On Monday, March 25, 2024, AmeriCorps Cape Cod took their talents to Coonamessett Fields in Falmouth to serve with Mark Kasprzyk of the Falmouth Conservation Commission. The team was led by program Supervisors Caroline Lawrence, Henry Torpey and Leonel Lainez, as well as fellow member Luke Hudson. Team members from Pocasset, Barnstable and Wellfleet took on the large project of removing invasive trees, including black locust stumps and various spindle trees! Sawyers Claire Williams, Michelle Morrison, Samuel O’Neill, Sarah Lawson and Savannah Gray took on the task of felling various trees with help from the Supervisor trio, along with flush cutting trunks to improve mower access. 
This large-scale invasive tree removal created lots of open space for native plant species to grow and flourish! Other members, including Emily Gilot, Grace Vachon, Hannah VanDivier and Jennifer Clifford, tackled the side project of removing large patches of catbrier. Debris from this effort was piled on the trail to be mowed over to clear up lots of space! Sawyers and the Supervisors jumped in to help transport downed trees into a DPW truck to be repurposed. 
On top of creating more open space to benefit Falmouth, this project proved significant for local wildlife. With approval from the Wampanoag Tribe and Mashpee Conservation Commission, the U.S.Geological Survey (USGS) needed logs to begin construction at Mill Pond’s herring ladder exit. 
USGS contacted the Friends of Mashpee National Wildlife Refuge who contacted the Falmouth Conservation Commission and AmeriCorps Cape Cod, all of whom collaborated on the project at Coonamessett Fields. 
It was an amazing joint effort! While primarily helping to clear plantlife and create open space, sawyers from both AmeriCorps Cape Cod and Falmouth ConCom were providing the USGS with fresh logs. The logs were transported to the Mill Pond herring ladder to be repurposed as a new sheltered area for the herring to school in Mill Pond before completing their migration to Mashpee-Wakeby Pond. This project also provided benefits for several bird species, including Blue Herons, Night Herons and Ospreys, by providing them with a new hunting area away from the fast currents seen in the fish ladder structure!
At the end of the day, the members and the Supervisors reflected on the project, and in spite of the cold and windy conditions, all had a great time and were proud of the service they provided. 
Although the project was physically taxing, with lots of heavy lifting and difficult trees, smiles were on everyone’s faces when efforts were finished! Mark Kasprzyk was extremely happy with the results, and had nothing but positive remarks for AmeriCorps’ teamwork and upbeat attitudes throughout the day!
Written by: Luke Hudson: AmeriCorps Cape Cod
Photos by: Mark Kaspryzk and Jason Sorenson
