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Reutener Baseline with Attachments BASELINE DOCUMENTATION REPORT and LAND MANAGEMENT PLAN Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs Local Acquisitions for Natural Diversity (LAND) Grant Program Property name: Saw Mill Hills Conservation Area, Reutener property Municipality: Northampton Date acquired: March 20, 2015 Registry: Hampshire Book/page: book 11891, page 346 LAND #: 18 Date of report: June, 2015 Property location: Sylvester Road Size: 49.97 acres Interest held by city/town: Fee Other interest holders: CR to be held by Kestrel Trust Table of Contents Section I: Property Information 1. Property description 2. LAND grant program regulations 3. Legal protection 4. Contact information 5. Land Use and Management Plan (if fee owned by town) and/or Copy of Conservation Restriction (if CR) or Section II: Maps 1. Resource map 2. Monitoring map Section III: Site Visit Report 1. General information 2. Current property conditions 3. Boundary conditions Section IV: Photographs 1. Photo location map 2. List of photographs 3. Photographs Section V: Amendments Section VI: Signatures Section I: Property Information I.1. Property description The Saw Mill Hills, Reutener Section property, located at Sylvester Road, Assessors’ map/lot 28-007, is owned by / subject to a Conservation Restriction held by the City of Northampton, under care and control of the Conservation Commission, for the purposes of conservation and passive recreation, in perpetuity. It was recorded on March 20, 2015, in book 11891 page 346 in the Hampshire Registry of Deeds. I.2. Local Acquisitions for Natural Diversity (LAND) grant program regulations This property is permanently protected open space, for conservation and passive recreation only. It is subject to the standards and guidelines in 301 CMR 5.00: Self-Help and Urban Self-Help Programs, of the Division of Conservation Services, Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA). Excerpted here are some of the major points: - 5.06(4): Under the care and control of the City of Northampton Conservation Commis- sion - 5.09(1): The property must be used at all times for open space conservation and passive recreation purposes only, in accordance with MGL Ch. 132A, Sec. 11 - 5.09(1): The property is permanently protected under Article 97 of the Massachusetts Constitution, and may not be converted to other uses. Municipalities must pursue all fea- sible alternatives to conversion of grant-funded land. If conversion is finally determined to be the only possible choice, all of the following must occur: municipal approval of the conversion; a two-thirds majority vote of both houses of the state legislature; replacement of the land with new conservation land that is of equal or greater fair market value at the time of conversion, and of equal or greater acreage, ecological value, and usefulness, to be approved or disapproved by the Secretary of EEA. - 5.09(2): If this property ceases to be used in whole or in part for conservation and/or pas- sive recreation purposes, all interest in the property shall revert to the Commonwealth, unless the Secretary demands specific performance of the grant contract. The City of Northampton Conservation Commission must notify the Secretary of EEA of a change or potential change to an inconsistent use, or, the Secretary of EEA may notify the Conser- vation Commission that an inconsistent change in use has occurred. The Conservation Commission has 90 days to rectify the use to the satisfaction of the Secretary, or it will revert to the Commonwealth. - 5.08 (2) and (3): Open to use by all members of the public without discrimination - 5.08(1): In accordance with the LAND program regulations, the City of Northampton Conservation Commission may impose reasonable limits on the type and extent of use of this area and facilities acquired, as necessary for maintenance or preservation. - 5.06(1): Off-street parking may be required - No private enterprise may occur on properties for which the fee simple or encumbered fee is owned by the municipality, except that which contributes to and does not conflict with appropriate public use and benefit. - Structures are prohibited on properties for which the fee interest is owned by the munici- pality, except those that further conservation or public passive recreational use of the property. I.3. Legal protection Through receipt of funding through the LAND grant program, this property is permanent- ly protected under Article 97 of the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. - Ch. 132A, §11 – Act establishing the Self-Help (now LAND) grant program - Ch. 40, §8c – Authority of conservation commissions to hold land for conservation pur- poses - Article 97 – Prohibits conversion of the property from conservation and recreational use - LAND Project Agreement – Prohibits conversion of the property from conservation and recreational uses. Requires mitigation in the event of