Preserve Pleasant Bay: HCT Buys 6.3 Acres In Watershed

 HARWICH – The Harwich Conservation Trust has added another 6.3 acres of conservation land to its holdings in the Pleasant Bay Watershed, and according to trust members, the price was right.

 The Trust announced this week that it reached its fundraising goal of $450,000 to acquire two parcels, which include six buildable lots. The parcels are adjacent to the 50-acre Harwich Conservation Trust (HCT) Pleasant Bay Woodlands to the north and 100-plus acres of town-owned land to the south.

Both properties are on an unconstructed road called Lady Slipper Lane off Church Street in the triangle formed by Kendrick Road, Route 28 and Bay Road. Lady Slipper Lane was named for the rare lady slippery orchids that dot the woodlands, which would have been lost. along with habitat for all sorts of animals, if the land was developed, according to HCT Executive Director Michael Lach.

Judy Miller, a longtime resident of the area and strong supporter of the trust, previously donated a 3.5-acre parcel to HCT and agreed to sell a 4.3-acre parcel to the Trust at a steep discount.

A second two-acre parcel has also been sold below market rate to the trust by Andrea and Tom Story. The two acres are part of a larger property that had been in the Lily family for approximately 100 years.

“This became an outstanding opportunity to preserve six lots for the price of one,” stated Lach. 

Miller and her late husband John had enjoyed the beauty of the land for nearly 50 years.

“We had sheep, we had pigs, we had ducks, geese and chickens. We had a huge garden out back at one point,” Miller said in a press release.

“Saving nature — that’s basically what it is,” said Miller. “It’s part of my nature to want to conserve property for the critters that live here. I just want the land preserved. I don’t want to see it developed.” 

Andrea Story spent summers on the Lily property, establishing a special bond with her grandmother, Helen Vincent Lily, who would stand on the back deck with her hand held out until chickadees landed on her hand to feed on seeds. 

“Harwich Conservation Trust has been remarkably responsive and easy to work with,” said Tom Story.” We are so happy to have made a small contribution to saving part of Cape Cod’s natural history.”

 Development in the Pleasant Bay watershed has been a major environmental concern for many years. The state Department of Environmental Protection designated the bay as the state’s first Area of Critical Environmental Concern in 1987. The towns of Harwich, Chatham, Orleans and Brewster established the Pleasant Bay Alliance to focus on the environmental health of the bay.   

 Residents of the community have also stepped forward to assist financially with the protection of conservation lands in the watershed. According to the Trust, Neil and Anna Rasmussen, provided a $200,000 challenge gift for the purchase. Additional donations helped meet the challenge, cover the cost of the acquisitions and additional project costs to care for the land over time.

As longtime stewards of Pleasant Bay, Jamie and Stephania McClennen gave three donations totaling $150,000 to protect the environment. The Friends of Pleasant Bay and the Prospect Hill Foundation contributed grants of $25,000 each. The Pleasant Bay Alliance endorsed the land-saving effort. 

“The generosity of folks and groups from across the watershed and beyond shows how much the health of Pleasant Bay means to the community,” said Lach.