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Access to the Coast Guard Beach in Eastham will be closed Tuesday, May 21.
Access to the Coast Guard Beach in Eastham will be closed Tuesday, May 21, from 6:00 AM to 3:00 PM so seashore staff can create an accessible path in advance of the summer season.
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Storm damage, construction affecting access at seashore locations; reduction in programming
Due to erosion, there is no beach access at Nauset Light and Marconi beaches. Access at the Marconi Site is limited. Parts of the Nauset Marsh and Red Maple Swamp trails are closed. Nauset Bike Trail construction is underway. More »
Cape Cod Ecosystem Monitoring
Veteran CACO scientist John Portnoy (Ret.) uses a watercraft to reach survey points on East Harbor. Salt water was reintroduced to East Harbor in 2001 making it the subject of much research in regards to restoration.
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Cape Cod Ecosystem Monitoring Homepage
As part of the National Park Service's effort to "improve park management through greater reliance on scientific knowledge," the Cape Cod Ecosystem Monitoring (CCEM) program was established to develop and implement a long-term monitoring program that will serve to aid park managers in making sound stewardship decisions. The CCEM program utilizes a long-term approach to data collection and analysis to deepen the understanding of the ecosystems within the park. Towards this end, the CCEM program has adopted an ecosystem-based, issue-oriented approach for monitoring ecosystem integrity, and worked in close partnership with USGS-Biological Resources Division to develop a scientifically sound monitoring program. It is also one of the goals of the program to design and implement resource-specific monitoring protocols not only for Cape Cod National Seashore (CACO) but for other National Park Service lands sharing similar resources and ecological communities. Protocols are designed to be park-specific but adaptable to other parks along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. You can learn more about this unique relationship by visiting the Northeast Coastal and Barrier Network website.
The CCEM program aims to share all of its information not just with other parks but with other agencies, researchers and the public. It is a priority of the program to collect, organize and disseminate its findings to all interested parties. Please view our operational information as well as our report and publication list provided at the top of the page. 
In this aerial photograph one can observe several of the different ecosystem types found within CACO. Notice the pine forests at the edge of the salt marsh. The Atlantic Ocean is seen at the top of the photo.
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For questions or additional information pertaining to the Cape Cod Ecosystem Monitoring program please contact: Megan Tyrrell, Ph.D. |
Did You Know?
135 acres of seasonal freshwater wetlands exist across the dune landscape of Cape Cod National Seashore's Province Lands. These wetlands which typically dry down by mid-summer, support plants, serve as breeding areas for Spadefoot and Fowler’s toads, and provide drinking water for wildlife.