Goose Pond Forest “infrastructure” provides economic benefits to Town

When will we understand that we need much more undisturbed, forested lands as a natural filter to provide clean water for our thirsty lifestyles? How much education do we need to understand that our species wins when we protect the rest of the creatures and trees and soils of this spectacular ecosystems - the last large, forested area in Chatham? 

The Goose Pond forest ecosystem took thousands of years to develop and has been relatively untouched for the last 200 years. Rarely have I heard the kind of fervor to protect our lands and forests in the way that people have showed up to protect our wonderful Orpheum or any number of important historic houses. When I think of heritage, I start by wanting to preserve our wild landscape - these systems provide so much and with very little maintenance. 

We prosper economically by protecting the land. It’s a win/win. In two separate economic reports, the Cape Cod Commission has set goals to, “To preserve, protect, and restore the region’s natural resources including drinking water, surface water, and wetlands; plant and animal habitats; and open space and recreational resources” (2019).  And, “Protection, conservation, and restoration of natural ecosystems will help sequester carbon and can help the region reach net neutrality goals. These ecosystems…provide many other valuable ecosystem services” (2021). 

One month ago, the Chatham Open Space Committee unanimously voted to pursue submitting a warrant article for May 2022 town meeting to put a conservation restriction on the Goose Pond Forest to protect it in perpetuity. This action deserves all of our support to protect this last piece of Chatham forestlands. Protect our water. Protect our heritage.

Sarah B. Griscom, PhD.