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Report of the Conservation Commission To the Honorable Board of Selectmen and the Citizens of the Town of Mashpee: Mission Statement The Mashpee Conservation Commission is responsible for the protection and preservation of the Town's precious wetland resource areas by utilizing the provisions set forth in the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act (MGL Ch. 131 § 40) and the Chapter 172 Wetland Protection By-law. Furthermore, it is the mission of the Conservation Commission to monitor, manage, protect and enhance Mashpee's conservation lands and open space parcels through our Chapter 173 Conservation Land Bylaw for the benefit of native flora and fauna and public passive recreational use. 2016 Permitting: The Conservation Department and Conservation Commission processed a total of 188 permits in 2016. The breakdown is as follows: • Notices of Intent/Amended Order Requests (NOI/AOC): 80 • Requests for Determination (RDA): 46 • Certificates of Compliance (COC): 56 • Permit Extension Requests (EXT): 6 Permitted projects included demolition and reconstruction of existing single family homes, home additions, septic upgrades, vista pruning, dock and pier work, bulkhead and seawalls, landscaping and hardscaping. As has been the case over the years, new construction on undeveloped lots is minimal as Mashpee continues to approach build out conditions. The 2016 Conservation Commission: The Mashpee Conservation Commission added two new full time commissioners in 2016 and the departure of one full time Commissioner. Mark Gurnee left the Commission in 2016 after 5 years of full time service. Mark was very active in reviewing permit applications by regularly conducting onsite inspections and consistently following up on the progress of some of the more controversial projects, particularly those involving coastal erosion. Mark was a valued and active member of the Commission and he will be sincerely missed. We wish him well in his recent move to the Town of Falmouth. Chad Smith, a Research Coordinator with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, joined the commission in September. In addition to his extensive knowledge of the marine environment, Chad brings a passion for conservation land management to the Commission. He is also a volunteer land steward for the Mashpee River Woodlands Conservation land. Thomas J. O'Neill joined the Commission in October of 2016. Tom owns a local landscape design business in Mashpee and has come before the Commission on numerous occasions representing homeowners on various permit applications. Tom brings a wealth of knowledge about landscape design, plant species, and mitigation strategies to the Commission. The additions of Chad Smith and Tom O'Neill brings the total number of full-time Commissioners to seven, which is the limit. The current Commission Chairman is Bradford R. Sweet and the Vice Chairman is Dale R. McKay, with Ralph Shaw, Robert Anderson, and John Rogers rounding out the full-time members. There are two part time members, Louis DiMeo and Steven Cook, who serve as Associate Commissioners. The positions of Chairman and Vice Chairman are voted on annually, following the conclusion of the fiscal year at the end of each June. Judy Daigneault serves as the Commission's Recording Secretary and handles the meeting minutes. 2016 Conservation Projects: The Conservation Department is a partner of the Mashpee National Wildlife Partnership Refuge, which also includes the Falmouth Conservation Department, the Falmouth Rod and Gun Club, MA State Division of Fish and Wildlife, MA Department. of Conservation and Recreation, Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Orenda Wildlife Trust, The US Fish and Wildlife Service the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe and the Friends Group of the Mashpee Wildlife Partnership Refuge (http://friendsofmashpeenationalwildliferefu eg com). Collectively, these partners manage the refuge which is comprised of lands owned by each partner. We continue to support various land management projects on the refuge, including prescribed burning to reduce wildfire threats and to reinvigorate wildlife habitat, 100