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Green Cemetery Merrimac Feasibility January2012 merrimac green cemetery feasibility studyPrepared forJohn DiBitettoEssex County Greenbelt AssociationFuneral Consumers Alliance of Eastern MassachusettsKate Benisek and Katharine GehronLANDSCAPE DESIGN AND PLANNING CONSULTANTSJune 2010 contents Introduction What Is Green Burial?..................................................8–9 The Project..................................................................10–11 Burial Today..................................................................12–13 Conservation Burial.................................................14–15 Green Burial Cemeteries......................... .............16–17 Context Site Context...........................................................20–21 The Merrimac River Watershed.........................22–23 Land in Merrimac.................... ..................................24–25 Land Protection & Conservation.......................26–27 Site Access...................................................................28–29 The DiBitteto Parcel................................................30–31 Analysis Site Elements..............................................................34–35 Wetlands & Rivers.................. ..................................36–39 Slopes & Drainage....................................................40–43 Soils & Groundwater...............................................44–47 Access & Circulation...............................................48–51 Visual Features...........................................................52–55 Plant Communities & Habitat................... ...........56–59 Recommendations Synthesis & Findings................................................62–65 Recommendations & Next Steps......................66–67 Conclusion.......................... .................................................69 Sources..........................................................................70–71 Acknowledgements............................................ ..............73 i n t roduction The Green Burial Council is the largest and most influential national organization working on natural burial. It is the only such organization offering certification to green cemeteries. The GBC stamp of approval means that a cemetery has committed to transparency and oversight, and it ensures that the cemetery’s approved practices and regulations will not be weakened or negatively altered in the future.The Green Burial Council seeks to facilitate partnerships between conservation entities and representatives from the funeral and deathcare industries to “create burial programs that aid in the restoration, acquisition and/or stewardship of natural areas.” 9WHAT IS GREEN BURIAL?Green burial, also known as natural burial, is a form of interment in which the body is returned to the earth very simply. The Green Burial Council, a nonprofit dedicated to the promotion of green burial across the country, defines green burial as “end-of-life rituals, disposition options, and products that do not involve the use of toxic chemicals or nonbiodegradable materials.” In other words, in a green burial, the body is not pumped full of formaldehyde (a probable carcinogen); it is not placed in a casket made of metal or tropical hardwood (both of which typically contain dangerous sealants, adhesives, and other chemicals); and it is not lowered into a 1-ton concrete vault (the purpose of which is to keep the ground from settling into a depression over the new grave) and covered with a 1200-pound concrete lid.Instead, the body is placed into a simple shroud, plain pine box, or biodegradable casket soon after death. The body is then taken to a burial ground and is lowered into a shallow grave, often dug by family members. Soil is then mounded over the casket. Flowers may be scattered atop the new mound, which slowly settles over time. Determine the feasibility of creating a natural burial ground on the DiBitetto parcelGoalInventory the site’s ecological existing conditionsDescribe the social context of the projectOutline financial and legal considerationsIdentify associated opportunities and constraintsObjectivesFuneral consumers and familiesOwners of abutting propertiesCommunity of MerrimacRecreationistsNonhuman entitiesStakeholdersJohn DiBitetto, Property OwnerEssex County Greenbelt Association, Land TrustFuneral Consumers Alliance of Eastern MassachusettsClients 11 Many people today are seeking a closer relationship with the natural world. The shift of natural foods, natural medicine, and “green” products from the periphery of culture into the mainstream attests to this urge. As part of this movement, many individuals are looking for a more natural way to return to the earth when they die. In death, as in life, they wish to forgo industrial chemicals and products as a way to show respect for their bodies and the earth. And many people find the idea of giving their bodies back to nature—of supporting a natural system like a forest—a poetic and ethically satisfying idea. Massachusetts is a progressive, forward-thinking place, yet it lags behind many other parts of the country when it comes to the options available to people who are choosing a funeral for themselves or a loved one. The chance to institute the first conservation-minded, nondenominational green cemetery in Massachusetts may lie within reach. In recent months, landowner John DiBitetto has been exploring the possibility of creating a green cemetery on his 32-acre parcel of land in Merrimac, Massachusetts. John has teamed up with David Santomenna and Becky Dean of the Essex County Greenbelt Association, a land trust, and Judith Lorei and Carol Coan of the Funeral Consumers Alliance of Eastern Massachusetts, a consumer-advocacy nonprofit, to hire a team to study the suitability of the Merrimac parcel for what would be the state’s first green cemetery and potentially its first conservation burial ground. If the project is greenlit, it would set several other important precedents: it would create the first privately held conservation land under easement in Merrimac; the Essex County Greenbelt Association would gain an easement in a part of the county where they hold very little land in trust; and it would be a case study for land trusts thinking about new ways to approach land conservation and considering the value of protecting certain kinds of working landscapes. financial/legal considerations social support ecological integrity feasibility THE PROJECT 12 Each year, 22,500 conventional cemeteries across the United States bury: embalming fluid 827,060 gallons, which includes formaldehyde caskets 90,272 tons of steel 2,700 tons of copper and bronze 30-plus million board feet of hardwoods vaults 1,636,000 tons of reinforced concrete 14,000 tons of steel Each year, 11 approved green burial cemeteries across the United States bury, in cotton shrouds and pine, softwood, or paper caskets: bodies. BURIAL TODAY SOparticulates 2 CO2 mercury 3.5–4 feet formaldehyde noxious coatings 6 feet 13 In a conventional burial, the body is embalmed prior to interment in order to delay decomposition. After embalming, the body is placed into a casket and lowered into a six-foot-deep grave lined with a 1-ton concrete vault. Conventional burial methods may pose a risk to public health and the health of the ecosystem in numerous ways:• Embalming uses formaldehyde, a carcinogen that presents a health hazard to embalmers.• Millions of gallons of formaldehyde are buried annually. Little research has been conducted on the effects of formaldehyde on groundwater quality.• Traditional caskets are often made from tropical hardwoods, which come from distant and dwindling rainforests, or from metals, which do not readily break down in the soil.• Caskets are often coated with substances containing noxious chemicals. As a result, major casket manufacturers regularly show up on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s biennial list of each state’s top fifty hazardous-waste generators. As with formaldehyde, these chemicals presumably leach into the groundwater, posing an unknown risk to the purity of nearby potable-water supplies.Cremation—the process of incinerating a body—consumes fewer natural resources and involves fewer chemicals and materials than conventional burial. Crematories have become more and more clean and efficient over the years as a result of developments in technology and increasingly stringent environmental regulations. Crematories are regulated by the EPA, which requires that most air pollutants be filtered out during the cremation process and which continually revises these regulations. Even so, cremation still requires large amounts of energy and has several drawbacks. Cremation has potentially harmful environmental impacts, due to the fact that it:• involves fossil-fuel combustion, which uses up nonrenewable natural resources and releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, contributing to the buildup of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.