Conservation Commission

Agendas & Minutes

Agendas are available prior to the meetings. Minutes are available following approval.

View Most Recent Agendas and Minutes | View Agendas and Minutes From 2014 and Older

Initiatives & Activities

The Westbrook Conservation Commission currently has several Open Space initiatives and different activities, including the following areas.

Open Space Planning

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• Develop an Open Space Plan based on POCD Open Space Vision
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• Identify and prioritize lands essential for protecting water resources, establishment of greenways, and watershed management
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• Link open spaces with greenways and trails, locally and regionally

Open Space Management

• Salt Island Overlook
  • Control invasive plants
  • Restore coastal forest
• Salt Island
  • Protect coastal bird nesting sites
  • Stabilize erosion caused by coastal storms
• Horse Hill Woods
  • Parking area of storm Sandy damage
• Horse Hill Gorge
  • Identify, develop parking area
• Chapman Mill Pond
  • Clear and fill ruts on emergency road
  • Design parking area
  • Protect lake water quality
  • Protect vernal pools
• Stannard Woods
  • Post No Hunting/Motorized Vehicle signs
• Town Forest
  • Work with Forest Commission on curbing all-terrain vehicle (ATV) use
• Continue efforts to curb ATV and other motorized vehicle use on Town owned Open Space Lands
• Maintenance of Open Space Trails
  • Clear damage from storm Sandy
  • Update trail marking
  • Utilize GPS for mapping and posting on Town website

Organize Community Groups to Assist with Open Space Management

• Formation of a "Friends of Westbrook’s Barrier Islands" Group to assist Commission, DEEP and U.S. Fish and Wildlife to manage Salt Island, Duck Island, and Menunketesuck Island all severely eroded by Hurricane Sandy
• Friends of Westbrook’s Barrier Islands Group website https://m.facebook.com/groups/420054571426506

• Implement cooperative agreement with Oxford Academy to control invasive plants on Salt Island Overlook

Environmental Education

• Management of native plantings in Mulvey River Bank Restoration and Environmental Education Project Area
• Sponsor/conduct invasive plant workshops

Research & Advisory 

Perform research and advisory recommendations for Town Land Use Commissions

Partnerships with Other Agencies

• Partner with municipal, state, federal and regional agencies to manage town and regional natural resources; including:
  • Adopt-a-Spot
  • Lower Connecticut River Valley Council of Governments (RiverCOG)
  • State of Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection
  • Westbrook Garden Club
  • Planning and Inland Wetland Commissions
  • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Stuart B. McKinney Wildlife National Refuge
  • Westbrook Land Conservation Trust