conversion. Requires appropriate public access. Recorded with deed. I.4. Contact Information Provide contact information for property monitor or manager, landowner (if CR), and any other people or organizations involved in the property. Name (organization) Title (eg. property monitor) Mailing address Phone Wayne Feiden, FAICP Director of Planning and Sus- tainability, City of Northamp- ton 210 Main Street, Room 11 Northampton MA 01060 413-587-1265 Sarah LaValley Conservation Planner / Agent 210 Main Street, Room 11 Northampton MA 01060 413-587-1263 Kristin DeBoer Executive Director, Kestrel Trust 284 North Pleasant Street PO Box 1016 Amherst MA 01004 413-549-1097 I.5. Land Management Plan If the municipality acquired a Conservation Restriction (CR) with the LAND grant, use the CR to help you fill out the Management Plan section below. Purpose: Landscape conservation, biodiversity and resource protection, water resources protection, habitat conservation, preservation of vistas, passive recreation and creation of a recreational trail system All LAND-funded properties must provide access to the general public for passive recreational activities. The specific subset of permissible passive activities varies from project to project and is described here. Permitted public activities: Note: These should be posted at the property entrance(s). walking, hiking camping Nordic skiing, snowshoeing hunting horseback riding fishing bicycle riding on designated trails gardening/agriculture picknicking swimming non-motorized watercraft Uses consistent with the most current Conservation Commission’s Land Use Regulations, which are subject to revision. All passive recreational and conservation purposes Prohibited public activities: Note: These should be posted at the property entrance(s). motorized vehicles fires swimming horseback riding gardening/agriculture bicycle riding alcoholic beverages hunting entry after dark fishing collection of plants/animals/soil/rocks Additional comments on use of this property: Hunting prohibited as of the date of this Management Plan, but could be allowed by a majority vote of the Conservation Commission Structures: Structure Description Intended use Former sugar shack Former sugar shack currently being used as a shed Permanent use not yet determined, could be used as a space for educational activities Known stewardship issues/potential problems: Grantee maintains lifetime estate for himself and children on field, shed, gardens, and basketball court. Current stewardship issues are limited, the Commission will need to maintain the parking area, field, and shed once the estate expires. Stewardship responsibilities: Entity responsible for management: Northampton Conservation Commission Plans for managing known stewardship issues: Increased signage of property, boundary marking, refreshing of corner pins and markers, remov- al of historic debris, ongoing trail maintenance. Mowing of field and maintenance of parking area as needed. Basketball court and garden areas. Plans for regular management: Annual boundary walking and site inspection Active forest or agricultural management plans: Harvesting of sawtimber or other forest management should be conducted only in consultation with a licensed forester and preparation of a Forest Management Plan for long-term objectives. Section II: Maps II.1. Resource map Please see map included in attached “Ecological Assessment of the Reutener Property” II.2. Monitoring map Please also refer to the attached survey for property boundaries. Section III: Site Visit Report III.1. General information Date of inspection: June 18, 2015 Time spent on property: 5 hours People present: Name: Affiliation: Sarah LaValley, Agent to the North- ampton Conservation Commission III.2. Current property conditions Note: This section may summarize some provisions of the CR or Management Plan. The entire CR document must be read in order to understand its terms. A. Conditions of the property relevant to the purpose of this project: Project purpose Condition Photo Biodiversity and Resource Protection and Landscape Conservation The property is topographically varied and supports a mix of habitat types—from acidic rocky summits and dry, oak woods to richer streamside wet-lands. All told, ten different kinds of natural communities were identified here, and alt- hough nearly all of them are common and widespread in our region, what is noteworthy is their high integrity, mean- ing that they show little to no sign of human disturbance and none have invasive species problems. 