Fleetwood is an Old English name referring to a stream (‘fleot’) within woods or a forest (‘wudu’). The cold-water streams with native brook trout populations in the forests of Central and Western Massachusetts are high-quality water resources that are the focus of much of our work, and among our favorite places to explore.
Meaning and Relevance of “Fleetwood”
Massachusetts has some of the most stringent and complex land use and environmental regulations in the country, and far too often the process of environmental permitting devolves into a zero-sum game; project applicants and regulators get entrenched in their respective positions and each strive for a “win”, as though allowance of a project is a loss for regulators and a win for applicants. Along the way, project costs escalate, precious time is frittered away by all parties — and those are volunteer hours in the case of municipal conservation commissions — and long-term resentments may grow, undermining the crucial need for effective and pragmatic land use management and stewardship. The silver lining of those complex regulations is that they often provide for a myriad of permitting pathways, which allow regulators significant flexibility to approve and streamline many types of projects. But the key is understanding those complexities and getting stakeholders to engage in a creative and cooperative approach.
That’s where we come in.
We do not shy away from project complexities; in fact, we thrive in those settings. After decades of experience and over a thousand projects, we’ve never failed to obtain a permit for a client, nor as regulators issued a permit or license that wasn’t successfully defended when under appeal.
Our Approach
Who We Are
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David Cameron, PWS
PRINCIPAL & FOUNDER
David Cameron is an ecologist, permitting and compliance specialist, and policy analyst with over 30 years of experience derived from the private and public sectors. He has worked on the site assessment and permitting components for over a thousand projects throughout the continental United States, Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin Islands, and his experience has included the full suite of local, state, and federal natural resource regulatory programs related to projects from the energy, transportation, public infrastructure (e.g., dams, drinking water, wastewater, airports), solid waste, hazardous waste, applied research, and commercial and residential development sectors. David was recognized as a Professional Wetland Scientist (PWS) in 1999 and as a Certified Wildlife Biologist (CWB) in 2006. Earlier in his career his love for natural history expanded into a passion for solving the thorny and complex issues that often plague land use approvals. Over time he realized he had a penchant for seeing clear, pragmatic and novel pathways and solutions to permitting that most others could not. His earnest belief is that almost any project can be a win-win-win: one for applicants; regulators; and the environment. In his spare time David enjoys spending time with his sons, skiing, softball, hiking, music, and permaculture.
Affiliates
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Matthew Verson
Matt is an independent consultant and collaborator with Fleetwood Environmental Solutions, LLC that has over 20 years of professional experience in the fields of agriculture and land management. He earned dual degrees in Agroecology and Philosophy from Prescott College, a Law Degree from Vermont Law School, and a New England Regional Soil Science Certificate from the University of Massachusetts. He has worked for municipalities, homeowner associations, land trusts, and private landowners. His passion for eradicating invasive vegetation and protecting native plants come from years of observing and managing natural areas. He loves backpacking, fishing, and riding bikes with his two kids. Matt may be reached directly at mattverson@gmail.com.
