Conservation Commission orders halt to Washington Street logging

Conservation · Meeting of February 23, 2026

Mendon Conservation Commission halts logging over missing wetlands permit. The board voted unanimously to stop all commercial forestry work at 51 and 53 Washington Street after Conservation Agent Isabella Genova reported a subcontractor's equipment had sunk into what mapping shows as wetland resource area, and after Massachusetts state service forester Michael Downey confirmed no forest-cutting plan or harvester's license was on file. "There's zero excuse for anybody to be operating commercially on land that's to remain forested," Downey said.

An amendment to let loggers haul away already-cut logs stacked roadside failed on a voice vote. Landowner representative Jim McCarthy of Worcester said he had applied for a state timber harvester's license but the payment had not yet cleared. The commission also voted to tell the Select Board it intends to consider forming a Conservation Area Land Planning Subcommittee, starting with Muddy Brook North.

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Source: the Conservation meeting of February 23, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.