Meetings of the Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Advisory Committee are held quarterly on the second Thursday of every third month. Topics on non-game and endangered species are covered, and updates on agency activities are part of the agenda.
Please note:
If you have a disability or medical condition and would like to request special accommodations or if you would like interpretive language services, please contact Jennifer Longsdorf as soon as possible at jennifer.longsdorf@mass.gov.
Any member of the public wishing to be placed on the agenda to speak must submit their request to the Committee in writing two weeks prior to any meeting; for more specific information, please contact Jennifer Longsdorf at jennifer.longsdorf@mass.gov at your earliest convenience.
Next Meeting
July 10, 2025. The April quarterly meeting of the Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Advisory Committee will be held on Thursday, July 10, 2025, at 1:30 p.m., virtually via a Zoom webinar.
Past Meeting Agendas & Minutes
April 10, 2025: Overview of Turners Falls / Northfield Mountain Fish and Flows Settlement Agreement – Jesse Leddick and Caleb Slater, Chief of Hatcheries
January 9, 2025: Advancements in Aquatic Biodiversity Conservation in MA – Rebecca Quiñones, NHESP Conservation Science Program Manager
November 14, 2024: Advancements in Aquatic Biodiversity Conservation in MA – Rebecca Quiñones, NHESP Conservation Science Program Manager
July 11, 2024: Overview of the Biodiversity Executive Order and Draft Biodiversity Goals for Discussion and Feedback – Jen Ryan, Assistant Commissioner for Strategic Initiatives and Climate Policy
April 11, 2024: Building a Prescribed Fire Program Through Partnership – Alex Entrup, Prescribed Fire Program Leader, NHESP
January 22, 2024: Discussion of the “Report of the Climate Forestry Committee: Recommendations for Climate-Oriented Forest Management Guidelines”
January 11, 2024: Open discussion; No formal presentation
October 12, 2023: Discussion and Member Vote on MESA List Proposals (Vertebrates & Invertebrates)
September 14, 2023: Discussion and Member Vote on MESA List Proposals (Plants)
July 27, 2023: Recommended Changes to the Massachusetts Endangered Species Act List – Mike Nelson (Invertebrate Zoologist) and Eve Schlüter (Assistant Director)
April 13, 2023: Bridging Climate Change Research and Agency Priorities at MassWildlife – Rebecca Quiñones, Stream Biologist Project Leader
January 12, 2023: MassWildlife’s Role in Coastal Waterbird Conservation – Carolyn Mostello, Coastal Waterbird Biologist
October 13, 2022: Update on Next Round of MESA List Changes – Eve Schlüter
July 14, 2022: A Checklist of the Bees of Massachusetts - Summary and Highlights – Michael Veit, Independent Researcher
April 14, 2022: Open discussion; No formal presentation
January 13, 2022: Linking Landscapes for Massachusetts Wildlife: A Model Partnership for Interagency Coordination – Dave Paulson, Senior Endangered Species Review Biologist
October 14, 2021: BioMap3 Update – Eve Schlüter
July 8, 2021: Prescribed Fire: Statewide Priorities and Spring Accomplishments – Caren Caljouw (Prescribed Fire Program Manager) and Alex Entrup (Seasonal Prescribed Fire and Habitat Restoration Ecologist)
April 8, 2021: Wildlife Rehabilitation Program Overview – Jennifer Longsdorf, Natural Heritage Program Coordinator
January 14, 2021: Brief Introduction to the Heritage Hub – Sarah Maier (NHESP Information Manager) and Amanda Veinotte (NHESP Project Coordinator)
December 10, 2020: A Recap of Major Restoration Projects in 2020 – Chris Buelow, Senior Restoration Ecologist
November 12, 2020: Open discussion; No formal presentation
October 8, 2020: Open discussion; No formal presentation
September 10, 2020: Re-discovery of Crested Fringed Orchid with notes on the orchid family in Massachusetts – Bob Wernerehl, State Botanist
July 9, 2020: The Great Marsh Resiliency Project – Russ Hopping, Lead Ecologist, Coastal Ecology, The Trustees
June 11, 2020: Spotted Turtle Conservation and Management from Maine to Florida - an update from Massachusetts – Mike Jones, State Herpetologist
