2024 Annual Report

CHAIR: Jayne Lukens

SECRETARY: Sara Lourie

MEMBERS: Justin Marsh, Jake Bailey, Holly Ferris, 

Tim Larned, Denice Crettol, Greta Hasler

The Cambridge Conservation Commission (CCC) is a Selectboard-appointed advisory body mandated to look after the environmental assets of the town. We offer education and advice to residents, students, and town officials regarding ecological matters, organize events, tackle invasive species, sponsor kids’ attendance at conservation camps, work with state officials, advocate for environmental conservation in town, and keep our eyes open for cool nature sightings. 

Throughout this past year, we launched new community events that we plan to carry into the next. In May, Dede held an iNaturalist workshop at the Varnum library to educate users on how to use the app and the hopes of gathering more nature-based info about our town and surrounding areas. In July, Jake, Jayne, and local artist/educator Keri Ann Lesure held the first annual Birds in the Field event– a morning of slow-birding, journaling, and creating art down by the Brewster River. The Commission purchased journals and art supplies in hopes of sharing these with future participants at our next meetup. We set up at the farmer’s market here and there, and we walked in the 4th of July parade with some fantastic homemade signs. It was so great to see the community stop by our booth afterwards at the fair. Throughout the warmer months, Sara organized work parties to tackle the non-native plant Japanese Knotweed, which is covering ground along local riverbanks and popping up in town at an alarming rate. Vermont has seen increases in the plant in recent years, which chokes out native vegetation, causing a decline in insect populations, which, of course, impacts further up the food chain to fish, birds, and mammals. It also leaves the soil beneath it incredibly susceptible to erosion, worsening the flooding we have seen in recent years. We have decided to call our new task force The Cambridge Knot Rippers. If you’d like to be part of that club and stay updated on outings, reach out to Sara at cambridgeJKW@gmail.com.

As always, we organized for Green Up Day in May with the elementary school t-shirt design contest and our own Orange Up Day on the first Saturday in November. This year was Orange Up Day’s 10th anniversary so we celebrated with a fun potluck at the new town pavilion after a cold day of picking up roadside litter. There was a solid showing of collected orange bags left at the town garage– we appreciate those that participated! 

For the second year, we helped fund the Four Winds nature program at Cambridge Elementary. Sara and Dede are facilitators in the program and often share how well-loved the program is by students and parents alike. In October, Justin stepped down as chair, a position they had held since 2015. We cannot thank you enough for all you’ve contributed, Justin! Jayne, a six-year commission member, stepped in as new Chair. She is a lifelong environmentalist, bird nerd, and artist. 

We are looking forward to another year of hosting events and serving our community. Keep up with us on our social media pages and Front Porch Forum– we like to share nature reports! See something cool? Let us know. 

The care of the Earth is our most ancient and most worthy, and after all our most pleasing responsibility. To cherish what remains of it and to foster its renewal is our only hope. There are no sacred and unsacred places; there are only sacred and desecrated places.” -Wendell Berry

For more information, please find us on the Cambridge Town website/ contact us by email: jayne.lukens@gmail.com 

Facebook: facebook.com/cambridgeconservation/

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