Conservation commissions are the municipal agencies responsible for protecting the land, water, and biological resources of their communities. In 1957, Representative John Dolan of Ipswich filed a bill in the Legislature (Chapter 223, Acts of 1957) which authorized cities and towns to establish conservation commissions to promote the development of natural resources. This became the Conservation … Continue reading Ipswich Conservation Commission approaches its 60th anniversary
Why does Crane Beach have purple sand?
Sandy Tilton explains that the purple sand we often see on top of the light-colored sand at Crane Beach and Plum Island is garnet sand. "The mineral garnet comes to us via the streams & rivers from the White Mountains. Water & wind erode the rock & it is carried in the waters here until it meets the ocean & gets deposited on our beaches!
Voices of the Great Marsh
In March of 2001, the Eight Towns and the Great Marsh Committee in cooperation with organizations such as Mass Audubon and the US Fish and Wildlife Service, as well as local citizens and students, produced a short videotape about the Great Marsh. The Committee promotes the value of this resource and place it in the context … Continue reading Voices of the Great Marsh
