SAUGUS — The River Watershed Council (SRWC) announced Thursday that the Saugus Garden Club and the Ash Landfill Closure Committee are this year’s Saugus River Watershed Environmental Stewardship Award recipients.
Mary Lester, director of the SRWC, said, “The Saugus Garden Club is dedicated to making a significant impact in our community through several important initiatives.”
These initiatives include promoting sustainable practices, such as water conservation, composting, and organic gardening. They also include restoring habitats by eliminating invasive species and revitalizing native habitats to help local wildlife thrive. Other initiatives include addressing climate change, maintaining public lands, advocating for environmental issues, and recycling and upcycling.
The Ash Landfill Closure Committee was founded in May 2024 when it was voted in during the Saugus Town Meeting to close the ash landfill in town.
“The Ash Landfill Closure Committee is poised to be a constructive voice for the community, ensuring that our collective interests in health, environmental safety, and sustainable future are thoughtfully addressed. We appreciate all their hard work to keep our families and our future healthy,” Lester said.
“This award will be accepted on behalf of the members of the Saugus Town Meeting who placed their faith in the purpose and intent of the committee, which was to explore and identify potential uses of the ash landfill that will soon close,” Committee Chairman Peter Manoogian said. “Special acknowledgment goes to committee members Selectman Chairman Debra Panetta, Michael Serino, Town Meeting Member from Precinct 10 Carla Scuzzarella, (and) Precinct 2 Town Meeting Member Jeanie Meredith, who represented the Town Manager’s Office. We look forward to presenting out findings to the next Town Meeting and continue to hope that WIN Waste will agree to occupy the seat that Town Meeting invited them to hold.”
Both groups are focused on keeping Saugus sustainable and protecting the town’s environment, not just now but for future generations.
The award will be given out at the SRWS Annual Meeting on Dec. 18 at the Marina at the Wharf on 543 N Shore Road, Revere. Tickets are $35 and can be bought at saugusriver.org.
