Spring 2025 Programs
The Habits and History of the Eastern Coyote/Coywolf
Wed., April 9, 2:00 - 3:30 pm
Brewster Ladies' Library
Free; Donations appreciated
Popular naturalist Peter Trull weaves long-studied scientific facts, published research, and his 30 years of observing and studying coyotes/coywolves in the wild in this informative and entertaining talk. The species is here to stay and we can learn to live with them, just as they are learning to live with us.
Spring Herring Run Walk
Wed., April 16, 10 AM
Stony Brook Herring Run
$10 Suggested Donation
Join experts Abigail Archer and Doug Erickson for this captivating exploration of the return of the river herring. As the Town's repairs to the Stony Brook Mill Site have been paused for the season's migration, you'll have an opportunity to see the herring in action and ask questions about the new fish passages and weirs and further repairs.
Abigail and Doug both serve on the Town's Alewife Committee. Abigail is the current chairperson. Prior to her appointment, Doug chaired the committee.
Eddy Bay Trail Walk with Peter Johnson
Tues., April 22, 10:00 AM
BCT's Eddy Bay Trail
$10 Suggested donation
BCT Trustee Emeritus Peter Johnson was scheduled to do this informative-yet-lighthearted walk on April Fool's Day, but got pranked by Mother Nature. It rained! So it's been rescheduled for Earth Day, a suitable date for this guided walk that winds through the landmarks along the Eddy Bay Trail and ends with a spectacular view of the famed Brewster Flats.
Want to get in the spirit of the original walk? Wear the silly hat or silly socks of your choosing... a prize will be awared for the best!
Friday Footsteps: Unwind in the Wild
Fri., May 2, 4:00 PM
Eddy Sisters Guided Trail Walk
660 Lower Rd., Brewster
$10 Suggested Donation
Start your Brewster in Bloom weekend in the great outdoors.
Brewster Conservation Trust will be holding a guided trail walk at our Eddy Sisters property. This flat, .5-mile trail winds through woods and along stone walls belonging to an old Cape Cod farm. Other trail features include a maple swamp, upland forest, and dikes from 18th and 19th century cranberry bogs.
But don’t stop there. Explore the surrounding wildflower meadow, vintage apple orchard, and community gardens located on this 18-acre parcel. See for yourself why there’s only one answer to the question, “What’s the best town on the Cape?”
“Brewster, Naturally!”
Winter 2025 Programs
Outsmarting Invasives
Wed., April 2, 10:00 am
Cape Cod Bible Alliance Church, 3600 Rt. 6A in Brewster
$5 Suggested Donation
Erik Sechler is the Ecological Programs Coordinator for the New England Native Plant Trust. He has extensive education and experience in studying and managing invasive plants. Listen and learn how to correctly and efficiently tackle the invasives on your property.
Clip. Snip. Lop: When, Where, and How to Do Spring Pruning
Thurs., Mar. 20 (Rain Date Mar. 21)
10:15 am
BCT's Eddy Bay Trail, Lower Rd., Brewster
Free
Join Barnstable County's Russell Norton for a hands-on instructional workshop. Learn where, when, and how to prune common backyard trees and shrubs.
Horticultural Educator Russell Norton will lead a hands-on instructional workshop, explaining how to prune for plant health, beauty, and productivity. Bring a notebook to capture Russ's many tips for pruning techniques to encourage fruiting and flowering, shape plants into specific forms and control plant size.
PROGRAM SERIES
At The Crossroads: Brewster's Environmental Challenges
Wed., Jan. 15; Wed., Feb. 19; Wed., Mar. 26
2:00 - 3:30 Pm
The public is invited to this series of programs offering insight and discussion opportunity on environmental topics of local importance.
Presented in partnership with the Brewster Ladies' Library Association, the programs will run on Jan. 15, Feb. 19, and Mar. 26. All programs are free and will run from 2:00 - 3:30 pm at the Brewster Ladies’ Library at 1822 Main St. in Brewster.
Jan. 15 - Coastal Erosion
Feb. 19 - Water Quality
Mar. 26 - Trees & Forests
FIRST DAY HIKES: FREE!
Wed., Jan. 1, 2025
Eagle Point, 9 am
Calf Field Pond,1 pm
Please join us for one (or both!) of these scenic trail walks that are part of the Cape-wide First Day Hikes event.
