07-26-2008, 11:10 AM
The land conservation community in northeastern Massachusetts lost a valuable resource with the recent death of Dennis McNamara, Land Protection Specialist for the Department of Fish and Game and MassWildlife. In 2006, McNamara was diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. Hired in the summer of 1989, McNamara worked for the Commonwealth for 19 years overseeing land protection efforts in MassWildlife's Northeast District, a region that comprises Essex, Middlesex, Suffolk and Norfolk counties and has some of the highest land values in the state. During his tenure, nearly 5,000 acres of valuable wildlife habitat in the region were protected and are now open to recreation such as fishing, hunting, hiking, and wildlife viewing.
"He was a wonderful colleague who contributed a lasting legacy of protected open space for the benefit of wildlife and public recreation," said Mary Griffin, Commissioner of the Department of Fish and Game. Fellow staff from the Department of Fish & Game and MassWildlife noted McNamara's quick wit and easy
as well as his effective grant writing skills. He successfully applied for funding to protect significant salt marsh habitats in Salisbury.
A member of the Essex County Greenbelt Association, McNamara was recognized in 2007 by that organization at their annual meeting for his outstanding work in land conservation. A lifelong resident of Dracut, McNamara was also active in Dracut town government, elected to the Planning Board and School Committee and at one time had been employed by Dracut as the Selectmen's Executive Secretary. He was recently honored by the Town of Dracut when a wooded handicapped accessible trail on town property was named in his honor.
"He was a wonderful colleague who contributed a lasting legacy of protected open space for the benefit of wildlife and public recreation," said Mary Griffin, Commissioner of the Department of Fish and Game. Fellow staff from the Department of Fish & Game and MassWildlife noted McNamara's quick wit and easy
as well as his effective grant writing skills. He successfully applied for funding to protect significant salt marsh habitats in Salisbury.A member of the Essex County Greenbelt Association, McNamara was recognized in 2007 by that organization at their annual meeting for his outstanding work in land conservation. A lifelong resident of Dracut, McNamara was also active in Dracut town government, elected to the Planning Board and School Committee and at one time had been employed by Dracut as the Selectmen's Executive Secretary. He was recently honored by the Town of Dracut when a wooded handicapped accessible trail on town property was named in his honor.