May 14, 2020: Using GPS technology to examine habitat selection and movements of the Eastern Whip-poor-will on the non-breeding grounds – Andrew Vitz, State Ornithologist
April 9, 2020: Meeting Cancelled
March 12, 2020: Meeting Cancelled
February 13, 2020: Open Discussion
January 9, 2020: Spring Salamander Assessment in Massachusetts – Jake Kubel, Conservation Scientist
December 12, 2019: Impacts of Annual Winter Water Level Drawdowns on Littoral Zone Ecology in Massachusetts Lakes – Jason Carmignani, Aquatic Ecologist
November 14, 2019: Vote on Officers
October 10, 2019: Using iNaturalist for MassWildlife Projects – Lynn Harper, Habitat Protection Specialist
September 12, 2019: NHESP Data Improvement Initiative – Amanda Veinotte (NHESP Project Coordinator) and Sarah Maier (Information Manager)
July 11, 2019: Carbon Budgeting on MassWildlife Forests – Brian Hawthorne, Habitat Planning Coordinator
June 13, 2019: Current Status of the Red-bellied Cooter – Mike Jones, State Herpetologist
May 9, 2019: Meeting Cancelled
April 11, 2019: Linking Landscapes for Massachusetts Wildlife: Innovation in Wildlife and Transportation Coordination – David Paulson (NHESP) and Timothy Dexter (MassDOT)
March 14, 2019: Turners Falls: A Summary of Impacts to Listed Species – Jesse Leddick (Chief of Regulatory Review) and Misty-Anne Marold (Senior Endangered Species Review Biologist)
February 14, 2019: Solar in MA: SMART Program Review – Kaitlin Kelly, Solar Programs Manager, MA Department of Energy Resources
January 10, 2019: Continue Discussion on Solar Arrays and Wildlife
December 13, 2018: Solar PV and Wildlife: Solar PV Siting Under the SMART Program and Development of “Wildlife-Friendly” Mitigation Measures for Solar Arrays – Zara Dowling, UMass Clean Energy Extension
November 8, 2018: Discussion of Solar Farms and Wildlife
October 11, 2018: MESA List Change Discussion and Vote
September 13, 2018: Meeting Cancelled
July 12, 2018: Recommended Changes to the Massachusetts List of Endangered, Threatened, and Special Concern Species – Mike Nelson, Invertebrate Zoologist
June 14, 2018: MassWildlife Land Protection: Planning and Process – Lynn Harper, Habitat Protection Specialist
May 10, 2018: Terrain Analysis for Conservation – Tim Flanagan, Advisory Committee Associate Member, Berkshire Community College Professor of Environmental and Life Sciences
April 12, 2018: The status of Whip-poor-Will in Massachusetts – Chris Buelow, NHESP Restoration Ecologist
March 8, 2018: Meeting Cancelled
February 8, 2018: Coastal Project Reviews within the Commonwealth – Amy Hoenig, Endangered Species Review Biologist
January 8, 2018: MassWildlife-Natural Resources Conservation Service habitat management partnership – Marianne Piché, MassWildlife Habitat Biologist
December 14, 2017: NHESP Outreach: Where we are and where we're headed – Elaine Brewer, Outreach Specialist
November 9, 2017: Meeting Cancelled
October 12, 2017: State of the Birds 3: Massachusetts Birds and Our Changing Climate – Joan Walsh, Mass Audubon
September 14, 2017: Discussion on When Federally Listed Species Should be Formally Included on the Massachusetts List of Endangered, Threatened, and Special Concern Species – Mike Nelson, Invertebrate Zoologist
July 13, 2017: Meeting Cancelled
June 8, 2017: Meeting Cancelled
May 11, 2017: Using Mobile Devices for GIS and Field Data Collection – Jon Regosin, Chief of Conservation Science
April 13, 2017: Recent Federal Listing Decisions and Implications for States – Brent Powers, NRCS Review Biologist
March 9, 2017: Hunter Ed Program Overview – Susan Langlois, Hunter Ed Program Administrator
February 9, 2017: Meeting Cancelled
January 12, 2017: The Effects of the Road Network and Thermal Constraints on Moose Movement and Habitat Selection in MA – Dave Wattles, Black Bear & Furbearer Biologist
December 8, 2016: Discussion of Translocations and Reintroductions – Eve Schluter and Jon Regosin, NHESP
November 10, 2016: Meeting Cancelled
October 13, 2016: Frameworks for Freshwater Turtle Conservation in Massachusetts – Mike Jones, State Herpetologist
Contact
Online
Phone
Open M–F, 8 a.m.–4 p.m. (closed noon–12:30 for lunch)
North/Central/Western Massachusetts
Southeastern Massachusetts/Cape & Islands