Natural Resources Inventory shows roughly 4,000 acres of forest lost in last decade

Planning Board member Cornelia Schneider presented the 2026 Natural Resources Inventory, prepared by the same firm as the 2016 version, and highlighted a notable land-use change: "the town lost approximately 4,000 acres of forest land over the ten-year period." The Board reached consensus to append the 2026 inventory to the Master Plan as an additional document rather than replace the 2016 version so the two can be compared.

Members discussed localized impacts separate from the inventory, including a report that the Berry Pond scenic view has been lost due to tree growth on private property; the Board confirmed the town lacks authority to remove trees on private land with public funds and took no action though the landowner is reportedly willing to remove trees at private expense. Staff will determine the mechanism for appending the inventory to the Master Plan and the document will be clearly titled as the 2026 inventory.