Land preservation efforts continue in Manchester Township

by Sybil Kolon

The Land Preservation Committee (LPC) has submitted its LPC Report to the Manchester Township Board after working on it for over a year. The report is now available on the township’s Land Preservation webpage: https://twp-manchester.org/land-preservation/

Over the past few years it became clear that many township residents have a great appreciation for our agricultural and natural resource land base and how that contributes to the township’s rural character. The Township Board established a temporary committee in September of 2023 that was charged with examining how the township can manage future development to ensure that our rural character will not be lost.

The report includes many recommendations to be considered by the Township Board. One of the recommendations is that the township hold a series of meetings to provide information about the various preservation methods that can help with this effort and to receive input on the best approach for Manchester Township.

The Township Board is expected to discuss the LPC Report at its January 14 board meeting. The LPC has completed its assignment but has recommended that a permanent committee be established to continue work on this effort that will require buy-in from our residents and coordination over the long term to accomplish its goals.

As stated in the report: “The success of this effort will be dependent on helping our residents understand how land preservation can help maintain and improve their quality of life and the rural character of our township.”

The LPC members were Sybil Kolon, Mike Fusilier, Doug Brooks, Mike Lowery, and Carl Blaine. They encourage you to review the Report and keep your eye out for future meetings where your input will be sought. In the meantime, there are many great resources listed on the Township’s Land Preservation webpage where residents can learn about programs that are currently available to help landowners understand and manage their natural areas, as well as programs for farmers to establish conservation
practices. The efforts of our individual landowners will determine the success of this effort.

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by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.