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Conservation Commission

This website has a wealth of information about the work of the Peterborough Conservation Commission and the Open Space Subcommittee.  

The Conservation Commission meets on the third Thursday of each month at 7:00 PM in the Town House. Meeting nights may occasionally change.  Please check the events calendar on this website or call the Administration Office at 924-8000 x101 for exact dates and times.

The members of the Conservation Commission are as follows:

John Patterson, Co-Chair ('23)
Francie Von Mertens, Co-Chair ('25)
Robert (Woody) Wood, Vice Chair ('25)
John Kerrick ('23)
Matt Lundsted ('23)
Jo Anne Carr ('23)
Robert Strong ('25) 
Dick McNamara, Alternate ('25)
Tyler Ward, Select Board Liaison

The Conservation Commission is an advisory and educational body, although in recent years it has taken on substantial additional responsibilities, including development proposal review and the monitoring and management of town-owned open space lands.  Questions regarding conservation can be directed to administration@peterboroughnh.gov

Core Responsibilities:
Establish and maintain a natural resources inventory of the Town, with emphasis upon special and sensitive areas.  This inventory can then be utilized in evaluating proposed development, adjusting the Open Space section of the Master Plan and for education purposes. (link to the Open Space Committee's website: https://peterboroughopenspace.org/ )

Community Education.  Working with the Office of Community Development, the Planning Board, the Economic Development Authority, the Select Board and others, to promote conservation values.  The Commission has sponsored or co-sponsored many public workshops on environmental issues.  The Commission also often works directly with individual land owners to encourage wise stewardship of special environmental areas.

Monitor conservation easements and open space lands of the Town, and advise the Town Administrator, Select Board, Office of Community Development, and Public Works Director of actions that should be taken to properly preserve, protect and enhance these environmental areas.

Development Review.  The Conservation Commission is not a regulatory body such as the Planning Board or Zoning Board.  However the Commission does have a formal responsibility to provide comment on proposed wetland alterations.  In recent years the Planning Board, OCD  and Select Board have encouraged increased input from the Commission on a variety of development and zoning issues.

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  Click the Trail Guide to the left for complete digital version. 
 





Conservation Commission Flyer

The Conservation Commission's guide to the 13 most invasive upland plants in the region, selected from the state's formal list of prohibited plants.
Invasive_Plants_Brochure
Invasive plants

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