April 2023 - News from

FRIENDS OF HERRING RIVER

and the HERRING RIVER RESTORATION PROJECT

Large Turnout - Herring River Restoration Project Groundbreaking Celebration

Clockwise: 1. A sign outlines the Herring River Restoration Project's planned new bridge and water access schematics, major contractors and project partners. 2. Attendees of the Groundbreaking mingle. 3. Town of Wellfleet Selectboard Chair with Congressman Keating and other honored guest speakers alongside ceremonial shovels.

Photo Credits, with thanks!: Laurie Warner

Nearly 200 people came to the "Gut" at the mouth of the Herring River on Friday, March 31 to celebrate the start of the restoration project's construction phase 1, with focus on removing the existing dike and replacing it with a new bridge on Chequessett Neck Road with sliding gates to gradually restore natural tidal flow. After decades of research, collaboration, and carefully planning it was a major celebration! Read the Town of Wellfleet Press Release here.

The sun was shining, a pair of ospreys, a noisy kingfisher, and several ducks and cormorants flew into sight during the speeches, to the delight of the many birders in the audience. These unscripted moments emphasized the very nature that a healthy ecosystem will protect.

A large contingent of Federal, State and local officials as well as Friends of Herring River were welcomed to the microphone for short speeches. In attendance were representatives of the many professional firms working on the project.

Supportive residents and property owners people attended in large numbers and gave their approval with applause at every opportunity!

ProgrCarole Ridley, Project Coordinator, made introductions for the following:

Welcome

Richard Waldo, Town Administrator, 

Wellfleet

Remarks on behalf of Cape Cod National Seashore

 Brian Carlstrom, Superintendent, 

Cape Cod National Seashore

Honored Guest Speakers

•Congressman William Keating, 

US House of Representatives

•Sen. Edward Markey, US Senate, 

•Represented by James Cantwell, 

State Director for Sen Elizabeth Warren, US Senate

•Represented by Ben Thomas, Regional Director, Sen. Ed Markey, US Senate

•Sen. Julian Cyr, Cape & Islands District •Rep. Sarah Peake, 4^th Barnstable 

District

•Rebecca Tepper, Secretary, MA 

Executive Office of Energy and 

Environmental Affairs

 •Daniel Wright, State Conservationist, 

US Department of Agriculture, Natural 

Resource Conservation Service

•Carrie Robinson, Director, Office of 

Habitat Conservation, NOAA Fisheries

•Wendi Weber, Deputy Director, US Fish and Wildlife Service

•Christa Drew, Executive Director, 

Friends of Herring River

UPCOMING EVENTS

Wellfleet Community Forum: Herring River – Restoration Project Update & Engagement Opportunities (Christa Drew & Carol Ridley)

Thursday, April 13 | 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm

The Wellfleet Forum will host presentations (in-person and on Zoom) on three topics of public interest: Proponents of Articles 40 (Specialized Energy Code) and Article 41 (Demolition Day) will explain the need for these bylaw changes. Around 8:20 pm Friends of Herring River will discuss the current status of the restoration project, with time for questions. LINK to FLYER

Guided Walk - Griffin Island & Duck Harbor with John Portnoy

Sunday, May 7, 2023  | 9:00 am – 11:30 am

This 2.5 mile walk over Griffin Island and along the south shore of Duck Harbor will include discussion of some cultural history of the "Wellfleet Islands" along with ongoing resource management in Duck Harbor, part of the Herring Restoration Project. John Portnoy, ecologist and a long-time community leader with Friends of Herring River, will lead this walk. The meeting spot is the Duck Harbor parking lot. Rain date is May 21, 2023. See map of walk route.

Voices of the River – Poetry Reading

Wednesday, May 10, 2023 | 5:00 pm – 6:30 pm

Come celebrate the wonder and beauty of the Outer Cape natural ecosystems. Friends of Herring River has invited a few local naturalist-poets to read their inspired works. Anyone who recently published a poem in the Friends’ newsletter (submissions open until April 28) is also invited to read. Thanks to the generous partnership of Wellfleet Preservation Hall, this event is free and open to the public. LINK to FLYER

OPPORTUNITIES

Friends of Herring River has a new website!

Check it out: www.herringriver.org

In addition to Friends’ history, mission and activities, on this website you can follow the Herring River Restoration Project under ‘Restoration Updates’. Thanks to ColeDevWeb for the redesign & hosting.

Voices of the River… a call for poetry, paintings, or photographs of the natural world on the Outer Cape. The beauty of dawn and dusk, the play of light on sparkling water, the call of swooping birds… Inspired by April as National Poetry Month and with deep appreciation for artistic expression to celebrate the natural world & invite us into stewardship of environmental vitality, Friends of Herring River welcomes you to submit poems or digital images by April 28, 2023 to bchapman@herringriver.org and drheault@herringriver.org   These works will be published in the Friends’ May e-newsletter.

Join the Friends of Herring River Team!

Friends is seeking an Operations Coordinator. Please review the job description. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis; interviews began in early April 2023.

MARCH HIGHLIGHTS

Annual Herring Count Workshop & Talk

On March 16 - Organized by Dr. Barbara Brennesel, Board member, Friends of Herring River, more than 25 people came to hear an inspiring talk by Dr. Betsy Gladfelter on restoration of the Coonamesset River in Falmouth, MA. Powerfully inspiring and affirming of the need for a patient, collaborative process at the Herring River estuary.

Barbara provided guidance on the herring count in Wellfleet (one of 41 active herring runs on Cape Cod) from April 1-June 1. It's an essential citizen science data collection activity; helping to track the local herring population which hopefully increases through the restoration. Thanks to all the Herring Counter volunteers!

NOAA Visits Herring River Restoration Project

Under the leadership of Dr. Rick Spinrad, the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmospheres & NOAA Administrator, an esteemed NOAA delegation came to Wellfleet to hear a project overview and participate in a site visit with members of the project and technical teams. We are all fortunate to have such informed and engaged funders within this collaborative and dynamic restoration project.

P.O. Box 565 | 1580 US-6

South Wellfleet, MA 02663

508-214-0656

Please Consider a Donation

Support our mission - restoring and sustaining the environmental vitality of the Herring River estuary for its multiple benefits to people and nature.

Friends of Herring River is a 501c3 nonprofit organization. 

To donate, please click here