President’s Letter: A Big Win for Us All!
With Your Help HPWA’s Continued Efforts to Preserve and Protect Our Watershed Grows Exponentially
Good news is always welcome. The August 28 dedication of Comassakumkanut Preserve (aka, Condon property) on Valley Road, was a landmark event with major positive consequences for the Herring Ponds watershed. This 57-acre tract is in the environmentally sensitive Great Herring Pond recharge area, “upstream” from the flow direction of the underlying aquifer that is connected to and supplies water for that pond. Preservation of that land ensures that dozens more septic systems will not be added to our watershed and features a trail that links the tract to several other open space parcels.
Kudos to Bill Keohan of Plymouth’s Community Conservation Commission for pursuing the purchase of this pine barrens gem and to Malcolm MacGregor, chairman of the Plymouth Planning Board, for having the long-range vision of a network of trails for Plymouth’s open space. Barbara Hartford, a Condon descendant who preferred selling to Plymouth rather than to a developer, drove in from the Cape to attend the ceremony. HPWA Board of Director member and past president, Brian Harrington, had raised $48,000 from HPWA members in order to reduce the cost to the town and entice Town Meeting members to approve the purchase. Heartfelt thanks to all our members who contributed to this worthy project. Taxpayer costs were further reduced by a $400,000 grant procured by Wildlands Trust, bringing the net cost per taxpayer household to only $6.04.
It was appropriate and moving to hear Melissa Ferretti, Herring Pond Wampanoag chairwoman and HPWA Board of Director, speak of her love for this ancient tribal land and to listen to tribal councilor, Jennifer Harding, invoke a prayer of blessing in the Wampanoag language.
Rest assured that HPWA will continue to seek out opportunities to preserve land in our watershed and to form valuable partnerships with those willing to help. Thanks to our active and generous membership, we are confident that we will succeed in protecting this beautiful watershed for future generations.
Don Williams
President
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