The Orleans Conservation Trust protects and restores natural lands—for people and wildlife, the health of our waters, and the character of our community. | |
Working Together with Our Community | |
10 days ago, we were notified that one of our osprey platforms had blown over in a recent high wind event. The platform was occupied by a pair of bald eagles at the time, so we quickly connected with our partners at Mass Audubon, MassWildlife, Orleans Conservation Department, and Orleans DNR to coordinate reinstallation during a safe weather window. On short notice, dedicated volunteers answered our call for help and we were able to successfully raise another platform by hand on 2/26. Thank you to all that made this project possible! Please contact Sam O'Neill (sam@orleansconservationtrust.org) if you want to be contacted about volunteer opportunities in the future. | |
Now Hiring: 2025 Land Stewardship Summer Intern | |
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OCT is now accepting applications for our 2025 internship program. Our Land Stewardship Summer Intern will work directly with staff to advance the mission of OCT through a variety of land management activities. The intern can expect to be involved with property inspections and maintenance, long and short-term land management planning, habitat management, property documentation, and volunteer engagement. They will report to OCT’s Director of Land Stewardship and will also work closely with the Land Stewardship Technician.
Learn more about the internship and how to apply here.
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"Nurturing Nature" Lecture | |
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Tuesday, March 11, 6:30pm
39 Cove Road, Orleans
Vulnerable populations—such as the neurodiverse or physically challenged—are at an elevated risk of suffering from isolation and stress-related illnesses. Gardening is a good solution, since it proves beneficial to physical, cognitive, and emotional health.
Jill Mays shows how beginners can start gardening, from the smallest pot of flowers to a large, flourishing plot of land. She describes why gardening is critical to everyone’s health and provides step-by-step instructions on how to create a garden. She also reviews specific activities, ways to adapt projects to accommodate special needs, and benefits gained from these tasks. Finally, Jill includes recent findings on the health benefits of gardening.
Read more about Jill’s book, Nurturing Nature: A Guide to Gardening for Special Needs here.
The lecture will take place at the Orleans Yacht Club, 39 Cove Road, Orleans. Doors open at 6pm; lecture starts at 6:30.
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Twinings Pond Walk and Workday | |
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Wednesday, March 19, 9-10:30am
135 Quanset Road, Orleans
Walk about 1 mile around Twinings Pond, exploring OCT’s eco-restoration efforts, followed by a chance to participate in our ongoing work here.
After the walk, join us as we lay seed in the eco-restoration area. We've worked to remove invasive privet in the restoration area, and now it's time to plant native seed to make sure that the invasives don't return and that a native habitat can thrive.
Tools will be provided, but make sure to have shoes appropriate for off-trail travel, a pair of work gloves, water, and any personal items you might need.
Note: You can participate in the 1-mile walk at 9am, the workday at 10:30am, or both!
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Friday, March 28, 9-10:30am
Orleans
With spring just around the corner, we eagerly await the return of red-winged blackbirds, osprey, alewives, singing spring peepers, and Preschool Explorers. Perfect for families with kids ages 2-5, we hope you’ll join Naturalist Ms. Andrea Higgins to get outside, get creative, and get moving during this adventure sponsored by Orleans Conservation Trust and Harwich Conservation Trust. Breathe in the fresh air, see signs of wildlife, and learn about the land we live on.
Location and driving directions will be included in your registration confirmation email.
Photos by Gerry Beetham.
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Volunteer Workdays are now scheduled for the first and third Thursday of each month. Can't make Thursday workdays, but still want to participate? Contact Sam O'Neill at sam@orleansconservationtrust.org
We're now using SignUp to organize our upcoming Volunteer Workdays!
Here's how it works in 3 easy steps:
1) Click here to see OCT's SignUp page.
2) Review the events listed and choose the spot(s) you'd like to sign up for.
3) Sign up! It's easy - and you will not need to register an account or keep a password on SignUp.
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Thursday, March 6, 9:30-11:30am
135 Quanset Rd, Orleans
Help mitigate trail erosion at OCT's Three Ponds Conservation Area by installing drainage ditches throughout the property. As a group, you'll learn how to install a proper drain and then hike to your assigned area to put your new skills to the test. For our volunteers who began this project with us in November: you'll get to see the results of your good work and learn how to reinforce a trail drain.
Please bring work gloves, a pick mattock or similarly designed trail tool for grubbing (if you have one), proper clothes and shoes for long-distance trail travel, water, and any other personal items you may need.
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Ice House/Reuben's Pond Habitat Clearing | |
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Thursday, March 20, 9:30-11:30am
245 Tonset Rd, Orleans
Join us as we take our first steps to establish a meadow habitat at our Ice House/ Reuben's Pond Conservation Area. Spots of open canopy along the upper trail will allow for a grassland meadow to thrive, but first we need help to clear the area of greenbrier, invasives, and downed trees. Learn about the process of habitat restoration and help us begin the process of restoring this meadow habitat.
Please dress accordingly and bring any personal items you need such as water and snacks.
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Upcoming Walks:
- Twinings Pond (3/19)
- Preschool Explorers (3/28)
- Baker's Pond (4/17)
- Preschool Explorers (4/28)
- Beach Walk to Namskaket (5/21)
- Preschool Explorers (5/30)
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Upcoming Talks:
- "Nurturing Nature" by Jill Mays (3/11)
- "A History and a Future for Land Conservation on Cape Cod" by Mark Robinson (4/9)
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At Home with Nature
Nature-friendly practices you can adopt for your yard
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Native Plant of the Month: Pitch Pine, Pinus Rigida
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Pitch pine is not a conventionally pretty tree. It looks craggy, even scruffy, at close range with its scaly bark and stiff needles. But stand back to contemplate pitch pine’s gnarled branches against a blue sky, and it can have a fierce beauty. Its resin perfumes woods in Orleans on warm sunny days. The resin also makes the pitch pine highly flammable, and it has evolved to benefit from periodic wildfires. Pitch pines are often able to "green up" again at their crowns or to produce new shoots from their bases even after wildfires consume all their needles, according to a profile published by the USDA’s Forest Service.
Barnstable County’s 2012 wildfire risk assessment acknowledges that the pitch pine barrens that dominate Cape Cod contain "highly flammable plant species that are adapted to survive or regenerate post fire." It encourages residents to "limb up" all trees within a 30-foot radius of their homes by six to 10 feet above the ground, and to keep the crowns of pitch pines and other conifers within this radius 30 feet apart.
By taking such steps, we can continue to enjoy our proximity to pitch pines and the benefits they provide to a host of creatures. The US Fish and Wildlife Service classifies the tree as "high wildlife value" for the food it provides songbirds and small mammals, who appreciate the seeds its cones disperse beginning in late fall. The Native Plant Trust considers pitch pine a "pollinator powerhouse," because 75 or more caterpillar species feed on its needles. Chickadees, blue jays and various warblers also rely on pitch pines for nesting and cover.
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Every month, Meg Voorhies profiles a different native plant for the Mayflower Point Association in Orleans, where she lives. Thank you, Meg, and Orleans Pond Coalition, for sharing this month's native plant.
Learn more about living At Home with Nature on our 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. | | | | |
