[SEMCO] Help Establish a Regional Conservation Partnership for the Coastal Pine Barrens

[Sharl Heller]

CALL TO ACTION: Join the movement to create unity and connectivity across towns, government agencies, and non–profit organizations for the protection and preservation of the locally special and biologically significant Massachusetts Coastal Pine Barrens ecoregion. 

Help create a Regional Conservation Partnership (RCP) for the Massachusetts Coastal Pine Barrens.

WHAT IS A REGIONAL RCP?

A RCP is an informal network of people representing private and public organizations and agencies that work together to develop and implement a shared, long-term conservation vision across town boundaries.

The pace of development and rise of ecosystem-based science indicate that effective land protection must focus beyond opportunistic acquisition of isolated parcels to larger connected habitat systems. Success depends on strategic collaborative efforts across organizations, across sectors, across disciplines, through networks. Today in New England there are 40 RCPs, covering more than 60 percent of our regional landscape. 

WHY DO WE NEED A RCP FOR THE PINE BARRENS?

Pine Barrens are not barren. A globally rare concurrence of bio–geo–chemical conditions provides coastal plain and kettle hole ponds, frost bottoms, vernal pools, acidic soils, fire–dependent mixed scrub oak–pitch pine forest, grasslands, and other unique habitats supporting over 180 state–listed species of rare plants and animals. 

This region of fast–draining glacial outwash soils includes and inextricably links all of Cape Cod and the Islands plus the upper Cape towns of Bourne, Wareham, Marion, Plymouth, Carver, and Kingston, encompassing numerous watersheds, and overlying the Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket and Plymouth–Carver sole–source aquifers. 

Many government and non–government entities share visions, concerns, and stewardship responsibilities for these rich natural resources that we are fortunate to enjoy. But multiple and urgent threats combine and accelerate to necessitate greater efficiency of effort and cooperative participation. 

Collective action is imperative to effectively address:

•  Loss of coastal and upland habitats to development
•  Habitat fragmentation 
•  Loss of plant and animals species 
•  Degradation of surface water quality and potential contamination of drinking water supplies
•  Obstructions, diversions and withdrawals impacting fisheries
•  Fire protection, fire exclusion, wildfire fuels mitigation
•  Invasive species 
•  Sand and gravel extraction
•  Climate change
•  Community education and engagement to connect people and ecosystems

A Regional Conservation Partnership (RCP) can provide the synergy and supporting structure to foster collaborations for enhanced accomplishment of diverse yet mutually compatible missions. Representatives of member groups or individuals that agree to participate will coordinate efforts, enhance information exchange, and ensure better planning, oversight and management of the public's shared resources. 

EXPLORE THE PINE BARRENS PARTNERSHIP CONCEPT

Please take this brief 3-question survey to express your environmental concerns, ideas for collaborative action and level of interest in forming the Pine Barrens Partnership: http://surveys.verticalresponse.com/a/show/1495467/31a825a13c/0

To learn more, visit the Pine Barrens Partnership website: http://www.pinebarrenspartnership.org

Find out more about the Regional Conservation Partnerships in New England: http://www.wildlandsandwoodlands.org/rcpnetwork

Register for the 2015 Regional Conservation Partnership Network Gathering, Nov. 18, Nashua, New Hampshire: http://www.wildlandsandwoodlands.org/rcp-network/rcp-network-gatherings

Thank you for your interest. We look forward to hearing from you.

Please direct questions to:

Sharl Heller
Coordinator, Massachusetts Coastal Pine Barrens Partnership
President, Southeastern Massachusetts Pine Barrens Alliance, Inc.
204 Long Pond Road
Plymouth, MA 02360
(774) 773-9982
http://www.pinebarrenspartnership.org
slheller at comcast.net