• releases some pollutants, despite improvements in pollutant-filtration technology. These pollutants include sulfur dioxide, which contributes to acid rain; a small amount of fine particulate matter; and trace amounts of mercury, released from silver-amalgam dental fillings.Green burial is a chemical-free and environmentally friendly form of burial that:• has been practiced for most of human history.• involves placing bodies directly into the ground without embalming preservatives, in biodegradable containers.• is completely legal in almost every state in the United States.• is perfectly safe as long as the burial ground is sited according to laws and regulations.• typically has a conscious conservation focus.• uses native and beneficial noninvasive vegetation in place of turf lawns to create habitat, improve stormwater cleaning and infiltration, and create sacred space.• involves shallow (3.5'–4') burials to make nutrients available to plants.• often includes no grave markers or only natural markers such as flush stones or plants that mark grave sites.Cost to consumer: averages $1,800Cost to consumer: averages $10,000Cost to consumer: $1,000–$4,000 Conservation burial:Requires that a cemetery adhere to a number of protocols to ensure that burials never degrade an ecosystem• Where possible, encourages and facilitates ecological restoration • Requires that biological, geological, and hydrological surveys be done to determine appropriate burial location(s) and density• Requires the involvement of an established, independent conservation organization, such as a land trust, to serve as steward and be willing to hold a • conservation easement, guaranteeing that the standards for conservation burial will be upheld in perpetuity. Source: Green Burial Council website FAQs 15 Humans have practiced a simple, biodegradable, non-chemical method of burial for thousands of years—it was only in the 1860s, with the rise of embalming, that it was supplanted by current, conventional burial practices that involve chemical embalming, a casket, and a concrete vault. What is today called green burial represents an unprecedented way of thinking about interment: increasingly, it is also an act of active environmental stewardship. Many green burials are conducted in places where the land is being conserved for ecological protection or restoration. In these cemeteries, humans seek not to dominate or ignore nature but to become truly integrated with it. This conservation component may or may not be present when green burials are conducted in so-called hybrid cemeteries, or cemeteries that permit both conventional and green burial, because there may be no centralized location where green burials take place, or they make take place on land that is not suitable for conservation purposes. conventional green conservation burial ground hybrid CONSERVATION BURIAL Conservation is, however, usually a major objective of a green cemetery, a burial ground that does not permit conventional burials. Conservation measures are guaranteed to be present in perpetuity in a conservation burial ground—a special designation coined by the Green Burial Council and given by the council to green cemeteries where “burials never degrade an ecosystem and, where possible, facilitate ecological restoration,” and where both the green cemetery itself and these management practices are made permanent through a conservation easement held by a land trust. Most green burial grounds look very different from any kind of cemetery we are used to in America because they double as conservation areas. They appear to be meadowlands, prairies, or woodlands at first glance, and they lack even gravestones to give away their purpose—grave markers are either absent or are set flush with the ground. 16 WASHINGTON, DC ATLANTA NEW YORK BOSTON SEATTLE PORTLAND LOS ANGELES 1 4 56 7 8 11 10 13 12 9 2 3 Approved green cemetery Approved conservation burial ground Not-yet-approved green cemetery (New England only) LEGEND Approximate Distance from Boston, MA: to Pittsford, NY: 380 miles, 6 hours 40 min to Newfield, NY: 350 miles, 6 hours 20 min to Steelmantown NJ: 350 miles, 6 hours to Orrington, ME: 240 miles, 4 hours to Limington, ME: 112 miles, 2 hours 15 min to Merrimac, MA: 40 miles, 45 minutes Honey Creek Woodlands Conyers, GA Greensprings Natural Cemetery Newfield, NY Rainbow’s End Orrington, ME Cedar Brook Burial Ground Limington, ME White Haven Memorial Park Pittsford, NY Foxfield Preserve Wilmot, OH Estacada Cemetery District Estacada, OR Dust to Dust Swansea, SC Ramsey Creek Preserve Westminster, SC Moles Greenacres Memorial Park Ferndale, WA White Eagle Memorial Preserve Goldendale, WA Joshua Tree Memorial Park Joshua Tree, CA Steelmantown Cemetery Steelmantown, NJ 14567 8 11 10 13 12 9 32 Cemeteries here may be seeking approval or a conservation easement. Correct as of April 2010. GREEN BURIAL CEMETERIEs N SITE 0 100 miles 17 FACING PAGE When a death occurs, families must be prepared to make plans within hours. This is especially true when the deceased has elected to have a green burial. Time is of the essence.For people in or near the Boston area, where most people in Massachusetts live, choosing to be buried in a green cemetery may not seem like a viable option, even for those who are interested in natural burial. The closest Green Burial Council–approved cemeteries are a six-hour drive away—and, furthermore, they are outside New England, far from home, outside the region's cultural unit.THIS PAGE A green cemetery in Merrimac could serve the currently underserved New England market for green burial very well. Centrally located in New England, Merrimac is less than an hour's drive from Boston and is close to other New England cities.PORTLAND -83 milesBURLINGTON -194 milesMONTPELIER -159 milesAUGUSTA -143 miles CONCORD -47 milesMANCHESTER -36 milesBOSTON -40 milesSPRINGFIELD -117 milesPROVIDENCE -89 milesHARTFORD -128 milesALBANY -200 milesNEW YORK CITY -245 milesNEW HAVEN -164 milesQUEBEC,CANADAAtlantic OceanNMAINEVERMONTNEW HAMPSHIREMASSACHUSETTSCONNECTICUTRHODEISLANDNEWYORKan unmet need SITE050 miles context Examining a site’s context—its location within and relationship to the surrounding environment—leads to a greater understanding of the site's place and function, whether as part of a town, a watershed, or a larger region. A thorough analysis of a site's context both informs and directs appropriate land use and planning. Merrimac, Massachusetts, is located on the southern border of New Hampshire, approximately 34 miles northeast of Boston. Despite being located at nearly the northernmost point of the state of Massachusetts, Merrimac is widely considered to be part of the Greater Boston metropolitan area, due in part to the fact that Route 495, a major interstate, passes through Merrimac, connecting it with the city and other Boston suburbs. Merrimac has a longstanding agricultural past that is still evident in the somewhat rural landscape that predominates in the town's northern half today. But twenty-first-century suburban land-use patterns are also evident: a growing residential population is putting new pressures on the landscape. Si te Context The Merrimack River Watershed Land in Merrimac Land Protection & Conservation Site Access The DiBitteto Parcel INTRODUCTION N Newton, NH Plaistow, NH Haverhill, MA Merrimac, MA 0' 500' SITE 21 N 495 0 1 mile SITE 22 The MERRIMACK RIVER WATERSHEDA watershed is a land area in which all water drains into the same river, stream, lake, pond, or other body of water. The Merrimack River watershed, of which Merrimac is a part, covers a total of 5,010 square miles, making it the fourth-largest watershed in New England. The Merrimac River originates in central New Hampshire, at the confluence of the Pemigewasset River and the Winnipesaukee River, and runs a total of about 180 miles before meeting the Atlantic Ocean in Newburyport, Massachusetts. squam lake lake winnipesaukee wachusett reservoir ATLANTIC OCEAN MAINE NEW VERMONT HAMPSHIRE MASSACHUSETTS contoocook pemigewasset souhegan nashua concord CONCORDMANCHESTERNASHUALOWELLBOSTONLAWRENCEHAVERHILLNSITE020 miles 23 merrimackriverlakeattitasheast meadow rivercobbler’s brookback riversilver brookWater from the site drains into the East Meadow River. Before joining the Merrimack River, the East Meadow River flows into the Millvale Reservoir, a source of drinking water for the city of Haverhill, three miles to the south. Preserving and protecting water resources is a top priority for many towns, including Merrimac, as development can impair the ability of our wetlands, rivers, and reservoirs to clean our water—a function that is essential for human health and the health of the greater environment.108110495NEWTON, NHHAVERHILLAMESBURYWESTNEWBURYPLAISTOW, NHNEW HAMPSHIREMASSACHUSETTSSITEMERRIMACflow ofeast meadowrivermilvalereservoirmerrimack rivertoatlanticoceanNNWater bodies make up 3.4 percent of Merrimac’s total land area and include numerous ponds and streams, portions of Lake Attitash, and the segment