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Welcome to the
Conservation Commission
The Conservation Commission holds regularly scheduled meetings beginning at 7:00 p.m. on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month.
To be included on an agenda, you must submit the appropriate application or written request at least two weeks prior to the desired
meeting date.
In 1957 the
Massachusetts
legislature passed the Conservation Commission Act, which authorized municipalities to establish Conservation Commissions “for the promotion and development of natural resources and for the protection of watershed resources.” The
Burlington
Conservation Commission was founded in 1966, and has been an active participant in wetland conservation in
Burlington
ever since. In 1972 Conservation Commissions were afforded the authority to administer the Wetlands Protection Act (MGL Ch. 131, Sec 40). In addition to the Wetlands Protection Act, Conservation Commissions are also charged with governing activities that fall under the local Wetland By-law (Article XIV of the General By-laws).
Through its experiences working on projects within the town, the Commission has adopted a number of findings and practices that it believes promotes the best interests of wetland protection and the regulations of the Wetlands Protection Act and the By-law. While these policies do not have the weight nor legal standing of laws or regulations, the Commission will expect all applicants to make a good-faith effort to meet the following standards.
The Town of
Burlington
is a wonderfully diverse area in which to live, visit, work or play. The area is also blessed with a lot of natural beauty in the form of its environmental resources, which include rivers and wetlands. Over ten percent of the total acreage in
Burlington
is either wetland or land under water. The development of industry and commerce in the southern half of the town has provided the community with a significant amount of opportunity and financial growth. Yet, with this continued development of the town, it is imperative that we make an effort to protect our remaining natural resources.
Learn about Vernal Pools:
What they are and What lives in them.
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Conservation Commission Members
Larry Cohen – Chair
Gretchen Carey
Nedim Celik
Indra Deb
Ann McNamara
Gail Lima
Kerry Melanson
Conservation Department
Office: 25 Center ST
Burlington, MA 01803
781-270-1655
Fax: 781-238-4690
conservation@burlmass.org
John Keeley,
Conservation Administrator jkeeley@burlmass.org
Jodie Wennemer,
Conservation Assistant
jwennemer@burlmass.org
Ellen Longo, Principal Clerk elongo@burlmass.org
Directions
"We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children."
-Native American Proverb |
