Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions

MACC is a membership-based non-profit, established in 1961, that protects Massachusetts’ wetlands, open space, and biological diversity through environmental education, advocacy, and support of Massachusetts conservation commissions. We provide training and support for the more than 2,000 conservation commissioners throughout Massachusetts who administer the state Wetlands Protection Act in their communities and who plan for and manage open space and conservation lands. We advocate for science-based laws and regulations to protect natural resources.

MACC is governed by a 21-person board of directors. Our members include almost all of the 351 conservation commissions in Massachusetts, corporate members, and individual members.

Our signature event is Annual Environmental Conference that attracts more than 700 people each year for a day of environmental workshops and training programs, an exhibit hall, a keynote address, and more. We also hold an annual Fall Conference, offer other environmental workshops throughout the year, and provide a certificate training program, Fundamentals for Conservation Commissioners. We wrote and published Protecting Wetlands and Open Space: MACC’s Environmental Handbook for Massachusetts Conservation Commissioners, the indispensable online resource for those serving on, working with, or appearing before conservation commissions, the Massachusetts Runoff, Erosion & Sediment Control Field Guide, and other resources. We provide a Helpline and other services to conservation commissions, and we engage in legislative and administrative advocacy for laws, regulations, and policies related to natural resources protection.