Committee hears request to name Groton trail for Marion Stoddard

Representative Scarsdale told the committee the Nashua River was once ecologically dead because of industrial pollution and described Marion Stoddard’s decades of work to restore it.

"For 50 years, she pushed for yes to clean up this river," Scarsdale said, and noted the route of an accessible trail in J. Harry Rich State Forest that local volunteers and grant programs built to allow visitors of all abilities to enjoy the corridor.

Paul Funch, chair of the Groton Trails Committee, described grants from the Community Preservation Act, Freedom's Way National Heritage Area, the Nashua River Wild and Scenic Council, and the Community Foundation of North Central Massachusetts that funded the trail and interpretive signage. Funch asked the committee to provide a favorable report on H 5113 so the town can honor Stoddard’s contributions.

Why it matters: The naming bill is largely honorary and recognizes a local conservation leader; testimony emphasized community support and collaboration with the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR).

What’s next: Committee heard testimony and questions and did not take a final vote during this session.