Two seats for three-year terms.
The Wellesley Natural Resources Commission oversees the use, preservation and protection of the town’s parks and conservation areas, serves as tree warden, sets policies for insect control and pesticide use, and protects the town watershed areas. The Commission also appoints the Wetlands Protection Committee and Trails Committee.
Question 1. As you know, in 2019 the NRC passed a Climate Emergency resolution, and Town Meeting passed the Resolution to Address the Impact of Climate Change in 2020. How do you envision the NRC supporting these resolutions in the three years of your prospective term?
Jaden Crawford -
The NRC’s 2019 Climate Emergency Resolution opens by acknowledging that, “[I]t is the consensus of world climate scientists that less than 12 years remain for global warming to be kept to a maximum of 1.5C, beyond which even half a degree of additional warming will significantly worsen the risk of drought, floods, extreme heat and poverty for hundreds of millions of people.”
Despite passing this resolution, the NRC has spent well over 70% of its time in the past three years (or ¼ of those critical12 years) focusing on developing playing fields for organized sports. Most of that time has been spent trying to build 80’ light poles and concrete structures in a town wetland, deliberately in contravention of the NRC charter. On our present course, we’re 3 years behind and moving backwards.
I believe the best way for the NRC to support these resolutions is to return our focus to addressing the impacts of climate change while maintaining and improving all of Wellesley’s land for all of Wellesley’s residents, including future generations, in a way that is consistent with the town’s Climate Action Plan. I would particularly like the NRC to work with the DPW to find and develop additional bicycle corridors, lanes, and paths to enable Wellesley residents, especially our kids, to safely travel through town and reduce car trips.
Wellesley’s pesticide and fertilizer policies are currently largely determined by state statute. I would like to see an NRC led program of regular testing for, and reporting on, toxins such as pesticides, PFAS, etc., at locations like the DPW composting facility and various wetlands. This would enable the NRC to better advocate for state-level legislation that would allow the town to determine for ourselves what we would like our town-wide pesticide and fertilizer policies to be. And we should once again step up our state-level engagement on this issue.
I have over 17 years of experience as an expert in clean energy programs and technology, regulation, and policy. I’ve had work published in two journals and have had regulatory positions cited in regulatory decisions. This experience is directly transferrable to the NRC. I would be honored to serve Wellesley as an NRC Commissioner.
Michael D'Ortenzio Jr.
Conserving the carbon stored in our unprotected forests is a chief way the NRC can mitigate climate change. My vision for the NRC is to develop a comprehensive land conservation plan, with a focus on preserving the limited intact forestland we have left.
We have many opportunities to increase preservation. According to a report the NRC produced a few years ago, though 33% of Wellesley is open space, 50% of that open space is held privately with no long-term protection. And overall, only a mere nine percent of Wellesley is protected under Article 97 of the state Constitution. (Thanks to former NRC Commissioner Raina McManus, who pulled together this important data). The 1978 special act that created the NRC explicitly empowers the Commission to “propose for acquisition by the town those natural resources that the commission deems useful or important.”
Where there are large parcels of forest in Town that the community reasonably desires to preserve, we should be acting now – not when a development is imminent and costs are high (like with the North 40). And preservation does not necessarily mean acquisition: easements, zoning, and other tools are at our disposal to further forest protection. Keeping carbon in our trees is a big way the NRC can prevent more atmospheric carbon from changing our climate. Working with partners throughout Wellesley, we can grow the amount of forestland conserved. I hope my legal training and knowledge of the Town will be an asset to the NRC as a plan is developed.
Jay McHale-
Since joining the NRC, I have met numerous times with members of the Climate Action Committee (CAC) to discuss our shared goals and objectives. I remain committed to moving these initiatives forward in partnership with the CAC. Related goals of the Natural Resources Commission identified in the climate action plan include:
● Enhancing and protecting the existing tree canopy
● Advancing the smart and efficient use of water by all community members
● Enhancing the NRC’s educational and engagement programs that promote and protect the benefits of Wellesley’s natural resources
● Minimizing stormwater runoff in support of DPW’s efforts
● Prioritizing the role of wetlands in boosting Wellesley’s resilience to climate change
While some initiatives, such as education and engagement, are already part of the NRC’s daily work and need to be supported going forward, additional efforts to protect the tree canopy and wetlands are already underway (we will look to work in partnership
with the DPW with respect to water-related goals, as they are the primary driver here).
With respect to the tree canopy, GIS software (PlanItGeo) has been acquired to compare our tree canopy 10 years ago to where it is today so we can establish a baseline, not just for our success to date, but to measure our progress relative to the Town’s future goals in increasing the canopy. These findings about our tree canopy coverage, measured in increments of as small as 2 acres, will allow us to understand where improvements on both public and private land could be most valuable and to guide investments in the public shade tree program and revise policies as appropriate.Moreover, this software will also help in tracking a number of the nature-based KPI’s identified on the climate action plan.
With respect to wetlands, changes to the town’s bylaws are being submitted to make it easier to issue and collect fines with respect to violations. This, in conjunction with the increase of .5 FTE on the NRC staff to better enforce violations, are just some of the
first steps in addressing the CAC goals in this area.
While we have established educational programs in the schools, and hold trail and nature events for all, an opportunity exists for additional education for homeowners with respect to other initiatives like lawn conversion and pesticide use.
Question 2. Given the recent attention to recreational initiatives, what do you suggest the NRC do to address the other responsibilities of the Board, namely natural resource protection? The NRC has a unique position in our community to protect our tree canopy, watershed and wetlands. No other government agency is dedicated to preserving our beautiful natural resources. What would you do to enhance the NRC’s Grow Green Wellesley, reduce pesticides usage or what other initiatives would you consider?
Jaden Crawford-
I believe the Commission needs to spend the majority of its time on these other responsibilities because they are actually the NRC’s primary responsibilities.
I’m glad that we’ve invested in technology to help identify declining tree canopy cover. In addition to this, I would work with local experts and residents to create programs to educate, enable, and encourage users of our open spaces to identify and report such things as invasive species, tree loss, erosion, and excessive litter. I would also like to create programs for residents to take part in periodic volunteer efforts to address identified issues in conjunction with our professional management efforts.
Even if it is cost prohibitive to create a centralized town nursery, I would work through Grow Green Wellesley, in coordination with organizations like Sustainable Wellesley to explore a model for a distributed nursery. Much like the distributed energy model our power grids are rapidly moving toward, I believe that we can grow a meaningful percentage of the trees that we need by engaging with residents, gardening clubs, community gardens, schools, and houses of worship, to take part in growing our Town’s trees.
This is already happening at a smaller scale right here in Wellesley. In fact, if you planted milkweed from Sustainable Wellesley over the past 5 years or so, there is a very good chance that at least some of it came from my garden. We are just one small family with a small garden, but we’ve been able to supply hundreds and hundreds of plants to Wellesley residents working to support Monarch Butterfly habitat. This model is both rewarding to participants and it can be scaled. I believe that it can save the town money and increase public participation in our tree canopy preservation efforts.
I would also work to create a stronger culture of environmental accountability. For example, Article 12 requires projects funded by the town to provide a rationale for how they may influence greenhouse gas emissions and climate resiliency. Private funding of public projects isn’t necessarily held to the same standards, and large projects are often broken into arbitrary phases with each phase being assessed as a smaller project, independent of the other phases.
Climate accountability is often further obscured when town boards hire consultants who specialize in obtaining regulatory approval for projects to provide environmental impact assessments, rather than hiring professionals who specialize in impartial determination of environmental impact. Requiring the latter would to enable the NRC and town residents to decide whether a project is even appropriate.
As an NRC commissioner, I will expect assessment of environmental impacts to be performed for projects in their entirety, regardless of the number of phases, and I will expect environmental assessments to be performed by firms who objectively analyze environmental impact, rather than consultants who specialize in securing project approval.
I believe the town should hold itself to at least the same environmental standards as those to which we hold residents. This can easily be achieved by the NRC resolving to conduct NRC business in accordance with its charter. If elected, I will push for such a resolution and I will always vote in in line with the charter and in consideration of the town’s climate goals.
Michael D'Ortenzio Jr.
First, the NRC should continue to support pollinator garden efforts and lawn re-wilding programming. We should also deepen connections with our landscaping community to build buy-in on Grow Green Wellesley and the importance of pesticide-free lawn maintenance. Additionally, we must continue lobbying the General Court to authorize local pesticide regulation, especially in our Wellhead Protection Areas and Water Supply Protection Districts.
I also want to lift up the NRC’s excellent personnel. The outreach and education efforts they undertake do a great deal to advance awareness of natural resources issues in our community. The NRC staff is involved throughout Town each day – from WPS to the Tolles Parsons Center – educating citizens about the need to be thoughtful and proactive in protecting our environment. I hope to support our expert professionals in their work.
Jay McHale-
“It is the mission of the Natural Resources Commission to provide stewardship, education and advocacy of the Town of Wellesley park, conservation, and open space system.” For the last three years, I have served on the NRC as a proponent of outdoor fitness using both active playing fields as well as use of our trails, paths, and passive open spaces throughout town. The board is actively pursuing all aspects of its mission, and I will continue advocating for both active and passive conservation spaces if re- elected. In terms of open and conservation spaces, the NRC is involved in several initiatives including Grow Green Wellesley. Last May, we had Simons Part participate in the “No Mow” initiative which generated a lot of interest. Expanding on this exciting project to other areas in town offers a revolutionary shift in how our town manages public land that will serve to educate the public toward more green landscaping on private lands as well. Similarly, our pollinator corridor participation continues to grow, and we expect our sale of pollinator seeds and plants in the fall of 2023 will be as successful as the last. Finally, we hope to use a portion of Simons as a lawn conversion example this fall.
Work is needed for the maintenance of our many ponds and brooks in town. With support from CPC, we expect to have a weed harvester working by this summer on Morses Pond. Dredging is scheduled for Reeds and Duck (Town Hall) ponds next year, with other ponds to follow as needed. We recently initiated a pilot to test how to best deal with the invasives on Fuller Brook, with the goal of removing the hundreds of yards of tarp being used today to keep this in check.
The tree canopy data gathering that I discussed earlier certainly will result in several new initiatives that preserve, protect, and enhance our passive spaces, on both public and private lands, drawing as needed on the resources of our Tree Fund when possible.
The board has recently begun discussing its role in the identification and planning around open space that is currently held in private hands. One of the primary reasons the NRC was created over 50 years ago was to centralize the management of all open space, which included the creation of a Long-Term Planning committee (since disbanded and taken over by the board). I hope to reinvigorate this process and take a fresh look at the remaining opportunities that exist to add to the town’s portfolio.
These are just a couple examples of the current and future work of the NRC focused solely on protecting and expanding our natural resources, which I am committed to supporting if I am re-elected.
The Wellesley Natural Resources Commission oversees the use, preservation and protection of the town’s parks and conservation areas, serves as tree warden, sets policies for insect control and pesticide use, and protects the town watershed areas. The Commission also appoints the Wetlands Protection Committee and Trails Committee.
Question 1. As you know, in 2019 the NRC passed a Climate Emergency resolution, and Town Meeting passed the Resolution to Address the Impact of Climate Change in 2020. How do you envision the NRC supporting these resolutions in the three years of your prospective term?
Jaden Crawford -
The NRC’s 2019 Climate Emergency Resolution opens by acknowledging that, “[I]t is the consensus of world climate scientists that less than 12 years remain for global warming to be kept to a maximum of 1.5C, beyond which even half a degree of additional warming will significantly worsen the risk of drought, floods, extreme heat and poverty for hundreds of millions of people.”
Despite passing this resolution, the NRC has spent well over 70% of its time in the past three years (or ¼ of those critical12 years) focusing on developing playing fields for organized sports. Most of that time has been spent trying to build 80’ light poles and concrete structures in a town wetland, deliberately in contravention of the NRC charter. On our present course, we’re 3 years behind and moving backwards.
I believe the best way for the NRC to support these resolutions is to return our focus to addressing the impacts of climate change while maintaining and improving all of Wellesley’s land for all of Wellesley’s residents, including future generations, in a way that is consistent with the town’s Climate Action Plan. I would particularly like the NRC to work with the DPW to find and develop additional bicycle corridors, lanes, and paths to enable Wellesley residents, especially our kids, to safely travel through town and reduce car trips.
Wellesley’s pesticide and fertilizer policies are currently largely determined by state statute. I would like to see an NRC led program of regular testing for, and reporting on, toxins such as pesticides, PFAS, etc., at locations like the DPW composting facility and various wetlands. This would enable the NRC to better advocate for state-level legislation that would allow the town to determine for ourselves what we would like our town-wide pesticide and fertilizer policies to be. And we should once again step up our state-level engagement on this issue.
I have over 17 years of experience as an expert in clean energy programs and technology, regulation, and policy. I’ve had work published in two journals and have had regulatory positions cited in regulatory decisions. This experience is directly transferrable to the NRC. I would be honored to serve Wellesley as an NRC Commissioner.
