On Sunday, March 15, the Acton Conservation Trust (ACT) drew over one hundred conservation enthusiasts and animal lovers to Acton Town Hall for their 2026 annual meeting. Each year ACT provides a recap of recent activities, conducts a brief members’ meeting that elects new officers, awards the annual Carol Holley Conservation Volunteer Award, and concludes with a guest presenter. In addition to entertainment, guest presenters provide education, raise awareness, and foster curiosity and appreciation for wildlife, animals, and our natural world.
This year ACT President Susan Mitchell-Hardt expressed sincere gratitude to outgoing board member Jody Harris and welcomed new board member Peter Hocknell. ACT Clerk David Hardt, provided an update on recent ACT activities including mushroom foraging, a community service day, and the newest recorded perpetual conservation restriction: the Anderson Land at the corner of Newtown Road and Arlington Street in Acton. The Anderson Land provides the final link between the Bulette Town Forest property and the Grassy Pond–Nagog Conservation Lands. ACT’s board conducted the election of officers and shared the treasurer’s report.
Tom Tidman, a retired Natural Resources Director for the Town of Acton, presented the Carol Holley Conservation Volunteer Award to Terry Maitland. The Holley Conservation award is given in recognition of exceptional volunteer contributions to land conservation in Acton.
The ACT Board of Trustees shared the following in recognition of Maitland when announcing this year’s recipient in their annual newsletter: “Terry began serving on the Conservation Commission in 1997 and has been a dedicated member ever since, including many years as chair. For the past 15 years, he has also served on the Open Space Committee, playing an integral role in the town’s most significant land acquisitions. As a professional realtor with LandVest, and with a background in journalism and history, Terry brings a valuable and unique perspective to conservation work — balancing practical knowledge of land transactions with a deep appreciation for the landscapes that define our community.”
ACT then turned the presentation over to Michelle and Tasha from Animal Adventures, an exotic animal rescue organization with locations in Bolton and Hubbardston, MA. Michelle introduced each animal and described unique qualities about them, things to consider if interested in keeping one as a pet, and why (or why not!) the animal would be a suitable pet.
After each animal’s introduction, Tasha brought them around the room for participants to see them up close and gently pet them if desired. Participants met a chinchilla, said to be the softest animal in the world with 150 hairs per follicle, a guinea pig, a red-footed tortoise, a crested gecko, a ferret, a bearded-dragon, a Burmese python, and an alligator.
Michelle described important features of each animal related to its survival in the wild, such as how flexible ferrets are to navigate burrows and how they give off a strong odor to identify one another in the same way we recognize members of our family or friends by appearance.
Leona Burgess, a board member for the Acton Conservation Trust (ACT) and an amateur wildlife photographer, is pursuing an MS in Biodiversity Conservation & Management. She is the Acton Exchange correspondent for ACT.
