Preserve forest plan delayed until December

Conservation · Meeting of October 13, 2026

Old Saybrook's Conservation Commission heard that the Preserve forest-management plan, delayed by a late state ecological report, won't be ready until deep into December. Commission liaison Chris Picklo said forester Alex Amendola addressed public "misrepresentation" claims at a packed September 16 public meeting, reiterating a formal plan and hearing would follow. "I think it's well into December that they would even have the plan," Picklo said.

Liaison Lori Pavlos reported the Old Saybrook Land Trust finalized its purchase of land next to the Bracket Club, which will add 15 points toward the town's Sustainable CT Gold certification bid. Liaison Nina Regan reported the CT River Gateway Commission voted unanimously on four separate zoning matters, including letters on 38 Years Point Road and 55 North Cove Road. The commission approved its September 8 minutes unanimously and finalized a November 5 rodenticide-alternatives presentation at Acton Public Library.

In the full story:

• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report — 1,802 words

Source: the Conservation meeting of October 13, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

The Full Article

Minutes Approval and Correspondence

The commission opened its October 13 meeting with roll call and a motion, moved by Joe Russo and seconded by a member identified as Deb, to approve the September 8 minutes without changes; it carried on a unanimous voice vote. The chair then read a piece of correspondence on behalf of liaison Lynette Wacker, who was absent, describing a town-hired consultant developing a restoration plan for Fort Saybrook Monument Park and Founders Memorial Park, where invasive-plant removal has been underway since 2023. The plan, expected by year's end, will recommend native plantings to restore ecological function and discourage invasive re-growth.

Committee, Representative and Staff Reports

Preserve Ad Hoc / Conservation Management Committee: Liaison Chris Picklo gave the meeting's most substantive update. The committee's September 16 session drew a large public turnout focused on the forest-management plan for the town's Preserve property, which contemplates removing trees from specific stands, beginning with Stand 10. Picklo said forester Alex Amendola, who she described as having been "part and parcel to the process from the very beginning," addressed public claims of "misrepresentation" by reiterating that a written project plan and a follow-up public hearing have always been the intended sequence. The holdup, Picklo said, is a Natural Diversity Database ecological report the committee received only about a week before the September meeting, leaving insufficient time to incorporate its findings before producing a draft plan. "I think it's well into December that they would even have the plan," she told the commission, meaning any public hearing on the specifics would follow that release.

Picklo also reported that trail remapping in the Preserve continues, with plans to close routes that run too close to vernal pools or were informally cut by mountain bikers, and to reroute others. A long-discussed bridge replacement over a creek crossing is moving forward: an engineer has assessed the site, and a town contact identified only as Carl has assured the committee funding is available, with construction expected soon and without need to seek state money. Russo, reporting separately for Parks and Rec, said the public had access to submit written comments to the Conservation Management Committee ahead of the September 16 session, and that an unidentified staff contact referred to as Ray has been coordinating with the town's fire and police chiefs on an emergency-access plan for the Preserve.

Old Saybrook Land Trust: Liaison Lori Pavlos reported that a scheduling conflict kept her from the trust's regular September meeting, which instead convened at a property she referred to as "the monkey farm" to celebrate finalizing the purchase of land adjacent to the Bracket Club. "So, but that was, that was the big news is that it was finally, finally finalized," Pavlos said. The acquisition will also count toward the town's Sustainable CT point total, worth 15 points according to the commission's Sustainable CT update later in the meeting.

CT River Gateway Commission: Liaison Nina Regan's report covered four Gateway Commission actions from recent weeks, all unanimous. The Gateway Commission reviewed a special exception application for 38 Years Point Road featuring minimal skylighting, non-reflective glass and a rain garden near Years Point Creek, with silt fencing required throughout construction; it voted to send a letter to the town's zoning authority stating no opposition. A second application for 55 North Cove Road sought a variance for setback; the proposal retains the existing house while adding a new septic system and an updated garage, with some vegetation removed and replanted. Commissioners flagged increased bulk within the 100-foot setback and found the design did not meet Gateway Standard 4E on massing; the Gateway Commission's letter acknowledged compliance with many standards while recommending the applicant look for ways to reduce the garage's footprint. Regan also reported Gateway Commission votes not to oppose text amendments to Old Saybrook's subdivision regulations (which apply only to subdivisions) and to support a proposed Essex zoning text and map amendment intended to reduce required parking per housing unit under Public Act 25-1, finding neither in conflict with Gateway standards. These were Gateway Commission actions reported to the Old Saybrook panel, not votes taken by the Conservation Commission itself.

Sustainable CT: With Wacker absent, the commission noted the Land Trust's Bracket Club-area acquisition will add 15 points toward the town's recertification push, which requires 750 points plus a Climate Leader designation to reach Gold status. Members said the town is preparing its recertification application for submission in the spring and expects an update at a future meeting on the Climate Leader add-on requirements.

No report was given for Inland Wetlands (liaison P. DeLisa was absent) or for the student representative seat, which is currently unfilled at meetings.

