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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 »
Estuaries and Salt Marshes
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The Cape Cod landscape is one of many estuaries and salt marshes. These ecosystems can be found along both the bay and ocean shores in what is known as the intertidal zone; any area that is regularly inundated by the tide. The term estuary is a broad one used to describe an area where fresh water meets the sea. As freshwater flows into a marine environment, it carries with it nutrients from terrestrial run-off. Thus, estuaries are almost always associated with high biological productivity making them important ecological and economic systems. For many marine fishes and invertebrates estuaries serve as habitat in which they can find shelter, breed, and forage. Estuaries also have tremendous recreational value as they offer an ideal setting for fishing, kayaking, and photography. Salt marshes are also located in the intertidal zone. In New England, they are marked by communities of salt-tolerant vegetation often found among a mosaic of meandering tidal creeks. Most often, salt marshes occur in low-energy locations where the land is some-what sheltered from the direct flow of the tide. Salt marshes are among the most biologically productive ecosystems on earth and play an important role in filtering out nutrients. Salt marshes serve as critical habitat for a host of important animals species including fishes, shellfish, and birds. Due to the critical nature of these systems, the Cape Cod National Seashore has undertaken an ambitious program of estuarine monitoring and salt marsh restoration. You can learn much more about these by visiting the links below: 
A Park Service truck rests atop the Hatches Harbor Dike. The culvert pictured was built to allow tidal flow through the dike to the other side in order to facilitate restoration. NPS Photo SALT MARSH RESTORATION AT CAPE COD NATIONAL SEASHORE:
ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT IN TIDAL RESTORATION PROJECTS 
An aerial photograph showing vegetation losses in a Cape Cod salt marsh. NPS Photo SALT MARSH DIEBACK For more information about estuaries and salt marshes, contact: Stephen Smith, Vegetation Ecologist: (508) 487-3262 x0508; stephen_m_smith@nps.gov Tim Smith, Restoration Ecologist: (508) 487-3262 x0509; tim_p_smith@nps.gov Megan Tyrrell, Inventory & Monitoring Coordinator: (508) 487-3262 x0510; megan_tyrrell@nps.gov |
Did You Know?
The Mayflower was 90’ long, 25’ wide and carried its 102 passengers on a 66 day journey from Plymouth, England finally reaching Provincetown, Massachusetts on November 10, 1620.