of the Merrimack River that flows through the town. Surface water in Merrimac drains into the Merrimack River, running along the southern edge of town, toward the Atlantic Ocean. Merrimac’s secondary waterways include perennial streams and brooks including Cobbler’s Brook, the Back River, Silver Brook, and the East Meadow River, which flows around the northern perimeter of the DiBitetto parcel.SITE01 mile01 mile 24 Land UseLike many towns in the surrounding region, Merrimac was cleared to make way for industry along riverbanks and for farming and pasture in the uplands. Today a densely populated residential and commercial corridor is located along Main Street (Route 110). A rural, heavily forested landscape, characterized by small hills and the post-agricultural southern New England hardwood forest, covers most of northern Merrimac.About 9–10 percent of Merrimac’s total land is steeply sloped or contains wetlands, and 17 percent of its remaining vacant land—about 1,600 acres—has significant natural-resource value because of wetlands, streams, sloped topography, location within the watershed, or wildlife habitat. The majority of this land, though widely recognized as unsuitable for residential or commercial development, remains unprotected.LAND IN MERRIMACKEYLand UseAgricultureCommercialLower-Density HousingUrban Open SpaceOtherRecreationFore stHigh-Density HousingIndustrialModerate-Density HousingHAVERHILLNEWTON, NHAMESBURY108110495Cemeteries in Merrimac, MassachusettsMerrimac has three local burial grounds that are managed by an elected board of cemetery trustees and part-time staff. The Church Street (A) and Lower Corner (B) cemeteries are the oldest and display the community’s earliest monuments and grave markers. These two cemeteries are little used today. Locust Grove Cemetery (C), a Victorian-era burial ground, is the most active and is expected to provide adequate burial space for many more years, according to Merrimac cemetery trustee Richard Fournier. Each of these cemeteries is classified as Urban Open Space in Massachusetts GIS maps, and each is located within a 1.5-mile radius of the downtown core of Merrimac. Source: Merrimac Master Plan, 2002, "Cultural Resources," pg. 2.25.Obtaining a Cemetery PermitAny party planning a new cemetery in Merrimac must acquire a special permit to proceed. During the permitting process, the property owner and an applicant (for example, a developer) must take part in a “preconceptual conference” with the town planning board. This meeting is a chance for the applicant to present the proposed cemetery plans to the planning board at an open, public meeting. In turn, it is a chance for the planning board to respond with questions that will need to be answered in order for the application to move forward and receive final approval. Questions posed by the planning board may relate to vehicular access, infrastructural needs, environmental impact, and intentions for property management.ABC01 mileNSITE 25 AMESBURYNEWTON, NHHAVERHILL108495StateCity of HaverhillWater SupplyTown of MerrimacKEYMerrimac Improvement SocietyFarmWetlandOpen Space andRecreationNEWTON, NHHAVERHILLAMESBURY108110495110Agricult ural-ResidentialKEYZoningIndustrialCommercialResidentialSuburban-ResidentialMobile Home ParkDistrictWetlandOpen Space and RecreationA great deal of the protected open space in Merrimac is under the control of municipal or nonprofit organizations, though much open space remains unprotected. The DiBitetto parcel is located in a section of Merrimac that has no protected open space, though the surrounding area is heavily forested and contains many wetlands—an ecologically significant and sensitive landscape that would benefit from conservation and protected status.01 mileN01 mileNZoningA majority of the land in Merrimac, including the DiBitteto parcel, is zoned agricultural-residential (AR). This category includes forest and agricultural land as well as low-and moderate-density housing. Lot size (2 acres) and frontage distance (200 feet) in the AR district direct the construction of low-density housing, the primary development pattern in rural Merrimac over the past fifty years. The subdivision of land has resulted in decentralized suburban development and increased pressure on aging infrastructure. The construction of new homes in rural parts of Merrimac has also led to an increase in demand for local water sources and a call for the permanent protection of well-recharge zones. SITESITEWater SupplyProtection District 26 LAND PROTECTION & CONSERVATION Protected Land in Merrimac Of Merrimac’s 5,564 acres, about 1,057 acres, or 19 percent, qualify as permanently protected. While much of central Merrimac has been developed for commercial and residential use, stands of mature forest, a significant local natural resource, remain in the nor thern and western sections of Merrimac. Many of these forested areas are privately owned, though the town of Merrimac has acquired 957 acres of ecologically significant open space through purchase or gift. These holdings include the permanently preser ved town forest—a 289-acre, centrally located conser vation area—and the 112-acre Perkins Conser vation Area. Past successes in protecting open space in Merrimac are owed almost entirely to a histor y of local, municipal initiative. Unlike in many towns in Essex County, none of Merrimac's open space is owned or protected by nonprofit conser vation groups. Additionally, Merrimac has no recreation land or facilities owned by private nonprofit or or for-profit organizations. The combined land holdings of nonprofit religious or charitable groups total 24 acres and are located primarily in the densely populated downtown district along West Main Street. 108 110 495 NEWTON, NH HAVERHILL AMESBURY WEST NEWBURY Level s of Land Protect ion in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Legal Definitions • In Perpetuity: Legally protected in perpetuity and recorded as such in deed or other legal document. Land is considered protected in perpetuity if it is owned by the town’s conser vation commission or water department; if a town has a conser vation restriction on the property in perpetuity; if it is owned by a state conser vation agency; if it is owned by a nonprofit land trust; or if the town received federal or state assistance for the purchase or improvement of the property. • Temporar y: Legally protected but not in perpetuity. Includes short-term conser vation restrictions, Chapter 61 lands, and other areas such as water-district lands, which are protected only only as long as they are primarily used as water resources. • Limited: Protected by legal mechanisms other than those above or through functional or traditional use. These lands might be protected by municipal vote. This designation includes lands such as cemeteries and golf courses, which are likely to remain as open space for reasons other than those listed above. Source: Massachusetts Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Open Space Mapping Project PLAISTOW, NH N 0 1 mile Water Supply Protection District Town Forest Perkins Conservation Area SITE 27 The Essex County Greenbelt Association Since 1961, the Essex County Greenbelt Association has protected more than 13,000 acres of land. Today, the ECGBA owns 200 properties, manages 4,800 acres, holds more than 150 conservation restrictions and/or agricultural-preservation restrictions on more than 5,000 acres of private land throughout Essex County, and has assisted in conserving an additional 3,000 acres.The ECGBA has a particular interest in acquiring contiguous areas of protected land to serve as greenbelts; preserving natural resources such as rivers, streams, fields, and forest; protecting biodiversity and wildlife habitat while providing opportunities for human land access and land use; and fostering the creation of trail systems and recreation spaces.Currently, the ECGBA has few holdings in northern Essex County and none in Merrimac. A conservation easement on the DiBitetto parcel would represent a precedent for both the ECGBA and the town of Merrimac.ESSEX COUNTYMerrimacConservation Restrictions Restrictions in MassachusettsIn order to protect conservation values on public and private land, states have created conservation easements, a type of land-protection contract that is perpetual and enforceable by law. A conservation restriction is defined as a “negative easement”—a restriction that a landowner willingly places on his or her development rights, enforceable by an outside holder. