ARTICLE 1 - Town of Natick

ARTICLE 15
Town Forest: Transfer to Conservation Commission
(Board of Selectmen and Conservation Commission)
To see if the Town will vote to transfer from the Board of Selectmen to the Conservation
Commission the care, custody, management and control of the property known as Henry
S. Hunnewell Memorial Town Forest, shown on Assessors’ Map 20, Lot 2, or otherwise
act thereon.
RECOMMENDATION: By a vote of 9-1-0 on September 17, 2009, The Finance
Committee recommends FAVORABLE ACTION with regard to the subject matter
of Article 15.
The purpose of this article is to enhance opportunities for proper oversight,
accountability and management of the Town Forest by transferring the care, custody,
management and control of this resource to the Conservation Commission, and placing
the Town Forest Committee under the jurisdiction of the Conservation Commission.
During the review of this article it was noted:
The Commission has the expertise and charge to best oversee this resource. It is
anticipated that this change will provide for greater accountability and more effective
forest management; in addition the change will create opportunity to expend
Conservation funds on the Town Forest as warranted.
There was a question as to whether this action would require a 2/3 vote of Town
Meeting. Based on correspondence from Town Counsel included in the handouts it
did not appear that a 2/3 vote was required.
If this Article is passed, the By-Laws will need to be updated to move the responsibility
for appointment of the Town Forest Committee from the Board of Selectmen to the
Conservation Commission.
The Article would transfer the care, custody, management and control of the property
to the Conservation Commission, but the ownership remains with the Town.
The activities anticipated to be required going into the future are those related to
maintaining the health and vitality of the ecosystem. A consultant is currently
updating the Open Space Management Plan for the Conservation Commission. The
Town Forest will be included in that.
A handout prepared by the Town Administrator summarized the Conservation funds
currently available for unrestricted use (provided that use is consistent with MGL
guidelines for appropriate uses) as $588,949.
Concern was expressed that the proposed transfer could result in use of Conservation
funds to offset costs associated with work done in this area by Town employees.
Expenditures related to maintaining the Town Forest were estimated to be in the range
of $3,000 over a period of 31 years, and no significant ongoing expenses are
anticipated going forward.
The Town is still awaiting a reply from the DOR regarding the appropriate use of
Conservation Commission funds.
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