NEWS & NOTES
Got News? Email us at gosnold.cap at gmail dot com!
Black swallow
-wort vine !
Invasive Alert!
HELP tackle the Island’s Monarch butterfly enemy- Black swallow-wort vine (BSW).
Pro-tip: we recommend downloading this photo to your phone for ease of identification.
Vincetoxicum nigrum (BSW) has found its way to the island and is invading the breakwater on the road to Church’s Beach.
Adult monarch butterflies mistake this plant for one of the native milkweeds (it’s a cousin) and lay their eggs on the leaves.The emerging baby caterpillars are unable to eat the leaves or migrate elsewhere, so die of starvation, thereby reducing monarch numbers.
Introduced to the U.S. as an ornamental in 1864 near Cambridge MA, BSW is a spiraling vine, with a dark purple flower (June) that turns into 2.5 inch long milk weed pod (late July, early August) that releases over 2000 seeds in parachutes.
CAN you pitch in to the Community effort to tackle BSW? Pull the plant and place in a black contractor bag to solarize (bake in the sun) for 30 days. After 30 days compost or burn ( do Not burn if seed pods are ripe). If you are unable to pull the root crown, break the stem as low as possible so it isn’t visible to the monarchs.
Don’t have a black bag? CCAN has bags available at Nancy Wilder’s at 4-corners.
​
photo: Sophie Anderson at the West End. Photograph by Emma Schmell
Introducing CAN Summer 2024 Intern Sophie Anderson!
​
Sophie is a rising sophomore at the University of Alabama. Hailing from Easton, Maryland, she has been coming to Cuttyhunk her entire life. She notes: “My father grew up coming out here and I share his love of this island, a very special place.”
​
While in high school, Sophie participated in a number of environmental projects. Working with “The CAN” Steering Committee, she will encourage climate change and sea level rise awareness and engagement, pitching in on major summer initiatives: vermiculture (worm composting), community composting, and recycling, as well as an ongoing everyday roadside/beach cleanup project.
​
Sophie will also help with the CAN’s intergenerational social media efforts.
She adds: ”If you see me around town, please stop and say hello. I look forward to meeting new and veteran CAN supporters!”
APRIL 2023 Removal of Ghost Fishing Gear from Cuttyhunk Shoreline
Center for Coastal Studies Marine Debris & Plastics Program August 11, presentation at the Boathouse. Click here or on the image to view.
​
August 4, 2023. CYC Model Boat Regatta
All boats were made by the young skippers from found or repurposed materials.
Prizes provided by Cutthunk CAN!
#reuse #recycle! #repurpose!
Sustainable gardening on Cuttyhunk
i
A score of hearty Cuttyhunkers joined Allie Thurston, our local Interpretive Naturalist on June 10, for our first public program and "walk 'n talk” of the season. The event featured brilliant rain and sun showers.
In the weeks ahead, we'll be adding resources for those adding resources for those eager to create island gardens.
Thank you Allie!
Cuttyhunk CAN! Receives Grant Award
Read story by Michael Silva in the April 22, 2023 edition of the New Bedford Guide.