Land Stewardship

Open Space Monitoring: The commission's open-space monitoring effort completed a walk of the Great Cedars West trail block the preceding Wednesday afternoon, a timing choice recommended by stewardship partner Kathy Connolly, who coordinates a parallel volunteer group through the Parks and Rec newsletter and had read the commission's prior meeting minutes expressing interest in doing the walk. Participants included commission members and several volunteers not affiliated with the commission, among them a preserve trail volunteer named Keith, who brought a battery-powered chainsaw to clear beaver-felled trees blocking the trail, and two additional walkers, identified as Jeff and Sam, who found the walk through the Parks and Rec website. The group also discovered the town's published Great Cedars West trail map online is outdated and missing a path; Wacker was asked to arrange a correction. The commission set November 12 at 2 p.m. for a similar walk of the Great Cedars East block, choosing an afternoon slot to work around the shift to standard time.

Pollinator Pathway: Members confirmed the pollinator garden had a strong season and separately confirmed with a Preserve Ad Hoc contact that a planned restaurant development near the garden and pavilion will not require moving the sidewalk or otherwise affect the garden site.

Tree Preservation: The commission's annual tree giveaway, held the Saturday following the meeting, distributed roughly 30 trees to residents, including a new participant, a homeowners' association planting trees on common grounds for the first time. Members discussed encouraging residents replacing storm-damaged trees to choose medium or dwarf varieties, which they said are easier to manage near utility lines and equally valuable for wildlife, pointing to a tree-selection reference booklet developed with Kathy Connolly.

Outreach & Education

Conservation Circular and events magazine: Members noted an article by liaison Peter DeLisa on rodenticide ran in the town's events magazine, though they raised a recurring complaint that the publication's recent issues have come out too late to publicize time-sensitive events, including the commission's own environmental fair.

Webpage: Wacker was to post the rodenticide presentation flyer to the commission's webpage.

Rodenticide Presentation: The commission finalized plans for a presentation on rodenticide alternatives scheduled for November 5 at Acton Public Library, featuring two outside speakers. Diane, who works with a Wild Birds Unlimited outlet, printed flyers and was in the process of distributing them to area locations, though members were uncertain how many she had placed as of the meeting. Members divided responsibility for distributing flyers to libraries and, at one member's suggestion, town halls in Westbrook, Essex and Clinton, after librarian Cindy confirmed the area libraries do not coordinate on event postings themselves. Members also discussed inviting an industry representative, referred to only as Rich, to speak about rodent-control alternatives; he had not responded to an earlier outreach attempt, and a member agreed to try again through a contact named Kathy. One member cited a Consumer Reports article recommending snap traps over scented deterrents for keeping rodents out of vehicles, noting it reinforced the presentation's relevance after friends' experiences with rodent damage to car wiring.

Adjournment: The meeting adjourned on a motion by Joe Russo, seconded by Nina Regan, approved unanimously.

Nina Regan — member, CT River Gateway Commission liaison Chris Picklo — member, Preserve Ad Hoc / Conservation Management Committee liaison Lori Pavlos — member, Old Saybrook Land Trust liaison Joe Russo — member, Parks and Rec liaison Deb — member (surname not confirmed in available sources; transcript rendered it as "Mepps") Krista — presiding over the meeting (role and surname not confirmed in available sources) Absent: P. DeLisa, Inland Wetlands and Aquifer Commissions liaison; C. Motolanez, student representative; L. Wacker, Sustainable CT liaison (her correspondence was read into the record by the chair)

Outside parties and volunteers referenced: Alex Amendola — forester, described as central to the Preserve's forest-management planning process; spoke at the September 16 Conservation Management Committee meeting (not present at this meeting) Keith — Preserve Ad Hoc committee volunteer active in trail remapping; assisted on the Great Cedars West walk Jeff, Sam — volunteers who joined the Great Cedars West walk Francine, Devin — participants mentioned in connection with the Great Cedars West walk Kathy Connolly — leads a stewardship volunteer group partnering with the commission on trail walks; co-developed the commission's tree-selection reference booklet Diane — associated with a Wild Birds Unlimited outlet; printed and distributed rodenticide event flyers Cindy — librarian coordinating the November 5 rodenticide event at Acton Public Library Rich — industry contact invited to speak on rodent-control alternatives; did not respond to initial outreach Carl — town contact who assured the Preserve Ad Hoc committee that bridge-replacement funding is in place (title not stated) Ray — contact reported coordinating with fire and police chiefs on a Preserve emergency plan (title not stated) Peter DeLisa — authored a rodenticide article published in the town events magazine (also the Inland Wetlands liaison, absent from this meeting)

CT River Gateway Commission — regional review body; Nina Regan is the Old Saybrook liaison; issued unanimous letters on 38 Years Point Road, 55 North Cove Road, Old Saybrook subdivision regulation text amendments, and a proposed Essex parking-reduction zoning amendment Old Saybrook Land Trust — nonprofit; finalized purchase of land adjacent to the Bracket Club, discussed under the Land Trust report Sustainable CT — state municipal certification program; the Bracket Club-area land acquisition will add 15 points; town is targeting Gold certification (750 points plus Climate Leader designation) with a recertification application planned for spring Natural Diversity Database — state ecological data report awaited by the Preserve Ad Hoc committee before finalizing its forest-management plan; received about a week before the committee's September 16 meeting Public Act 25-1 — state legislation cited regarding Essex's proposed zoning amendment reducing required parking per housing unit Acton Public Library — hosting the November 5 rodenticide alternatives presentation September 8, 2026 Conservation Commission minutes — approved at this meeting Kathy Connolly's tree-selection booklet — cited in the tree preservation discussion for choosing appropriately sized trees for shoreline properties