Norwood Airport Commission votes on Airport hunting

The Norwood Airport Commission (NAC) met last Wednesday, Oct. 21 for a very brief meeting during which it voted on a motion regarding hunting on Airport property.

It was prompted by a discussion during the Sept. 23 meeting when Airport Manager Mark Raymond suggested that the Commission consider addressing the future of bow hunting on the Airport-owned conservation land that borders much of its restricted aviation area.

His suggestion had been informed by the recent installation of approximately 15,000 feet of wildlife / security fencing that is there, in large part, to prevent deer and turkeys from getting onto the Airport’s runways and aprons and causing safety issues for in-transit aircraft.

The perimeter fencing that was replaced had been in significant enough disrepair that – for about the last decade – the NAC has been annually permitting bow hunters to cull the wildlife population in the Airport’s woodlands as a stopgap measure to reduce the chance of incursions.

The September discussion was informed by the fact that the Trails Advisory Committee has been doing ongoing improvement work on the system of paths that wind through that same conservation area; Chairman Michael Sheehan stated his concern regarding the steadily increasing number of bow hunters that have been allowed onto the land over the years, while alluding to the safety issue that he believed it presented to others using it during hunting season.

The Commission was in general agreement regarding Raymond’s suggestion, and member John Corcoran did recommend keeping one or two hunters, in case of any future breaches in the fence. He also recommended a review of the Airport’s FAA/MassDOT approved wildlife plan.

The matter was slated for the October meeting agenda, with a vote anticipated.

“It’s really a situation where we don’t have any procedures in place,” Sheehan started off last Wednesday’s discussion, explaining that Raymond was recommending that hunting in the Airport’s conservation area be stopped while a process is put in place – with the assistance of Town counsel and the police chief – to determine appropriate permit qualification guidelines.

He reiterated the number of hunters (eight-to-nine) allowed on the grounds last season, and Raymond followed by saying that he had received at least 30 inquiries in the run-up to it. “I can bring people in under our depredation permits, but we should still have something in place,” he went on, again noting the Trails Committee working on the property. “We should definitely confer with Town counsel and come up with something – just to cover the Town, cover the Airport.”

Corcoran and member Patrick Moloney agreed regarding the establishment of a more detailed permitting process, and Raymond punctuated the brief discussion’s conclusion. “There’s a lot of liability brought on the Airport,” he said of hunting in its woodlands, especially with the activation of the trails. “We’re part of municipal government, so we need to make sure we’re covered.”

The motion was approved for Raymond to work with Town counsel and the police chief to set up a process for hunting on Airport grounds, and to report back to the NAC when that is complete.

The Airport Commission typically meets on a mid / late-month Wednesday afternoon at 4 p.m. in the Welch Administration Building (111 Access Rd.). To check for upcoming meetings, visit the Town website (www.norwoodma.gov) or call Town Hall (781-762-1240).