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Citizen Planner Training Collaborative
Project Leader: Michael DiPasquale
Project Year: 2009
The vast majority of the 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts have volunteer planning boards and zoning boards of appeal. These boards have significant decision-making power over zoning, development, natural resource protection, and other important land use issues. With the complexity of changing state regulations and without dedicated professional staff, many board members struggle to stay informed of new developments, and the tools and techniques that can promote better decisions or avoid unnecessary or costly appeals. The Citizen Planner Training Collaborative (CPTC) provides local planning and zoning officials with up-to-date learning tools to make effective decisions regarding their communities' current and future land use. CPTC is the only comprehensive training option targeted specifically to the citizens who serve on boards in cities and towns across Massachusetts.
This project is a part of the Natural Resource & Environmental Conservation program
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Fish, Wildlife & Biodiversity Conservation
Project Leader: Scott Jackson
Project Year: 2009
Massachusetts is the third most densely populated state in the nation. The rate of land consumption for residential development is steadily increasing far out of proportion to its population growth. Haphazard growth has impacted water resources, natural resource-based enterprises, open space, wildlife habitat, and community character. Nearly half the state's communities lack professional planning staff, while volunteer boards struggle with increasing levels of responsibility, liability, time demands and public mistrust. The Fish, Wildlife & Biodiversity Conservation Project addresses these concerns through related initiatives that focus on habitat loss and fragmentation, establishing priorities for ecological restoration and mitigating development impacts on wildlife and ecosystems.
This plan is a part of the Natural Resource & Environmental Conservation program
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Forest Conservation
Project Leader: Paul Catanzaro
Project Year: 2009
Sixty-two percent of Massachusetts is forested. A large majority (79%) of Massachusetts forests are privately owned. Most landowners enjoy their woodlots for privacy and aesthetics on a daily basis, but most do not consider options and opportunities for forest conservation until something triggers a decision point regarding the management of the woods or the future status of the property. This can force landowners to make quick decisions without sufficient planning or information. The goal of the Forest Conservation project is to put into place in each community the people that can deliver accurate information at crucial decision making times. Extension understands that networks of respected community leaders is one of the most effective ways of disseminating information and helping individuals and communities to make informed decisions about their forest resources. Our intent is to provide influential citizens with the information to encourage their peers to contact the right people and to ask the right questions.
This project is a part of the Natural Resource & Environmental Conservation program
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Land Protection and Community Preservation
Project Leader: Robert Levite
Project Year: 2009
The extremely high population density and the dwindling natural resources of the Commonwealth demand that we look at new and better methods for developing land and growing our economy in ways that preserve the long term health and vitality of our towns, communities and citizens. To do this, we must design approaches and technologies that support sustainable growth. The Land Protection and Community Preservation project encourages sustainable growth by providing the residents of the northern towns of the Quinebaug Shetucket watershed corridor with outreach, education and facilitation that will encourage capacity building and the consideration of land, water and sustainability issues in the day to day decision making processes of the towns and the region.
This project is a part of the Natural Resource & Environmental Conservation program
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Public Issues 
