Attendees
PRESENT: Steve Sears/Chair, Emma Ellsworth/Vice Chair, Ernie Foster/Secretary, Bob Durand, Sasha Dyer, John Organ, Matthew Sisk, Mark S. Tisa/Director, Tom O’Shea/Commissioner/DFG, Eve Schlüter/ Deputy Director, Kris McCarthy/Chief Fiscal Officer and Associate Director, Todd Richards/Assistant Director/Fisheries, Mike Huguenin/Assistant Director/Wildlife, Trina Moruzzi/Assistant Director/ Operations, Emily Myron/Assistant Director/Land and Habitat, Pat Huckery/Northeast Wildlife District Manager, Joe Rogers/Conn. Valley Wildlife District Manager, Jason Zimmer/Southeast Wildlife District Manager, Todd Olanyk/Central Wildlife District Manager, Caleb Slater/Hatchery Program Manager, Jody Simoes/Human Dimensions Project Leader, Nicole Keleher/Habitat Restoration and Management Program Manager, Cela Dorr/Outreach and Education Program Coordinator, Michelle Morrison/Federal Aid and Compliance Management Assistant, Jennifer Sulla/General Counsel/DFG, Colonel John Monaghan/MEP, Major Kevin Clayton/MEP, Captain Bill Woytek/MEP; PUBLIC: James Cardoza, Steve LaRivee
Acceptance of minutes
A motion was made by Mr. Durand to accept the minutes of the June 18, 2025, business meeting as presented. The motion was seconded by Dr. Organ; the vote in favor was unanimous.
Chair's updates
Chair Sears acknowledged the Western District staff who are working with towns and organizations to maintain fishing and hunting access in the District. He reported that Congress has removed the language requiring the sale of federal land and said it was a very good thing for everyone in the United States. He also recognized [Western District Wildlife Biologist] Nate Buckhout and [Habitat Biologist] Ben Mazzei, who were then helping to fight wildfires in Alaska; he thanked them for their work and hoped they stayed safe.
The Chair announced the resignation of Board member Bob Durand after 6 years serving on the Board, having been chosen from the Northeast Wildlife District, and spoke to his constant helpfulness to the Board with his experience and contacts.
Mr. Durand was recognized, and he read his resignation letter aloud. He closed by thanking the unsung staff who do so much for the agency, including Operations Specialist Jim Pollock and the clerks at the front desk.
Commissioner O’Shea stated that Mr. Durand is the father of biodiversity in Massachusetts, noting that Mr. Durand was Secretary of the Environment when the Commissioner started at MassWildlife. He thanked Mr. Durand for everything he has done. Mr. Sisk reported that he met Mr. Durand as a young governor’s staffer while hunting in Vermont. He thanked him for his service and said he was honored to sit on the same board. Ms. Dyer stated that it was important to point out that Mr. Durand was advocating for the environment and biodiversity before it was fashionable to do so. Mr. Foster said he was sad to see Mr. Durand step down, but he appreciates his family commitment. Ms. Ellsworth reported that Mr. Durand was the first MassWildlife person she met when she joined the Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust, before she joined the Board, at a meeting near Tully, where they walked and Mr. Durand told her the whole story of the Tully Initiative, which encompassed 2 years of work, 9,000 acres, and over 80 landowners. Dr. Organ stated he had known about Mr. Durand for many years before meeting him, adding that he has had a multigenerational impact on Massachusetts. He said Mr. Durand is a model for the leadership needed in the country: bridging gaps and making coalitions.
Dr. Tisa seconded Dr. Organ’s comments and said he has known Mr. Durand for his entire career. He highlighted one time when Mr. Durand as Secretary of the Environment came through at a critical time for the McLaughlin Hatchery. It was in serious disrepair, the agency had no money to fix it, and Mr. Durand found the capital funds needed to get the repairs done. Director Tisa said he thinks of it often, the accomplishment at that time and what it meant of the agency and its constituents. He looks forward to continuing their friendship and working relationship.
