Patricia Dickerson Lemon, Convenor
Friends of the State Forests in Warwick
12 Athol Road
Warwick, MA 01378

MEMORANDUM
RE:	This morning's walkthrough at the Picnic Area on Route 78 in Mt.
Grace State Forest
TO:	Frank Buntin, with copies to others present, attendees at
Friends' Meetings, and DCR Director of Partnerships Conrad Crawford, DCR
District Supervisor Dwayne Erickson, DCR Commissioner Rick Sullivan,
Governor Deval Patrick, Senator Stephen Brewer, and Representative
Christopher Donelan
DATE:  Monday, March 30, 2009, at 10 a.m.
PRESENT at Walkthrough:	Administer-Designate Frank Buntin (designated
successor to retiring Administrator Walter Morgan), Warwick Selectboard
Chair Patricia Lemon, Warwick residents Joseph Paul, Tracey Dassatti
Kirley and son Joseph, Jack Cadwell, Edward Lemon, and Martha Kitchen

When I convened a meeting to explore the possibility of establishing a
chapter of the Friends of the DCR to cover state forest lands in Warwick
(which comprise about half our land area and have a serious negative
impact on our property-tax rate), I hoped that it would establish a
context in which we could begin a new, cooperative relationship with the
DCR.
And, in fact, when State Forest Administrator Walter Morgan not only
arranged to have stacks of wood that had been left to rot in the former
Picnic Area removed but cooperated with the town in retrieving and
disposing of two large deposits of rubbish that had been dumped in
fairly inaccessible parts of the state forests, I was encouraged to
believe that my hopes would be realized.
It has been about two decades since DCR perpetrated the enormity of
dismantling the Picnic Area, a beautiful glade with fireplaces for
grilling, picnic tables, a wading pool, and a fountain that was the
favored family recreation area of the town and was characterized to me
by a lifelong resident as looking like "an Olmstead-landscaped park,"
just off the county road designated Route 78.
Unfortunately, when the stacks of wood were removed, the rotting slash
was left behind, inviting the dumping that now has left about a
truckload of rubbish cluttering up the area.  I had hoped that I could
arrange for volunteers to rake and collect this ugly detritus for our
highway department to chip and spread to keep down weeds as part of
Warwick's Earth Day observance, this year - a small step toward the
longed-for rehabilitation of the Picnic Area.
Pursuant to this goal, I called Frank Buntin to ask whether DCR would
have a problem with our doing this.  New in the job, he understandably
wanted to consult with his predecessor but agreed to meet with me at the
site to assess the possibilities.  However, when we met this morning, he
told me that DCR had decided - despite all the public input in
opposition - that the Picnic Area was permanently closed and would be
encouraged to grow up in forest for later harvesting.
If I had realized that the DCR would be so inflexible and unresponsive
to public input, I would never have considered starting a Friends
chapter.  Such groups were not described to me as an avenue for DCR to
promulgate ukases but as an avenue for cooperation and the exchange of
ideas and perceptions.  "Cooperation" starts with "co," meaning
"together" - not with "solo" or with "mono" as in "monarchy."
DCR's web site says that, "The Commissioner shall seek and consider
public input in the development of management plans, and shall make
draft plans available for a public review."  I can find no evidence of
such draft plans for the Picnic Area closing or of public input on it
ever having been sought or considered. Thus, it seems to me that in this
matter, DCR is in violation of M.G.L. Ch. 21§2F.
In sum, I am not only disappointed; I am very indignant.