The Association to Preserve Cape Cod is putting out an SOS to protect undeveloped priority natural resource lands on the Cape. APCC Executive Director Andrew Gottlieb said nearly 50,000 acres remain both undeveloped and unprotected. Of that, he said, roughly 40,000 acres are priority natural resource lands.
“You don't put development on your most sensitive remaining lands when your entire economy and your reason for being here that supports overall land values is the well-being of your environment,” Gottlieb said.
Gottlieb acknowledges the Cape’s housing shortage, but says there are opportunities to build more housing in downtowns and other areas already developed.
"You can do both," he said. "And this effort is not an impediment to doing both."
Gottlieb said, with planning, the Cape can address both its housing and land conservation needs. But he indicated the status quo needs to change.
"The existing development pattern, the quantity of land we've developed and the type of housing, in particular, that we've promoted through zoning has resulted in pretty heavily degraded water resources," he commented.
APCC is about a month into the campaign, which involves mobilizing teams of activists in all 15 towns. Gottlieb says hundreds of people have signed up to be part of an "SOS Team" in their town.
"Every town has some opportunity and some jeopardy to protect or lose critical lands within their community," he said. "It doesn't matter whether you're in Bourne or P-town, there's work to be done in each and every town.”
Gottlieb said APCC will support activists but will let local teams take the lead in their towns.
"And we'll work with the teams in the individual communities to help them set their community-specific priorities and how they want to approach this work," Gottlieb added.
APCC is distributing hundreds of lawn signs, stickers and banners to help raise awareness about the effort.
