Town Forest Committee

Agendas & Minutes

Agendas are available before the meetings. Minutes are available and approved.

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Members

  • Moritz Schmid, Member
    Term Expires: June 30, 2026
  • Vacant
  • John Shushereba, Member
    Term Expires: June 30, 2027

Staff

  • Jason Kuter, Select Board Liaison

Overview

The Town Forest Committee was appointed by the Mendon Select Board at their August 6th, 2012 meeting to manage and care for that portion of the public domain under the jurisdiction of the Mendon Conservation Commission that is known as the Mendon Town Forest.

Board of Selectmen Minutes, August 6th, 2012:

Selectman Tinio and Selectman Goddard made a motion to appoint a special Town Forest Committee to manage and care for the portion of the public domain under the jurisdiction of the Mendon Conservation Committee, which is known as the Mendon Town Forest. The committee shall be charged with the following:

Work with the Department of Conservation and Recreation Consulting Forester to formulate and implement a Forest Management Plan

  1. Actively supervise any wood harvesting operation;
  2. Maintain trails, provide maps, and post any Rules of Use.
  3. Address safety issues.
  4. Protect wildlife habitat.
  5. Apply for grants.
  6. Protect historical ruins and cultural areas;
  7. Encourage public use such as walking, horseback riding, skiing, snowshoeing, and group outings, through media promotions.

The special Town Forest Committee shall be composed of three members. Individual members shall serve overlapping terms of three years. Unanimous vote

The primary focus of the Committee during 2013 was the writing of an application for a Department of Conservation and Recreation Trails Grant with a total project value of $47,667. The required 20% matching funds were provided by voter approval of $8,000 from the CPA and volunteer labor.

This grant money will pay for the construction of a 75 X 50 foot parking area at the main trailhead, construction of two trails through Southwick property easements, roadside signs, 50 trail signs, 2 kiosks for the distribution of educational, historical, cultural, and geological information, construction of a 40 foot wooden plank crossing over a muddy area, and 3 locked metal gates, one at each entrance, to prevent motorized vehicles from damaging the trails and the building campfires that could place the forest at risk. These improvements will make the Town Forest accessible to hikers, mountain bikers, equestrians, bird watchers, winter sports enthusiasts, and school groups with a focus on nature, geological study, and 19th-century Agricultural and Early Industrial Period Mendon History.

This 120-acre tract is the second-highest elevation in Worcester County. During the late 1800s and early 1900s, it was not only a center of recreational activity; it was an agricultural and lumber manufacturing community. There are a number of historical sites within the Forest, and the Massachusetts Historical Commission has requested that the Town consider doing an archeological reconnaissance survey of the Town Forest.

The eastern boundary of the Town Forest abuts the Southwick Zoo, and the Zoo property abuts the 175-acre Cormier Woods and 90-acre Meadow Brook Woods. Peter Brewer and Justine Southwick Brewer have generously donated legal easements to the Town of Mendon that will connect both tracts of conservation land to the Forest. The Committee's long-term goals are to create a protected greenway that would connect the Mendon Town Forest with the nearby Quissett Wildlife Management Area, an 800-acre tract of land that straddles the Mendon and Blackstone town line, and the Daniels Farm. In addition, the Mendon Land Use Committee has received a grant that will add 100 acres off Lake Nipmuc that can eventually be connected to the Forest.

Rules of Use for Town Forest Trails

  • Hunting is allowed in the Town Forest
  • Visitors: Wear Safety Orange During Hunting Season!!
  • No Hunting on Sundays
  • Hunting season generally runs from September through May
  • Visit the link below for more information on the State Hunting Regulations
  • MA Hunting Regulations
  • No motorized vehicles except for official use. Prohibited vehicles include all-terrain and off-road vehicles, motorcycles, and snowmobiles. Violators are subject to confiscation and fines by MGL Chapter 202, An Act Regulating the Use of Off-Highway and Recreational Vehicles
  • Dogs must be leashed or kept in sight and under voice control at all times
  • Trash dumping is prohibited; you carry it in, you must carry it out
  • Cutting or removal of trees or vegetative damage is prohibited
  • Outdoor fires and overnight camping are prohibited
  • Do not feed the wildlife

Additional rules pertained to meeting horses on the trail:

  • Never surprise a horse on the trail. This could frighten the horse and lead to an accident
  • If you are approaching a horse and rider travelling in the opposite direction, stop
  • If you are approaching a horse and rider from the rear, announce yourself. Stand and wait for instructions from the rider

Violations shall be punished by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars ($100).

As adopted by the Town Forest Committee on January 7th, 2014.