Dear Supporters,

Since we began this petition, we have been impressed by the number of local residents who have signed on, including 120 Shutesbury residents!  

Given this groundswell of concern, we think Shutesbury should join the growing number of communities in Franklin County and across the Commonwealth that have declared themselves as Pollinator-Friendly Communities. Pollinator-Friendly Communities are committed to promoting public policies and educational programming to protect pollinator species, including policies to limit the use of pesticides and herbicides that hurt pollinators and damage their habitat. 

Becoming a Pollinator-Friendly Community is part of a regional effort being promoted by our regional county government, the Franklin Regional Council of Governments (see https://frcog.org/project/regional-pollinator-plan/).

How do we get there? To become a Pollinator-Friendly Community, the voters of Shutesbury would need to vote on a Resolution at a Town Meeting. To get the proposal on the Warrant (i.e., the agenda) of a Town Meeting, we must submit a petition signed by registered Shutesbury voters. There is a Special Town Meeting scheduled for November 19, 2024, this fall. We think this is an excellent time to bring this Resolution to the floor for a vote.

Will you help us? If you live in Shutesbury and are a registered voter, we need your signature on the petition and any help you can offer to get more registered voters to sign on.

If you are willing to help with this effort, please contact us at shutesburyrightsofwetlands@gmail.com. 

With respect for Nature,

MaryJo Johnson

Miriam DeFant