Wellfleet and Truro, Massachusetts
Welcome
Welcome to the home page of Friends of Herring River. Within this site you will find the latest information about the restoration of the Herring River in Wellfleet and Truro, Massachusetts, including links to background information, scientific documents, maps and other useful data concerning the project. In addition the site contains information about Friends of Herring River including how to become a member and receive our newsletter electronically.
This website will be updated regularly, so check back often. The site was last updated on January 6, 2010 with more photos on the photo gallery.
Please contact us with any questions you may have.
Friends of Herring River
A group of citizens came together in the summer of 2008, bound by a shared commitment to the restoration of one of the largest impacted estuaries in New England: the Herring River Salt Marsh. When fully restored, the estuary will cover approximately 1100 acres.
Friends of Herring River was launched formally at the State of the Wellfleet Harbor Conference on November 15, 2008 and is a tax exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the IRS Code. All contributions are deductible to the extent allowed by law.
Mission
The mission of the Friends of Herring River is straightforward: to promote the restoration and ongoing environmental vitality of the Herring River Estuary.
The key components of the mission are:
- Education and information about the project.
- Coordinating outreach activities.
- Raising funds and seeking volunteers for projects supporting the restoration of the estuary.
Through personal contacts, the electronic newsletter, meetings and conferences, Friends of Herring River has been reaching out to the towns of Wellfleet and Truro, individuals and organizations throughout the Cape and beyond in order to strengthen and grow community-wide support for the project.
We Invite You to Participate
Herring River Restoration Committee
The Herring River Restoration Committee was established in December 2007 through a Memorandum of Understanding among the National Park Service and the Towns of Wellfleet and Truro. Under the provisions of this MOU the primary purpose of the Committee is to prepare the Environmental Impact Statement and Environmental Impact Report related to the restoration of the Herring River Salt Marsh.
Friends of Herring River, as a non-profit organization, is independent of the Herring River Restoration Committee but works closely with the Committee to promote the restoration of the Herring River Estuary.
Over the longer term, once the construction phase of the project is completed, it is anticipated that Friends of Herring River will continue as a non-profit organization promoting the ongoing environmental vitality of the salt marsh.
The Herring River Restoration Committee with the assistance of APCC is currently managing the Joint Environmental Review Process under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) and the Cape Cod Commission Act.
Click here for an estimated timeline and key elements of the integrated environmental review process.
Click here to access more information about the Herring River Restoration Committee.
Current News and Events
New Website Feature
A Photo Gallery has been added to this site. It's a work in progress and more photos will be added over time.
New photos, taken by Beth Chapman from the Chequessett Neck Dike, show the high tide looking downstream from the dike and flow into the Herring River during the recent astronomical high tide.
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Click here to go the the photo gallery page.
Cape Cod Water Resources Restoration Project
The US Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service Cape Cod Water Resources Restoration Project was officially authorized by Congress on December 16th in a vote by the Senate Agriculture Committee. The vote was the final hurdle needed for authorization, after the House Agriculture Committee voted its support in October.
This 10-year, $30 million dollar project with $24 million coming from the federal government and $6 million from non-federal funds, will support 76 individual restoration projects from one end of the Cape to the other, including $4.8 million for the Herring River Restoration Project in Wellfleet.
APCC led a coalition of Cape groups, including Friends of Herring River, in support of the project. The Massachusetts congressional delegation strongly endorsed the plan. It is not yet known when federal money will be available, but it is expected that some funding will be available to support restoration efforts in 2010.
State of Wellfleet Harbor Conference
The annual "State of Wellfleet Harbor" conference was held on Saturday, November 14th at the Wellfleet Elementary School.
Go to the news page for photos and more information.
Research Papers and Maps
Click on the following for recent research papers and historic maps.
"Tidal Restoration for Wellfleet’s and Truro’s Herring River Estuary: Common Benefits"
"Map of Historic Marsh Crossings"
Future Events
The 2010 herring count in April - watch for details in the spring.
Brush clearing in the April/May timeframe - details will follow when available.
A kayak trip on the Herring River is planned for May.
Please check back soon for details on events and activities that are being considered for later this year.
If you have suggestions for an event or activity, please contact us at info@friendsofherringriver.org