10, 15 Habitat Conservation Because this property is within a large block of unfragmented forest and adjacent to even larger forested areas in the Mineral Hills and further west and north into Westhampton and Williamsburg, it provides excellent quality habitat for wildlife. Hundreds of animal species use this property for all or a portion of their lives—for hunting, breeding or as a migratory or travel corridor. A single, large vernal pool on the property is one of the most ecologically important habitats on the property. Lo- cated in a shallow, bedrock depression in the bedrock, it is fed by ground-water, overland runoff and precipitation, it 17, 18 measures about half an acre in size. Passive Recreation - Maintenance of a Recrea- tional Trail System The property includes a network of trails which begin near the Sugar House on Sylvester Road. The trails pass through or near most of the property’s different habitats and just as significantly, they connect to a much larger, interconnect- ing trail system that spans the Sawmill Hills. 7, 9,16 Preservation of Vistas This property is beautiful, with up and down terrain, a cas- cading brook, bedrock outcrops, fairly open woodlands and impressive views from the higher elevations and cliffs. It is also located in one of the quietest areas in Northampton . Quite often, the only sounds you hear are natural ones. 17, 18 B. Conditions of the property relevant to Permitted and Prohibited Uses: Activity Condition Photo Permitted Hiking The property already includes an extensive trail network 7, 9, 16 Prohibited Dumping The property includes instances of historic refuse disposal, which are being addressed by the Commission. 11 C. Additional remarks regarding the present condition of the property: The property contains very few instances of relevant observed conditions of prohibited activities. III.3. Boundary Conditions A. Do the boundaries on the ground clearly correlate to the legal description found in the CR document or property deed (i.e. can you follow the boundary after reading the description)? If not, how did you locate the property boundary? Boundaries correlate to the survey included as an attachment. B. (If CR): Are portions of the property which are excluded from the Restriction marked or oth- erwise evident on the ground? NA C. Describe the condition of the boundary markings at all other points (i.e. stone wall, flagged, signed, unmarked): Some corner markings have deteriorated and are no longer evident. The northern boundary is marked by ropes and no trespassing signs installed and maintained by the northern abutter. The property is bounded on the east and south by the Saw Mill Hills Conservation Area which is also owned in fee by the Northampton Conservation Commission, and markings are not required at these points. D. Describe the use of abutting properties, focusing on uses close to the boundary line: The property is bounded on the west by Sylvester Road, including homes along the road- way’s frontage on neighboring properties, to the north by an unprotected wooded parcel, and to the east and south by the Saw Mill Hills Conservation Area. E. Any other comments on boundaries? Section IV: Photographs IV.1. Photo location map The photo location map shows the location from which documentary photographs were taken. Include:  Property boundary (and CR boundary if applicable).  Photopoints (location from which photos were taken). Each point should be placed as accu- rately as possible. Mark each point with: An arrow showing the direction the photo was facing A label (A,B,C or 1,2,3 etc.) so that the description can be looked up in the list of photos IV.2. List of documentary photographs Photographer(s): Sarah LaValley Date Photo # Location description (where the photographer was standing) Cardinal direction Description of photo subject 6/18/15 A West of boundary on Sylvester Road E Northwestern property boundary (iron rod) at Sylvester Road B West of boundary on Sylvester Road E Southwestern property boundary (iron road) at Sylvester Road C Southwest of boundary on prop- erty line NE Rear property boundary (iron rod, concrete bound no longer present) behind 401 Sylvester Road 1 On property just east of Sylvest- er Road NE Maintained field held in lifetime estate 2 On property just east of Sylvest- er Road W Property access drive 3 North of shed NE Maintained field with chairs and firepit, held in lifetime estate 4 North of shed NE Capped well 5 & 6 At shed E, S Former maple shack, current shed 7 East of shed E Trail entrance and conservation area sign 8 East of Shed W Blight-resistant chestnut tree 9 Interior of property E trail 10 Interior of property S Ponded area in stream 11 Interior of property along trail S Historic debris 12 Interior of property near north- ern boundary N Posted signs at trail intersection with northern adjacent property 13 Interior of property E Wet area trail crossing 14 Interior of property E Small bridge in trail at stream crossing 15 Interior of property NE Ponded area 16 Interior of property along trail E Fork in trail 17 Interior of property near south- eastern boundary E Upland plants along trail 18 Interior of property along trail E Rocky outcrop 19 Interior of property along north- ern boundary NW Posted signs along northern adjacent property 20 Interior of property south of “5x5 concrete bound” at rear of 401 Sylvester Road E Plaque marking memorial clearing 21 On