Through the combined efforts of several organizations and individuals, Groton has enjoyed remarkable success in protecting properties for conservation and recreation, over 30% of the town. While there has been coordination and cooperation among the various conservation organizations on a project-by-project basis, more regular communication would benefit all of our efforts as well as help engage the broader community. With this in mind, the Groton Conservation Commission (GCC), the Groton Conservation Trust (GCT), and the Groton Trails Committee (GTC) propose that our organizations meet annually to share our perspectives and organize efforts around common issues and objectives.
We perceive several advantages of such regular gatherings both to our organizations and our conservation agenda in town:
- Improved communication among the organizations that have shared conservation and recreation interests in Groton;
- Coordination of activities such as targeting and supporting potential land acquisition, trail creation, etc.;
- Sharing of information on ongoing projects by our individual groups;
- Coordination on outreach to town and state government as well as the public;
- Sharing of information on common problems such as control of invasive plants and management of all-terrain vehicles;
- Presentation of our plans and concerns in order to maintain public enthusiasm
and awareness for conservation activities in Groton; and - Celebration of conservation efforts in Groton at a public forum.
The first gathering on February 11 (7 PM, Groton Country Club) is designed to be a forum for a wide variety of groups with interests in open space in Groton. Members of these organizations have been invited to present a brief summary of the goals of their organization and discuss some inter-organizational working ideas. Topics under consideration include: a) setting up a volunteer coordination system in town; b) approaches to managing ATVs; c) fostering, expanding, and enhancing recreational opportunities; d) control of invasive plant species; e) improving accessibility for those with disabilities; and f) providing better access for fire control.
“The idea is to collaborate on the areas that affect all our organizations,” says Mark Gerath, trustee for the GCT and one of the organizers of the Summit. “Leading the Summit will rotate among our three organizations, with the GCT starting this first one. We are all excited about the possibilities.” Contact us if you are interested in more information.