Saugus River Watershed Council honors trio

SAUGUS – Three Saugus residents were recipients of the Saugus River Watershed Council?s 2013 River Stewardship Award for advocacy in protecting the town?s natural resources.Michelle Blees, Eric Devlin and Pamela Harris were honored at the council?s annual meeting Dec. 9.?It?s really a huge honor, said Selectman Debra Panetta, the president of the council, when she publicly congratulated the honorees at a recent board meeting. Panetta said each honoree was presented with official certifications of the award and citations from state legislature.Blees, a former park ranger at Saugus Iron Works and volunteer for the council, received the award for promoting the public access to the Saugus River watershed, according to Panetta.Pamela Harris, who has also sat on the Board of Health since 2001, was recognized for her work protecting the watershed from environmental threats.The council honored Devlin for assisting local fisheries with research in monitoring water quality and identifying opportunities for restoration.Lynn Woods Ranger Dan Small, no stranger to environmental protection, gave the keynote presentation of the evening on the history and conservation of Lynn Woods.The council defines their mission as working to “improve water quality, restore river habitat and fisheries, educate students about the environment, and promote public access and enjoyment of the watershed,” according to their website, www.saugusriver.com.