Chair Sears moved to dedicate the day’s meeting to Mr. Durand; Mr. Foster seconded the motion; the vote in favor was unanimous. Mr. Durand stated that he had an appointment and had to leave the meeting early.
Director's updates
Director Tisa welcomed the new Colonel for the Massachusetts Environmental Police (MEP) and stated that he was looking forward to working with him, noting that the Colonel would introduce himself shortly.
Commissioner’s updates
Commissioner O'Shea thanked Steve LaRivee of the Worcester County League for the tree-stand safety course the Commissioner attended. He said he learned a lot about what to do in precarious situations and thanked Mr. Larivee for doing it. He also noted later that MEP officers were also there and learned what to do when notified of an emergency and about investigating accidents involving tree stands.
He reported that, as Mr. Durand had mentioned in his resignation letter, he does have a replacement for Mr. Durand from the Northeast District and hopes to introduce the person at the next meeting.
The Commissioner reported that the reimbursement of MassWildlife’s free and reduced-price licenses was passed in the budget and acknowledged the work of Mr. Durand, DFG staff, and the many nonprofit partners who advocated for it. He was also very glad to report the signing of the Mass Ready Act, which will help provide opportunities for increased capital investment. He highlighted new line items added in this Bond Bill that were never included before, for McLaughlin Hatchery; Community Biodiversity grants; DMF habitat restoration for eelgrass, kelp, oyster reefs, etc.; and DFG infrastructure. He also reported $53 million for land as DFG is trying to double the pace of land protection. The Commissioner repeated that these are authorizations only; DFG still has to go through the annual allocations process, but this is a big, important first step.
Commissioner O'Shea also announced that a new commissioner has been appointed at the Department of Conservation and Recreation, Nicole LaChappelle, who is the former mayor of Easthampton, with whom he looks forward to working on the two agencies’ common goals. He acknowledged and thanked former DCR Commissioner Brian Arrigo, who was a valuable partner and will be missed.
Law Enforcement updates
Major Kevin Clayton introduced the new Colonel and Director of MEP, Colonel John Monaghan, who thanked the Board for the opportunity to speak to the meeting. Colonel Monaghan said he has come full circle from his natural-resource management studies at Sterling College, and that he loves the outdoors and hunting. He stated that was an honor and a privilege to come back to Massachusetts and lead the MEP, an agency of dedicated professionals working to protect Massachusetts’ natural resources and its people. He looks forward to working with Director Tisa and Commissioner O'Shea.
Captain Bill Woytek provided the Environmental Police report, noting that one officer was ready to start field training. The Captain hopes the officer is ultimately assigned to Central Mass. He reported that MassWildlife calls for service the previous month were mostly bear calls and entailed lots of education by officers on birdfeeders and living with bears and other wildlife generally. He then provided the Board with a brief overview of actions connected to the current hunting and other recreational seasons and activities; a report of recent OLE activities, including other fish-and-wildlife-related examples for calls for service that Environmental Police officers had responded to in the previous month; and the outlines of ongoing and recently completed investigations. He added that officers are also still active with Hunter Education and boating safety classes, and continue to work details in state parks and pools in addition to their regular game warden duties.
Personnel report
Introductions
Assistant Director of Outreach and Education Nicole McSweeney introduced Cela Dorr, the new Outreach and Education Program Coordinator, based in Westborough, who briefly introduced herself and reported that she was quickly getting up to speed.
Assistant Director for Land and Habitat Emily Myron introduced Nicole Keleher, the new Habitat Restoration and Management Program Manager based in Westborough, who said a few words about her background with the DCR and that she was very excited to accept the opportunity to work with MassWildlife habitat staff.
Chief Fiscal Officer Kris McCarthy introduced the new Federal Aid and Compliance Manager Assistant, Michelle Morrison, who is working in Westborough. Ms. Morrison spoke about her prior career and felt the position was a very good fit.
Chair Sears thanked the staff who worked to process and bring the personnel candidates to the special board meeting held at the end of May. Director Tisa also acknowledged and thanked the Commissioner for his invaluable assistance with moving the personnel requisitions forward.
