The Oyster Pond Environmental Trust Newsletter, Winter 1997
OPET, P.O. Box 496, Woods Hole, MA 02543-0496
OPET's 3rd Annual Meeting was held July 12,1997 at SEA and drew an attendance of about 30 members. President John Dowling first called for a minute of silence in memory of Charlie Spohr, Ruth Sager and other OPET members who have passed away during the year. Guest speaker Dr. Dave Aubrey then presented the fascinating geological history of Cape Cod and Oyster Pond and warned that for a wise long-term management plan for Oyster Pond, the population growth in the pond's watershed, the increasing beach erosion along Surf Drive, and the rising sea level will all have to be taken into account.
Bill Kerfoot announced special recognition awards (including Honorary Life memberships in OPET) to Friederun and Holger Jannasch and to Herbert Willett, individuals who have contributed substantially to our community and without whose financial and other help OPET would not have come into existence.
Brief committee reports were the next order of business -- Lon Hocker reported on the treasury (OPET is sound financially); Birgit Rose, on membership (150 members in 1996/7, 80 renewals so far for 1997/8, including one Life Membership); Cecily Selby Coles, on fund raising and the quiet phase of OPET's capital campaign ($30,000 pledged); and Barry Norris on the status of the pond and the proposed weir (financing will be voted on at the fall town meeting). The Nomination Committee then presented nominees for the Board of Directors, which were approved by a voice vote. The meeting was adjourned for refreshments and informal discussions.
The officers for 1997/1998 were elected at the subsequent Board of Directors meeting: John Dowling President; Birgit Rose, Vice President; Pat Kertoot, Clerk; Barry Norris, Treasurer. 1997/8 Directors are: Duncan Aspinwall, Carl Breivogel, William Brewer, Stanley Hart, William Kerfoot, Robert Livingstone, Julia Rankin, Dana Rodin, Cecily Seby,John Scibek, John Steele, Robert Wisterman. Outgoing members Wendy Gabriel, Lon Hocker and Werner R. Loewenstein were thanked for their valuable services to OPET.
The 6 new additions to the Board bring a variety of expertise, interests and concerns about Oyster Pond to OPEl and all are enthusiastic about OPEl's work and projects.
Carl Breivoael from South Rd., has never lived on Oyster Pond or within its watershed, but has always loved this particular pond and watched with concern its changes throughout the years. Carl can be found almost any week of the year somewhere along the Oyster Pond shore, or checking the Trunk River Outlet.
Pat Kerfoot from Ransom Rd has been one of the prime movers involved in the formation of OPET, although behind the scenes. She brings to OPET her knowledge of town government committee members, movers, shakers and issues, and where and how to get relevant information about bylaws, zoning etc.
Julie Rankin from Oyster Pond Rd, a retired marine microbiologist is still interested in estuary research and has for many years been Pondwatcher Captain for Oyster Pond.
John Scibek an ecologist by training and now fund-raising for the MBL, moved to the Cape less than a year ago and does not live near Oyster Pond. However, his love for the outdoors (he bikes, fly fishes and kayaks with passion) drives him to volunteer fororganizations such as OPET. His particular expertise and professional connections will be very useful to us.
John Steele, from Treetops, is a former director of WHO who is still active in research on fish population dynamics, and who is a member of the boards of various large corporations and organizations.
Bob Wilsterman, orthopedic surgeon, lives and raises his young family on Oyster Pond in the Cumloden area. He likes to fish and is thrilled to see the White Perch repopulate the pond. He also is much involved with The Cumloden Association whose membership lives within Oyster Pond's watershed.
OPEl is very fortunate to have so many active volunteers on its Board representing not only almost all regions of the pond's watershed but also individuals not directly associated with Oyster Pond. After all, with the bike path running along its southern shore, and the popular Spohr Gardens in the north, this is very much a pond that should concern all of Falmouth.
OPET's conservation land, 7 acres of uplands and wetlands known to most of us as the Fisher parcels, had been advertised in 1989 for sale as a site for 5-7 new homes. This acreage is of special importance to the well-being of Oyster Pond because it is the only wetlands-type source of water to the pond, storing water like a sponge during rains and releasing it slowly during dry spells after a thorough filtration process. It also is a major part of the only large undeveloped acreage abutting the pond, providing habitat and refuge for many species that form an integral part of a healthy pond's ecosystem.
Recognizing the importance of these parcels for an already compromised Oyster Pond, Bill Kerfoot with the legal aid of Dana Rodin tried barring their development via zoning appeals. Once those efforts failed, they realized the only recourse was acquisition of this crucial land. With major financing by Bill and Pat Kertoot, Holger and Friederun Jannasch and Herbert Willett, an initial, substantial down payment on a mortgage for this land was made, with Salt Pond Areas Bird Sanctuaries providing the nonprofit organization base.
Confident that the Oyster Pond watershed community would rally to the aid of their endangered Pond, OPEl was formed in 1993 partly to relieve Salt Pond Areas Bird Sanctuaries from the burden of carrying the mortgage on their books, and title of the parcels, along with the debt, was transferred to OPET. All in all, about $250,000 have been received so far in gifts toward this land purchase, of which approximately $100,000 has gone in interest to the bank. About $100,000.00 were still owed in the spring of 1997
Contact Webmaster