The Harwich Conservation Commission is preparing for a high-traffic weekend of community service and environmental education, headlined by the second annual Harwich Health and Environment Festival. Scheduled for Saturday, April 19, the event will transform the Harwich Cultural Center at 204 Sisson Road into a hub for local wellness and ecological sustainability from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

During the commission's April 16 meeting, staff member Amy detailed the expansion of this year’s program, which now features a partnership with the town’s Health Department. We’re going to have about 40 different exhibitors with anything really to do with health and the environment, she noted, adding that attendees can receive blood pressure checks and claim free native seedlings. The distribution of native plants reflects a growing town-wide push to prioritize indigenous species over non-native ornamentals, a policy shift recently emphasized by commission members to bolster local biodiversity.

The festival coincides with the 10th annual Harwich Tour de Trash, a milestone for the town’s community-led cleanup efforts. The cleanup will run from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., with volunteers gathering at the Harwich Community Center to collect supplies. We provide you with vests, pickers, and trash bags, Amy explained, noting that while residents are encouraged to sign up for specific routes via the Harwich Conservation Trust website, walk-in volunteers are welcome on the day of the event.

Chair John Ketchum opened the session in the Danby Griffin Room, emphasizing the importance of public participation in these environmental initiatives. The outreach efforts come as the commission continues to coordinate its wetland protection mandates with the evolving Local Comprehensive Plan. By moving these environmental goals into the public sphere through festivals and cleanups, the board aims to transition its conservation strategy from static planning documents into active, community-wide accountability.