Upcoming Events
Winter 2025 Programs
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
Watch this space for more information.
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.