Search the Milford Site

 

~Conservation Commission ~

Conservation Commission Clerk (508)-634-2317

Friends of Milford Upper Charles Trail

The Milford Conservation Commission is updating the town's Open Space and Recreation Plan to provide an action plan for the years 2002 thru 2007. A survey is being conducted in order to understand the needs and concerns of Milford citizens. It will also help us secure government grant money for conversation. Please help us by following this link, printing out the survey (pdf format), filling it out, and sending it to Planning & Engineering Office, Room 5, Town Hall, 52 Main Street, Milford, MA 01757. Thank you for your help. (follow this link to download Adobe Acrobat to read pdf format, if necessary.)

Click here for the Town of Milford Wetlands Administration Bylaw

The Milford Conservation Commission is responsible for protecting and promoting the natural resources of the town. The Commission works with other local boards to oversee protection of natural resources, to plan for future acquisitions of conservation land, and to assist in community projects relating to the environment. The Commission also administers the Wetlands Protection Act and the Rivers Protection Act.   Present members of the Commission are Robert Buckley, Chairman, Derek Atherton, Noel Bon Tempo, Paul Braza, Michael Giampietro, James O'Connor, and Joseph Zacchilli.

The Commission may accept gifts of land or money for conservation purposes, and state matching grants for conservation land acquisition can be accessed through local Conservation Commission involvement. In 1996, the Conservation Commission coordinated the 5 year update of the Open Space and Recreation Plan thereby maintaining the towns eligibility for these grants. There are approximately 200 acres of Conservation Land within the town.

The Commission is always interested in meeting others who are concerned with environmental matters and are willing to volunteer their time and abilities. In addition to participation as a full board member, volunteer opportunities exist for individuals or organizations to work on special open space and conservation projects. The Commission encourages suggestions from organizations or individuals for specific projects. Meetings are held on the first and third Thursdays of each month in the Town Hall. Attendance by the general public is welcomed. Last year the Commission began development of a conservation area at Littlefield's pond, stocked Louisa Lake with fish and held the annual seedling sale.

    Please explore the links below for more information relating to local and regional open space and environmental matters.

The Wetlands Protection Act & Rivers Protection Act

The Wetlands Protection Act protects the public interest in surface and groundwater supplies, flood control, storm damage control, prevention of pollution, and preservation of certain wildlife habitats. The act identifies banks, bordering vegetated wetlands, land under water bodies and waterways, land subject to flooding, and wildlife habitat of rare species as resource areas which are significant to these interests. Bordering vegetated wetlands are identified by the predominance of wetland plant species, or by the presence of hydric soils. The Rivers Protection Act extends the jurisdiction of the of Conservation Commissions by adding an additional resource area, the riverfront area. This area is defined in most cases as land extending 200 feet beyond the mean annual high water line of a natural perennially flowing body of water. Any person or town department proposing land disturbing activity within these resource areas (including filling grading, removal of vegetation, and dredging), or within the 100' buffer zone of bordering vegetated wetlands or banks, must apply to the Conservation Commission with either a Notice of Intent or Request for a Determination of Applicability. This requirement applies to everyone and includes projects which are on a homeowner's own property.

Volunteer Opportunities

The Commission members are volunteers appointed by the selectmen for a three year term. In addition to serving as a full board member, volunteer opportunities exist for persons interested in open space and conservation related projects. The commission is in the process of developing a list of potential volunteers to be contacted when specific projects occur. Future projects will include clean-up of, signage for, and creation of trails on town conservation lands, and support for the proposed Upper Charles Trail. Volunteers are needed to lead and serve on a permanent open space committee to oversee implementation of the 1996 Open Space and Recreation Plan, for a trail development committee, and an open space bylaws committee. Anyone interested in volunteering in any capacity should leave their name with Jacqueline Pratt, the Conservation Commission Clerk, at (508)-634-2317, or Justine Uritam at Upper Charles Conservation, Inc. at (508)-366-0560.

1996 Open Space and Recreation Plan

The 1996 Open Space and Recreation Plan identifies conservation and recreational development of the Charles and Mill River corridors as the central element in the master plan. The plan emphasizes the need for management of existing conservation land within these corridors to provide grater recreational benefits. A key strategy of the plan is to increase citizen involvement in open space, both in terms of individual usage and in shaping and supporting open space efforts. The formation of three separate committees is recommended: a permanent open space committee, a trail development committee, and an open space bylaws committee. Specific projects of the 5 year plan include conversion of the 22 acre Milford Pond former landfill to a multi-use recreational area, development of a conservation area at Littlefield's Pond, creation of an intertown conservation area in northeastern Milford at the Head of the Charles, reclamation of Milford Pond to re-establish fishing and boating, and implementation of the proposed Upper Charles regional trail project. Copies of the 1996 Recreation and Open Space Plan are located in the Milford Library reference collection and at the Conservation Commission office in the Town Hall. Copies can be purchased from the Conservation Commission Office for the cost of reproduction, approximately $25.00.

Town of Milford Conservation Lands

The Town owns conservation lands in six locations:

  • Craddock Crewes pond and adjacent land (7.39 acres)
  • Land bordering the Mill River at the end of the Camp Street cart path (12.2 acres)
  • Louisa Lake and bordering lands (32.1 acres)
  • Town forest (103 acres)
  • Western shore of Milford Pond from Fino Field annex to Clark's Island
  • Littlefield's Pond and adjacent acreage (23.4 acres)

In addition, the town owns approximately 275 acres of wooded lands. As part of the 1996 Open Space and Recreation Plan, the Conservation Commission has committed to a more active role in managing conservation land. In order to develop a management plan for specific parcels, the Conservation Commission is interested in hearing from the general public and abutters concerning their present use of the above conservation lands (or any of the undeveloped municipal lands), suggestions for management or future recreational uses, and any present or anticipated problems associated with these parcels. Comments can be made by writing to the Commission at the Town Hall, 52 Main Street, attn: Bob Buckley.

The Upper Charles Trail

The Upper Charles trail is a proposed multi-use trail about 24 miles long which would be located on existing abandoned rail beds in the upper Charles River area. The trail construction is underway! See the updates at http://www.uppercharlestrail.org. More information about biking through Massachusetts can be found at (http://www.massbike.org/bikeways/ucharles.htm).

Calendar of Events

For the current calendar of events contact the Conservation Commission, at (508)-634-2317, or e-mail the conservation clerk.

Return to the Services Page