Chatham Conservation
Chatham is fortunate to have both a Town Conservation Commission (ConsCon) and the Chatham Conservation Foundation (CCF), a private nonprofit dedicated to preserving the town’s valuable open spaces. Chartered in 1962, CCF is overseen by volunteer trustees, including officers and an executive committee, and employs land stewards and an executive director to manage and maintain its properties. CCF protects over 224 parcels totaling more than 820 acres, including wetlands, marshlands, and other ecologically significant areas, acquired through gifts or purchases. The Foundation’s mission is to preserve open spaces in perpetuity for the benefit of Chatham’s people, plants, animals, and ecosystems through acquisition, stewardship, education, and advocacy.
A highlight of the Foundation’s work in the field of education is their publication “A Beachcomber’s Botany,” 158 pages with 113 illustrations by Marcia Gaylord Norman, and text by Loren C. Petry, Professor Emeritus, Cornell University. It is a valuable guide to the interesting plant life in the marshes, along the shore, and the upland. You will find a copy of the publication in the public libraries throughout Cape Cod.
Conservation Resources
Conservation Foundation Trails
Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge