On Monday, June 8, Middlesex Conservation District (MCD) supervisors, associate supervisors, and staff gathered at Kimball Farm in Westford to hold their annual in-person board meeting.
The MCD meets monthly, in addition to activities and educational sessions, but these monthly governance sessions are usually virtual, making the annual in-person meeting an important opportunity for members to connect and collaborate face-to-face.
In attendance were District Chair Kathie Becker, Treasurer Dr. Margaret Delano, Clerk Mary Lauve, Supervisor Isabel Bailey, former Supervisor Dick Gelpke, Associate Supervisor Kaitlyn McAuley, volunteer Harley Monteiro, and District Administrator Andrea Grossman.
The group discussed recent Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) initiatives that took place in the District this year, including two Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)1 contracts, one supporting agriculture and one supporting forestry management, and thirteen Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)2 contracts. Funded projects included a National Water Quality Initiative (NWQI)3 project on Unkety Brook, forestry thinning and invasive species removal, conservation planning, irrigation water-efficiency improvements, energy-saving upgrades, and high tunnel installations.
Another priority was planning for the district’s fall sale. District administrator Andrea Grossman shared species and price lists from local vendors, including Tree Talk Natives4, Dragonfly Nurseries5, and The Local Meadow6. These nurseries grow locally sourced ecotype plants without neonicotinoids or other systemic chemicals that harm pollinators and other wildlife. (Learn why this is important) The board reviewed options and agreed to also publish a survey to solicit feedback from shoppers who purchased plants during the MCD’s spring sale.
Although the summer in-person meeting consisted of MCD supervisors, associate supervisors, and staff, the district also hosts another in-person meeting, its Annual Meeting, with educational programs open to the public every winter during nature’s dormancy period. The team discussed potential locations and potential speakers for the upcoming event.
All are welcome to attend our in-person, Zoom, and hybrid meetings. New ideas and other information are always appreciated, and we enjoy seeing new faces at district meetings. We hope to see you at a future meeting!
The MCD will hold its next Board of Supervisors meeting on Monday, July 13, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. via Zoom. The meeting agenda will be posted on our About page. If you would like to attend, please email admin@middlesexconservationdistrict.org to request the meeting link.