Michael D'Ortenzio Jr.
Conserving the carbon stored in our unprotected forests is a chief way the NRC can mitigate climate change. My vision for the NRC is to develop a comprehensive land conservation plan, with a focus on preserving the limited intact forestland we have left.
We have many opportunities to increase preservation. According to a report the NRC produced a few years ago, though 33% of Wellesley is open space, 50% of that open space is held privately with no long-term protection. And overall, only a mere nine percent of Wellesley is protected under Article 97 of the state Constitution. (Thanks to former NRC Commissioner Raina McManus, who pulled together this important data). The 1978 special act that created the NRC explicitly empowers the Commission to “propose for acquisition by the town those natural resources that the commission deems useful or important.”
Where there are large parcels of forest in Town that the community reasonably desires to preserve, we should be acting now – not when a development is imminent and costs are high (like with the North 40). And preservation does not necessarily mean acquisition: easements, zoning, and other tools are at our disposal to further forest protection. Keeping carbon in our trees is a big way the NRC can prevent more atmospheric carbon from changing our climate. Working with partners throughout Wellesley, we can grow the amount of forestland conserved. I hope my legal training and knowledge of the Town will be an asset to the NRC as a plan is developed.
Jay McHale-
Since joining the NRC, I have met numerous times with members of the Climate Action Committee (CAC) to discuss our shared goals and objectives. I remain committed to moving these initiatives forward in partnership with the CAC. Related goals of the Natural Resources Commission identified in the climate action plan include:
● Enhancing and protecting the existing tree canopy
● Advancing the smart and efficient use of water by all community members
● Enhancing the NRC’s educational and engagement programs that promote and protect the benefits of Wellesley’s natural resources
● Minimizing stormwater runoff in support of DPW’s efforts
● Prioritizing the role of wetlands in boosting Wellesley’s resilience to climate change
While some initiatives, such as education and engagement, are already part of the NRC’s daily work and need to be supported going forward, additional efforts to protect the tree canopy and wetlands are already underway (we will look to work in partnership
with the DPW with respect to water-related goals, as they are the primary driver here).
With respect to the tree canopy, GIS software (PlanItGeo) has been acquired to compare our tree canopy 10 years ago to where it is today so we can establish a baseline, not just for our success to date, but to measure our progress relative to the Town’s future goals in increasing the canopy. These findings about our tree canopy coverage, measured in increments of as small as 2 acres, will allow us to understand where improvements on both public and private land could be most valuable and to guide investments in the public shade tree program and revise policies as appropriate.Moreover, this software will also help in tracking a number of the nature-based KPI’s identified on the climate action plan.
With respect to wetlands, changes to the town’s bylaws are being submitted to make it easier to issue and collect fines with respect to violations. This, in conjunction with the increase of .5 FTE on the NRC staff to better enforce violations, are just some of the
first steps in addressing the CAC goals in this area.
While we have established educational programs in the schools, and hold trail and nature events for all, an opportunity exists for additional education for homeowners with respect to other initiatives like lawn conversion and pesticide use.
Question 2. Given the recent attention to recreational initiatives, what do you suggest the NRC do to address the other responsibilities of the Board, namely natural resource protection? The NRC has a unique position in our community to protect our tree canopy, watershed and wetlands. No other government agency is dedicated to preserving our beautiful natural resources. What would you do to enhance the NRC’s Grow Green Wellesley, reduce pesticides usage or what other initiatives would you consider?
Jaden Crawford-
I believe the Commission needs to spend the majority of its time on these other responsibilities because they are actually the NRC’s primary responsibilities.
I’m glad that we’ve invested in technology to help identify declining tree canopy cover. In addition to this, I would work with local experts and residents to create programs to educate, enable, and encourage users of our open spaces to identify and report such things as invasive species, tree loss, erosion, and excessive litter. I would also like to create programs for residents to take part in periodic volunteer efforts to address identified issues in conjunction with our professional management efforts.
Even if it is cost prohibitive to create a centralized town nursery, I would work through Grow Green Wellesley, in coordination with organizations like Sustainable Wellesley to explore a model for a distributed nursery. Much like the distributed energy model our power grids are rapidly moving toward, I believe that we can grow a meaningful percentage of the trees that we need by engaging with residents, gardening clubs, community gardens, schools, and houses of worship, to take part in growing our Town’s trees.