For those eager to greet the new year and start the day, BCT Trustee Beth Finch will lead a 1-hour walk along a light-to-moderate trail at Eagle Point at 9 am. If you prefer a later start and/or a more challenging walk, Trustee Hal Minis's 1 pm trail walk at Calf Field Pond may be what you're looking for. This 2-hour walk includes some hills.
Fall 2024 Programs
THREE DATES!
Birding Walk at Crosby Landing
Tues., Nov. 26; Tues., Dec. 10; Fri, Dec. 13
8 am - 10 am
$20
Co-sponsored with Harwich Conservation Trust
Discover marsh, shore, and sea-dwelling species in this birding walk with naturalist Peter Trull at scenic & sandy Crosby Landing in Brewster. Wear comfortable, water tolerant shoes and appropriate jacket and hat. Bring water, binoculars, and a camera if you want to capture photos of the many birds along the shore and in the marsh.
Please, no dogs. Thank you.
Sunday, Nov. 17
Family Trail Walk at Eddy Bay
Meet at Eddy Sisters, 660 Lower Rd.
Free
Join BCT to celebrate National Hiking Day and show your love for the great outdoors. Executive Director Amy Henderson will lead this 1.5-mile walk that will start at Eddy Sisters and proceed to the stone wall that once served as a foundation for an old farmhouse. From there, you'll wind through a rare grove of mature, native holly trees, pass glacial boulders and the massive Wolf Tree, and arrive at the Eddy Bay bluff with its stunning view of the famous Brewster flats.
Please, no dogs. Thank you.
Tuesday, Oct. 22
A Reading by the John Hay Writers
Brewster Ladies Library
1822 Main St., Brewster
Free
Join Cape Cod poets, fiction, and non-fiction writers as they share material and experiences from their recent writers’ retreat. Hear how Brewster Conservation Trust and its volunteers refurbished nature writer’s John Hay’s long idle writing space into a contemplative studio in the woods.
Light refreshments will be provided.
Wednesday, Sept. 17; 9:30-11:30 am or 1:00-3:00 pm
Native Seed Collecting Workshop
Outdoor Classroom at Eddy Sisters
660 Lower Rd., Brewster
$20 Suggested Donation
Using seeds from native plants to produce seedlings for planting on your land is the best way to provide the vegetative resources our native wildlife need to sustain their populations and diversity. Seeds themselves provide genetic diversity, versus taking cuttings or dividing existing plants which produce clones with the same genetics.
In this hands-on workshop, you will learn how to collect seed from plants, store them over the winter, and then sprout and plant them in the spring.
Summer 2024 Programs
Wednesday, July 10, 8:00 am
Oyster Walk with Brewster DNR's Ryan Burch
Mant's Landing
FREE
A 2024 BCD Week Activity
Discover Brewster oysters in their natural environment. Walk at low tide with shellfish expert Ryan Burch and learn about the habits and habitat of these highly prized marine animals. Wear water shoes and sunscreen.
No registration necessary. Plan to arrive by 7:45. Parking restrictions go into effect at 9 am.
Tuesday, July 16, 8:00 am
Calf Field Pond Walk
Punkhorn Parklands
FREE
A 2024 BCD Week Activity
Enjoy the paths of Brewster's Punkhorn Parklands while learning about the past, present, and future of the surrounding forest. BCT Trustee Hal Minis will explain how this land was formed and then farmed and point out its current stage in a forest's life cycle.
Wear comfortable shoes and sunscreen. Bring water. The terrain is moderately hilly with occasional tripping hazards. FREE. Registration required.
Park at the parking lot at the end of Run Hill Rd.
Spring 2024 Programs
Saturday, April 27, 9:30 am
Beautify Brewster Community Clean-up
Two locations; lunch to follow at Brewster Baptist Church
Be a part of this town-wide effort to remove litter and restore the luster of Brewster. BCT has been assigned two territories, which means we need plenty of volunteers. Bring gloves and wear sunscreen and a hat, and then join us for lunch after.
Tuesday, April 30, 10:00 am
Discovering & Identifying Mushrooms in the Wild
Mycologist Wesley Price
$20
The Punkhorn Parklands (Parking directions sent upon registration)
Join Cape Cod mycologist Wesley Price for a sure-to-inform walk on the trails in the Punkhorn Parklands. He’ll point out the surfaces likely to foster mushroom growth, the growing habits of different mushroom species, and the environmental features associated with mushroom habitat.
Wesley Price is the founder of the Cape Cod Mycological Society, whose mission is to inspire a deeper understanding and respect for the ecosystems which support the biodiversity of Life on Earth.
