Cod every year to enjoy its beautiful coastline. But the coastline is not the only place to find water on the Cape! In fact, there are 996 freshwater ponds, 182 of which are in the town of Barnstable. Kettle ponds were formed […]
PFAS: What Are They and Why Do We Care?
On Cape Cod, there has been data collected in past years showing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, accumulating in local waters. But what are PFAS and why are they such an urgent matter? PFAS, are synthetically made chemicals used for product application that allow oil and water repellency, temperature resistance, and friction reduction to […]
Lawsuit seeks major steps to stem septic pollution
Lawsuit seeks major steps to stem septic pollution Conservation Law Foundation says Mashpee, Barnstable and Mass. DEP have ‘utterly failed’ to protect waterways Geoff Spillane gspillane@capecodonline.com Published 2:00 a.m. ET Sep. 17, 2020 BOSTON — An impending lawsuit by an environmental advocacy organization could wreak havoc on the real estate market in the towns of Barnstable […]
Lawsuit could disrupt real estate market in 2 Cape Cod towns (9/17/20)
Lawsuit could disrupt real estate market in 2 Cape Cod towns Cape Cod Times Geoff Spillane gspillane@capecodonline.com BOSTON — An impending lawsuit by an environmental advocacy organization could wreak havoc on the real estate market in the towns of Barnstable and Mashpee. The Conservation Law Foundation has notified the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection and […]
Neighbors Take Action to Save Their Ponds
We love our ponds, rivers, and coastal waters to enjoy our favorite water sports like swimming, fishing, and kayaking — especially during these challenging times. However, many ponds on Cape Cod experienced an emerald green film shining on the surface — a toxic algal bloom called cyanobacteria — which prompted town health officials to close […]
Pilot project uses bioreactor to filter nitrogen from Barnstable waters (9/4/20)
Pilot project uses bioreactor to filter nitrogen from Barnstable waters Cape Cod Times Geoff Spillane gspillane@capecodonline.com MARSTONS MILLS — On a quiet cranberry bog off Whistleberry Drive, an experiment is underway that eventually could have a profound effect on cleaning the Cape’s nitrogen-choked waterways. In late July, a woodchip-based Bioreactor Nitrogen Reduction Pilot Project — the first […]
Exploring Solutions to Excess Nutrients: Restoring Cape Cod’s Waters
Exploring Solutions to Excess Nutrients: Restoring Cape Cod’s Waters Bulletin 1: Summer 2020 Welcome to the bulletin on the Environmental Protection Agency’s research to address excess nutrient loading in Cape Cod’s waters! This will be a biannual update for interested community members on what EPA scientists based in the Office of Research and Development and […]
Hard times afflict Massachusetts’ iconic cranberry bogs, as economic and environmental changes reshape the industry
Hard times afflict Massachusetts’ iconic cranberry bogs, as economic and environmental changes reshape the industry By David Abel Globe Staff, Updated August 30, 2020, 5:28 p.m. PLYMOUTH — For centuries, the ruby-colored fruit was like gold: tart gems that brought hard-earned wealth to generations of families in Southeastern Massachusetts. In recent years, however, the state’s billion-dollar […]