Skip to content

Survey to Assess Community Support for Shutesbury Ecosystems

Are you concerned about knotweed potentially growing in large amounts in our town? Is it important to you to protect pollinator-friendly native plants?

Would you like to learn more about improving the ecosystem's resilience without using synthetic and toxic chemicals? Would you be willing to be part of a group effort dedicated to these goals?

The Shutesbury Select Board continues to consider spraying Glyphosate to control knotweed on town properties and roadsides despite significant public pushback. Would you be interested in helping with a citizen's petition calling for a public policy for Town-owned land that would either ban or seriously limit the use of pesticides and herbicides?
1.Learning More
How likely would you be to attend an educational Zoom seminar on methods for supporting native plants and ecosystems, as well as combating invasive species, using Nature-based solutions rather than herbicides or pesticides?
2.Pitching In
Would you be willing to participate with neighbors in an Adopt-a-Patch project that would identify invasive species on road rights-of-way, monitor the locations and help with safe removal/eradication?
3.Bringing the Issue to the Shutesbury Town Meeting
Given that Shutesbury Select Board has taken no action relative to our online petition, would you be willing to help us bring this issue to the floor of a Town Meeting so all residents can weigh in? Would you sign a Citizen's Warrant Petition for the Shutesbury Town Meeting that would call for a formal public policy to be established that does not rely upon glyphosate spraying for invasive species control?
4.Prioritizing Town-Funded Projects
The Shutesbury Community Preservation Plan serves as the guidelines for how the Town’s Community Preservation Act grant funding is prioritized. Every year, the Town Community Preservation Committee (CPC) reviews this plan. Given the many community concerns about local deforestation, wetland degradation, and groundwater contamination, do you believe the Shutesbury Community Preservation Plan should include environmental protection as a goal for publicly funded projects?
5.Getting Involved

If you are willing to get involved, please indicate below your name, email address, and best phone number so that we can reach out to you: