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Westford commission asks for research before deciding whether to permit scattering of cremated remains on conservation lands
Summary
A resident asked to scatter cremated remains on conservation land; commissioners raised ecological and procedural concerns, noted other landholders and DCR generally prohibit scattering, and agreed to research legal and conservation-restriction constraints before returning with a proposed policy.
The Westford Conservation Commission on June 24 opened a policy discussion after a resident requested permission to scatter cremated remains on property under the commission’s care.
Staff explained that state guidance and other landholders generally treat scattering on nonprivate property as the property owner’s decision and that the commission’s existing rules prohibit adding fill to conservation lands. Commission members expressed concern about the ecological effects when volunteers later plant and replant, and volunteers reported encountering fragments that affected soil and plantings in other gardens. One commissioner advised caution and said the commission’s initial inclination was to disallow adding material to resource areas. The commission noted that the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) prohibits scattering in state parks and that the Sudbury Valley Trustees generally prohibit scattering on conserved lands for ecological reasons.
Members agreed to take additional time to research conservation-restriction language, CR-holder restrictions, and examples from regional land trusts before drafting any formal policy. The commission also said any future rule change would be subject to a public hearing to allow resident input.
What’s next: staff will reach out to regional land trusts and the DCR for clarifying guidance, and the commission will revisit the item on a future agenda with proposed options and recommended language.
