Friends group wins commission backing to remove water chestnut; Hartwell site authorized

Friends of Forge Pond reported a new infestation of water chestnuts in the Littleton reach of Beaverbrook and asked the Littleton Conservation Commission for authorization to remove plants manually before late‑July seed drop.

At the June 23 meeting, the group's representative (Dave) said volunteers found several hundred plants in open sections of the brook between Forge Pond and the Westford town line. Commissioners discussed logistics — access by kayak/canoe, fragment barriers, decontamination of boats, and off‑site composting of removed plants — and Natural Heritage's guidance limiting work timing (no major work August 15–September 30) to avoid impacts on wildlife.

The commission voted to authorize use of the Hartwell conservation area for removal activities associated with the pending Notice of Intent and advised the Friends group to secure property-owner permissions for additional reaches. Commissioners required a condition that all removed material be kept out of resource areas and that the conservation agent be notified of the composting/disposal location. The commission also asked staff to investigate legal language that would allow the scope to be expanded administratively as additional landowner permissions arrive, to avoid missing this season's removal window.

The group must return with a MassDEP file number and finalized property permissions for full approval; the commission indicated support contingent on those items and said staff will work with the group on conditions to enable timely work if legal routes permit.