Update on the Massachusetts State Wildlife Action Plan (Jesse Leddick)
Assistant Director for NHESP Jesse Leddick provided the Board with background on the purpose and requirements of State Wildlife Action Plans or SWAPs, a brief history and some key accomplishments that have been realized under Massachusetts’ existing SWAP, and the updates staff is proposing to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for the 2025 SWAP. He reported that Massachusetts has rich and varied biodiversity, but that much of it is under threat from a number of causes, the primary ones being habitat loss and fragmentation, pollution, and invasive species, which are all amplified by climate change. Mr. Leddick reported that, without continued, dedicated action, we risk losing species, habitats, and the life-sustaining benefits that healthy ecosystems provide. The key to continued, effective action is an approved SWAP because it is required for state fish and wildlife agencies to secure important federal funding to monitor and conserve Species of Greatest Conservation Need, or SGCN, which are species that have been identified as vulnerable, rare or declining. He explained that the SWAP can be thought of as a blueprint for wildlife conservation in each state that outlines key priorities and strategies and helps foster partnerships to improve success.
Assistant Director Leddick reported that there are eight required elements in approved SWAPs:
- The distribution and abundance of SGCN
- An assessment of key SGCN habitats
- An assessment of key threats to the species
- Key conservation actions for these species
- Monitoring plans to determine the effectiveness of conservation actions
- Procedures to review the plan at least every ten years
- Partnerships and stakeholders that significantly affect SGCN conservation
- Public participation in plan development and implementation
After briefly reviewing the history of the Massachusetts SWAP, which began in 2005 with the first one, Mr. Leddick highlighted three important contributions the SWAP has made to conservation in the state, by MassWildlife as well as by many conservation partners and municipalities across the Commonwealth.
The first outcome was improved planning at the landscape level, which was facilitated by BioMap and its incorporation of the best available science, its emphasis on climate resilience and refugia, its ability to identify the most important terrestrial and aquatic habitats for conservation, and its new Habitat Restoration Resource Center to help partners manage and restore high-quality habitat. To conserve all SGCN, especially those that are state- or federally listed, Mr. Leddick reported that species-focused planning at the regional and state level is also needed, and MassWildlife has developed or updated a suite of species conservation plans at the regional level for Blanding's turtle, brook floater, saltmarsh sparrow, and others. At the state level, MassWildlife has developed conservation plans for individual species, such as piping plover and northern red-bellied cooter, and even developed plans for habitats used by groups of SGCN, such as the Grassland Bird Conservation Plan.
The second important outcome of the SWAP has been improved implementation of efforts to conserve SGCN, for which habitat protection is a critical tool. Mr. Leddick stated that MassWildlife and its partners have made tremendous progress under the existing SWAP, with MassWildlife now the custodian of over 237,000 acres, 20,000 of which have been protected since the second SWAP was approved in 2015. And the conservation community as a whole, from federal and state agencies to municipalities and land trusts, has now protected over 1.4 million acres, or about 28% of the state, and the total increases every year. Mr. Leddick emphasized this impressive collective achievement in the fourth most densely populated state in the country. Another aspect of implementation is habitat restoration. Mr. Leddick reported that, under the existing SWAP, there has been growing recognition that, for many imperiled species, simply protecting habitat isn't enough. We have to restore and manage high-quality habitat to ensure that it provides maximum benefit to the targeted species. He gave an example of invasive plant management: In 2014, MW staff was able to conduct invasives control on less than 200 acres of its lands. In 2024, staff managed invasives on over 1,000 acres and are set to meet or exceed that amount again in 2025. He noted that many of our conservation partners have similarly scaled up their efforts in this space. We've seen similar growth in the use of prescribed fire to restore and manage critical, fire-influenced habitats. For example, in 2014, MassWildlife was burning about 133 acres per year. In 2024, Habitat staff reached a new record of almost 1,900 acres and are set to meet or exceed that again in 2025.
