OCEAN_17 go to this link to check out our latest issue, including Gulf Oil Leak interactions and possible correlations between more intense storms, maple syrup problems and increased ground water with climate change.
This page begins with an overview to provide context for our concept. Following the sketches you will find our rationale and after that you will find relevant links and current updates from the Gulf.
Safe Harbor has developed these innovative, alternative response concepts, following a phone discussion with an engineer from the Gulf of Mexico, who was seeking new ideas for dealing with the overwhelming oil spill. These concepts were developed over a long weekend by an adhoc group, put together by Safe Harbor. Our concept addressed the request for “Alternate Response Technology” but what we really did was to look at all available, existing materials and technologies and just reconfigure them. These concepts reduce worker exposure to carcinogenic raw oil, reduce effort significantly and provide more effective collection. These conceptual sketches were executed by LEED Certified, Sustainable Architect Joy Cuming of Aline Architecture in Orleans, MA.
For some perspective, about 300 miles of coastline may be directly impacted. The Gulf coastline north of the spill area, stretches more than 800 miles. If the prevailing, seasonal southerly winds continue, much of this coast may be at risk. If southwest winds blow, Florida’s 300 mile Gulf Coast will additionally be at risk and IF the wind should blow from the north..the Gulf Coast of Florida may be spared but the Gulf Stream, which loops near the spill, will be impacted and transport oil first to the reefs of the Florida Keys, and then to Miami beaches, followed by the Outer Banks and on into the North Atlantic Ocean and the east coast. Mexico, Cuba and the Bahamas may eventually find this oil in their coastal ecosystems and on beaches.
Most likely, with 3 different leaks now reported and a long term scenario looming, all of these things may happen. Downplaying these possibilities sort of ignores the truth of possibly a quarter million gallons, or more, being added to the equation each day.
Conservation Commissions are volunteer, regulatory boards which are required to review any activities within or near wetlands. They operate under the MA Wetlands Protection Act and Town Wetland Bylaws. This annual directory is published by Safe Harbor’s Educational Initiative, in an effort to provide easier communication between applicants and Outer Cape Conservation Commissions. Click on the link above to get your pdf copy.
Here is a previous issue of  OCEAN. Our goals with OCEAN are to share information on environmental issues and support collaborative partnerships to protect natural resources. Collaborative partnerships save both financial and natural resources. Safe Harbor supports collective action. To sign up to receive OCEAN, please email gordonesafeharbor@yahoo.com.
Our Educational Initiative page now includes nearly 30 different environmental programs we are offering for the 2009-2010 season. These are free to groups of six or more: students; faculty; local groups; Town boards or employees and professionals. Thank you to Vida, our fall intern, for coordinating this effort. Vida shares our core value for environmental education. Contact her for more info vidasafeharbor@yahoo.com
This picture shows Vida on a coastal habitat restoration site.
Here is an important issue of OCEAN. Our goals with OCEAN are to share information on environmental issues and support collaborative partnerships to protect natural resources. Collaborative partnerships save both financial and natural resources. Safe Harbor supports collective action. To sign up to receive OCEAN, please email gordonesafeharbor@yahoo.com.
The Town of Truro on Cape Cod has experienced tremendous wind erosion during the past few years at one of their coastal beach access points, known as “town landings”. Winter winds created a “shotgun blow out” that eroded 14 feet of sand from the beach end of the walkway and deposited it in a 14-foot mound at the top of the walkway. This created a 28′ drop and climb for beach goers.
Safe Harbor partnered with Truro Department of Public Works, volunteering services to facilitate restoration permitting and planning. This was an unusual project because we needed to balance natural resources with public use. Before work could begin, the proposal was reviewed by private property abutters, the Beach Committee, Truro Conservation Commission, Department of Environmental Protection and the Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program (NHESP, under the MA Endangered Species Act).
The basic components of the project were pretty much like putting cookies back into the cookie jar. DPW Director Paul Morris moved eroded sand back to where it came from. DPW workers installed 500 feet of 4′ sand fencing to outline a walkway designed to prevent future wind erosion. Safe Harbor workers installed 800 feet of innovative 24″ sand control fencing along the restored dune line for short-term collection of wind-blown beach sand.
DPW and Safe Harbor worked together to plant 5,000 stems of beach grass. This will provide a sustainable system to capture and hold wind blown sand at the dune line. A neighbor brought out homemade Scottish shortbread cookies. Safe Harbor planted another thousand stems of grass, reclaimed from the sand removal process, along the walkway. We advocate salvaging and reusing native vegetation from coastal projects.
Long term control of public access, short-term sand fencing and long-term vegetation will create a sustainable system protecting natural resources and public access.
The photo below was taken one year after these fences were installed. The fencing collects and holds sand during development of sustainable, native plant habitat.
For questions, contact the Truro Conservation Commission or email Gordon Peabody gordonsafeharbor@yahoo.com