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts requires that conservation easements receive both city and state approval in order to remain permanently in force. In Massachusetts, the term conservation restriction is given to easements that have been met with full approval (Massachusetts General Laws, Ch. 184, § 31–33).Conservation restrictions:Preserve open space• Conserve wildlife habitat• Protect water quality• Preserve farmland and timberland• Buffer public land• Maintain the character of rural communities• Maintain landscapes for tourism• Require little in terms of public services• Often generate local revenue• Source: Waltham Land Trust, “Conservation Easements in Massachusetts”; the Nature Conservancy; Mass Audubon Land Trusts and Conservation BurialIn 2005, the Green Burial Council introduced the idea of conservation burial at the annual meeting of the Land Trust Alliance. Conservation burial is green burial that furthers a legitimate conservation purpose. For example, when a person chooses to be buried at a conservation burial ground, plot and interment fees help pay for the site's land-management costs and property taxes, and they contribute to the permanent protection of large parcels of open space and the natural resources that they contain.Contributions and memorial gifts made to participating land trusts can fund the purchase and protection of additional land. In this way, conservation burial grounds honor and memorialize the dead while providing and maintaining a healthy landscape for the living—humans, plant communities, and wildlife.Atlantic OceanN020 milesSITE 28 SITE ACCESSLocationThough the DiBitetto parcel is located in Massachusetts, accessing the site by vehicle requires travel across the Massachusetts–New Hampshire state line. To follow the most direct route from the greater Boston metropolitan area to the site, a driver would take Interstate 495 to exit 52, in Haverhill, Massachusetts, and merge onto Route 110, which joins Route 108 about one mile south of the exit. At the junction, the driver would head north on Route 108, passing through Plaistow, New Hampshire, and into the town of Newton. The DiBitetto parcel is located just off a right-hand turn in a residential area.VERMONTNEW HAMPSHIREMASSACHUSETTSCONNECTICUTRHODEISLANDN EWTON, NHHAVERHILLAMESBURY108110495WEST NEWBURYexit52siteaccess49591849593899590PLAISTOW, NHNN01 mile050 miles 29 Transporting Bodies Across State Lines: Massachusetts General Law, Ch. 114, § 46: If a body is brought into a Massachusetts town for burial from outside the Commonwealth, • it must be accompanied by a removal permit issued under the laws of the state from which it was taken. • A removal permit is sufficient authority for burial. The local board of health will make and retain a copy of this permit and return the original to the town from which it came. • If the body is not accompanied by a removal permit, it may not be buried until the local board of health issues a burial permit. A burial permit is required to transport a body across any city or town line in Massachusetts. This permit will not be issued until a certified copy of the death certificate has been given to the board. Source: Massachusetts Board of Health Guidebook, Chapter 21, Cemeteries, “Procedures: Disposition, Removal and Transportation Permits,” p. 2. Access Easement The DiBitettos have obtained an access easement on their property, allowing vehicles to enter from and exit onto Route 108. This access easement extends over part of a private driveway belonging to an adjacent residential property. Despite the presence of the driveway, there is currently no place for vehicles to park on the DiBitetto parcel. Existing conditions make direct access to the property possible only on foot, through a densely vegetated wetland area.There is no clear pathway into the site or demarcation of the site boundary at this time. 108 easementaccess Newton, NH N driveway/access easement N Plaistow, NH Haverhill, MA Merrimac, MA 0' 500' 30 Site History The study parcel has been in the DiBitetto family for generations, and over time, land use has changed. Resource recovery, including extensive gravel mining and logging, has shaped the landscape over the last thirty years, leaving significantly altered topography and soils. Clear evidence of hunting and ATV activity can be found on the site today.The southwestern corner of the parcel is located atop Brandy Brow Hill, at the meeting point of four towns in two states. The site of the "four corners" is marked by a stone monument, dated 1890. Existing LandscapeMerrimac, Massachusetts, is part of the Merrimack River Valley. The Environmental Protection Agency classifies the Merrimack River Valley as part of the southern New England coastal-plains ecoregion, with topography marked by drumlins (hills made of till, a mixture of sand, clay, and boulders) and flat deposits of outwash (stratified deposits of sand and gravel). It is a landscape shaped by the recession of the Wisconsin glacier that once covered all of New England. The parcel is diverse mix of woodlands and wetlands, with two major uplands, which were once farmland and pasture, and water at the low points, including in the former gravel-pit areas. The East Meadow River runs along the northern edge of the site, flowing south to the Merrimack River.the DiBITETTO PARCELN0'500' 31 Low-Density Housing Low-Density Housing Commercial Development N 108Newton, NH Plaistow, NH Haverhill, MA Merrimac, MA 0' 500' SITE analy s i s A site analysis explores the relationships between a site's significant physical, ecological, and aesthetic characteristics in order to reveal the interplay between these elements and their implications for potential future site uses. Each site feature is first considered in isolation. Existing conditions are inventoried, and the implications of the existing site conditions for proposed uses are considered one by one. Following the site inventory and analysis, all of the existing conditions are layered onto one summary analysis, in which the opportunities and constraints discovered during the previous stage are brought together on one map. The summary analysis highlights the areas of greatest opportunity and the areas of significant constraints. In the inventory/analysis for the DiBitetto parcel, the goal is to identify the areas of the site that will be best suited for burial, human access and building activities, and conservation and restoration. Site Elements Wetlands & Rivers Slopes & Drainage Soils & Groundwater Access & Circulation Visual Features Plant Communities & Habitat introduction N not to scale t h e DiBitetto parcel Route 108 Newton, NH abutting proper ty access easement Plaistow, NH Haverhill, MA Merrimac, MA East Meadow River site NEW HAMPSHIRE MASSACHUSETTS 35 Route 108 Newton, NH abutting property access easement Plaistow, NH Haverhill, MA Merrimac, MA site East Meadow River NEW HAMPSHIRE MASSACHUSETTS N 0' 400' Wetlands According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, wetlands are “areas that are inundated or saturated by surface or groundwater at a frequency and duration sufficient to support … a prevalence of vegetation typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions.” For years, people filled wetlands in order to accommodate development. We now know that wetlands clean stormwater by slowing it down, helping pollutants settle out and increasing the number of pollutants sequestered by plants; permit infiltration, recharging the groundwater supply; and reduce runoff, helping to prevent floods. Wetlands are also places of great biodiversity.Rivers The vegetated zone surrounding a river slows, captures, and cleans stormwater; controls flooding and erosion; absorbs runoff, helping to recharge groundwater; and maintains base flows in streams and rivers. It also regulates riparian habitat conditions: many river species are harmed by the intense pulse of runoff generated by a storm event in a developed area where impervious surfaces have replaced the vegetated buffer zone.wetlands & rivers Four delineated wetlands A large wetland takes up much of the former gravel-mining area on the site. Two linear wetland areas occupy much of the site's interior, and a smaller wetland lies at the site entrance.Proximity to East Meadow RiverThe northeast corner of site lies within the 200' River Protection Area.Three probable vernal poolsPer Mass. GIS data and observation. Other areas onsite may also function as vernal pools. Wetland with unknown boundaries on adjacent propertyThe westernmost wetland on the site continues into the area just south of the easement in New Hampshire.60 percent of site (approximately 19 acres) lies within buffer zonesThe remaining 40 percent, approximately 13 acres, is mostly steep uplands.Existing ConditionsWetlands & RiversBuffer Zones: Laws and Bylawsma rivers protection protectionprotection actact Chapter 258 of the Acts of 1996ma wetlands protection protectionprotection actact Mass. General Laws Chapter 131 §40merrimac merrimac, ma , bylaws bylaws Additional restrictionsnh state statestate Wetlands LAWRSA 482-Anewton newton , nh , bylaws bylaws Additional restrictions200' setback from mean annual high-water line of rivers and streams.