The third benefit from the 2015 SWAP that Assistant Director Leddick reported was its role in helping MassWildlife strengthen partnerships. He stated that partnerships at all scales is essential to successful conservation efforts, with federal agencies like the EPA and the USFWS; with other fish and wildlife agencies in the Northeast to tackle regionwide projects; and locally, with other state agencies, municipalities, nonprofits, Tribes, and universities. He went on to note that the progress made by MassWildlife and the broader conservation community has recently been reinforced by several important commitments by the Commonwealth, including the Governor’s executive order on biodiversity conservation, the ResilientMass plan, the Department’s Strategic Plan, and MassWildlife’s recent creation of a Land and Habitat Program. Collectively, these establish a baseline of protecting 30% of natural and working lands by 2030 and 40% by 2050; they highlight the need to restore habitats and connectivity; and they task the Department with developing biodiversity conservation goals and strategies for 2030, 2040, and 2050.
These commitments and the conservation work already being done by MassWildlife and its partners are important to framing the 2025 SWAP updates, Mr. Leddick said, and he proceeded to report on the revisions made in the 2025 SWAP in the context of the eight required SWAP elements. One particularly important change he highlighted is that BioMap is now foundational to the 2025 SWAP, because it identifies the landscapes and habitats where conservation actions need to be implemented.
Assistant Director Leddick reported that Element 1 is an evaluation of species status by looking at distribution, abundance, and trends to determine if species should be added to or removed from the SGCN list.
The first step staff took was to review and standardize the criteria species need to meet in order to be considered SGCN. All 453 species MESA-listed as E, T or SC are automatically designated as SGCN.
For a non-listed species to be designated, it has to meet two or more of the following four criteria. First, a species can be low in abundance or distribution; second, it can be experiencing significant threats to its life history needs or habitats; third, it can be showing significant declines in abundance or habitat; And fourth, it can be data deficient. All 570 previously listed SGCN were reviewed, as were species newly designated as Northeast Regional SGCN or species otherwise thought to be in decline. The result is a new total of 619 SGCN, a net increase of 49 species compared to 2015. This resulted from 66 additions and 17 removals to the 2015 list that Mr. Leddick summarized on a slide.
Additions:
- 1 bee
- 2 birds
- 2 butterflies/moths
- 2 crustaceans
- 11 dragonflies/damselflies
- 3 mammals
- 39 plants
- 1 salamander
- 4 stoneflies
- 1 turtle
Removals:
- 5 bees
- 3 birds
- 4 dragonflies/damselflies
- 2 fish
- 3 plants
He reported that additions, such as the sandhill crane, were largely due to new MESA listings or new information about a species conservation status; removals, like the Atlantic salmon, were largely due to extirpations or newly documented populations that improved species conservation status. Once the list was finalized, staff then created or updated fact sheets for all species, which can in many cases be thought of as miniature species conservation plans.
Element 2 asks the agency to evaluate the status and condition of SGCN habitats. Mr. Leddick reported that staff began with the 24 habitats provided in the 2015 SWAP and then used BioMap to update this total to 35, with the biggest change coming in the number and type of aquatic habitats. For each habitat, MassWildlife now provides a habitat fact sheet that summarizes what high-quality habitat looks like, key threats and conservation actions, and recommendations for restoration and management.
Under Element 3, staff assessed all known threats to SGCN and, consistent with the 2015 SWAP, habitat loss and fragmentation, pollution, invasive species, and disruption of natural processes were the key threats here in Massachusetts. What is new for 2025 is the breadth of climate-change-related research now available, and we now know that climate change will amplify these threats in sometimes novel ways. This information was considered in our evaluation of threats and included in both species and habitat fact sheets. Importantly, this also aligns with statewide priorities and builds on commitments the state has made to climate adaptation and resilience.
Element 4 asks for core conservation actions. Consistent with the 2015 SWAP, these include land protection, habitat restoration and management, environmental review, species management, research and monitoring, and education. The Assistant Director reminded the Board that actions are sometimes species- or habitat-specific but are also sometimes identified at the landscape level. A good example of the latter is MassWildlife’s key sites analysis, which identifies areas within BioMap where rare species aggregate and where conservation can be particularly effective.
