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amendments and updates as necessary. The Report of the Conservation Lands sub-com has been set u p to Conservation Commission review,implement and/or establish management plans for our conservation parcels. Both committees con• tinue to be active and productive in their roles. To the Honorable Board of Selectmen and the Permitting and Enforcement: gCitizens of the Town of Mashpee: As previously mentioned, the Mashpe1. e .' Mission Statement: Conservation Dept. has been steadily busy with per, mitting activity in 2010. The Conservation Dept con It is the goal of the Mashpee Conservation Commission to protect the Town's precious and times to remain diligent on enforcement, putting an', emphasis on post permitting compliance. Our depart. unique natural resources by utilizing the provisions set ment takes an educational and cooperative approach to forth in the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act enforcement issues so that when we discover a viola. (MGL Ch. 131 § 40) and the Chapter 172 Wetland tion, it is not just a simple matter of demanding pay- ment By-law under the Mashpee General Town ment of a fine. We work closely with homeowners to By-law. Furthermore,it is the mission of the Mashpee come up with an amicable solution to a particular vio F Conservation Commission to protect, monitor and enhance The Town's Conservation Land and Open lation whereby both sides achieve resolution and sat Space parcels for the protection of native flora fauna isfaction in a non-confrontational manner. and the use and enjoyment of our citizens and visitors Quashnet Bogs & Quashnet River j to our town. Changes: In 2010, the Conservation Commission decided'1 to officially abandon any plans for cranberry cultiva- 2010 has been a busy year for the Conservation tion at the 16+ acre Quashnet bogs. The commission Dept. Permitting was steady&involved mostly home voted to retain the services of Haley & Aldrich additions, tear down and re-builds, septic upgrades Environmental Consulting for the purposes of pursu- and landscape proposals. The Commission entered its ing a full river realignment project, covering a heavily first full year of a 10 year cranberry bog lease agree- disturbed stretch of the Quashnet River as it flows ment with Fairland Farms LLC for our 6.1 acre Garner through the Quashnet bogs. In 2007, Haley & Farley bog system. Twenty percent of yearly cran- Aldrich, in conjunction with the Woods Hole Group, berry sale revenues from this bog go into a dedicated conducted a feasibility study of the currents of fund for conservation land improvements. Quashnet River. i The conservation commission has seen one of its The river has seen significant adverse effects of full time members (Jeffrey Cross) transition to associ- a failed berm put in place to control the spread of a ate status due to time constraints. The commission plume of Ethylene Dibromide that emanated from the currently has six full time members and four associate Mass Military Reservation back in 1999. The earthen commissioners. The commission is currently seeking berm has slowly subsided over the years, causing a massive blow out of bog peat into the river system, • applicants to fill our 7th full time position as well as anyone interested in becoming an associate commis- thus causing heavy siltation, reduction in flow and an sioner increase in vegetative growth as a result. These impacts have adversely affected the habitat of sea-run In 2010, the Mashpee Conservation Dept has brook trout as well as various anadromous fish species established two sub-committees: (1) The Regulatory including alewife and blue back herring. sub-committee and (2) the Conservation Lands sub- committee. Both committees are com rised of full The commission is currently working with Haley p time members of our Conservation Commission. The & Aldrich, AFCEE (Air Force Center for Regulatory sub-com has been set up to review our Environmental Excellence), Mass Fish & Wildlife as 4u existing regulations and make changes, revisions, well as other stakeholders to figure out the steps nec essary to accommodate a river realignment strategy. It 82