Volunteer Story: Cut/Pile/Burn Crew of Cape Cod National Seashore

Volunteers of the Cut/Pile/Burn Program work at Fort Hill of the national seashore.

Photo: NPS

In celebration of National Volunteer Day, we would like to take a moment to reflect on the volunteer programs that make Cape Cod National Seashore a special place. At the national seashore, there are several opportunities that allow people of every discipline to donate their time, get involved, and improve the experience of all visitors to these public lands.

Though Covid-19 has impacted the volunteer programs of the park over the past year, there are programs that have given volunteers an opportunity to stay engaged. One such program worked with fire management and labored to improve the landscape.

Bianca Bowman stands at the burn pile at Salt Pond Visitor Center's ignition on March 16 2021.

Photo: NPS

"I can tell how much the volunteers love cleaning up and improving areas that they use themselves," explained Bianca Bowman, the Fire Management Volunteer Coordinator through the AmeriCorps Placement program, over our virtual conversation.

Bianca is one of many hands in one of many volunteer programs at Cape Cod National Seashore. Specifically, she works with the Cut/Pile/Burn program where volunteers work together to reduce low-lying brush and vegetation. Using loppers and power tools this crew of volunteers cut everything under 4 inches in diameter to reduce fire danger around structures, reduce uncontrollable wildfires, restore the historic views from vistas, and for habitat enrichment in certain areas of the park for animals like the bobwhite quail.

Ignitions at Doane Rock on February 17 2021.

Photo: NPS

"For areas that we work at, around the Nauset Lighthouse, around the Salt Pond Visitor Center, and at the Marconi Site, our volunteers love the views of where we work. We can often take time to appreciate sights of the ocean from cliffs or even different parks of the forest. Also, there is definately an instant gratification of being able to see at the end of the day all we have accomplished." Addressing why volunteers enjoy being part of the crew that works hard throughout the year, Bianca had several reasons for how they find pride and enjoyment in all they do. She concluded with a grin, "And with the Cut/Pile/Burn program, people, including me, …love that we get to burn stuff." The brush and vegetation is piled and during the burn season is ignited.

This program is still looking for volunteers to join the crews working on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Follow this link to the volunteer webpage for more information and contacts if you are interested in joining the crews that work to improve the landscapes of Cape Cod National Seashore.

To everyone that is volunteering or has volunteered their time to make the park a better place, from all of us working for the National Park Service, we wish you praise and admiration for being stewards of the landscapes that make Cape Cod National Seashore such a special place.