Mr. Leddick pointed out that Elements 1-4 collectively allow MassWildlife to prioritize updated monitoring and research plans for the next 10 years, with goals of filling data gaps, evaluating the success of conservation actions, and identifying potential adaptive management strategies. Under the 2025 SWAP, we are prioritizing monitoring plans for rare plants, a number of rare reptiles, several high-priority natural communities, and evaluating the response of species and habitats to climate change, particularly aquatic species.
He reminded the members that Element 6 is a commitment to review and revise the SWAP every 10 years, which we are doing now. Element 7 focuses on the recognition that SGCN conservation is a heavy lift, that no one agency or organization can do it alone, and that strong partnerships are essential to success. Mr. Leddick reiterated the commitment MassWildlife has made to building partnerships over the last 10 years, and the 2025 SWAP reiterates the importance of these partnerships and the need to continue to strengthen them.
Element 8 highlights that public participation is critical to successfully implementing the SWAP. Mr. Leddick noted that a concerted effort to involve the public has been happening for many years, and it was a particularly important step in rolling out BioMap and in developing draft goals under the Biodiversity Executive Order. In the 2025 SWAP, staff continue to build on these previous efforts by improving accessibility to data and information, so that the public can more easily and meaningfully interact with the SWAP to understand the information it provides and how they can use it to assist their conservation projects. To do this, staff has migrated the SWAP from fixed PDFs to a web-based, interactive model, making it more easily digestible, available in different languages, updateable in real time versus waiting 10 years on the schedule set by the USFWS. The 2025 SWAP is now split up into different web pages on Mass.Gov that can also be accessed directly from the BioMap webpage. Mr. Leddick then paused to show how the web-based SWAP works in a short video. After the video, which explored the updated SWAP’s structure and navigation, he talked through an example of how SWAP and BioMap together help prioritize and catalyze important on-the-ground SGCN conservation projects using an example in Sturbridge at the confluence of the Quinebaug River with Hamant Brook, a coldwater stream. He explained that surveys and monitoring have shown that the Quinebaug and lower Hamant support a suite of SGCN, from rare mussels and fishes to the MESA-listed Wood Turtle. Collectively, this information led to identification of these areas in BioMap. Surveys also revealed three dams that historically blocked connectivity to upstream portions of Hamant Brook. Mr. Leddick then showed the “Habitats & Species” page of BioMap where one can review fact sheets for the individual SGCN and their habitats to evaluate key threats and conservation actions. The fact sheets for brook trout and the gently sloping cold rivers habitat page provide a more in-depth description of what high-quality habitat for these SGCN looks like. They also identify dams as a key threat and dam removal as a key conservation action.
Assistant Director Leddick reported that MassWildlife had worked in close partnership with American Rivers, the Department’s Division of Ecological Restoration, the Town of Sturbridge, Trout Unlimited, the Last Green Valley, and the Worcester County League of Sportsmen to remove the three dams in 2017. In addition to enhancing habitat and restoring connectivity for SGCN, the project improved the climate resilience of both Hamant Brook and the Quinebaug, enhanced opportunities for fishing and other public recreation, and eliminated the public-safety hazards and long-term costs associated with the dams. Since the projects’ completion, MassWildlife and its partners have continued to monitor the restoration area and documented several SGCN already using restored sections of the Brook. In short, the project is an example of how conservation projects require baseline monitoring to guide where SGCN occur, planning to determine what actions should be implemented, and of the importance of strong and diverse partnerships for successful implementation.
Mr. Leddick stated that when the 2025 SWAP is finalized and approved by the USFWS, MassWildlife must maintain and hopefully increase the pace of conservation by continuing to implement strategic, cost-effective, science-based conservation actions. Staff must continue to expand and solidify partnerships, leverage individual and collective strengths, and share resources and knowledge to improve both the rate and success of conservation. Finally, MassWildlife needs to continue and, where possible, strengthen protections for our most sensitive species and habitats through environmental review and policy.
