North Quabbin Corridor Forest Legacy Area

NORTH QUABBIN CORRIDOR FOREST LEGACY AREA

Application for Forest Legacy Area Expansion September 29, 2003

Massachusetts Forest Legacy Committee United States Forest Northeastern Area 11 Campus Boulevard USDA Department of Service State and Private Forestry Suite 200 Aariculture NewtownSqiare,PA 19073

File Code: 3360 Date: December 17, 2010

Jack Murray Deputy Commissioner Department of Conservation and Recreation 251 Causeway Street, Suite 600 Boston, MA 02114

Dear Mr. Murray:

Enclosed is a copy of a letter from the Deputy Chief for State & Private Forestry approving the Amendment to the Massachusetts Needs Assessment for the Forest Legacy Program that expands the North Quabbin Corridor Forest Legacy Area (FLA.) I have enclosed a copy of my letter to the Deputy recommending the approval for your records.

Congratulations!

With the approval by the Deputy Chief, your expanded Forest Legacy Area has become eligible for sharing in Forest Legacy Program funds for acquisition of lands or interests in lands.

If you have any questions regarding the Forest Legacy Program contact Deirdre Raimo. Her number is 603-868-7695. We look forward to continuing our work with you in the Forest Legacy Program.

Sincerely,

YN P. MALONEY Director

Enclosures

cc: Mike Fleming, Billy Terry, Deirdre Raimo, Neal Bungard, Scott Stewart, Terry Miller, Robert Clark

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Paper set Roger Monthey Kathryn J Conant Macario Herrera Mike Fleming Jack Murray Table of Contents

I. Introduction…………………………………………………..……………… 1

II. Description of Each Important Forest Area…………………………………. 2

III. Summary of the Analysis Used to Identify the FLA and its Consistency with the Eligibility.…..……………………………………………………………. 3

IV. Identification of Important Environmental Values, and How They Will Be Conserved…………………………………………………………………… 7

V. Conservation Goals and Objectives of the FLA Expansion Area………….. 10

VI. List of Public Benefits That Will Be Derived From Establishing the Amended Forest Legacy Area………………………………………………………… 10

VII. Identification of the governmental entity or entities that may be assigned management responsibilities for the lands enrolled in the Program...….….. 11

VIII. Documentation of analysis and public involvement process …………….... 12

IX. DESCRIPTION: Proposed Expansion to the North Quabbin Corridor Forest Legacy Area.…………………………………………………………….…. 16

X. Appendices………………………………………………………………….. 21 A. State-listed Rare Species...…………………………………………...... 22 B. Resource Maps…………………………………………………………. 25 C. Executive Summary For Proposed Massachusetts Forest Legacy Area: “North Quabbin Corridor Forest Legacy Area” (MA AON - 1993) …… 31 D. Letters of Support .…………………………………………………….... 35 North Quabbin Corridor Forest Legacy Area Application for Legacy Area Expansion September 29, 2003

I. Introduction The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Department of Conservation and Recreation, Bureau of Forestry, as the State Lead Agency of the Forest Legacy Program in Massachusetts, submits this request to expand the North Quabbin Phase 1 and North Quabbin Phase 2 Forest Legacy Areas. The expansion area includes: the towns of Leyden, Bernardston, Northfield, Montague, Greenfield, Wendell, Leverett, Shutesbury, Pelham, New Salem, Erving, and those portions of Orange, Athol, Warwick, Phillipston, and Petersham that are not already covered by the existing North Quabbin FLAs.1 (See attached maps). The approximate total acreage of the expansion area is 318,225 acres; of this, approximately 262,535 acres are forested. Of the forested acreage, roughly 75% is deciduous and 7.5% evergreen (see attached map, “North Quabbin Vegetation”). Land ownerships of protected open space in the region are indicated below (Data from MassGIS). Total protected acreage is 91,836.

Non- DEM DFW Municipal Profit MDC CR APR CR/APR other

Athol 185 100 406 Barre 111 1,956 191 550 5,207 455 894 Bernardston 1,182 132 Erving 2,414 172 Gill 198 20 31 309 Greenfield 106 1,221 21 (USFW); 64 (P) Hardwick 1,065 71 4,140 161 832 Leyden 60 343 443 153 Montague 700 3,364 1,709 444 439 223 New Salem 192 84 6 21,534 229 Northfield 2,142 931 512 304 442 Orange 1,001 687 303 61 2,150 Pelham 1,658 5904 63 200 Petersham 1,438 1,549 191 1,511 12,087 783 Phillipston 474 3,136 298 82 153 Shutesbury 622 274 151 5,306 24 Warwick 10,961 231 163 571 1,000

1 For a precise written description of the proposed expansion area, see attachment 1. 1

TOTAL 19,166 12,995 7,251 7,629 36,403 5,695 2,474 223 21

The table reflects a wide array of land protection partners, creating a mosaic of land protection coverage, types, and strategies.

Several important events have created the need for this expansion. First, significant ecological data has been developed and distributed through GIS systems that shed light on the ecological significance of the vast stretches of forest land throughout the proposed expansion area. The proposed expansion area includes much BioCore2 and Supporting Natural Landscapes3 that comprise and connect large contiguous blocks of forestland. This land provides not only outstanding wildlife habitat, but recreation, water protection, and unspoiled scenery, while simultaneously promoting the rural quality of life that is perpetuated by a sustained forest products industry.

