Conservation Commission votes to expand logging cease-and-desist order

Conservation · Meeting of February 23, 2026

Mendon Conservation Commission unanimously widens a logging cease-and-desist order to three properties tied to one landowner. Conservation Agent Isabella Genova told the board a site visit found red maple trees, sweet pepper bush and standing water indicating wetland resource areas under a newly cut logging road on Washington Street, adding that cutting had approached 60 cords of wood without a required forest cutting plan. "Those were red maple trees, which is typical of a forested bordering vegetated wetland," Genova said.

Commissioner Carl's motion, approved unanimously, requires an independent wetland scientist to delineate impacts and evaluate a moved stone wall before any more work proceeds. The board separately voted, also unanimously, to add cease-and-desist orders to 153 Blackstone Street and a North Avenue parcel owned by the same landowner, John Gannett, whose representative said the violation stemmed from a property-line mix-up.

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