The Orleans Conservation Trust protects and restores natural lands — for people and wildlife, the health of our waters, and the character of our community.

Volunteer Opportunities

Eli Rogers Boundary Marking

Thursday, December 19, 9:30-11:30am

Meet at 203 S Orleans Road, Orleans

Help us as we mark property boundaries at our Eli Rogers Road Woodland and Watershed Conservation Area. We will be using post-hole diggers to place wooden 4×4 and PVC posts.

Please be prepared for off-trail travel, and bring work gloves, water, and any personal items you may need.

As parking is limited, we will meet at the OCT office at 203 S. Orleans Rd (MA-28) in Orleans, and carpool to the property.

RSVP to sam@orleansconservationtrust.org

Community Events

First Day Hikes Cape Cod

Wednesday, January 1, 1-2pm

66 Portanimicut Road, Orleans

Greet the new year with a special OCT walk: explore the meadow, woods, and Atlantic white cedar swamp at the Portanimicut Greenbelt Conservation Area.

Only a few spots left on OCT's walk! See the full calendar of First Day Hikes Cape Cod events here.

First Day Hikes Cape Cod is a unique one-day regional celebration featuring free special walks, talks, and hikes across Cape Cod providing a range of opportunities for families, children, residents, and visitors to get outside and explore on the first day of the new year. Spearheaded by Barnstable Land Trust, this unique regional collaboration representing 16 conservation groups is the first-of-its-kind in the nation which launched in 2022. More information on First Day Hikes Cape Cod can be found here.

OCT News

OCT Receives $100,000 Eco-Restoration Grant

OCT is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a $100,000 grant from the Massachusetts Division of Ecological Restoration to support planning and design of an eco-restoration project at OCT’s 23-acre Namequoit Bog Conservation Area. This funding will enable OCT to gather data and develop a comprehensive restoration plan for the bog, with the ultimate goal of transforming it into a thriving wetland ecosystem: either as a freshwater wetland, estuarine wetland, or a combination of both. Read OCT's press release and coverage from the Cape Cod Chronicle for more.

Fall/Winter 2024/25 Newsletter is Here!

Have you received your copy of our latest newsletter? In this edition we share our gratitude for an incredible gift of 26 acres, our friends and neighbors who help us manage our lands, our partners at Orleans schools, and you—our generous supporters.

Read our newest edition here, and find our newsletter archive here.

Our office will be closed Monday, Dec. 23 through Friday, Dec. 27. We will reopen Monday, Dec. 30. Please email stephen.ogrady@orleansconservationtrust.org with any questions about year-end giving during the closure.

Mark Your Calendar

Upcoming Walks:

First Day Hike (1/1)
John Kenrick Woods (1/16)
Paw Wah Point (2/11)
Twinings Pond (3/19)
Baker's Pond (4/17)
Beach Walk to Namskaket (5/21)

Upcoming Talks:

"Edible & Native Landscaping" by Dave Scandurra (1/22)
"Little Bee, Big World" by Blake Dinius (2/6)
"Nurturing Nature" by Jill Mays (3/11)
"A History and a Future for Land Conservation on Cape Cod" by Mark Robinson (4/9)

Learn More and Register for Upcoming Programs Here

At Home with Nature

Nature-friendly practices you can adopt for your yard

Preparing Your Garden for Winter

Though summer gardens feel a world away, now is the time to protect your native landscaping for the benefit of the plants, insects, and animals who make their home in your yard. Learn how to protect winter habitat here.

Check back monthly for more At Home with Nature tips, and visit our new webpage!

Orleans Conservation Trust

203 South Orleans Rd.

Orleans, MA 02653

(508) 255-0183

DONATE

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.