Department of Conservation and Recreation to hold Public Meeting on the upcoming Land Management Plan for the Quabbin Reservoir Watershed

The Department of Conservation and Recreation (created as a result of the merger between the former Metropolitan District Commission and the Department of Environmental Management) will hold a public informational meeting on the 2005-2014 Quabbin Reservoir Watershed Land Management Plan on Tuesday, May 24, 2005 at 7 pm, at the Chestnut Hill School Auditorium in Belchertown, MA. Following brief presentations by DCR/Division of Water Supply Protection staff, the majority of the meeting will be open for questions and discussion with the aid of a moderator. All are encouraged to attend.

The DCR/Division of Water Supply Protection is responsible for providing drinking water for present and future generations, and for protecting the natural and cultural resources of the Commonwealth. The development and implementation of watershed land management plans is an essential tool in accomplishing this task. The 2005-2014 land management plan for Quabbin will address land protection practices, forestry and wildlife management, cultural resources protection, and the management and protection of biological diversity in the context of drinking water supply.

This meeting will provide guidance for public interaction with the planning process and an opportunity to ask questions or provide initial input for land management planning for the Quabbin Reservoir watershed. A separate process is currently underway for an update of the Quabbin public access plan.

For further information, please call the Quabbin Visitor Center at 413-323-7221.