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Weir River Estuary Park Committee

Meeting Minutes

Committees: Weir River Estuary Park Committee

The Weir River Estuary Park Committee would like to invite the public to attend our meetings, which focus on care of the Estuary, including protecting land, improving water quality, and encouraging stewardship through education and respectful recreation.

2012 Annual Report

The Weir River Estuary is a State-designated Area of Critical Environ-mental Concern (ACEC) bounded by Cohasset, Hingham and Hull. Hingham's website has an ACEC map, WREP Land Protection Plan (LPP), WREP Paddle Guide, bicycle path map, minutes, annual report, and committee members. Meeting agendas are posted at Town Hall and on-line in the Events Calendar. The WREP Committee invites you to attend its meetings usually held the 4th Tuesday of the month from 7-9 pm at Hingham Town Hall or the Estuary Center at 333 George Washington Blvd.

The purpose of the committee is to preserve/protect open space along the Weir River Estuary, safeguard the natural habitats, promote stewardship, assist interpretation, and promote passive recreation along the waterways, trails and roads. The tri-town structure of this committee benefits the three participating towns by coordinating stewardship actions for this globally important resource that lies within the boundaries of all three communities and by representing a critical mass of citizens when dealing with local, regional, state, and federal projects.

In Hingham, continued diligence and support was directed toward completing the transfer of the 60 George Washington Boulevard deed to the Hingham Conservation Commission, completing a property transaction The Hingham Historical Commission voted to add the Noonan property's Sidney Ice Business site: the foundation, the pond, and the granite stone culverts under the small gauge Hingham-Hull railroad bed to the Historical Inventory.

A cart path starting on Rockland Street provides access to the pond's outlet for water management of the pond and for passive recreation opportunities. The WREP bicycle/pedestrian path around the Estuary passes this entrance to the property. Community Preservation Act funds are being requested for 2013 Town Meeting approval to preserve this historic, conservation, and recreation resource for Town use. The WREP Committee advocated and achieved Cohasset Conservation Commission support to deny a stormwater permit from being issued to a landowner, based on protecting the successful Strait's Pond restoration project 2010 - to restore and maintain the delicate balance of salt versus fresh water to help eradicate the midges and mitigate the mats of algae that have been troublesome over past decades. In June 2012, a WREPC member organized a Straits Pond Watershed Association panel, comprised of Conservation Agents along with a local meteorologist, to discuss how we all impact the waters of the estuary even though we may live far from Straits Pond. WREPC continued work toward a Straits Pond Wildfowl Viewing Park, including a continuous walking route. Through the Hull Land Conservation Trust, WREPC helped the Hull Conservation Commission maintain the Weir River Woods trails.

WREP Committee members continue to sponsor the annual spring clean-up of the Weir River Estuary, coordinate tri-town input to develop a management plan to support the WREP Land Protection Plan, and lead free public walks, kayak/canoe outings, and bicycle trips in and around the Estuary. Have some fun, join estuary programs and stewardship!

Co-chairpersons:
Richard Avery, Cohasset
Faith Burbank, Hingham
Judeth Van Hamm, Hull

Committee representatives:
Amy May, Cohasset
Scott Plympton, Hull; Hingham Land Trust liaison
Joe Bierwirth

Each Town seeks another Selectman's appointee with interest / talent in Estuary preservation, management, recreation, and interpretation.