In 2024, the Five Town CSD School Board, which oversees Camden Hills Regional High School, engaged a firm specializing in planning, landscape architecture, civil engineering, and athletic facility design to evaluate ways to improve the condition of the Don Palmer Field.

That work followed the community’s decision not to move forward with an artificial turf field. On January 14, 2025, in a special election held in Appleton, Camden, Hope, Lincolnville and Rockport, (towns that comprise the CSD board) voters rejected a proposal by the CSD to borrow $7.3 million to pay for energy upgrades and installing a new artificial turf field at Camden Hills Regional High School in Rockport.

Subsequently, the CSD board contracted with Activitas, a landscape architecture and engineering company based in Dedham, Mass., and with offices in Gorham.

As part of its analysis, Activitas found that the Don Palmer Field is currently used at 6.8 times its intended capacity, highlighting the need for a sustainable plan to support student-athletes and maintain safe playing conditions, according to a Nov. 13 news release from the CSD.

"In response, the district is exploring several strategies to reduce overuse and improve field quality, one of which includes the possible limited use of inorganic pesticides and fertilizers alongside organic methods," the release said. "Research suggests this hybrid approach could improve field conditions by 10–20%."

The CSD wants to hear from the community, "about this idea—the potential introduction of limited inorganic treatments on our high school athletic fields to improve field conditions."

The CSD is asking the community to complete a short survey about the use of organic/inorganic pesticides on the athletic fields at Camden Hills. Included in the survey are links to discussions on the condition and treatment of the CHRHS athletic field during meetings of the Five Town CSD School Board on October 1 and November 5, 2025.