Middlesex and Essex Counties
Open Space & Trails Forum

Jointly sponsored by the North Shore Task Force and the North Suburban Planning Council

Join municipal and state leaders and nonprofit and community advocates as we discuss the state of open space and trails in Essex and Middlesex counties.

Key speakers include leaders with expertise in municipal and private open space acquisition and management as well as trails development and maintenance. Topics up for discussion include: private and public acquisition via the Community Preservation Act, municipal policies for the acquisition of open space, multi-municipal collaborations, and trail acquisition and management.

This event is free and open to the public. Individuals from conservation commissions, watershed organizations, land trusts, open space, bike, and trail organizations are encouraged to attend.

Speakers/Panelists

• Ed Becker, Executive Director, Essex County Greenbelt Association
• David Loutzenheiser, Transportation Planner, MAPC
• Gretchen Carey, Member, Conservation Commission, Town of Burlington
• Joe Cloonan, Board President, Reading Open Land Trust
• Kristen Grubbs, Open Space Program Manager, Town of Ipswich
• Paul Jahnige, Director, Greenways and Trails Program, Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation

Tentative Agenda

8:45 - 9:00 am: Refreshments and Networking
9:00 - 9:15 am: Welcome and Introductions
9:15 - 10:30 am: Speaker Presentations
10:30 - 10:40 am: Break
10:40 - 11:40 am: Panel Discussion
11:40 - 12:00: Next Steps

This event is co-sponsored by the North Shore Task Force and the North Suburban Planning Council -- two subregions of the Metropolitan Area Planning Council.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Sam Cleaves, North Shore Task Force Subregional Coordinator
Jennifer Erickson, North Suburban Planning Council Subregional Coordinator

Wakefield Town Hall is fully accessible to all visitors with disabilities. Access for wheelchair users and individuals with limited mobility is available for the main entrance, Lafayette Street, and from the parking lot.  A public elevator provides access to all floors and rooms in the building. For more information about any accessibility issues, please call (781) 245-3860.

If you need any special accommodations such as language interpretation, assistive listening devices or meeting materials in alternate formats, please contact Jennifer Erickson at jerickson@mapc.org or 617-451-2770 x2078.  We would appreciate notice as soon as possible but at least one week in advance.