Students help compile regional outdoor recreation database

Pictured: Cape Cod Commission interns Hailey Martin and Nina Mako, collecting field data at Thacher Shore Conservation Area in Yarmouth. 

Spending the summer visiting Cape Cod’s abundant natural and recreational resources sounds like a pretty incredible job – and that’s exactly what a pair of local college students is doing this summer, as interns supporting the Cape Cod Commission’s work to create a database of outdoor recreational areas across the region.  

With support from a grant awarded by the Massachusetts Office of Outdoor Recreation (MOOR), within the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, the Commission is collaborating with the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce and the Compact of Cape Cod Conservation Trusts to create a comprehensive database featuring detailed site descriptions and images of recreational areas across Cape Cod. The project aims to improve planning and public access to information about the region's diverse outdoor recreational resources. Information collected will be made available to the Cape’s residents and visitors through an online mapping application, and the information will be shared with MOOR to be included on a Mass Outdoors webpage, currently under development.  

Hailey Martin is studying legal studies and public policy at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She is spending her summer exploring beaches, parks, golf courses, and other outdoor spaces as an intern working on the MOOR grant project. “Living in Yarmouth my whole life, I sometimes don’t take advantage of the areas right in my backyard,” Martin said. “Not only is this an opportunity to learn more about the outdoor spaces on the Cape, but to create something everyone will be able to use.” 

This internship has allowed Hailey to learn more about the conservation areas on Cape Cod, those that are protected, and those that are publicly accessible. 

Born and raised on Cape Cod, Nina Mako is majoring in Environmental Studies and Global Public Health/History at NYU. “My family and I have always enjoyed discovering new beaches, hiking trails, and paddleboarding areas,” says Mako. “We would have benefitted immensely from the inventory map this project aims to establish.“ She is enjoying all aspects of this internship, from research to field work, visiting new areas, and seeing flora and fauna, including the 17-year cicadas she encountered in Cotuit.  

This summer, Mako is learning about desktop research, field data collection, accessibility considerations, and the local environment. “I am thankful for the opportunity to dive into the natural landscape of Cape Cod that I will forever carry in a special place in my heart.” 

This inventory, expected to be complete next summer, will consolidate information currently found in places like town websites, nonprofit land trust maps, and municipal open space plans into a single, accessible platform. It will include outdoor assets in each of Cape Cod's 15 towns and incorporate insights from community feedback, local planning documents, and new research.   

By bringing these resources together in one centralized location, this project seeks to improve people's ability to connect with nature, stay active, and appreciate the unique character of Cape Cod.