Friday, December 31, 2021

Happy New Year 2022

Happy New Year and as always, thank you for supporting land conservations. We value your friendship, membership and donations which help us grow our conservation properties and maintain them.

We look forward to seeing you in 2022!




Monday, October 25, 2021

SandwichFest 2021

SandwichFest 2021 brought so many folks into our booth!  Thank you for stopping by.  Many of you were interested in learning how close open spaces are to your property, to learn about trails on SCT properties, or to learn how to volunteer.  We are looking forward to the 2022 event. Photos from throughout the day follow.  














July 2021 SCT Newsletter

SCT Members should have received the July 2021 SCT Newsletter in August.  If you are not a member, and are interested in our accomplishments, please see the newsletter below.  


The PDF copy can be accessed by clicking here:  July 2021 SCT Newsletter








 

2021 SCT Annual Meeting

Sandwich Conservation Trust Annual Meeting



The Sandwich Conservation Trust will hold its annual meeting at 2 PM, Sunday, October 31 at the Toolas Preserve, Great Island Road, Sandwich, MA. A brief business meeting will include election of Trustees. Trust President, John Cullity, will give a brief talk and lead a short walk to the adjacent and recently acquired Great Island and Pine Island properties.

Rain date is November 7th.

Due to the current pandemic, there is no guest presentation, and no food or beverages will be served. This is an outdoor and contactless event.

For more information, please contact:

John Cullity: 508-888-7629

Joe Queenan: 508-833-0861




 

Tuesday, March 30, 2021

SCT February 2021 E-newsletter Featuring Brady's Island

Dear Members and Friends,

I can only begin by hoping that you are well and managing through these extraordinary times. It has been a long, difficult year since we came to realize that Covid-19 was a particularly dangerous threat. Small non-profit organizations are among the many groups working hard to figure out ways to keep active and in touch with members. On-line meetings are now the norm and digital communications of all sorts are so valuable, enabling board members and volunteers to keep in touch and keep at least some useful projects moving ahead. 


As always, we are very thankful for our members and their financial support even in difficult times. Please note that there are two ways to send your 2021 dues: wait for the envelope that will be coming soon with the paper SCT newsletter, or you can download and mail the membership form from our website. 


Your dues are important and help pay for technical assistance from the Compact of Cape Cod Conservation Trusts, for liability and other insurance, for field and trail maintenance, supplies, printing and postage. Thank you for being a member of the SCT! 


You’ve heard this theme from us before: a walk in the woods can do wonders for each of us in reducing stress and letting our enjoyment of the natural world take the place of the heavy thoughts of the day. Sandwich and all of Cape Cod is blessed with a variety of preserved lands with intriguing trail systems waiting to be discovered and enjoyed, a great gift. Also, keep an eye out for notices of future SCT sponsored walks. 


Stay well, 


John N. Cullity, President, and the Trustees of the SCT 



Land Through Time: Brady’s Island 


By John N. Cullity 


This column takes a look at a Town of Sandwich conservation parcel that is quite small, tiny, as preserves go, but uniquely placed within Sandwich Village itself. The article to acquire Brady’s Island was presented at town meeting in May, 1967. It passed, but not without some lively debate. There was, for example, a desire by some to build a new town hall on the island, just across Route 6A from the police and fire stations. Citizens interested in parks and conservation noted the unique opportunity to preserve this little gem, which at that time was a beautiful grassy rise with a few big trees, nearly surrounded by open salt marsh (no phragmites yet!) which overlooked a wide panorama of central Sandwich Village in a most appealing way. 


The island (actually half an island, as Rt. 6A was built across the middle of the original island) was kept mowed by the town for many years, and used rather lightly. For whatever the reasons, the effort to keep the area mowed diminished, and by the late 1990s invasive vegetation, notably Multiflora rose, was well established. In addition, the salt marsh edges all around the Sandwich Village inner marsh were filling in with phragmites, a sad loss of attractive views, from stretches of Route 6A and Tupper Road in particular. 


There has long been a desire to restore the island’s beauty and usefulness, and the Sandwich Department of Natural Resources presented an interesting plan to the public last year. Simply described by DNR Director David DeConto: “We are trying to return the area into a meadow with ample parking, signage, gazebo and kayak dock/launch area. So far we have cleared the area of invasive vines, established the parking area and we will be installing the information kiosk soon.” 


Here are some images of Brady’s Island: 



A portion of a U.S. Coastal Survey of 1861 showing Sandwich Village 

and what was then known as Tobey’s Island, unconnected to other upland.  It 

was very likely mowed for hay and probably saw some cultivation as well. 