(Intermittent streams are not subject to the Rivers Protection Act.)100' setback around wetlands and the mean annual boundary of qualifying certified vernal poolsWetlands: 50' no-build zone, 25' no-disturbance zoneVernal Pools: 75' no-build zone, 50' no-disturbance zoneNo buffer zone law at the state level. A permit is required to dredge or fill wetlands.Wetland setbacks: 75' septic, 50' building. A new road may be permitted if it is “essential to the productive use of [non-wetland] land.”In Massachusetts, state law requires that a notice of intent regarding any proposed nonapproved activities within buffer zones, including the construction of septic systems, be submitted for approval to the local conservation commission or relevant municipal authority. In Newton, NH, a permit application must be submitted to the local conservation commission. 37 N 0' 400' East Meadow River Route 108 Merrimac, MA Haverhill, MA 1 2 3 4 5 6 NEW HAMPSHIRE Newton, NH Plaistow, NH 50' Newton, NH, no-build zone around wetland 100’ MA wetlands buffer zone 200’ MA river buffer zone Intermittent stream Not subject to Rivers Protection Act 100’ MA vernal pool buffer zone Wetlands specialist can confirm protected status. Wetland on adjacent proper ty Unknown dimensions 123456 site characteristics Probable Vernal Pool Access Easement Wetland ✱ Abut t ing Proper ty Intermittent Stream Buffer Zone KEY Wetlands and Rivers MASSACHUSETTS ✩ 38 Newton, NH Plaistow, NH Haverhill, MA Merrimac, MA wetland (unknown dimensions) East Meadow River Route 108 N not to scale NEW HAMPSHIRE MASSACHUSETTS Probable Vernal Pool Access Easement Wetland ✱ Abut t ing Proper ty Intermittent Stream Buffer Zone KEY Wetlands and Rivers ✩ 39 Avoid disturbance in wetland buffer zones Plan to direct high-impact activities such as burial into less sensitive upland areas. Apply for permits as needed Identify locations where disturbance may be necessary within a buffer zone and apply for appropriate permits. In the case of the wetland straddling the state line at the site entrance, permits will be needed from both Massachusetts and New Hampshire before work can begin on a road, a parking area, or any other major disturbance. Address outstanding questions Hire a professional to (a) delineate the wetland on the New Hampshire side of the site property line and (b) verify the protected status of the vernal pool near the southern edge of the property. Directives Wetlands & River s Slopes Steep slopes are generally good places for burial because less water infiltrates on a slope than on a flatter area, reducing the potential for groundwater contamination. However, whenever steep slopes are disturbed and vegetation is removed, as when a grave is dug, the potential for erosion arises. In addition, steep slopes are more difficult for people to navigate, especially if they are carrying a body to a funeral. A balance needs to be struck between human comfort and the protection of water quality. Gently sloped uplands may be the best location for green burial.Drainage All of the stormwater flowing off the surface of the study site eventually drains into the East Meadow River. The diagram to the right shows that the East Meadow River passes through the Millvale Reservoir, a surficial drinking-water supply area. The reservoir is 3 miles away from the site—far outside the recommended 800' buffer zone between a burial area and potable-water source.It is important to keep in mind that, according to Massachusetts law, the rate of stormwater runoff flowing off a property cannot be increased if any part of the site is disturbed or developed.millvale reservoir3 miles from sitemerrimac merrimacSITEmerrimac riverto atlantic oceannew hampshiremassachusettsflow of east meadow riverSteep slopes in upland areas Greater than 15% slopes predominate in uplands, with gentler slopes (3–8%) on hilltops.Lowlands dominated by wetlandsLowlands are for the most part inappropriate areas for major disturbances.Two major high pointsPotential suitable areas for burial.All water drains to East Meadow River Undeveloped sites such as the study parcel help clean stormwater runoff and reduce the volume of runoff that drains into rivers.Existing ConditionsSlopes & DrainageSLOPES &DRAINAGE 41 N 0' 400' East Meadow River Route 108 NEW HAMPSHIRE MASSACHUSETTS 1 3 5 4 2 Newton, NH Plaistow, NH High point (284') Potential suitable area for burial Local high point (210') Potential suitable area for burial Water flows toward developed area, into East Meadow River Excellent onsite infiltration helps maintain good water quality offsite. 0-3% slopes on easement land Gentle entr y experience 1245 site characteristics Merrimac, MA Haverhill, MA Probable Vernal Pool Access Easement Wetland ✱ Abut t ing Proper ty Drainage Flow > 1 5 % s l o p e s 8 – 1 5 % s l o p e s 3 – 8 % s l o p e s KEY Slopes and Drainage Low point (86') This and other lowland areas are less suitable for burial. 3 ✩ 42 Newton, NH Plaistow, NH Haverhill, MA Merrimac, MA East Meadow River Route 108 N not to scale NEW HAMPSHIRE MASSACHUSETTS Probable Vernal Pool Access Easement Wetland ✱ Abut t ing Proper ty Drainage Flow KEY Slopes and Drainage ✩ 43 Place burial grounds on sloped land Gently sloped hilltops are likely the best places for a burial ground. To provide access to hilltops, create walkable pathways on steep hillsides Switchbacks may be necessary. Graves may be located along pathways, as at Mount Auburn Cemetery. Mitigate increased runoff rates due to disturbance To reduce downstream flooding and other potential storm damage, Massachusetts law states that the rate of stormwater runoff following development must not exceed the rate of runoff prior to development. Because green cemeteries remain primarily undeveloped landscapes, this should not be a difficult benchmark to meet. A stormwater management system such as a constructed wetland will likely be necessary if a parking area is built. Manage erosion Use plants and other erosion-control methods to help stabilize disturbed soils. Directives Slopes & Drainage Groundwater Though green burials are chemical-free, sources of potable water near green cemeteries still need to be protected from contamination. The process of decomposition produces foul-smelling organic compounds that are not dangerous but can make well water malodorous and repellent. Decomposition also produces nitrate, nitrite, and other nonorganic compounds that are problematic in high concentrations. Cadavers pose minimal disease risk if cemeteries are appropriately sited, since most pathogens cannot survive for long without a host, but very rarely, certain long-lived pathogens, such as anthrax and the prions responsible for Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, as well as much-shorter-lived organisms such as gastrointestinal bacteria, may survive and enter the drinking water supply if a cemetery is located too close to a well or reservoir or is too crowded. Studies vary wildly in estimates of how far cemeteries should be from potable water sources to protect drinking-water quality. Estimates range from 100' to to 820'. The map on the facing page shows a buffer zone of 800' from nearby wells. This is a preliminary and conservative estimate of a safe burial distance. Soils The ideal soil for burial is that which both dilutes and disperses potential contaminants and permits aerobic decomposition. Studies generally agree that moderately drained to well-drained sandy loams are best suited to do both. For soil to adequately filter the products of decomposition, the foot of graves should be 1.6' to 3.3' above groundwater in sandy soil; ideally, the total depth from the soil surface to the water table should be 8.2' to 11.5', to account for fluctuations in the water table. Bodies buried at a shallow depth, between 3.5' and 4'—where there is more organic matter—will decompose faster than bodies buried at the traditional 6'. In aerobic conditions, as in a sandy soil, it takes approximately 5 to10 years for a body to completely decompose; in clayey or wet soils, it can take more than 50 years, making clay an undesirable soil type for burial. Clay soils are also more difficult to dig in than sandy soils. soils & groundwater Soil Types on Site Paxton fine sandy loam Extremely stony, slopes 8–15%, 25–35% hinckley loamy sand Slopes 8–15% hinckley fine sandy loam Slopes 8–15% pits, sand, gravel /pits, gravel , Covers site of former gravel mine scarboro mucky fine sandy loam Slopes 0–1%. On former gravel mine. Likely a very good burial matrix. Smaller soil particles adsorb potential contaminants well; drainage is good; soil is well aerated. Also likely good for burial. Soil is less easily eroded than Paxton series. N/A for burial (soil type on easement land) Gravel soils may be too permeable for burial. Odors may escape; contaminants may enter the groundwater too quickly. Not appropriate for burial. Anaerobic conditions may prevail in muck. Existing Conditions S o i l s & G r o u n d wa t e r Predominantly sandy loam and gravel soils Paxton-series soils, likely very good for burial, are found throughout the entire southern and central portions of the site. The highest uplands on the property are all within the Paxton-series zone. Gravel soils, which are likely more degraded in character, cover most of the northern part of the property. Fairly deep water table Monitoring wells in the central region of the property show that the water table is 8' deep at the shallowest measurement. Developed area on well water to the west Property survey shows existing well near easement, in area of residential development. Land to the north, east, and south is currently not developed. 