The Orleans Conservation Trust protects and restores natural lands — for people and wildlife, the health of our waters, and the character of our community. | |
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Tuesday, August 27, 5pm
Refreshments and cash bar at 4:30 pm
Orleans Yacht Club (39 Cove Road, Orleans)
Featured Speaker: Carole Ridley, Coordinator of the Herring River Restoration Project
Join OCT for our Annual Meeting! Enjoy refreshments and the gorgeous view over Town Cove as we celebrate the work OCT does to protect and restore land for people and wildlife. Attendees will learn about the Trust's exciting new projects, including At Home with Nature, an initiative to help residents increase the habitat value of their home landscape; our ongoing work with the Orleans schools; and our most recent land acquisitions and stewardship projects.
Our guest speaker, Carole Ridley, will share updates on the Herring River Restoration in Wellfleet—the largest estuary restoration project in the Northeast and an excellent example of bold land management.
We'll also announce the results of our Trustee election. OCT Members can cast their vote for the slate of Trustees and for an amendment to OCT's Declaration of Trust online through August 26 at 5pm, and we plan to welcome three new members to the board.
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Many thanks to all who have voted and helped us reach our minimum requirement 100 votes! All votes count, so you can still cast your vote if you haven't already: | PLEASE NOTE: Households with two voting members should fill out the voting form twice - once for each member. | |
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NEW DATE: Thursday, August 15, 9:30-11am
Putnam Farm, Orleans
Putnam Farm, acquired by the Town of Orleans in 2010, has become a hub for small-scale agriculture. Learn about the recent wetland restoration, the growers working the land, and the area's rich history on this short walk.
Limited participation; advanced registration required.
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Wednesday, August 14, 9:30-11:30am
13 Champlain Road, Orleans
Join OCT staff as we improve the trail at Mill Pond Valley! At this workday, we will add 4x4 supports to the existing bog boards and maintain sections of trail.
Please bring water; trail tools will be provided.
Meet at the Mill Pond Valley Conservation Area trailhead at 13 Champlain Rd.
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OCT Office Demonstration Garden Session | |
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Thursday, August 22, 9:30-11:30am
203 South Orleans Road, Orleans
Are you considering putting in a native plant garden at your home? Learn from OCT's experience installing a native plant garden at our office. At this workday, we will talk all things native plants, weed parts of the garden, and install edge material.
Please dress appropriately for the weather and bring any gloves or personal items that you require. Hand tools will be provided.
Meet at OCT's office; 203 South Orleans Road.
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Terrapin Hatching Season is Here! | |
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After a long, hot summer, diamondback terrapins are ready to emerge. Volunteers help excavate nests, weigh and measure hatchlings, and collect important data for Mass Audubon.
Interested in helping? Please reach out to Eamon Caffrey, ecaffrey@massaudubon.org.
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"Fundamentals of Pollinator Gardening" | |
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Wednesday, September 4, 6:30pm
CHO Meetinghouse
3 River Road, Orleans
The past two decades have seen a swell of enthusiasm for pollinator gardening in the United States. Depending on where you look, the advice for how to best help pollinators can vary greatly, and can sometimes lead to confusion.
Join Dr. Nick Dorian to learn the fundamentals and the science of pollinator gardening. We’ll learn to identify common pollinators in the garden, what floral and nesting resources those pollinators need, and what actions you can take to ensure their needs are met in every season. Whether you are a seasoned native gardener, or just starting out on your pollinator garden journey, this talk will have something new for you!
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“Design with Nature on Cape Cod: Meeting Nature Halfway” | |
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Tuesday, September 10, 6:30pm
Orleans Yacht Club
39 Cove Road, Orleans
Landscape design featuring native plants helps reduce water and pesticide use, supports native pollinators, and strengthens a sense of place. By starting with an understanding of of site ecology, a designer can mix natives with other species to create beautiful gardens with multi-season interest, among other benefits. Based on Dr. Jack Ahern’s 2022 book Design with Nature on Cape Cod and the Islands.
Doors open at 6pm with a cash bar; the lecture begins at 6:30pm.
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Upcoming Walks:
- Hike to Pochet Island (9/15)
- Woods Cove (10/10)
- Three Ponds (11/13)
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Upcoming Talks:
- "Fundamentals of Pollinator Gardening" (9/4) by Nick Dorian
- "Designing with Nature on Cape Cod: Meeting Nature Halfway" by Jack Ahern (9/10)
- "Coexisting with Our Wild Neighbors" by Stephanie Ellis (10/9)
- "Birds, Bees, and Butterflies in Your Backyard" by Mark Faherty (11/6)
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October Sneak Peak:
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10/9: "Coexisting with Our Wild Neighbors" Lecture: Stephanie Ellis, Wild Care’s executive director, will discuss human impacts on the lives of our native wildlife and offer tips for how we can all coexist. She will suggest alternatives to rodenticides for controlling rodent populations, dispel myths about coyotes, and describe how we benefit from Virginia opossums and other creatures that share our outdoor space.
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At Home with Nature
Nature-friendly practices you can adopt for your yard
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What is a "Biodiversity Hotspot”?
Biodiversity hotspots are regions with exceptionally high species diversity, and they make up less than 3% of the Earth's surface. Cape Cod falls within the North American Coastal Plain hotspot.
You can protect biodiversity in this extraordinary region through responsible landscaping—choosing native plants that support local wildlife, removing invasive species, and avoiding the use of chemicals. Click here for additional ways to preserve biodiversity and here for more information on biodiversity hotspots.
Check back monthly for more At Home with Nature tips, and visit our new webpage!
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Orleans Conservation Trust is a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit established in 1970. Over its 50-year history, the Trust has preserved more than 660 acres in Orleans. Among the most active land trusts on Cape Cod, OCT stewards a range of ecosystems, from freshwater ponds and wetlands to saltmarshes, wooded upland, and coastal grasslands, managing its lands to protect and enhance wildlife habitat, restore native ecosystems, and provide public recreation and education through a network of trails and informational signage. OCT also educates residents and visitors about important natural values and environmental issues in Orleans and around Cape Cod via guided walks, free lectures, its website, newsletter, and other communications. | | | | |
