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The Sudbury Conservation department has but three full-time staff to manage 1,200 acres of Town-owned conservation land and 600 acres of conservation-restricted properties, all while working with the Conservation Commission, a volunteer board, to administer the Wetlands Protection Act and the Sudbury Wetlands Administration Bylaw.
That sounds like a lot for a small department. But just how much is it? In a recent Conservation Commission meeting they reviewed their draft annual report. Conservation Coordinator Lori Capone noted that they conducted 180 wetland hearings, issued 24 Orders of Conditions and 37 Determinations of Applicability, as well as 27 Certificates of Compliance and four enforcement actions in 2024.
Department staff are deeply involved in the process, conducting site inspections, working with the public to answer questions before hearings, and providing expert guidance to the Conservation Commission for their hearings.
That’s a solid portfolio of “regular business,” and yet somehow there’s more.
The Conservation Department did a comprehensive upgrade of trail maps in 2024. Speaking of trails – the department was also tasked with overseeing compliance with construction requirements for both the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail and the Eversource transmission line/Mass Central Rail Trail – two sprawling, town-wide projects that have been years in the making and account for about 10 miles of trail.
Dizzy yet?
The Conservation Commission and the Department have invested in education about invasive species. Garlic mustard has been an invasive species of particular concern and focus, and the Town offered a disposal program.
But what happens when a resident is strolling down a new rail trail, and they spot a whole bunch of an invasive species growing? Worse, an invasive species (Japanese Hops) that has never been seen in Sudbury before?
The Conservation Department sprung into action, working collaboratively with MassDOT on the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail and other partners on the Mass Central, (where the Japanese Hops was also found) to develop a plan to eradicate the Japanese Hops. They had about a 30 day window to act, otherwise the problem could get out of hand. They got the job done, and the invasive species was removed before becoming a long-term problem.
Many Hands Make Healthy Lands?
Sudbury’s Conservation Coordinator, Lori Capone found herself in the spotlight in 2024 when the Sudbury Valley Trustees honored her with their Distinguished Public Service award. We asked her for her thoughts on the work completed and milestones achieved in 2024:
“After four years of building the department, 2024 marked the first year we made meaningful progress toward new community goals that will serve the community well into the future. It has been incredibly rewarding to successfully undertake projects I had envisioned even before joining the Town. It is truly gratifying to see how well conservation staff collaborates, strengthening each other’s skills to tackle new challenges, developing innovative solutions to enhance services for Sudbury residents.”
Teamwork and community engagement is evident in much of the work of the department and the Conservation Commission. Sudbury’s first Land Manager, Joseph Miller, led the installation of a new trail system at Broadacres Farm on Morse Road. As part of the revitalization project, Miller engaged a group of volunteers to remove brush and invasive species, repair fences, and design trails.
Future work will include restoration of antique farm equipment.
Back in the Conservation Department, eight residents provided critical support on office and field tasks through the tax work-off program.
Volunteers were also essential to a new pollinator meadows program. The department engaged volunteers to dismantle an unauthorized tree house on conservation land, reclaim the wood for planter boxes, and Sudbury Valley Trustees donated seeds. The department is hoping to expand that program in the future, as protecting pollinator species is becoming more critical for biodiversity and preservation of ecosystems.
The Conservation Commission oversees agricultural licenses for local farmers on 77 acres of conservation land in Sudbury. Those relationships have proven valuable, as one local farmer tilled the soil at Lincoln Meadows, where 40 gardeners tend to 70 plots. Volunteers from the bow hunting program for deer management stepped up to install bat boxes for insect control at Lincoln Meadows, too.
More Than the Sum of Its Parts
The Conservation Commission has a reputation for well-run meetings. Chair Dave Henkels keeps things moving and orderly. The commission is tasked with enforcing some of the strongest wetland protections in the State, but the commissioners also give applicants an open mind and a warm welcome. They seem fully prepared for each matter that comes before them, as does the Conservation Department.
That certainly takes a good amount of had work and preparation. But it’s emblematic of something bigger. In the context of a sprawling volunteer operation across thousands of acres of land and multiplying departmental programs and initiatives, it highlights how rowing in the same direction can produce exponential results.
Sudbury Weekly asked Conservation Coordinator Lori Capone how she keeps everyone moving in the same direction and she said “By cultivating a positive, welcoming, and productive environment, I have been fortunate to attract passionate volunteers who genuinely enjoy their work with the Conservation Department – so much so that they have spread the word within their networks. I serve as a motivating force, keeping initiatives moving forward while nurturing each individual’s ideas and solutions to ensure we achieve the best possible outcomes with the resources available.”
The work Capone and her team completed in 2024 may not have been possible without volunteers. However, it’s their collaborative approach that could pay dividends for Sudbury for years to come.