Scituate Conservation Commission

Overview
About: 

This commission has several webpage links with background information on their work and other useful information:

Mission: 

"The Conservation Commission is an advisory board that works to promote and develop natural resources, to protect watershed resources, and to preserve natural aesthetic areas within the Town of Scituate.

"The Commission seeks to achieve these goals by participating in research projects, educational programs, and planning efforts with other Town and State organizations.

"The Conservation Commission also works closely with the Scituate Land Trust in order to coordinate land acquisitions and to maintain property for the benefit of present and future generations."

Source: Commission home page. Accessed March 23, 2010

From an older web page:

The Scituate Conservation Commission along with RIDEM, USEPA, RIALPC, and the Scituate Land Trust promote land protection, land conservation, land preservation, natural resource development, natural resource preservation, natural resource protection, watershed resource protection, watershed resource preservation, watershed preservation, watershed protection, environmental management, environmental protection, environmental activism, nature conservancy, protecting nature, woodland conservation, wilderness preservation, wilderness conservation, and property management.

Land Trust meetings precede the Conservation Commission meetings every other month at 6:30 p.m.

Org Website: 
Scituate Conservation Commission Web Page
E-Towncrier Link: 
Scituate Conservation Commission E-Towncrier
Phone: 
401-647-2822 x6
Notes: 

Contact information is from E-Towncrier and may be out of date.

Budget is unknown.

From the commission calendar:

"The meeting will provide a review of the activities of the Commission during the past year and the presentation of the Alice B. Howland Award. This year's featured topic will be "Invasive Plants in our Forests", presented by guest speaker James Barnes. Mr. Barnes is the Project Coordinator for the Forest Health Works Project, a state-wide effort to control invasive plants and improve the long-term health of Rhode Island's forests. Invasive plants threaten Rhode Island's diverse ecosystems. Managing them is part of good land stewardship. This presentation will discuss local (Lawton Farm) and state-wide efforts to manage forest invasive plants and what can be done by citizens on their own properties."

A second web page for this commission

From the 2008 web page:

Environmental Survey Results

A survey was distributed in Spring, 2000 that asked Town Residents to prioritize a variety of environmental issues.  This survey specifically sought to solicit input from Residents in order to guide the focus of Conservation Commission efforts.  Following is a summary of responses from that survey. [ed note: # of respondents is not given.]

Ranking of Most Important Natural Resources

  • 1.      Clean Drinking Water                          
  • 2.      Clean Air                    
  • 3.      Peace & Quiet
  • 4.      Open Space                                         
  • 5.      Water Resources       
  • 6.      Scenic Resources
  • 7.      Wildlife Habitat            
  • 8.      Natural Areas            
  • 9.      Farmland & Forestland
  • 10.  Geological Resources

 

Most Pressing Environmental Concerns

  • Growth Management         = 72%        
  • Water Resource Protection           = 70%
  • Open Space                     = 58%       
  • Pollution Prevention                   = 58%
  • Environmental Commitment                 = 40%       
  • Historic Resources Preservation                 = 18%
  • Recycling                       = 16%        
  • Recreation                    = 13%
  • Archaeological Resource Conservation        = 8%

 

Response to Questions

 

Should the town set aside funds on an annual basis to be used exclusively to purchase farm, forest, and open space lands?              Yes = 81%

 Should the town Land Trust and Conservation Commission review, prioritize, and recommend parcels of land for potential purchase by the town?     Yes = 82%

Meetings
Meet Regularly?: 
Yes
2nd
Tuesday
Meeting Time: 
7:00 p.m.
Meeting Location: 
Chopmist Hill Center, 1315 Chopmist Hill Road (Route 102)
Members
# Members: 
7
Members: 
  • Thomas Angell, Chair
  • Ruth Strach, Vice-Chair
  • Sara Adams
  • Michael Capirchio
  • Cheryl Dexter
  • Cynthia Gianfrancesco
  • Jon Vernava
Contact
Contact First Name: 
Jon
Contact Last Name: 
Vernava
Email: 
jonv@crossmaneng.com
Address
Address: 
Town Hall, 195 Danielson Pike, PO Box 328, North Scituate, RI
City/Town: 
Scituate
Zipcode: 
02857
Budget
Budget Amount: 
$0

Upcoming Meetings