45 N 0' 400' East Meadow River Route 108 NEW HAMPSHIRE Newton, NH Plaistow, NH a b d c e f g h i 2 3 800' 23 Depth to groundwater per property moni toring wells a. 10' b. 8' c. 13.5' d.10' e. 14.4' f. 10' g. 17.5' h. no groundwater detected i. no groundwater detected Prime burial area Good burial soils 800' or more from well area, outside wetland buffer zones site characteristics Merrimac, MA Haverhill, MA MASSACHUSETTS Access Easement ✱ Abut t ing Proper ty KEY Soils and Groundwater G o o d bu r i a l s o i l s 8 0 0 ' or more from wells paxton series h i n c k l e y l o a m y s a n d h i n c k l e y l o a m y s a n d pits, gravel p i t s , s a n d , g r a v e l h i n c k l e y f i n e s a n d y l o a m m u c k 1 Well-water supply area Water-quality area of concern 1 46 Newton, NH Plaistow, NH Haverhill, MA Merrimac, MA East Meadow River Route 108 N not to scale paxton series h i n c k l e y l o a m y s a n d h i n c k l e y l o a m y s a n d p i t s , s a n d , g r a v e l muck pits, gravel h i n c k l e y f i n e s a n d y l o a m Access Easement ✱ Abut t ing Proper ty KEY Soils and Groundwater G o o d bu r i a l s o i l s 8 0 0 ' or more from wells NEW HAMPSHIRE MASSACHUSETTS 47 Evaluate suitability of gravel soils for green burial Hire a soil scientist determine whether or not the gravel soils are too fast-draining for burial. Determine how well the Paxton soils will remove contaminants Result should provide sufficient information to make an accurate estimate of how far any new burial ground should be from the developed area to the west. Study the erosion potential of the Paxton soils A soil scientist can help determine whether these easily erodible soils will present a problem for burials, and will be able to recommend ways to control erosion if a burial ground is located on Paxton-series soils. Directives S o i l s & G r o u n d wa t e r Access In a green cemetery, the presence of motor vehicles should be limited to the parking lot, which should be sited in an area of least ecological sensitivity. There are a few exceptions: a green cemetery might consider keeping small vehicles such as golf carts on the property so that when individuals with limited mobility are part of a funeral party, cemetery staff members may transport them to funeral sites. Main pathways should be wide enough to accommodate not only such carts but also trucks, which will be needed from time to time for site maintenance, and possibly backhoes. The green cemetery ethic mandates that graves be hand-dug. In practice, this may or may not always be feasible. In extremely stony soil such as the soil on the study site, a backhoe may be necessary, but its use should be avoided whenever possible. Circulation Paths accessible to vehicles and pedestrian trails should be sited in a way that minimizes ecological disturbance. Vehicle-accessible paths are likely to cause more disturbance than trails and should be placed in the least sensitive areas on a site. Any roads or trails proposed within a wetland area or river buffer zone must be approved prior to construction. A well-planned network of trails enriches the human experience of place. For instance, a trail may be planned so that it alternately reveals and obscures compelling site features along a trail. This can heighten curiosity, build anticipation, and create the sense of a journey with a destination. A trail network might also include resting points for contemplation and reflection, states of mind often inspired by scenic overlooks, or it might showcase the special and unique natural features of the site, which can facilitate both educational opportunities and aesthetic appreciation. access & circulation access easement (approx. location) abutting home Existing Conditions Access & Circulation Access easement passes directly by residential home The house faces the access easement and is only a few yards away, as shown below. No No defined entry experience No visible signals denoting access-easement boundaries or site boundary, as shown below. Incomplete circulation system Existing trails do not form loops or extend throughout the whole of the site. Trail damage from ATVs entering from trails to the east ATV use has caused erosion on existing trails on site. No parking area Entire site is undeveloped forest land. Wetland where the access easement enters site Permits from both Newton, NH, and Merrimac, MA, must be granted for a road to be created where the wetland intersects with the site entrance. 49 1 2 4 3 N 0' 400' East Meadow River Route 108 NEW HAMPSHIRE Newton, NH Plaistow, NH Easement passes close to residential home Incomplete circulation system ATV entry point Wetland at site entr y point 1234 site characteristics Merrimac, MA Haverhill, MA MASSACHUSETTS Wetland Entrance Point > 1 5 % s l o p e s 8 – 1 5 % s l o p e s 3 – 8 % s l o p e s Probable Vernal Pool Access Easement ✱ Abut t ing Proper ty KEY Access and Circulation ➜ Existing Tr a i l ✩ 50 Newton, NH Plaistow, NH Haverhill, MA Merrimac, MA East Meadow River Route 108 N not to scale Wetland Entrance Point Probable Vernal Pool Access Easement ✱ Abut t ing Proper ty KEY Access and Circulation ➜ Existing Tr a i l ✩ NEW HAMPSHIRE MASSACHUSETTS 51 Gain buy-in from the owners of the abutting property The fact that the access easement passes just feet from the abutter's house may prove to be the single most limiting factor identified in the feasibility study. If a green cemetery is green-lit, all parties concerned must gauge the homeowner's acceptance of increased foot and vehicle traffic and a new road. Without buy-in, it may become difficult to move forward. Consider what to do if this option fails. Create an entry experience The design of the gateway area should signal a transition into a special, sacred space. Obtain permits from MA and NH to create a road over the wetland at the site entry point If permits are granted to create a road over the wetland at the site entrance. parking might ideally be located just north of the entrance wetland, a relatively gentle area of the former gravel mine. Create clear site circulation for pedestrians and vehicles Vehicle-accessible pathways should avoid wetlands and buffer zones as much as possible. Close off the entry point for ATVs ATVs have caused soil erosion on existing trails throughout the site and are not compatible with a green cemetery. Directives Access & Circulation Scenic Views & Vistas visual visual features features Existing ConditionsVisual FeaturesEntrance The access easement passes over an asphalt driveway and leads into densely vegetated wetlands. There is no visual sense of arrival into a special place.Hilltop views Vistas are found at the high points. Wetland viewsHigh elevations offer direct views of wetlands, which can be difficult to view at eye level because of dense vegetation.Special site featuresStone walls, large glacial erratics, majestic old trees, small streams, and quiet pools of water all contribute to visual interest on the site. 53 Route 108 East Meadow River Merrimac, MA EXISTING TRAIL Haverhill, MA Newton, NH Plaistow, NH 1 2 3 4 6 5       access easement 1 wetland at site entrance 2 panorama from Brandy Brow Hill 3 view downhill, into wetland 4 hilltop approach 5 white pine corridor 6 N 0' 400' site characteristics NEW HAMPSHIRE MASSACHUSETTS KEY Visual Features Probable Vernal Pool  Abutting Property Access Easement Wetland ✩ 55 Create a memorable aesthetic experience Identify and direct attention to unusual and dramatic features of the site. Careful trail planning can set both the pace and the tone of the visitor experience. Highlight wetlands—at a distance People are naturally attracted to water. Wetlands may be the best place for watching birds and wildlife and learning about the natural value of the site, but, at the same time, keeping wetlands safe from human disturbance is a top priority. Directives Visual Features Blandings tur tle Emydoidea blandingii Plant Communities Plant communities are associations of herbaceous plants, shrubs, and trees that are typically found in similar soil and climate conditions. A common plant community in New England, and one that predominates on the study site, is mixed hardwood forest. The forest on the site is clearly second growth; most trees are still relatively young, and there is evidence, including the presence of red cedar and grapevine, that the southern part of the property was recently a field, probably abandoned within the last forty years, give or take. Since that time, the ecological process of succession has changed the landscape: woodland tree species have moved in to take the place of the sun-loving field species and, in doing so, have fostered an entirely new plant community. Given time, this site could become an old-growth forest—a relatively rare type of forest that often contains unusual and sensitive plant and animal