SACO — A longtime city Conservation Commission member was honored Monday night for his service to the city.

Former commission member Paul Anderson received the Paul Janson Conservation award, an annual award given in memory of the former mayor, councilman and environmental enthusiast.

Conservation Commission member Donna Goulding presented the award at Monday night’s City Council meeting, stating that Anderson had been a contributor to the Saco Conservation Commission for more than 20 years.

Goulding said Anderson was the commission’s “go-to man” whose many contributions included helping with recycling collection, inspecting culverts and staffing the city’s election day conservation information booth.

“If there was something that he could do for the commission, he would always volunteer for that job,” she said.

Goulding also said Anderson was instrumental in releasing Galerucella beetles to control the invasive Purple Loosestrife. At one time, the commission would receive pots of Purple Loosestrife with beetle eggs from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.

Anderson would put the pots under individual screening to keep the beetles contained, then put the pots in kiddie pools, said Goulding. He would make sure the plants had enough water and report on the beetles, and when the pots were ready, he would plant them in areas with large amounts of Purple Loosestrife, said Goulding.

Anderson and his wife were long-time Saco residents who recently retired and moved to Portland.

“It’s been a great honor to serve on the commission over the past 20 years or so,” said Anderson, adding that conservation has always been “close to my mind.”

Anderson said commission members come and go.

“We’re all organic … so we all just turn to compost at some point anyway,” he said.

— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 325 or [email protected].