The trails in the Punkhorns tend to be level or have a mild slope. Walkers may occasionally encounter tree roots or rocks along the way. Sturdy shoes are recommended.
Thursday, May 2, 10:00 am
Walk the Herring Run
Abigail Archer and Doug Erikson
$20
Stony Brook Mill
Cape Cod Cooperative Extension Agency's herring expert Abigail Archer and Brewster Alewife Committee Chair Dour Erikson will separate fact from fiction in this informative Walk & Talk. Hear about the migration habits and life cycle of river herring and how human intervention has impacted them.
The trail along the Stony Brook herring run is generally stable and mildly hilly. Wear rubber soled shoes for stability on damp grass. Parking is limited. Please carpool if possible.
Tuesday, May 7, 7:45 pm
The Night Life of the Vernal Pool
Bob Cook is a wildlife biologist currently working on wildlife inventory and monitoring projects at Cape Cod National Seashore. He has a BS and MS in wildlife biology and a PhD in Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior. Bob has conducted numerous research and inventory projects on freshwater fish, amphibians, reptiles, small mammals, and a variety of bird species. He is currently the Vice President of the Eastham Conservation Foundation.
The Vernal Pool trail has a mild grade and occasional roots or small obstacles. Suitable for most walking abilities.
Upcoming
About Our Programs
Like much of BCT's programming, many of our Walks & Talks are free to the public. That's because we believe all people share a stake in and deserve access to the natural world. At the same time, we suggest an optional donation amount because that is one way for people to honor their collective stake in caring for the natural world.
Occasionally we charge for some of our programs to help defray the larger costs of maintaining our properties, to compensate the field professionals sharing their expertise, and to grow and expand our mission to increase the number of acres and water sources we protect.
So, as you enjoy BCT's educational talks, recreational walks, and various other programming, we hope you'll find them well worth the fee we charge.
Recent Programs
Wednesday, April 24, 10 am
Eddy Sisters Tail Walk with Beth Finch
Beth Finch, BCT Trustee
$10 recommended donation
Eddy Bay Trail, Lower Rd.
Family Volunteer Workday
A BCT Family Event for April Vacation Week
Saturday, April 20, CANCELED DUE TO WEATHER
BCT’s Eddy Sisters property (660 Lower Rd.)
Turning Bitter into Sweet
A BCT Family Event for April Vacation Week
April 18, 1:00 – 3:00 pm
BCT’s Eddy Sisters & Dowling properties
FREE
Bugs, Slugs and Other Signs of Spring
A BCT Family Event for April Vacation Week
Tuesday, April 16, 1:30 pm
BCT’s Vernal Pool Trail
FREE
BCT Trustee Peter Johnson led a fact-filled walk through the varied eco-systems along BCT's Eddy Bay trail. He also sprinkled in a few fun-filled April Fool's Day anit-facts that kept hikers amused.
An engaging presentation tracing the birth, evolution, challenges, and future of land conservation on Cape Cod. Come with questions and comments for this knowledgeable speaker.
Well-known Cape Cod author, gardening consultant, and speaker C.L. Fornari shared insights on turning to your plants themselves to improve your gardening success.
Fall 2023 Programs
Land Stewardship Director Katie Spengler led a hike along an unnamed trail at the Hay Conservation Center, pointing out advances in land stewardship and resource management.
Respected naturalist Peter Trull led a walk at Crosby Landing to explore habits and habitats of birds both local and migrating.
Community members joined BCT staff, trustees, and volunteers in viewing and discussing our 40-year history as told in A Seed Planted: The Story of Brewster Conservation Trust.
Spring 2023 Programs
On April 26, Hal Minis led a Walk & Talk along one of Calf Field Pond's many trails, a joint project with the Brewster Ladies Library.
Land Stewardship Director Jon Bruce led a Walk & Talk on April 28 at Eddy Sisters in which he focused on the importance of early spring pollinators.
Seagulls at Stony Brook Mill look for opportunity during this spring's herring run. Abigail Archer from Cape Cod Cooperative Extension Marine Program joined us for a Walk and Talk on April 26 explaining herring migration.
Russ Norton from Barnstable County Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners gathered participants together for his talk on spring pruning on March 9.
Master Gardener Fran Raleigh delivered a talk on March 23 at Brewster Ladies Library on gardening for pollinators and birds.
NOTICE TO WALK PARTICIPANTS: As much as we love our four-legged friends, BCT programs are designed only for human participants. Walks will be cancelled for extreme weather. We will notify hikers of cancellations via email by 8 am on the morning of your walk.