David Schochet
“We laugh a lot at our meetings. We make noise. We all enjoy what we do. I’m so glad to be part of it.”
As David Schochet describes the camaraderie that has developed on the Town of Shelburne’s Open Space Committee, it is easy to overlook the hard work that the Committee does and the weighty issues that it tackles. But just as Schochet himself can seem a flurry of activity, Shelburne’s Open Space Committee is defying the sometime image of town committees as enervated institutions that perform rote tasks by pursuing its own mission with vigor and creativity.
Since joining the Committee three years ago, David has delved into a series of “outside-the-box” projects that build on two basic objectives: “We want to let residents in town know about all of their options when it comes to their land. And we want to find ways to allow Shelburne to grow and develop while conserving its best qualities at the same time.” To do that, the Committee’s work could not stop at simply creating an open space plan for the town. It had to bring that plan to life. So instead of relegating themselves to staid meetings with low attendance, Open Space Committee members like David, as well as past chairs Cynthia Boettner and Larry Flaccus are out in the community, talking about and doing things.
Among a seemingly endless list of projects, the Committee opened an Open Space account where the public can donate funds to help the town purchase important parcels of land for conservation when they come up for sale. They helped spearhead the protection, organization and public computer access of town maps, which are a treasure trove documenting the town’s rich resources. To encourage the use of local trails, as well as inspire land protection, members developed an engaging and widely available trail map – a project that also brought them valuable contacts with local landowners. They have held education workshops and volunteer days to battle invasive plant species. And, in tune with the digital age, the Committee now hosts a listserve intended as a central clearinghouse for information on the state, federal and local programs relevant to landowners.
The energy that David brings to the Committee stems from a core civic-mindedness and passion for the outdoors. Summertime childhood rituals of romping in streams, hunting for crayfish and playing ball later merged with a deeper knowledge when David first moved to the area and intently watched a farmer in Ashfield as he tended to his land. When he heard that other local farmers were also worried about the future of their land and trying to take any steps they could to avoid having to sell it for development, a seed was planted in David’s mind that would grow into a course of action. As part of the Open Space Committee, David says his basic approach is always to be respectful of landowners and cognizant of their economic realities, while simultaneously considering the wisest routes in asking, “How does a town shape the way it would like to be in the future?” Part of the answer appears to be involving as many people and groups as possible in the discussion. The Shelburne Open Space Committee currently has eleven members, as well as four additional representatives from other town committees. “We have a very nice mix of people with different backgrounds and history. We don’t always agree with each other, but we have found a way to work together. And we have a good time doing it.”
For more information about the Shelburne Open Space Committee, visit: www.townofshelburne.com/open_space_com.html. To join the West County Land Information Exchange list-serve, visit: http://groups.google.com/group/west-countyland-information-exchange.
