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Date: 7/27/2022
SOUTHWICK – The Conservation Commission is exploring options for dealing with trash at the North Pond Conservation Area, as the Health Department has begun receiving complaints about the issue.
Health Director Alex White told the Conservation Commission that he received a complaint on July 8 about the amount of trash, illegal bonfires and possible human waste at the conservation area. White said he went to the location himself and found trash, leftover camping equipment, and diapers and toilet paper with what appears to be human waste on them.
“I think it is clear just from what was observed that we have to protect public health and the environment,” said White.
The area had been identified as a concern by Select Board Chair Russell Fox late in June, and appears to have gotten worse since.
“There is not supposed to be a beach there. All that land down there is supposed to grow back into its natural state,” Fox said on June 27. “That isn’t happening if you have all these people down there tying up their boats, having fires and cooking.”
Conservation Coordinator Sabrina Pooler suggested putting a portable toilet in the parking lot in the hopes of preventing at least some of the worst litter from making it into the conservation area.
Conservation Commission Chair David MacWilliams said that an order has been put out for signage that will be placed around the property to properly educate people on its status as a conservation area and discourage further littering.
“We want to put up a list of common-sense things people should be doing anyway,” said MacWilliams to the rest of the commission July 18.
White said the following day that he hopes to work with the state’s Department of Environmental Protection and the Department of Fish and Game to come up with better solutions for keeping the state conservation area clean.
“Putting up a port-a-potty won’t make people stop it, but it could lower the barrier and allow people to contain some waste in a single safe environment,” said White.
The shore and adjoining land are part of a 146-acre parcel that was purchased for $5 million in 2019 to preserve it from development. Much of the money came from the state, which added some interior acreage to the adjacent Southwick Wildlife Management Area, as well as from private donors, the Franklin Land Trust and a total of $1.7 million from town taxpayers. The state holds a conservation restriction on the town-owned portion of the land, designating it for passive recreation only.
White said that after the Conservation Commission meeting he was contacted by the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife to set up discussions with department heads and town officials to figure out the next steps to a permanent solution to the problem.