In 1983 homeowners on the east side of Gull Pond founded Gull Pond Area Conservation Association (GUPACA) — one of the first citizens group on Cape Cod focused on preserving the water quality of freshwater ponds.  GUPACA’s initial focus was on the Gull Pond chain of ponds that included Higgins, Williams, and Herring Ponds.  With great support from the then robust scientific staff of the Cape Cod National Seashore and Wellfleet town officials, GUPACA educated its members on the negative effects of excessive nutrients flowing into the ponds, the need to protect pond banks, and the danger of invasive plants.  GUPACA annual meetings were an opportunity for residents to discuss pond issues with Seashore and Town officials in an informal setting.

In 2021, the Town asked GUPACA to organize and manage collecting the water samples for the new Cyanobacteria monitoring program of the Association to Preserve Cape Cod.  GUPACA has managed this ever since and Friends of Wellfleet Ponds (FWP) continues that work today.

Over the years, homeowners from Long Pond and then throughout Wellfleet joined GUPACA.  In 2024 the GUPACA Board decided it was time to officially change GUPACA into a more formal organization focused on the health of all the freshwater Wellfleet ponds, and open to all full-time and seasonal Wellfleet residents who love the ponds.  Thus, GUPACA evolved into FWP.