Posted on 11/12/2005 8:12:46 PM PST by Lorianne
FALMOUTH - Restore the river or save the bogs - that is the crux of Falmouth's battle over cranberries and herring.
In what may be the most decisive debate over this issue yet, on Monday town meeting members will choose a plan to transform the town-owned cranberry bogs that run along the tiny Coonamessett River.
Both a town-appointed working group and a neighborhood organization say they have plans that please bog preservationists and those who want to restore the river to its former natural state. But it will be up to town meeting members to decide which plan - Article 16 or Article 41 - will create the wetlands they want.
The town bought the 134 acres of bogs and uplands along the Coonamessett River in 1971. The bogs have been leased or licensed to the Handy Cranberry Trust, a cranberry farmer, ever since. The trust has paid nearly $900,000 to cultivate the bogs over those 34 years.
In the past three years, dueling groups have fought both to stop cranberry farming on the roughly 62 acres of town-owned bogs in favor of a healthier river and retain cranberry growing to preserve the Cape's heritage.
In 2004, the selectmen-appointed Coonamessett River Restoration Working Group presented a plan to start restoring the river from the bottom up, with two ''demonstration projects'' - one that would stop agriculture on the 10-acre southernmost bog, and one that would separate the river from agriculture with vegetated buffers and berms on another bog.
The selectmen-supported Article 16 is the next step to making the working group model a reality.
Article 16 asks town meeting to appropriate $49,000 in funds for the demonstration projects - $24,500 for each project for technical assistance in applying for grants or government funding.
The working group and bog neighbors in Hatchville and East Falmouth agree to removing water control structures along the trickle of a river that connects Flax Pond to the Coonamessett River to help the pond's herring population.
The working group's plan also would halt agricultural production of cranberries on the southernmost bog - the area off John Parker Road called Lower Bog. The ditches within the bog would be removed to stop sand flowing into the river, and new wetland flora would be planted.
By halting agriculture and returning the land to an unaltered wet marsh, the river would eventually revert to a deeper, more pebbly habitat better-suited for fish, said Selectmen Virginia Valieila, chairwoman of the working group. The work is expected to be paid in full by federal or state funds available for wetlands restorations.
On 13-acre Middle Bog, just north of Lower Bog, the working group plan calls for vegetation and earthen berms to separate farming from the river - a 66-foot strip to the west and a 41-foot strip on the narrower east side.
The separation area would include 25 feet of vegetation that Valieila said is crucial for the river habitat, and a berm to act as a barrier between the farmed cranberries and the river area.
Valieila and other working group supporters said it is the best of both worlds - a renewed river and improved farming.
''There is plenty of river for everybody,'' said Wendi Buesseler, chairwoman of the grass-roots Coonamessett River Park Coalition. ''To give up some parcel for restoration, I don't think is asking for too much.''
But not everyone is happy with the working group's proposal. Some bog supporters argue that the town working group has ignored the will of the bog neighbors.
Last year the neighbors, many of whom joined the Bog Preservation Group, started to formulate their own ideas for the bogs.
Those ideas have come to a head with Article 41, a petition article signed by 10 people.
Bog neighbors think their so-called East/West plan can separate the agriculture from the river habitat with fewer lost farm acres.
''We want people to know there are more options than the working group presented,'' said Brent Putnam, president of the Old Barnstable/John Parker Neighborhood Association.
Opponents of Article 41 argue that the neighborhood's plan simply isn't true restoration.
Allowing the river to flow freely at all times - and not be stopped up some of the year by the grower - is key for the migrating herring, Valieila said.
''Herring migrate back to sea exactly at the time of harvest (when the bogs are flooded),'' Valieila said. ''You try the best you can to reduce it, but there is a conflict.''
I wonder if they have a Bog Blog?
Hear! Hear!
Cranberries Forever!
This is eviro whacko Bullshit at it's best.
All the weenies frum Hahvud etc have moved here to retire part time, they have to spend 6 months in Florida to get the Estate tax break so their kids can inherit everything tax free!
See Peter Schweizer's book.. "Do as I say Profiles in Liberal Hypocrisy"
These are the same dopes that stood on the Falmouth Common singing Kumbayah and lighting candles when Cindy Sheehan was in Crawford TX. and it made the front pageof the Falmouth Emptyprize..
The Vineyard Gazette is even more VILE!
I had the greatest times in Falmouth in my late teens early 20's. There was this coolest ancient nightclub-Restaurant right on the beach, Now it's gone and in it's place is a Million dollar yuppie Condo complex.
Progress sometimes sucks.
The "Casino" had been there for almost 100 years, it was awesome, especially after the other bars were Liberated by the thought police!
Go to the BBC, it's more fun AND you can steal their parking spaces!
Yup, The Casino by the Sea was great. Being inside was like a time-warp. Great bands, Great Bartenders, Great back deck and you could walk out onto their beach with your drinks! My friends parents have a Beach house up the street next to the old Marivista hotel. we would walk to the bar and if we didn't score we would call the trek back "The Walk of Shame". With the Casino gone as with Most of the Motels the place has really quieted down over the past few years. It's now older quiet yuppy heaven. We used to sit in the driveway drinking beers and just watch the people walk by all day. Not many walkers anymore. BBC is pretty cool But it aint no Casino! You must remember "Steve Smith and the Nakeds", It seemed that they played there all the time.
Oh yea upstairs in the Wharf was great too. I used to love going there in the daytime and sit at the bar, watch a ballgame and just look out at the ocean. It's too bad the old man died it seems that his son was just dieing to sell the place.
Dang, it's good to know there are a bunch of Freepers on the Cape. I thought all was lost here...I remember the Casino in the 1970's, back when the drinking age was 18, and so was I. Steve Smith and the Nakeds...that takes me back! Of course, the Casino was only one of a hundred after-beach joints pouring cheap booze. You could go from the Improper Bostonian all the way to the Casino...Of course, they are virtually all gone now. Even the Mill Hill is empty and for sale. The libs will probably want to make it a homeless shelter!
Wow I didn't Know that about the Mill Hill, Another wild good time. Thats too bad. It's seems that the transformation of the Cape is almost complete. Like Nantucket, In the old days you couldn't give the land away. Now the rich have invaded and have converted it into their own...(Words fail me).
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