property just east of Sylvest- er Road W Garden area and small parking lot, held in life- time estate IV.3. Documentary Photographs 6/22/2015 1 1 6/22/2015 2 2 6/22/2015 3 3 6/22/2015 4 4 6/22/2015 5 5 6/22/2015 6 6 6/22/2015 7 7 6/22/2015 8 8 6/22/2015 9 9 6/22/2015 10 10 6/22/2015 11 11 6/22/2015 12 12 6/22/2015 13 13 6/22/2015 14 14 6/22/2015 15 15 6/22/2015 16 16 6/22/2015 17 17 6/22/2015 18 18 6/22/2015 19 19 6/22/2015 20 20 6/22/2015 21 21 6/22/2015 22 A 6/22/2015 23 B 6/22/2015 24 C Section V: Amendments V. 1. How to amend this document This property is permanently protected as open space for conservation and passive recrea- tional use only. It is difficult to anticipate all potential changes to the property that may occur, due to natural events, that may make it more or less appropriate for specific activi- ties or uses. It is also difficult to know in the present the specific passive recreational uses future visitors to the site may want. For these reasons, it may become necessary in the future for portions of the Land Management Plan to be revised. Property acquired with LAND grant funding may not be used for active recreation. The following sections of this document may be revised: I.4. Contact information I.5. Land Management Plan sections: Permitted uses/activities Prohibited uses/activities Structures Stewardship plans Active management plans Any changes to these sections must still adhere to the LAND grant program regulations, Project Agreement, Article 97 requirements, and any other pertinent regulations. All changes must adhere to the terms of the Conservation Restriction, if applicable. Procedure for amending this document: Majority vote of the Conservation Commission. An Ecological Assessment of the Reutener Property Sylvester Road, Northampton, MA 01060 Laurie Sanders, MS May 5, 2014 Circumscribed by Chesterfield Road, Sylvester Road, Ryan Road and Spring Street, the Sawmill Hills form one of the largest remaining roadless areas in Northampton and encompass roughly 1,500 acres. Of this, the City has protected nearly half the land, including six contiguous parcels that form a 435- acre unit. The 52-acre Reutener property abuts this large core and from the perspective of conservation planning, it is one of the most exceptional, unprotected parcels within the Sawmill Hills. Not only does its size and location recommend it for protection, but it is recreationally, aesthetically and ecol- ogically one of the most important properties within the Sawmill Hills region. The remainder of this report documents these values. 2 Recreational Value The Reutener property includes a net- work of well-maintained trails, which begin near the small driveway for the family’s Sugar House on Sylvester Road. The trails pass through or near most of the property’s different habitats and just as significantly, they connect to a much larger, interconnecting trail system that spans the Sawmill Hills. For instance, from this property you would be able to walk on trails all the way to Spring Street, Ryan Road, Avis Circle, the Jeep Eater Conservation Area, and even Ches- terfield Road. Aesthetic Value This property is beautiful, with up and down terrain, a cascading brook, bedrock outcrops, fairly open woodlands and im- pressive views from the higher elevations and cliffs. It is also located in one of the quietest areas in Northampton . Quite often, the only sounds you hear are natu- ral ones. Ecological Diversity Underlain by 400 million year old gneiss and a relatively thin veneer of glacial till, the Reutener property is topographically varied and supports a mix of habitat types—from acidic rocky summits and dry, oak woods to richer streamside wet- lands. All told, ten different kinds of natural communities were identified here, and although nearly all of them are com- mon and widespread in our region, what is noteworthy is their high integrity, meaning that they show little to no sign of human disturbance and none have in- vasive species problems. In addition, because this property is within a large block of unfragmented forest and adjacent to even larger for- ested areas in the Mineral Hills and fur- ther west and north into Westhampton and Williamsburg, it provides excellent 3 quality habitat for wildlife. Hundreds of animal species use this property for all or a portion of their lives—for hunting, breeding or as a migratory or travel corridor. In terms of larger mammals, Don and Mary Reutener confirmed that they have observed nearly all of the species known in our area (fox, rac- coon, bear, etc.), and during my field visits, deer sign was abundant, almost every hemlock had been chewed on by porcupine, and most exciting of all, a coyote den with six young pups was found. The habitats that these animals can use is unevenly divided between uplands and wetlands,. Upland ar- eas comprise almost 90% of the property and given the acidic, shallow soils, their flora is relatively nar- row and predictable. White pine dominates a large