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educational resources for volunteer Conservation Report of the Commissioners,including paid yearly membership in Conservation Commission the Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissioners (MACC). The MACC provides year round training opportunities for commissioners, To the Honorable Board of Selectmen and the including wetlands and wetland soils identification, Citizens of the Town of Mashpee: meeting etiquette and protocols,regulatory training and MISSION various certification programs designed to increase knowledge and experience with wetlands and The Mashpee Conservation Commission is management of conservation lands. responsible for the protection and preservation of the Town's precious wetland resource areas by utilizing the CONSERVATION PROJECTS provisions set forth in the Massachusetts Wetlands The Conservation Department is a partner of Protection Act (MGL Ch. 131 § 40) and the Chapter the Mashpee National Wildlife Partnership Refuge, 172 Wetland Protection By-law. Furthermore, it is the which also includes the Falmouth Conservation mission of the Conservation Commission to monitor, Department, the Falmouth Rod and Gun Club, MA manage,protect and enhance Mashpee's conservation State Division of Fish and Wildlife,MA Department lands and open space parcels through our Chapter 173 of Conservation and Recreation, Waquoit Bay Conservation Land Bylaw for the benefit of native flora National Estuarine Research Reserve, Orenda and fauna and public passive recreational use. Wildlife Trust,the US Fish and Wildlife Service the PERMITTING Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe and the Friends Group of the Mashpee Wildlife Partnership Refuge The Conservation Department and Conservation (http://friendsofmashpeenationalwildliferefuge.com). Commission processed a total of 239 permits in 2017. Collectively, these partners manage the refuge which The breakdown is as follows: is comprised of lands owned by each partner. We continue to support various land management projects Notices of Intent: 60 on the refuge, including prescribed burning to reduce Requests for Determination wildfire threats and to reinvigorate wildlife habitat, of Applicability: 93 mechanical vegetation thinning to promote early Amended Order Requests 10 successional shrub growth and various other projects. Certificates of Compliance 66 Most recently, we secured funding through the Extension Order Requests 10 MassWildlife Habitat Management Grant to continue Total permits processed: 239 this work; this project is part of an ongoing NE Cottontail Management plan, and will focus on burns Permitted projects mostly involved the tear down on Town Property at the South Mashpee Pine Barrens and reconstruction of existing homes and/or additions to existing homes. Other common requests included In 2017, the Friends and other partners of the dock/pier construction/modifications, landscaping, Mashpee National Wildlife Refuge have been hardscaping, septic upgrades and hazardous tree progressing on the Community Preservation removals. Committee-funded projects to update the Refuge trail maps/trail videos and the History of the Refuge. The CONSERVATION COMMISSION Mashpee Conservation Department has also updated The Mashpee Conservation Commission saw no our trail maps, which are available for viewing and changes in overall membership in 2017. Full time downloading on the Conservation page of the Town of commissioners include Dale McKay(Chairman),Brad Mashpee's website. We recently launched an Sweet(Vice Chair),Bud Shaw,Robert Anderson,Chad Interactive Trail Map to provide a snapshot and link to Smith and Thomas O'Neill.The Commission has two our trails/trail guides/trail videos. The Conservation Associate members: Steve Cook and Lou DiMeo. The Department is currently working with partners and Commission currently has one open spot for a full time various stakeholders on a restoration project for the member and 3 open spots for associate members. The upper Quashnet River, which has become degraded Mashpee Conservation Department provides many over the years, adversely impacting anadromous fish 100