species. The site also includes wetland plant communities, which include many species specially adapted to grow only in hydric soils and which will not survive if these soil conditions are altered. Habitat Soil and climate conditions determine what type of plant communities will grow on a site, and the plant communities determine the type of habitat that is available to animals. The health of the plant communities also determines the quality of the habitat. In April 2010, a site walk was conducted in which biologist Jim McDougall, formerly of the Essex County Greenbelt Association, observed that the southern part of the site had very good habitat value, based largely on the plant species observed and the almost complete absence of aggressive nonnative species. The northern part of the property, with a recent history of major soil disturbance, likely contains lower-quality habitat. plant communities & habitat Existing Conditions Plant Communities & Habitat Historically disturbed habitat in the north The landscape of the northern region of the site attests to the area's former use as a gravel mine. Manmade hummocks and depressions found in this part of the site are probably areas where gravel was removed. Gravel would have been taken from the mineral layer of the soil; to access this, topsoil would have been dug up and moved out of the way, probably accounting for the hummocks. The natural soil horizons that support healthy plant communities and good-quality habitat are likely to be highly disturbed and disrupted in many parts of this area. Good-quality habitat concentrated in the south Notably limited presence of aggressive invasives. A wide range of native plants and animals was observed in both upland and wetland habitats during the April 2010 site walk: salamander eggs were observed in vernal pools; hermit thrushes were heard near Brandy Brow Hill; tupelos and alders were found flourishing in the wetlands. Entire site is a Massachusetts Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program priority habitat Priority-habitat status originates from fact that the area contains excellent Blandings turtle habitat. The Blandings turtle is a threatened species in Massachusetts. It depends on vernal pools for nesting and food. By law, any new project in a priority-habitat area must be submitted for review by the NHESP for compliance with the Massachusetts Endangered Species Act. Image Source: Wikimedia Commons (public domain) 57 2 1 3 4 N 0' 400' Approximate location of unusually large, ver y old black birch (approx. 42" diameter at breast height). Possible scenic feature. Small patch of aggressive invasive Celastrus orbiculatus (Oriental bittersweet) obser ved in general region. Hummocks and depressions, evidence of gravel mining, observed in area. Disturbance is likely to have created less favorable habitat conditions. Dominance of white pine in wet lowland area testifies to recent clearing and disturbance: white pines sprout in full-sun conditions. 2134 site characteristics NEW HAMPSHIRE MASSACHUSETTS Route 108 East Meadow River Merrimac, MA Haverhill, MA Newton, NH Plaistow, NH probable quality habitat probable disturbed habitat KEY Plant Communi t ies and Habitat Probable Vernal Pool  Abutting Property Access Easement Wetland ✩ 58 Newton, NH Plaistow, NH Haverhill, MA Merrimac, MA East Meadow River Route 108 N not to scale Probable Di s turbed Habitat P r o b a bl e G o o d -Quality Habitat Probable Vernal Pool Access Easement ✱ Abut t ing Proper ty KEY Plant Communities and Habitat Wetland NEW HAMPSHIRE ✩ MASSACHUSETTS 59 Limit high-disturbance activities such as parking to the northern part of the site The good-quality habitat in the south should remain protected. Plan burials to minimize disturbance and maximize ecological benefit By supporting plant life and building soil, green burial can and should support rich, diverse plant communities and high-quality habitat. Burial in good-quality habitat areas should not pose a problem if burials are distributed over time and space. Develop a forest management plan Study Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 61. Follow forestry best management practices. Consult with biologists to determine how to restore degraded areas, maintain good-quality habitat, and manage for succession. Be prepared for hemlock woolly adelgid disease The woolly adelgid is devastating hemlocks throughout New England. The site's hemlock stands may need to be removed. Submit plans for review by the Mass. Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program By law, any work proposed within priority habitat must be submitted for review to check for compatibility with the Massachusetts Endangered Species Act. Directives Plant Communities & Habitat recommendations Plant Communities & Habitat Wetlands & Rivers Slopes & Drainage Soils & Groundwater Access & Circulation Recommended Zones of Land Use SYNTHESIS & FINDINGS By isolating one site feature at a time and distilling the opportunities and constraints each one presents for proposed site uses, the site analysis shows how these proposed site uses—burial, human access and building activities, and conservation and restoration—can be integrated into the landscape in a way that protects and supports the site’s plant life, animal habitat, and natural processes. The map to the far right was created by synthesizing the analysis findings to identify the optimal locations for each proposed site activity. 63 N 0 400' Route 108 Restoration Parking/Buildable Burial Recommended Burial Wetlands and Buffer Zones Burial: Recommended Location The dark green region shows the recommended location for burial. It encompasses an upland area outside the preliminary recommended buffer zone of 800 feet from wells and potable-water sources, and it is far from developed areas, making it a secluded and protected area. Fur thermore, it can be accessed from the site entrance without the need to cross over any wetlands or through any wetland buffer zones other than those at the site entrance, lowering the potential for ecological disturbance and reducing the need for permits. This area may be expanded if a soil scientist confirms the safety of a lesser buffer zone. Burial: Potential Locations The lighter green areas have been identified as other upland areas suitable for burial. Access to the two southernmost patches requires placing a vehicle-accessible path through wetlands, making them less desirable candidates for burial-ground status. Human Access & Building Activities The best location for parking and any building activities, shown in yellow, has been identified in an area of the site that is likely to contain disturbed soils and lowerquality habitat. The recommended location is also adjacent to the site entrance and on the edge of the proper ty, so it is in area already likely to feel the effects of disturbance. To fur ther minimize ecological damage, any new parking area or building should take up as little of this recommended location as possible. Conservation/Restoration The green areas are the best places for conservation. The area in pink, which covers much of the former gravelmine site, appears to be the best place for restoration, due to the probability of degraded habitat in the area. Restoration is an important consideration if conservation-burial-ground status is a desired project outcome. Summary Analysis 64 N 0 400' Route 108 Cost & Density Restoration Parking/Buildable Burial Recommended Burial Wetlands and Buffer Zones The table above describes the outcomes of two different costs per burial at a burial density currently considered to be low-impact. Many green cemeteries bury at a density of about 100 bodies per acre. Conventional-cemetery burial density is about 1,000 bodies per acre. A lower burial density minimizes disturbance to the land, an important consideration for a conservation burial ground. The cost of conservation burial varies from cemetery to cemetery. A figure between $2,000 and $4,000 is often quoted by several green cemeteries in the eastern United States. This figure includes the cost of interment and property maintenance and, often, a contribution to an associated land trust or conservation organization, helping more land to be purchased and protected. 