Much of Concord’s land is already restricted from off-leash walking for our pets. Great Meadows, Minuteman Park, Old North Bridge, and Walden Pond are just a few. And now, due to a collection of private landowners including Harvard University, we are losing nearly 1200 acres in Estabrook Woods. We therefore seriously question the wisdom of the NRC reducing it by another 300 acres. Our goal is to work with the NRC to help keep these areas available for off leash dog walking.
Our conservation lands are one of Concord’s greatest assets, and it is indeed a privilege to use them. It is an attraction for many to move and continue to live here. They provide a much needed refuge and place for people of all means to experience the prosperity of wide open spaces. The joy of sharing them with our two and four legged friends actually connects us with nature and creates an even greater appreciation. To lose them would mean a major change in our town’s character and loss of one of it’s most beloved simple pleasures.
Our mission, was to work with the town, Delia and the NRC to maintain this privilege. We believed we could remedy these issues through better education, facilities and signage. Unfortunately, the NRC has chosen to ignore this amazing collective and missed the chance to connect positively with their largest group of users and supporters.
However, the state law that gives the NRC power to invoke these rules EXPLICITY PROHIBITS what they are doing in this case. Section 8C, Part 1, Title VII, Chapter 40, Massachusetts General Laws https://malegislature.gov/…/TitleVII/Chapter40/Section8C) “The commission may adopt rules and regulations governing the use of land and waters under its control, and prescribe penalties, not exceeding a fine of one hundred dollars, for any violation thereof. No action taken under this section shall affect the powers and duties of the state reclamation board or any mosquito control or other project operating under or authorized by chapter two hundred and fifty-two, or restrict any established public access.” Walking dogs off leash on these properties is absolutely an “established public access.” The law they invoke to give them the right do do this specifically states THEY DON’T.
We believe the NRC and it’s director had predetermined they would enact these restrictions and that they only went through the motions at various meetings. They abused their power and were completely disingenuous. The chairwoman of the NRC had never even been to Punkatasset until November of 2018. Incredibly, this was only at the urging of our group Concord Unleashed, to show her how our dogs actually behave off-leash. This was six months into the debate… yet even though potentially instituting some very serious policy changes, and while living in the same town, she failed to even pay it a visit.