This is already happening at a smaller scale right here in Wellesley. In fact, if you planted milkweed from Sustainable Wellesley over the past 5 years or so, there is a very good chance that at least some of it came from my garden. We are just one small family with a small garden, but we’ve been able to supply hundreds and hundreds of plants to Wellesley residents working to support Monarch Butterfly habitat. This model is both rewarding to participants and it can be scaled. I believe that it can save the town money and increase public participation in our tree canopy preservation efforts.
I would also work to create a stronger culture of environmental accountability. For example, Article 12 requires projects funded by the town to provide a rationale for how they may influence greenhouse gas emissions and climate resiliency. Private funding of public projects isn’t necessarily held to the same standards, and large projects are often broken into arbitrary phases with each phase being assessed as a smaller project, independent of the other phases.
Climate accountability is often further obscured when town boards hire consultants who specialize in obtaining regulatory approval for projects to provide environmental impact assessments, rather than hiring professionals who specialize in impartial determination of environmental impact. Requiring the latter would to enable the NRC and town residents to decide whether a project is even appropriate.
As an NRC commissioner, I will expect assessment of environmental impacts to be performed for projects in their entirety, regardless of the number of phases, and I will expect environmental assessments to be performed by firms who objectively analyze environmental impact, rather than consultants who specialize in securing project approval.
I believe the town should hold itself to at least the same environmental standards as those to which we hold residents. This can easily be achieved by the NRC resolving to conduct NRC business in accordance with its charter. If elected, I will push for such a resolution and I will always vote in in line with the charter and in consideration of the town’s climate goals.
Michael D'Ortenzio Jr.
First, the NRC should continue to support pollinator garden efforts and lawn re-wilding programming. We should also deepen connections with our landscaping community to build buy-in on Grow Green Wellesley and the importance of pesticide-free lawn maintenance. Additionally, we must continue lobbying the General Court to authorize local pesticide regulation, especially in our Wellhead Protection Areas and Water Supply Protection Districts.
I also want to lift up the NRC’s excellent personnel. The outreach and education efforts they undertake do a great deal to advance awareness of natural resources issues in our community. The NRC staff is involved throughout Town each day – from WPS to the Tolles Parsons Center – educating citizens about the need to be thoughtful and proactive in protecting our environment. I hope to support our expert professionals in their work.
Jay McHale-
“It is the mission of the Natural Resources Commission to provide stewardship, education and advocacy of the Town of Wellesley park, conservation, and open space system.” For the last three years, I have served on the NRC as a proponent of outdoor fitness using both active playing fields as well as use of our trails, paths, and passive open spaces throughout town. The board is actively pursuing all aspects of its mission, and I will continue advocating for both active and passive conservation spaces if re- elected. In terms of open and conservation spaces, the NRC is involved in several initiatives including Grow Green Wellesley. Last May, we had Simons Part participate in the “No Mow” initiative which generated a lot of interest. Expanding on this exciting project to other areas in town offers a revolutionary shift in how our town manages public land that will serve to educate the public toward more green landscaping on private lands as well. Similarly, our pollinator corridor participation continues to grow, and we expect our sale of pollinator seeds and plants in the fall of 2023 will be as successful as the last. Finally, we hope to use a portion of Simons as a lawn conversion example this fall.
Work is needed for the maintenance of our many ponds and brooks in town. With support from CPC, we expect to have a weed harvester working by this summer on Morses Pond. Dredging is scheduled for Reeds and Duck (Town Hall) ponds next year, with other ponds to follow as needed. We recently initiated a pilot to test how to best deal with the invasives on Fuller Brook, with the goal of removing the hundreds of yards of tarp being used today to keep this in check.
The tree canopy data gathering that I discussed earlier certainly will result in several new initiatives that preserve, protect, and enhance our passive spaces, on both public and private lands, drawing as needed on the resources of our Tree Fund when possible.
The board has recently begun discussing its role in the identification and planning around open space that is currently held in private hands. One of the primary reasons the NRC was created over 50 years ago was to centralize the management of all open space, which included the creation of a Long-Term Planning committee (since disbanded and taken over by the board). I hope to reinvigorate this process and take a fresh look at the remaining opportunities that exist to add to the town’s portfolio.
These are just a couple examples of the current and future work of the NRC focused solely on protecting and expanding our natural resources, which I am committed to supporting if I am re-elected.