Project Description: Cape Cod National Seashore (CACO) is among the most visited parks in the nation. The park manages over 44 miles of coastline which include some of the most pristine and undisturbed beaches in the northeast. and water resources are integral to the park’s visitor experience, providing a wide range of recreation opportunities.
Erosional hotspots are stretches of shoreline where anomalously high rates of erosion exceed well-studied historical rates. Hotspots are ubiquitous, yet ephemeral; their short life cycles (years) can dramatically impact natural resources and visitor access. New survey methods (nearshore seafloor mapping and remote sensing options, (near-range lidar, wave cameras, aerial imagery) allow a comprehensive picture of the linked terrestrial-submerged coastal systems. The Seashore’s 25-km ocean coast erodes episodically, resulting in a trend of cumulative habitat loss (coastal ponds, upland grasslands, shorebird nesting sites) and lost infrastructure (12 beach stairway replacements in a decade). Habitat changes include saltwater inundation of coastal ponds and bogs with effects on wetland plants, amphibian breeding, water quality and aquifer changes, shorebird nesting habitat loss as high tides eliminate supra-tidal buffer zones at the toe of glacial bluffs. Steadily retreating upland bluff margins host declining heathland/grassland habitats critical to remnant avian communities – including game birds such as quail, important to phase out stocked exotic game.
Lead Principal Investigator: Mark Borrelli, Center for Coastal Studies
Partner Institution: Center for Coastal Studies
Federal Agency: National Park Service
Federal Agency Technical Contact: Geoffrey Sanders
Project Type: Research
Project Discipline: Natural Resources
Project Sub-Discipline(s): Physical and Earth Sciences
Start Year: 2023
End Year: 2024
Initial Funding Amount: $101,225.00
Federal Grant Number: P23AC00525
Amendments
- Amendment Number: 01, Year: 2024, Amount: $100,251.00
Location: Cape Cod National Seashore
National Park or Protected Area: Cape Cod (NPS)
State(s): Massachusetts
Products Associated with this Project:
- No products found.