portion of the land, while further up the slope, the composition of the woods shifts to red oak and at the highest and driest elevations, there is another tran- sition to chestnut oak. Broad swaths of mountain laurel grow below the red oak-dominated canopy, and witch hazel and maple-leaved viburnum are also extremely common in this forest type. In the chestnut oak dominated woods, these species drop out and are replaced by drought and fire tolerant species like low-bush blueberries and huckleberries. The wetland portions of the property make up only about 5 acres, but their contribution to the site’s overall diversity is significant. In fact, the stream corridor, vernal pond and small drainages actually sup- port more plant and animal species than all of the upland areas on the property, demonstrating that, like wetlands everywhere, these areas play a disproportionately large role in terms of biodiversity. Although no rare species were found during this brief survey, a few species are possible/likely. For in- stance, based on the character of some of its wetland habitats, it is likely/possible that four-toed sala- mander and/or Jefferson’s salamander will be found here. In addition, the watch-listed plant orchid known as Whorled Pogonia (Isotria verticillata) should be searched for within the property’s moister oak forests; a small population of this uncommon species was found in 2012 on the east side of the Saw- mill Hills. The remainder of this report includes short summaries and images of the ten natural community types observed. The organization corresponds to the Natural Communities map, and the classification follows Swain and Kearsley, 1999. Although many areas in the Reu- tener property have relatively gentle slopes, some areas like this one are steep and rugged. 4 5 White Pine Successional (1) This forest grows on a large part of the property. Based on 1952 aerials, a por- tion of this was once an open field, but the history of other parts of the property where white pine dominates is uncertain. Some may have been cleared by fire or used as a marginal pasture during the 19th century. At a minimum, the pres- ence of big-toothed aspen and birch indi- cate that this area was historically much more open. The white pine forest is mostly open, with occasional small patches of moun- tain laurel. Where bedrock is close to the surface or exposed, there are swaths of Polytrichum moss and a mix of low bush blueberries and huckleberry. In addition to white pine, a few scattered hardwoods mix in, including white oak, red maple, big-toothed aspen, and hem- lock. The herb layer is sparse to absent and where present includes Canada may- flower, wintergreen, partridgeberry, star- flower, and in drier, more open sites, cow-wheat, bracken fern and Pennsyl- vania sedge. Patches of running club- moss and ground pine are also fairly common. Partridgeberry is a member of the coffee family and is common at the site. It does best in open sites with dry, acidic soils , like under the white pine. 6 Red Oak-Sugar Maple Forest (2) This habitat type is very limited on the property and occurs near the sugar house and also in its southwest corner. Ironwood , big-toothed aspen, shagbark hickory, red maple and occasional hemlock are also present in this forest type. The understory was largely free of vegation, but Canada mayflower, trout lily, and true solomon’s seal were common near the Sugar House. Acidic Rocky Summits and Rock Outcrops (3) Two of the larger rocky ridges are high- lighted on the Natural Communities map, but many smaller knobs are found throughout the property. In moister areas, marginal shield fern, Christmas fern and polypody fern and mosses are common, while at drier sites, the rocks are merely covered with a mix of grayish and yel- lowy lichen. Pine, black birch, red oak and chestnut oak are all commonly asso- ciated with these barren knobs. Huckle- berry and low-bush blueberries are also widespread. Branching Cladonia lichens are common on the surface of the largest ridgetop and on some of the other exposed rock out- crops. 7 Acid Rock Talus Forest (3) Within the jumbled talus below the lar- ger outcrops and ridges grow a mix of red oak, black birch and infrequently, sugar maple, hop hornbeam and bass- wood. False honeysuckle and common sarsaparilla are common in the under- story. In general these are very tough areas for plants to grow. Porcupines regularly den in these areas and their large mounds of dung are com- mon to see. Coyotes use these areas for denning too. This litter of six young pups were found at the base of the talus slope in the photo. During the hour of observa- tion, they spent their time alternating between sleeping and rough-housing. 8 Acidic Rock Cliff (3B) Located on the north side of the largest ridge is an impressive rock cliff. Few vascular plants have gained a foothold here, but the rock face is festooned with large liv- erworts and mosses. The adjacent ravine has a mix of mountain laurel and oaks. Eastern phoebes proba- bly nest on the over- hangs. 