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for a memorial bench to be established in memory of Certain areas of the refuge have been identified Jeff's invaluable contributions to the conservation as significant habitat for the threatened New England commission. Cottontail (NEC), a species on the verge of being added to the federal endangered species list. The 2012 also saw the retirement of Lloyd Allen,one Conservation Department and Conservation of our full time commissioners. Mr. Allen served on Commission have actively worked with refuge part. the commission for nearly 10 years. Specializing in ners in promoting and authorizing significant habitat botany, Mr. Allen provided valuable and balanced management work for the NEC on our parcels within input to project proposals and was a pleasure to work the refuge, including selective pruning of identified with. We wish Lloyd a very happy retirement,he will habitat areas as well as prescribed burning initiatives be missed. to promote ideal habitat conditions not only for NEC but also variety of other species that are dependent The commission has recently approved the upon early succession habitats. application of Mr.Robert Anderson for full time com- mission status to bring our total of full time members In addition to active habitat management and to the maximum of 7. Mr. Anderson served as an wildfire abatement, the refuge partnership is also in Associate Commissioner for a brief time back in 2008 the process of establishing a Comprehensive and we look forward to having him on board as a full Conservation Plan (CCP) for the refuge.The purpose time member for 2013 and beyond. The commission of the CCP is to establish clear and concise manage- continues to seek willing volunteers who wish to serve ment goals and objectives for the refuge moving for- on the Mashpee Conservation Commission as part ward, including the possible establishment of a visi- time associate members. tor's center. The Mashpee Conservation Department continues to play and active and enthusiastic role as a The Regulations Sub-committee of the partner in the refuge and we look forward to many Conservation Commission continues to meet on a reg- exciting initiatives in the coming years. ular basis to evaluate and assess our Chapter 172 Wetland Bylaw and its enabling regulations for the Permitting and Enforcement: purposes of keeping them up to date with rapidly changing times. Enforcement of Mashpee's Chapter 172 Wetland Ordinance & Chapter 173 Conservation Land By-law The Mashpee National Wildlife Refuge Partnership: is of the utmost importance to the Conservation Department. The department remains vigilant in its The Mashpee Conservation Department is a patrols of those areas of Mashpee that fall under the partner in the Mashpee National Wildlife Refuge with jurisdiction of local and state wetlands protection acts significant acreage of conservation owned land within to ensure compliance. Patrols of the conservation the refuge boundaries. Partners in the refuge include lands take place on a weekly basis. Cooperative assis- the towns of Falmouth and Mashpee Conservation tance in environmental law enforcement from local, Departments as well as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife state,tribal and federal officials helps to identify prob- Service, the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and lem areas (dumping, vandalism, encroachment, etc) Wildlife, the Massachusetts Department of and come up with management solutions. Conservation and Recreation, Orenda Wildlife Trust, The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, the Falmouth Rod Land Stewardship Program/Americorps and Gun Club and the Friends of the Mashpee National Wildlife Refuge. 2012 has been a very active The Conservation Department has once again year in terms of activities on the refuge. Significant qualified for another year of the Americorp Individual improvements have been made in terms of wildfire Placement Program whereby we have an Americorp abatement through the creation of strategically located volunteer serve one day a week in our office to assist fire breaks in areas where the refuge borders devel- the department with the management of our volunteer p g oped areas as well selective pruning along existing based Land Stewardship Program. The Land forest access roads to ensure the safety of wildfire Stewardship Program has been established for the Pur- fighting personnel. poses of recruiting local residents to act as stewards for our conservation parcels. Volunteers are asked to 102