The following letter was sent by Martina Thornton for the Dukes County Commissioners, to Brian Arrigo, Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation.

We write with regard to recent activity at the Manuel F. Correllus State Forest on Martha’s Vineyard to clear homeless encampments. To be clear, we are a community that not only cares about our homeless population, but has and is committing human and financial resources to helping those in need, led by Harbor Homes of Martha’s Vineyard, supported by the county, local towns and by numerous other organizations and individuals on the Island.

In particular, we write to express our dismay at DCR’s recent eviction of Island residents in the state forest with either no or, at best, very limited and clearly insufficient communication before people’s entire possessions were removed and, incomprehensibly, destroyed.

We implore DCR to coordinate its activities on the Island with Island officials and resources such as the county and Harbor Homes, to ensure this never happens again.

We share DCR’s stated concern about the fire hazard in the State Forest. We have, in fact, advocated multiple times over many years to ask the state to leverage the existing housing/watch station in the forest by assigning a full-time person to live there and thereby regularly monitor for fires and to serve as the agency’s eyes and ears on the Island. We have never received so much as a response. In light of recent actions, we are asking again and that DCR do so immediately.

• Headline The following letter was sent by Brian Arrigo, Massachusetts Commissioner of Conservaton and Recreation, to numerous Island officials.

I’m writing to address the recent actions taken by the Department of Conservaton and Recreation (DC) at the Manuel Correllus State Forest and concerns expressed by members of the community regarding the displacement of unhoused individuals living there.

At DCR, our mission is to ensure everyone has access to our incredible natural, cultural and recreational resources and to preserve and protect the land we steward. We are the state’s largest landowner, overseeing approximately 450,000 acres of parks, forests, beaches, greenways, watersheds, traiIs, dams, playgrounds and parkways throughout Massachusetts. These natural resources are some of our state’s greatest assets and it is our responsibility to ensure that they are safe and accessible for all of our residents to enjoy for generations to come. The health and well-being of families across our state depends on it.

Prior to my appointment as DCR Commissioner, I served as mayor of my hometown of Revere for seven years. During my tenure, I steered the city through two public health crises — the opioid epidemic and the COVID-19 pandemic — so I understand first-hand the challenges of providing for our communities while also prioritizing public health and the safety of all.

One of the biggest challenges facing our state and the nation right now is the unprecedented housing crisis, which has led to an increase in unhoused individuals taking shelter in public spaces, including DCR parks like Manuel Correllus State Forest. With no critical social and

transitional housing services provided that are essential for this vulnerable population, these areas are creating public health and safety concerns for the individuals living in them and for those who visit our DCR properties, as well as the lands we steward for the well-being of al. Recent actions taken at Manuel Correllus were done with this intention in mind.

These are not easy problems to solve, and, in my experience, there is rarely a one-size-fits-all approach. But DCR can and will do better when engaging with this population ni our public spaces. There are social services that individuals sheltering in encampments need that D C does not provide, including housing, financial assistance, physical and mental health, and substance use care. To ensure those in need are connected with these resources, we plan to engage with our state agency partners, municipal leaders, elected officials, public health and social service organizations, emergency responders as well as area community advocates. While this is a national and statewide issue, it’s also very much a local issue, and we know that Martha’s Vineyard is a community that comes together ot support those ni need. DCR is committed to collaborating with you as we work to find humane solutions to this complex issue while leading with best practice, compassion and diligence.

Since my first day as Commissioner, I have focused on improving how DCR communicates and engages with our communities across the state. As we work toward advancing our mission, it’s important to me that we work directly with those we serve on the processes and practices that directly affect them. To that end, we will be working with the local elected officials to organize a community meeting ni the coming weeks so we can hear directly from those of you who call Martha’s Vineyard home. I look forward to a productive, constructive and thoughtful conversation and the collaborative work to come.

-Martin Thornton, Dukes County Manager