MACC created the Conservation Commission Training Program as an adult education program to give Commissioners a working knowledge of the various aspects of their jobs. Participants are exposed to the basics of everything from effective meeting skills to the science and policy of wetlands protection and open space management. One goal of the MACC Training Program is to create a cadre of Commissioners, aspiring Commissioners, staff and other interested parties in all regions of Massachusetts who have received basic training in the essentials of Commission work. Experience shows that trained Commissioners do a better job of protecting wetlands and open space. Commissioners now have the tools to make consistent, informed and defensible decisions.
Greater effectiveness builds community respect and job satisfaction.
Upon completion attendees receive a certificate and their communities are notified of their accomplishment. The text for the Fundamentals course is the Environmental Handbook for Massachusetts Conservation Commissioners . Includes 70-page section on the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act. MACC is preparing an Advanced Certificate Program for Commissioners and others who have completed the basic course, or gained basic knowledge through substantial experience on their boards, and who wish to gain additional or specialized knowledge.