The forests of the Outer Cape have undergone major changes throughout their history, affected by big forces, from fires to farming to 20th-century development. The next wave of change, however, […]
FLOW STATE
Gardens That Make Runoff a Resource
How fanya chini and Hügelkultur inform Peter Jensen’s Cape Cod permagardens
ORLEANS — Agroecologist Peter Jensen placed a hose along the road above the Church of the Holy Spirit and turned it on. The water flowed into a dirty channel between […]
MORNING FLIGHT
Hang a Feeder for an Extraordinary Bird
Helicoptering, speed sipping, cold sleeping, and other evolutionary marvels of the hummingbird
In the couple of seconds it takes you to read these first few words, a ruby-throated hummingbird will flap its wings approximately 110 times. Its heart will beat 42 times. […]
FISHERIES RULES
State Commission Agrees to Ban Spring Horseshoe Crab Harvest
New restrictions during egg-laying season could help recovery of endangered shorebirds
WELLFLEET — Every spring, horseshoe crabs arrive on the sheltered beaches of Cape Cod, crawling up onto the shore to lay their eggs in the sand. For years, during this […]
FIRE PREVENTION
Arborist Incident Response Team Takes on ‘Hazard Trees’
Fire management goal is to create defensible spaces around historic structures
EASTHAM — Most mornings, the grounds of the Penniman House at Fort Hill are a peaceful setting for birds, squirrels, and the occasional tourist. But on the morning of April […]
MORNING FLIGHT
The Sora on the Roof
And other rare birds that turn up when you least expect them
PROVINCETOWN — It’s hard to predict when you might find a rare bird. You might try after a hurricane, a good night of migration, or some other event that seems […]
WHALE WATCH
Ship Speed Limit Sparks Local Economy Worries
Aimed at protecting right whales, changes could hit ferries and tourism
PROVINCETOWN — This year has proved especially lethal for the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale, with the discovery on March 30 of a dead female marking the fifth mortality […]
ENVIRONMENT
With Herring Count Ahead, a Look at What Aids a Rebound
Removing obstructions and protecting water quality are helping, scientists say
WELLFLEET — Every spring, river herring known as alewives migrate from the open ocean up Cape Cod’s streams to ponds to lay their eggs. There, their young develop before swimming […]
MORNING FLIGHT
An Ocean-Going Goose Departs Cape Cod Bay
For humans, it’s hard to fathom what birds like the brant do when they’re away
Once upon a time, a barnacle was a kind of bird. Each winter in medieval England, people who lived on the shore watched as their usual waterfowl — the barnyard-looking […]
WHALE WATCH
Mark Adams Goes Big to Visualize Ocean Science
The scientist-artist is working on a dance floor at the Crown
The centerpiece of Mark Adams’s newest exhibition was born from the gift of a sail. Adams says the artist Jimmy Lee Curtis often gathers materials to repurpose from thrift stores […]
HIGH WATER
Wellfleet’s Bound Brook Island Is Cut Off Again
Short-term solutions to repeated saltwater flooding remain unclear
WELLFLEET — For at least eight days this month, the roads connecting Bound Brook Island to the rest of town have been inundated with floodwater that prevented people from accessing […]
ENVIRONMENT
Mid-Cape Was Warned Last Year About Aging Oil Tank
A second spill sends oily water from cleanup into street and storm drain
WELLFLEET — The tank at Mid-Cape Home Centers on Commercial Street that was discovered to have leaked about 250 gallons of heating oil on Jan. 25 was inspected a year […]
RESTORATION UPDATE
25 Acres Get Mulched to Aid Salt Hay’s Return
Temporary bridge nears completion; low-lying roads and Mill Creek work are next
WELLFLEET — The Cape Cod National Seashore, in partnership with Ducks Unlimited and the National Park Foundation, has begun removing 25 acres of mostly live woody vegetation from around the […]
MORNING FLIGHT
When Birding Opens Up ‘a Whole Huge World’
After getting a birding camp scholarship, Megan Morey explores next steps in environmental science
Some people think birding is something only older people do — people who have time on their hands and an ability to focus that supposedly comes only with age. But […]
WRITERS
Adeniyi Ademoroti’s Characters Are Their Own Worst Enemies
A writer’s subconscious helps him find the voice he wants
When Adeniyi Ademoroti sits down to write a story, there are always two things in his head: the first sentence and the final scene. “If I don’t have anything I’m […]