9 White Pine/Oak and Mixed Oak with Mountain Laurel (4 and 4B) These forest types are widespread on the property and cover nearly 50% of the upland areas. As the soils get drier, the species shift from white-pine and red oak to an increasing amount of red oak and mountain laurel. White oak, red maple, black birch and hemlock are scattered throughout this mix. Witch hazel is also extremely common in the understory and maple-leaved viburnum is common. Because the soils here are acidic, droughty and nutrient poor, the herb layer is often sparse to absent. There are occasional Christmas fern and cow wheat, bracken fern, Canada Mayflower, common wintergreen and wild sarsapa- rilla. Trailing arbutus is sporadic and infrequent. Ridgetop Chestnut Oak (5) This community occurs in the driest, rockiest areas and mostly at the highest elevations. The forest here is open and almost entirely dominated by chestnut oak. Black oak, red oak, and white oak are also present, and black birch and red maple are occasional. The understory vegetation is thin, with huckleberries, low-bush and early blueberries in the shrub layer. The herb layer is almost en- tirely absent, but cowwheat, sedges, and bracken fern occur. 10 Low-energy Streamside Wetland and Stream (w1) One of the most beautiful features on the prop- erty is the cascading stream that meanders through the central part of the Reutener prop- erty. Narrowly bordered by wetland vegetation, its waters are clear and the channel bottom is a mix of cobbles and sand. The bordering rocks are covered with mosses and liverworts and in the spring, the edges of the wetland are defined by the bright green leaves of False hellebore. Other common wildflowers include golden rag- wort, Canada mayflower and less frequently dwarf ginseng, wood anemone, goldthread, marsh marigold, sweet white violet and turtle head. Ferns include cinnamon fern, hayscented fern, NewYork fern. The shrub layer is mostly absent, but witch ha- zel and mountain laurel inhabit the drier mar- gins, while winterberry and spicebush can be found in the wetter areas. The nearby trees in- clude a mix of hardwoods, including red maple, big-toothed aspen, shagbark, as well as yellow birch, black cherry, ironwood and green ash. Many other species are present, but in lower numbers. The remnants of an old dam create a cascade on the stream. This water eventually flows into Parson’s Brook, which flows into the Manhan River near downtown Easthampton. A single rattlesnake fern (Botrychium dissectum var. obliquum) was found growing near the stream. Although not rare in the Common- wealth, it is unusual to find. The leaves of an orchid, probably purple-fringed (Platanthera psycodes). 11 Red Maple Swamp (w2) This perched wetland is half an acre in size and fed by groundwater, overland runoff and precipitation. In spite of its small size, it provides a disproportion- ately large contribution in terms of plant diversity. Common species here include marsh marigold, skunk cabbage, water- cress, golden saxifrage, cinnamon fern, sensitive fern and hummocks covered with sphagnum. These, in fact, may be suitable for four-toed salamanders, which are state listed and breed in sphagnum hummocks overhanging wa- tery depressions. Red maple, black ash and yellow birch grow in the overstory and winterberry, high-bush blueberry, young pine and mountain laurel are common in the shrub layer. A common northern watersnake was found basking along the shoreline of this isolated red maple swamp. 12 Vernal Pool (w3) A single, large vernal pool on the property is one of the most ecologically important habitats on the property. Located in a shallow, bedrock depression in the bedrock, it is fed by ground- water, overland runoff and precipitation, it measures about half an acre in size. Although this vernal pond is individually important and valu- able, its “value” is actually enhanced because it is part of a cluster of vernal pools (see map above). The nearby pools help ensure its long-term viability and the resiliency of its populations. How? Because if there were a year when a drought caused all of the larval salamanders or tadpoles in Reutener’s vernal pool to die, it would gradually be re- colonized by the offspring and adult creatures (salamanders, frogs, insects, etc.) from the nearby ponds and would thus continue to function as vernal pool habitat and a breeding site. This vernal pool and the others nearby are all certified and provide habitat for spotted salamanders, wood frogs and other species dependent on these ephemeral habitats. It is possible that state-listed Jefferson sala- manders breed here as this species has been found breeding in a different pond in the Sawmill Hills. Roughly 2/3 of it (image above) is shallow and charac- terized by mossy hummocks with high bush blueberry and winterberry, while the remainder (left) is deeper and supports a small patch of buttonbush. Red maple rims the margins.