As Harwich residents prepare for the upcoming Town Meeting on May 5, the Harwich Conservation Trust (HCT) is highlighting a major land acquisition aimed at protecting the town’s water quality and agricultural legacy. Article 29 seeks $500,000 in Community Preservation Act (CPA) open space funding to support a $3.5 million project to preserve 50 acres of bog property along Great Western Road. The initiative, a partnership between HCT and local grower Ray Thatcher Jr., represents a strategic move to prevent the conversion of active bogs into residential subdivisions.

HCT Executive Director Michael Lach emphasized the high stakes of the proposal, noting that while local bog owners work hard, an oversupply of cranberries from outside the region has left many looking for an exit strategy. They could develop the uplands into subdivisions, which would impact water quality in the Herring River watershed, Lach explained during a recent update on Harwich Channel. Under the proposed deal, Thatcher would continue to farm the land for two years before HCT takes over to manage the property for future walking trails and ecological health. Ray will continue to farm it for the next two years, giving him a graceful way to exit the industry while helping with a legacy of preserved land, Lach said, adding that the project includes a second property assemblage and costs for preliminary restoration designs.

The push for land preservation comes as Harwich faces significant environmental and infrastructure pressures, including recent mandatory water restrictions and ongoing sewer expansion debates. Interviewer Dina Lane noted the importance of the article for the community, stating, It's an important one and people should stick it out in order to be able to vote for that. Beyond the Thatcher bog, the HCT is also overseeing significant ecological restoration work at Hinckley’s Pond. Lach reported that the project aims to restore native wetland habitats and improve stormwater absorption, which is critical for local water quality. Notably, the new loops around the Hinckley’s Pond Herring River Headwaters Preserve will be wheelchair accessible, mirroring the successful half-mile loop at the Cold Brook Preserve designed for walkers, canes, and strollers.

Spring has also signaled the return of the town’s intensive citizen science programs. Connor O’Brien, HCT’s Director of Stewardship, detailed the launch of the annual volunteer herring count at the Hinckley’s Pond ladder. Volunteers are out there every day doing 10-minute counts to help a statistical model determine how many herring are going into those ponds, O’Brien said. He described the fish as a keystone species that provides a vital transfer of nutrients from the ocean to freshwater systems, supporting ospreys, otters, and herons. Without that transfer of nutrients, a lot of these species wouldn't be able to survive, he added.

The Trust’s stewardship efforts extend to the skies and the forest floor as well. Volunteers are currently monitoring nest boxes for Eastern Bluebirds and Tree Swallows across HCT properties, with data being fed into a robust 20-year database maintained by the Cornell Ornithology Lab. This year, the Trust added a Purple Martin house at the Cold Brook Preserve featuring a tall structure with gourds to attract nesting pairs. Additionally, O’Brien encouraged residents to submit reports of Eastern box turtles to help the state’s Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program track the species' range. We've got dozens of volunteers involved in these projects who are dedicated to helping these important species, O'Brien noted, highlighting the community-driven nature of Harwich's environmental monitoring.