Time to Celebrate!
The BCT now OWNS Baxendale Woods!!
We did it, thanks to everyone's generous support!
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We are pleased to report, with the help of over 400 donors and 2 matching grants, the goal of raising $3,000,000 to purchase Baxendale Woods has been reached! The BCT now OWNS Baxendale Woods!
THANK YOU EVERYONE for your amazing, generous, and rapid response making it possible to preserve this sensitive and special parcel. See you on the trails, soon!
THESE GUYS CAN'T WAIT TO GET AT THE BAXENDALE WOODS!
The BCT Trail Meisters are delighted that our goal of $3 million has been met so they can get started making new trails in the Baxendale Woods.
They are responsible for building and maintaining all the trails in the BCT system. To see what they do, check out Dick Boyden's "Out on the Trails" columns in the BCT newsletters: https://bourneconservationtrust.org/newsletters.html
These Cataumet Greenway Trail Meisters are, L-R, Dick Murphy, George Gillis, Jay Fisher, John Holden and Dick Boyden. Missing from photo, Bill Farley. They are six of the 11 Trail Meisters.
Read the article, "Promises to Keep" written by Chris White; photographer Tyler Fields; published in CAPE COD LIFE.
"Promises to Keep" is a great back story about the history of the Baxendale property, and why it makes sense for the Bourne Conservation Trust to be its permanent steward.
Nature Preserve and Sanctuary has been secured.
Very recently, 21 acres of land in Cataumet was purchased for private development. This beloved woodland, long held by the Animal Rescue League of Boston, stretches almost the length of Megansett Road in one direction, back to the railroad tracks in the other.
While this news was upsetting and shocking, we, as a community, now have seized the opportunity to purchase and protect 18 of those acres from deforestation and new construction. We can create a permanent nature preserve and sanctuary with walking trails and benches on which to sit and reflect, a place to enjoy and cherish, secured for generations to come. Conserving this land will save the homes of innumerable birds and animals of all sizes and protect the wonderful legacy of the Baxendale Family.
Think of the joy you will feel as you drive by or walk through these woodlands, knowing that your donation, whatever the amount, helped to permanently save this land and everything it represents to all of us, from unwanted development.
Read more about Baxendale Woods HERE and on our Properties page.
Under contract...
Under an agreement that will soon close, the Bourne Conservaton Trust is pleased to announce that it has acquired a new, approximately 2-acre parcel, with frontage on County Road, Red Brook Harbor Road, and Red Brook Pond Drive. This purchase, highlighted in the striped area on the map below, compliments and expands the Trust's Cataumet Greenway, further protectng the community character on these well-traveled roads. The purchase price is $325,000, with $100,000 deposited and a note balance of $225,000. We welcome contributons to this project.
Easiest way to donate: BCT Donation form
Extending the Community Fence at Spring Hill Farm
Spring Hill Farm, a BCT property along County Road in Cataumet, provides a home for our resident goats, grazing for local horses, and areas to get-together for yard sales, an annual Easter egg hunt and other Village events. Over the past few years there has been an initiative to replace old wire fencing throughout the farm with a traditional split rail fence. This initiative has grown in stages, and now almost 25% of the old fence has been replaced, thanks to our many supporters who have purchased a section of fence along with a plaque with a tribute of their choice. You can dedicate the plaque in memory of, or in honor of, a family member, a special friend, a pet or whatever or whoever has special meaning for you.
To place your plaque on a section of fence, please download, complete and print our Community Fence Donation Form Send this form along with a $100 donation to the BCT, PO Box 203, Cataumet, MA 02534.
This spring, stop by the Farm (1079 County Road, Cataumet), give the goats a treat, say hello to the horses, walk our community fence line and read the plaques. It will remind you of the special community in which we all live.
The Wildlife Among Us!
In our most recent newsletter (page 3 of #51), we challenged our readers to make a list of wildlife spotted on Cape Cod. A few species have already been reported for our Wildlife List as of February 1, 2018.
Birds: Blue jay, bufflehead, cardinal, chickadee, bald eagle, goldfinch, house finch, red tail hawk, shinned hawk, great blue heron, mallards, mourning dove, nuthatch, song sparrow, tuffed titmouse, wild turkey, red-headed woodpecker, Canada geese, swan, red-wing Blackbird.
Other Wildlife: Ants, Coyote, fox, mouse, chipmunk. opossum, raccoon, skunk, rabbit, black and grey squirrel, deer, ants, winter moths.
We hope you will add to the list by emailing your wildlife sightings to: bct.trails@gmail.com.
Find out more about our Wildlife in Newsletter 51
Get a PDF of our last BCT NEWSLETTER, or request a hard copy that we will mail to you!
Our 2016 edition BCT Trail Guides are now available at Town Hall, Parker's Boat Yard, the Bourne Library, Ballentine's Boat Shop or by requesting one (bct.trails@gmail.com or call 508-563-2884) or visit BCT TRAILS page on this web site.
More Thanks Along the Trails
There are updated signs and trail maps at Little Bay, thanks to our Trail Meisters.
The BCT has assembled a great team of Trail Meisters who oversee the care and maintenance of our trails. And as you know there are many trails. Like the rest of us, the Trail Meisters cannot be in all places at all times and cannot know what has happened on all the trails. That's where many of you come in. Thanks go out to our trail and dog walkers who notify us of problems (broken branches; downed trees, etc.); pick up and dispose of trash; carry clippers to trim new growth; and provide support to the Trail Meisters.
As always, special thanks go to our Trail Meisters: Dick Boyden, Bill Dibella, Jay Fisher, George Gillis, Don Mears, Rick Rheinhardt, Carl Wirsen, Joe Hurley, and John Woodley. The BCT would not be the same without you!
To report blow downs or other problems along the trails, please email the BCT: bct.trails@gmail.com or call 508-563-2884