He provided a brief summary of the next steps to finalize the SWAP, reporting that staff is providing two more public presentations, one public-information session the next day on Zoom that would be recorded in multiple languages and posted on MassWildlife’s website for later consumption, and another to the Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Advisory Committee (NHESAC) on the following Friday. The presentations would also begin a 30-day public-comment period, after which staff will review all the comments and provide an update to the Board at its September meeting, summarizing the comments received and reporting any further proposed revisions for the SWAP. The finalized SWAP will be submitted to the USFWS by the deadline for submission at the end of September. Mr. Leddick then showed a slide with information on how to access the SWAP online and the options for submitting comments.
In a brief discussion that followed, the individual Board members expressed their thanks to Mr. Leddick for his excellent presentation, their admiration for the SWAP product, their experience with the previous SWAPs and the multiple BioMap products that are directly related to it, and the various uses to which partners and citizens can put it to further their conservation goals.
Commissioner O'Shea explained that each state has a state SWAP partner and that Massachusetts’ is the Environmental League of Massachusetts and that the National Wildlife Federation is the partner nationally. He also gave the example of another state that received $10 million in support of its SWAP.
Confirm August business meeting date and time: August 20, 2025, at 10:00 a.m., at the MassWildlife Field Headquarters and in a Zoom webinar
After a brief discussion, the Board members also confirmed the existing details of the September 17 business meeting, at 11:00 a.m. The members then set the October meeting on October 22, 2025, at 10:00 a.m.
Members’ comments
Matthew Sisk reported that the bond bill event in Braintree was a great event with 300 people attending. He also reported that the NHESAC on Friday would be hearing the same presentation of the SWAP report.
Sasha Dyer reported that she had volunteered at the Central Mass. National Wild Turkey Federation’s fundraising banquet, and it was a great event. She reported that former Board member Bonnie Booth always goes and has been a mentor to her through the years. Ms. Dyer talked about the active discouragement of women in the field for decades and that she sees opportunities to intensify the support and welcoming of women in the outdoors. She applauded the work Mass Wildlife is doing to focus events on women. She also expressed her appreciation for the help she received from Stewardship Biologist Scott Kemp in the Central District when an abutter reached out to her and then was very pleased with the response and assistance received from Mr. Kemp. She noted that the Stewardship Biologists are doing great work and that she wanted to highlight the fact.
Ernie Foster reported no comments.
Emma Ellsworth reported that she was practicing at a 3-D course at her local club when a young woman pulled up to the building with clearly no idea what to do. She welcomed her, showed her around, and now she is a member of the club. Ms. Ellsworth stressed the importance of welcoming newcomers to one’s sport, putting aside protectiveness of one’s own spots and favorite areas, and being more welcoming. During her recent visit to Norcross Wildlife Sanctuary she saw problems with deer browse and was reminded that we need hunters to manage wildlife and protect plants because deer feed on endangered plants. We need new hunters and need to encourage and be cooperative with new hunters.
John Organ stated that the Board members are encouraged to attend the Annual Coordinating Committee meeting of the Massachusetts Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit the following week at the MassWildlife Field Headquarters. He reported that the previous week he was asked to travel to the U.S. Geological Survey [USGS] headquarters in Reston, Virginia, by the acting chief of the Coop Units, to provide guidance as the agency deals with the uncertainty over the future of the program. Noting that there is a ray of hope coming from the House Interior and Related Agencies Subcommittee, Dr. Organ reported that the Subcommittee has inserted language in its report that authorizes the USGS to engage in activities that mirror the activities of the Coop Units. Additionally, the Subcommittee members have recommended funding that would likely support the program. However, the Supreme Court ruling that allows the administration to proceed with reductions in force could result in termination of the scientists before action is completed on the budget. He said that the uncertainty is great.
Adjourn
There being no further business, Mr. Foster moved to adjourn. Dr. Organ seconded the motion. The vote in favor was unanimous and the meeting was adjourned at 12:15 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Ernie Foster
Secretary
List of documents presented to the Board in its July business meeting packets
July agenda
June monthly meeting minutes draft
July personnel report
A photocopy of the relevant page in the State Budget that authorized reimbursement to MassWildlife for free and reduced-price licenses
Copy of letter from Bob Durand to EEA Secretary Tepper resigning his Board seat