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Conservation Commission

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MEMBERS (2008) Peter Anderson Peter Browne Emily Douglas Ed Gardner Mary Gilbertson Donna Goulding Debra McKenney David Shaw

The Conservation Commission is an advisory board to the City Council, the Planning Board and the Zoning Board of Appeals on issues dealing with the environment.

The Commission conducts research into local land use and makes recommendations to the Planning board to assist in preservation and enhancement of natural resources of the City. The Commission also provides environmental and technical assistance to the Planning board during the Board's review of development proposals and the development of new land use ordinances.

Interested in conservation? We are always searching for enthusiastic, energetic and committed individuals to help us with projects such as trails, recreation, water quality testing, beach profile study, educational projects, etc. For more information about how you can participate as a member or associate member of Saco Conservation Commission, feel free to contact us: Saco Conservation Commission Saco City Hall 300 Main St. Saco, ME 04072 Donna Goulding, Chair 282-1940

The Saco Conservation Commission meets on the first Monday of each month at 4:30 p.m. in the City Hall Conference room. The Conservation Commission has become active with other groups across the State, including The Nature Conservancy, the Saco Bay Land Trust, U.S. Department of Interior - Fish and Wildlife Service, Saco Department of Public Works, the Maine Association of Conservation Commissions and was a winner of the associations Dow Award in 1996. The Conservation Commission participates in coastal Clean-Up, conducts a Beach Profile Study, a Water Quality Testing Program and the Purple Loosestrife - Galerucella Beetle Project.

One of the main functions of the Conservation commission is to catalog valuable natural features of the City, and work toward their protection. In February of 1996, the Commission updated its Natural Resources Inventory for the first time since 1988.

Natural Resource Inventory:

• Goosefare Brook and Marsh Areas (including ocean front)
• Saco Heath (link to Nature Conservancy)
• Cascade Brook Falls - State of Maine Critical Area, Critical Areas Program
• Saco River
• Grant Brook - across Jesse Gaye's property
• Islands - Thunder Island, Eagle Island, Bluff Island, Stratton Island, Ram Island
• None Such River Fault - State of Maine Critical Area
• Deer Wintering Areas- as shown on the Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Essential Habitat maps (link to Inland Fisheries and Wildlife)
• Rendezvous Point, Cemetery Springs, Phillips Road, Jenkins Road, Heath Road, Seal Rock, Short Pond and Long Pond

RELATED LINKS Compact fluorescent lights Compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) save energy and in doing so, can help the environment. But be careful when cleaning up broken lamps. For information about how to handle waste from broken CFLs, follow this link Purple Loosestrife: Information from University of Maine Cooperative Extension Bulletin, Purple loosestrife is an invasive plant that grows around the City of Saco, Learn what you can do. Mainely Ticks: Know which ticks cary lyme disease, and what they look like with this helpful guide. Lake Smart: This web page offers helpful information to protect Maine lakes and ponds. Be Lake Smart PDF: http://www.maine.gov/dep/blwq/doclake/lakesmart/lakesake.pdf Maine Center for Invasive Aquatic Plants: Look out for milfoil and other invasive aquatic plants with the Maine Volunteer Lake Monitoring and the Maine Center for Invasive Aquatic Plants.

Parks

• Ferry Beach State Park - State of Maine Critical area
• Haley Field
• Jubilee Park ( formerly Poors Island)
• Pepperell Park
• Maremont Little League Park
• Saco River Cataract Falls
• Sweetser property
• Saco Country Club
• Saco Tannery Pits Wildlife Refuge - owned by State of Maine
• Blue Line Streams - as listed in the Fish and Wildlife Resources book

The Conservation Commission has developed this list by evaluating individual sites for the following criteria:

• wildlife and marinelife can live dependent on area
• recreational use
• uniqueness of site; one of a kind
• water and vegetation resources
• historical value

The Saco Conservation Commission was established under Maine State Law MRSA, Title 31 and by Saco City Ordinance and is charged with being the "environmental conscience" of the City. Also the Commission works in conjunction with the Planning Board on the protection and utilization of environmentally sensitive areas. Better utilization, development and protection of open areas are goals of the Commission.

Active projects now include:

• Beach Profile Study
• Water Quality Monitoring
• Coastal Clean-Up
• Internet Home Page
• Up-Date Environmental Map
• Eagle Scout Project
• Coastal Mosaic Project

We are a partner with the Saco Department of Public Works on a number of projects, including:

• Goosefare Brook Watershed Study
• Hazardous Waste Collection
• Recycle Awareness and Education
• Adopt-A-Highway
• Purple Loosestrife - Galerucella Beetle Project

Interested is conservation? We are always searching for enthusiastic, energetic, and committed individuals to help us with projects such as water quality testing, beach profile study, educational projects, etc.

For more information about how you can participate as a member or associate member of the Saco Conservation Commission, feel free to contact us.

If you are interested in becoming a member of any of these committees, please contact the Planning Office at 282-3487, e-mail us, or contact the Conservation commission Chairperson, Donna Goulding at 282-1940, or e-mail at tgoulding@maine.rr.com. We also welcome your comments and suggestions regarding our activities.

Other Local, State, and Federal Conservation Organizations:

• SACO LAND TRUST
  Richard Rhames 282-2119
• SACO BAY TRAILS Caryl Everett, 282-1123
• EASTERN TRAIL ALLIANCE John Andrews, 282-1979
• SACO PLANNING DEPARTMENT
  Robert Hamblen, Planner 282-3487
• MAINE ASSOCIATION of CONSERVATION COMMISSIONS
  Bob Cummings, Executive Director, 207-433-2925
• DEPARTMENT of ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
  Douglas Burdick 888-769-1036
  Portland Office 207-822-6300
• MAINE DEPARTMENT of INLAND FISH AND WILDLIFE
  Phil Bozenhard, Wildlife Biologist, 207-657-2345
  John Boland, Fisheries, 207-657-2345 Mark McCollough (piping plovers) 941-4475
• MAINE DEPARTMENT of CONSERVATION
  207-287-2211
• MAINE DEPARTMENT of MARINE RESOURCES
  207-624-6550
• U.S. ARMY CORPS. of ENGINEERS
  Jay Clement, Maine Sr. Mgr. 207-623-8367, 207-623-8124
  Michael Hicks, Project Mgr. 978-318-8883
• RACHEL CARSON NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, USF&W
  Ward Fuert, Area Mgr. 207-646-9226
  Graham Taylor, Deputy Refugee Mgr. 207-646-9226