100 bodies/acre $2000/burial 100 bodies/acre $4000/burial northern hill, eastern side (A) 2.75 acres 8.5% of total land area northern hill all (A+B) 5.5 acres 17% of total land area all upland (A+B+C+D) 11 acres 33% of total land area $550,000 $1.1 million $1.1 million $2.2 million $2.2 million $4.4 million A B C D If it is determined that the maximum potential area should be used for burial, an extensive vehicle-accessible trail is recommended. The trail in Alternative 1 connects each burial area and minimizes disturbance to wetlands and buffer zones as much as possible, passing through uplands whenever feasible. Scenic Overlook Alternative 1 65 N 0 400' Route 108 Recommended Burial Restoration Parking/Buildable Burial Recommended Burial Wetlands and Buffer Zones Interment Phasing Distributing burial over time and space results in minimal environmental disturbance. Planning for changing or fluctuating burial needs allows for adaptive placement of bodies in accordance with what is most appropriate and ecologically sound. Alternative 1 entails an extensive permitting and approval process. The Merrimac Conservation Commission would have to approve the construction of a road through several site wetlands if burial access to Brandy Brow Hill were desired. Additionally, site plans would have to be reviewed by state agencies for compliance with the Massachusetts Endangered Species Act, due to the presence of potential Blandings turtle habitat. Alternative 2 is less invasive and minimizes disturbance to wetlands. The burial area is more easily accessible, being centrally located on the site. The vehicle-accessible trail system proposed above in Alternative 2 provides the most direct access to the recommended burial area, passing through a wetland area and buffer-zone land only at the site entrance. Bodies should not be placed directly next to each other over short periods of time. A loose burial plan that prioritizes the protection of natural assets is preferable to a rigid grid system. III III Scenic Overlook Alternative 2 RECOMMENDATIONS & NEXT STEPSLegal & FinancialApply for a conservation restriction from state and local authorities and for designation as a conservation burial ground from the Green Burial Council.Consider how to work with the abutter. Have a checklist of potential roadblocks and identify how to avoid or overcome them.If burial is wanted on Brandy Brow Hill, explore how difficult it would be to obtain permits to build vehicle-accessible paths through the wetlands and buffer zones. Explore whether another easement might be obtained offering more direct, wetland-free access to the top of Brandy Brow Hill. Or consider making Brandy Brow Hill a contemplative space rather than a burial area.Hire a lawyer to deal with property-ownership and site-access issues, fully elucidate state laws about body transportation and environmental protection, and argue why the cemetery should be granted a conservation restriction by state and local authorities.Form a cemetery corporation.Obtain permits from the Merrimac Board of Health and the town planning board. 67 Hire a team of experts to help draft a restoration plan for the northern part of the site (the former gravel-mine region) and a conservation plan for the southern part of the site.Experts consulted should include:a soil expert, to assess the capacity of the site's soils to sustain a green-burial ground; a wildlife expert, to identify wildlife habitat needs and priority conservation areas, as well as potential connections between habitat on the site and habitat in the surrounding regions; anda wetlands expert, who can certify the vernal pools on the site, determine the extent of the wetland south of the access easement in New Hampshire, and speak to the potential for disturbance posed by burial and new roads and trails.SocialEcologicalCultivate a strong project team. Strengthen existing relationships, incorporate new relationships, and explore potential new partners.Explore outreach and education opportunities to gain community buy-in. Develop allies in the community.Research fund-raising opportunities.Revisit the site and look at it with more informed eyes. Give tours to others—they may see things in a new or different light. 69 CONCLUSIONThe DiBitetto parcel presents a welcome opportunity to create the first green cemetery in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts—an opportunity to help shape the face of green burial in New England by providing leadership and vision as this new practice gains cultural currency here and throughout the country. The parcel's combination of scenic beauty, biological richness, and proximity to one of the nation's major cities all present exciting opportunities for positive action.Recognizing that the creation of new cultural landscapes is a long-term endeavor, we hold the fundamental and sincere hope that this document will help lay the groundwork for green burial in Massachusetts by providing valuable information and inspiration to all who may find it of use. 70 SourcesInformation depicted in all maps contained in this document is for planning purposes only and is not for construction, legal definition, or regulatory interpretation.All maps were in this document created using the following data sources: MassGIS (www.mass.gov/mgis), Google Earth, Google Maps (http://maps.google.com ) and Bing Maps (http://www.bing.com/maps). All data accessed between January and June 2010. All aerial photographs in this document are from Google Earth and Bing Maps. All photographs accessed between January and June 2010. All site photographs taken by K. Benisek and K. Gehron.WHAT IS GREEN BURIAL?The Green Burial Council. http://www.greenburialcouncil.org. "Who We Are" and "What We Do."Harris, Mark. Grave Matters. New York: Scribner, 2008.BURIAL TODAYBechhoefer, Rachel, and Katharine Gehron. "Urban Ground." Student project prepared for Mount Auburn Cemetery. Conway School of Landscape Design, 2009.Harris, Mark. Grave Matters. New York: Scribner, 2008.CONSERVATION BURIALhttp://www.greenburialcouncil.org. "FAQs & fictions."THE MERRIMACK RIVER WATERSHEDThe Merrimack River Watershed Council. http://www.merrimack.org. "Watershed: Geography."LAND IN MERRIMACThe Merrimack Valley Planning Commission. http://www.mvpc.org.Merrimac Master Plan. Community Opportunities Group, Inc., Boston, MA, Connery Associates, Melrose, MA, and Abend Associates, Burlington, MA, 2002. Chapters 2, 3, and 4.Maps of Land Use, Zoning, and Open Space and Recreation based on original maps by J. Barrett at Community Opportunities Group, Inc. Data sources: MassGIS, Merrimack Valley Planning Commission.Town of Merrimac Open Space & Recreation Plan, Community Opportunities Group, Inc., Boston, MA, 2006.LAND PROTECTION & CONSERVATIONChristy, Stephen F., "The Final Stop for Land Trusts." (The Land Trust Alliance Exchange (newsletter). Spring 2007. (downloadable PDF).Massachusetts Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Open Space Mapping Project, http://www.mass.gov/mgis/osp.htm. "Protected and Recreational Open 71 Space." February, 2010. "Definitions of 'Level of Protection'".Merrimac Master Plan. Community Opportunities Group, Inc., Boston, MA, Connery Associates, Melrose, MA, and Abend Associates, Burlington, MA, 2002. Chapters 2, 3, and 4.Massachusetts General Laws, Ch. 184, § 31–33.The Essex County Greenbelt Association. www.ecga.org.The Waltham Land Trust. www.walthamlandtrust.org. "Conservation Easements in Massachusetts."The Nature Conservancy and Mass Audubon. "Conservation Easements in Massachusetts" and "About Conservation Easements," 2005 (downloadable PDF). SITE ACCESSMassachusetts General Laws, Ch. 114, § 46.The Massachusetts Board of Health Guidebook, Chapter 21, Cemeteries, "Procedures: Disposition, Removal and Transportation Permits," p. 2. WETLANDS & RIVERSMassachusetts Rivers Protection Act.Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act.Merrimac Conservation Commission, Town of Merrimac, MA. Wetlands Protection Regulations, effective 9/8/04 (downloadable PDF).New Hampshire Chapter 482-A.New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services. “RSA 483-B Comprehensive Shoreland Protection Act: A Summary of the Standards” (downloadable PDF).USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service website (plants.usda.gov/wetland.html). “Wetland Indicator Status.”www.epa.gov. “Values and Functions of Wetlands: Fact Sheet” (downloadable PDF).www.epa.gov. “Wetlands Definitions" (downloadable PDF).Duff, Elizabeth. “Understanding the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act." www.massaudubon.org (downloadable Word document).SLOPES & DRAINAGE"Changes to the Massachusetts Stormwater Management Standards," January 1, 2008. Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection website (downloadable PDF).SOILS & GROUNDWATERFormanek, Paula Anne. "An Assessment of Groundwater Contamination at Cemetery Sites." Unpublished thesis, December 1997.Healing, T. D., P. N. Hoffman, and S. E. J. Young. "The infection hazards of human cadavers." Communicable Disease Report Review, volume 5, review number 5, April 28, 1995, pp. R62–R76.Morgan, Oliver. "Infectious disease risks from dead bodies following natural disasters." Pan Am Public Health Review 15(5) 2004, pp. 307–332.Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. "Custom Soil Resource Report for Essex County, Massachusetts, Northern Part; and Rockingham County, New Hampshire: Brandy Brow Hill Parcel."Site walk with biologist Jim McDougall.PLANT COMMUNITIES & HABITAThttp://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/nhesp/regulatory_review/mesa/mesa_project_review.htm (NHESP law explanation). 73 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSWe would like to thank Jim MacDougall of Biodiversity Consulting, and Bill Lattrell of Valley Environmental Services, for their expertise and guidance.