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Piscataquag Land Conservancy outlines monitoring needs and asks Ware commission to partner on workdays
Summary
Dan Ewald of the Piscataquag Land Conservancy told the Ware Conservation Commission that PLC monitoring has flagged ATV damage at Eastman, encroachment at Breed Brook, and a blocked outflow at Farrin Pond; PLC requested joint workdays and replacement signage to protect trails and water resources.
Dan Ewald, stewardship specialist for the Piscataquag Land Conservancy, briefed the Ware Conservation Commission on the condition of conservation easements the group monitors in town and asked the commission to partner on a series of stewardship tasks.
“Overall, things are looking pretty good,” Ewald said, but he listed a set of recurring problems on town easement properties, including ATV tracks and illegal dumping at the Eastman Conservation Area, continuing encroachment from an abutter at Breed Brook, and an outflow blockage at Farrin Pond that raised the pond level and flooded the beach area last spring.
Ewald said volunteers have reported consistent ATV tracks coming from Meadow Road into Eastman and that a resident discovered tires dumped in a field off Converse Stage. PLC supplied “no motorized vehicle” signs to the site, and Ewald said PLC will monitor whether the signage reduces access. On Breed Brook, Ewald said materials and landscaping items from the abutter at 49 Winterberry Lane have repeatedly appeared on conserved land; PLC first noted that encroachment in 2021 and has informed the property owner multiple times.
At Chevy Hill, PLC has recorded tree stands and vehicle access where a boulder that once blocked an entrance was moved aside, creating erosion and access concerns. Ewald said the practical options range from restoring boulders to installing a gate, with tradeoffs in cost and effectiveness.
Farrin Pond was singled out for a combined habitat and trail concern. Ewald said an accumulation of limbs and other debris, together with some beaver activity, blocked the pond’s outflow and left portions of the beach underwater until PLC partially cleared the channel. He asked whether the commission would partner on a larger workday requiring more volunteers and some heavier equipment to reopen the outflow fully and protect the loop trail on both PLC’s and the town’s side of the pond.
Araya, PLC’s stewardship assistant, offered to help organize volunteer events and to coordinate monitoring visits; PLC also agreed to replace boundary placards where trees have grown around them. Commissioners and PLC staff discussed using trail cameras to document motorized trespass and to provide evidence for conservation-officer follow-up.
Ewald said PLC’s recent work includes acquisition of the Sylvia Pope parcels, parts of which now abut Breed Brook; he identified Jonathan Beck as PLC’s land protection contact for new conservation inquiries. No formal vote was required for PLC’s recommendations; commissioners asked PLC to email photos and follow up with specific dates and needs for volunteer help.
The commission did not adopt new policy at the meeting but agreed to collaborate with PLC on monitoring, signage replacement, and a possible coordinated workday at Farrin Pond.