At some time either side of 1870, the island was purchased by Hugh Brady (1831-1925), 

who worked for the Boston & Sandwich Glass for 40 years, then for the railroad. 

In this portion of Poole’s aerial drawing of Sandwich Village published in 1884, 

we can see the house and buildings built by Mr. Brady, accessed by a bridge. 




This circa 1900 view from Tupper Road, then known as Franklin St., shows 

part of the attractive small homestead and farm where the Brady’s raised at 

least some of their 10 children. Note the porch facing the town to the south. 




An early 1930s view of Brady’s Island framed by the village center to 

the south, and the expanse of undeveloped Town Neck and the bay 

to the north. Also visible is the newly-constructed Rt. 6A. 





This view from Moody’s field was taken by Rosanna Cullity 

in 1959, just before the Brady buildings were removed. 




This 1969 aerial shows how the island was bisected by Route 6A construction 

in 1930. In the early 1950s a combination fire and police station was built north 

of the highway. Some filling of the marsh for business development is evident. 




This 1985 aerial by the author shows the island before being overrun by invasive 

vegetation. The Sandwich DNR plans to restore the area back to this open 

appearance. Note the phragmites growth beginning along Tupper Road. 




John Ohman (1910-2000), who lived at 101 Tupper Rd.  In 1967 he worked with 

Conservation Commission member Dr. Shirley G. Cross in the effort to save Brady’s 

Island. John later played a significant role in land preservation during his 

chairmanship of the Sandwich Environmental Task Force during the mid-1980s. 




The Ohman Preserve. In 1987 John and Edythe Ohman donated 2.67 acres 

of marsh adjacent to Brady’s Island to the Sandwich Conservation Trust. 

The map is from Town of Sandwich website. 




One of several big trees on Brady’s Island, a small-leafed linden. 

Lynn Cullity photo. 


Stay well, stay in touch, and walk in the woods! 


If you would like to view and/or download the E-newsletter, click on the link below:


SCT February 2021 E-newsletter featuring Brady's Island






Sunday, March 21, 2021

Nature Run, Saturday, March 27, 2021

What is the Nature Run Club?

This running club is inspired by the beautiful trails and landscapes we are so lucky to have all across Cape Cod. To support these beautiful spaces, we ask for a $5 donation from each runner every week, which we donate to the land conservation organization that protects the areas we run through, or operates in the Town we run in. We run (and walk!) every other Saturday at 7:30am along a nature-inspired route. The upcoming run will take place on March 27 at 7:30 a.m. at Shawme-Crowell State Park, 42 Main St, Sandwich, MA 02563. We'll grab a post-run coffee from Cafe Chew. Our beneficiary this Saturday is the Sandwich Conservation Trust.
  • The route will be approximately a 5K.
  • Masks and social distancing are required.
  • We will postpone the run by a week if there is poor weather such as heavy rain, snow, or extremely low temperatures.
  • We are asking for a $5 donation per runner, which will be given to the nonprofit whose land we run on, or the one that supports land conservation in the town we are running.
  • We'll grab coffee and chat at a social distance after!
Click here to sign up for the run. Space is limited, so sign up early.

Questions?  Email Lillie, the Nature Run Club leader, at:  lilliepeterson@gmail.com

Directions: 
Shawme-Crowell State Park
Address for GPS: 42 Main St, Sandwich, MA 02563

From Hyannis
Follow Bearses Way to Route 28/Iyannough Road
Take Route 6 West towards Boston for about 9 miles
Take exit 59 for MA-130 N toward Sandwich
Turn left onto MA-130 N/Water St and follow for about 2.4 miles
Continue to follow MA-130 N. The park will be on your left.

From the Bourne Bridge
At the Bourne Rotary S, take the 5th exit onto Sandwich Rd E
Continue onto MA-6A E and follow for about 4.5 miles
Slight right onto MA-130 S/Main St. The park will be on your right.

Hope to see you getting into nature with a group graciously donating to our cause.


Sunday, March 7, 2021

Mosquito Control at Elinor's Woods

The Cape Cod Mosquito Control Project (CCMP) visited Elinor's Woods (http://www.sandwichconservationtrust.org/p/elinors-woods.html) to assess and address ponding issues on the property in early February. The small pond by the first bridge on the Eagle Trail was cleared of debris that had fallen in the vicinity and the creek. This debris was causing overflow onto the trail. Mosquitos develop in standing water, so restoring a healthy flow to the Cow River is a great benefit. Thank you CCMP!

The CCMP is funded through our state taxes. To learn more about them, visit their website https://www.ccmcp.net.

Elinor's Woods Trailhead Sign

Map of Elinor's Woods