Second, since the first FLAs were created, development pressure in this region has significantly increased, causing inflated land values, land speculation, and forest fragmentation. In light of these factors, the land area of the existing North Quabbin FLAs, while significant, is somewhat artificially truncated when viewed in the context of the greater forest ecosystem of which they are a part.

The expansion area is large enough to provide larger landscape-level protection than is possible within the existing FLAs. De facto unprotected corridors extend from the Connecticut River to beyond the Quabbin Reservoir east to Hubbardston, and from west of the Quabbin north into Northfield and Warwick. Because the expansion area and the North Quabbin and Nashua River FLAs would be contiguous, there would be an enormous opportunity to strategically protect valuable and threatened tracts of wildlife habitat, rare and threatened native species, and watershed lands so as to produce the maximum ecological benefit while precluding forest conversion or other harmful uses that jeopardize traditional forest uses that are an accepted part of rural life in this extended region.

II. Description of Each Important Forest Area (See MA AON, pg 28) A. The expansion area encompasses a de facto corridor from Montague through Wendell, Orange, and New Salem to the Quabbin through extensive municipal watershed lands, state and private protected land, and private unprotected land.

B. The expansion area encompasses the Metacomet-Monadnock Trail through Erving, southern Northfield, and western Warwick, and includes non-protected “Supporting

2 BioCore Habitat areas represent the highest priority for biodiversity conservation and protection in the state. BioMap Report at 19, Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program, Executive Office of Envir Affairs, 2001. They cover the most viable rare plants, rare animals, and natural communities currently known in Massachusetts. 3 Supporting Natural Landscapes are areas minimally fragmented and disturbed areas that buffer and link BioCore Habitat patches in order to maintain the ecological processes and patterns and provide habitat for a wide range of common species that contribute to Massachusetts' biodiversity. 2

Natural Landscape” around Northfield Reservoir and southern Northfield in the Priest Brook drainage. These lands are part of a corridor that extends north to the extensive Northfield Mount Hermon natural lands of northeast Northfield, and northeast through the Warwick State Forest.

C. The expansion area includes lands owned by the Northfield Mount Hermon School in northeast Northfield, including intact watershed lands of Grandin Reservoir, a drinking water supply for part of Northfield. The state and Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust have identified these lands as having high conservation values. They are predominately unfragmented and comprise a large block of roadless land in northeast Northfield and northwest Warwick.

D. The expansion area includes forestland, identified as “BioCore” in southeast Gill, near and abutting the Connecticut River around French King Bridge, and extending to and beyond Stacy Mountain. The forests here comprise much of a viewshed celebrated among tourists, particularly in the fall. Extensive land protection has already been completed here by The Nature Conservancy, DCR (formerly DEM), and private parties; further protection is necessary to ensure a lasting greenway from north to south that encompasses much of Gill’s most scenic and sensitive land along the Connecticut River.

E. Large blocks of natural habitat owned by Northfield Mount Hermon in northwest Gill and southeast Bernardston are characterized by rolling to steep terrain, cut by Dry Brook. There are few notable signs of human intrusion in this area save for two old and unmaintained dirt roads. This zone extends a nearly unbroken intact corridor of land with rich natural resource values from Vermont south and east through Bernardston into Gill and Northfield. These lands play a notable role in this larger context in maintaining biodiversity, including protecting natural representative examples of native plant and wildlife communities and associations, water quality, scenic corridors and viewsheds, and a high rural quality of life.

F. The wildlands of northern Bernardston, most of which is BioCore habitat, comprise virtually the entire northeast quadrant of Bernardston. They are rugged, often steep terrain, cut by Dry Brook which runs north to south. Mass Division of Fisheries and Wildlife has made steady protection inroads here. Seven private parcels are protected through conservation restrictions. Large private holdings in the immediate area are currently enrolled in current use programs4 . These wildlands form a corridor to the east into Hell’s Kitchen and Satan’s Kingdom, two wild areas of west Northfield.

G. Wildlands of western Bernardston are primarily forested, undeveloped, and retain a “supporting natural landscape” designation for their habitat and connectivity value. This area is facing increasing fragmentation from development and roads.

4 Massachusetts current use programs (MGL Ch. 61, 61A, and 61B) provide for preferential property tax treatment to landowners who maintain their property as open space for the purposes of timber production, agriculture or recreation. 3

III. Summary of the Analysis Used to Identify the FLA and its Consistency with the Eligibility Criteria The decision to expand the boundaries as shown on the attached map was based on several factors. The first factor was the threat to the land of conversion to non-forest uses. The second factor was the numerous important resource values that define the expansion area, that provide a healthy home to countless species including people, and that provide drinking water and recreation.

The Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust (MGLCT), the “Sponsor” of the North Quabbin Corridor Forest Legacy Area studied the landscape context of the expansion area to determine land protection priorities and strategies. It quickly became apparent that the conservation goal was to maintain and connect large expanses of intact mostly-forested habitat in all directions, and that this goal and its ensuing objectives coincided closely with the Forest Legacy program's "Eligibility Criteria for Establishing FLAs" and the "Eligibility Criteria for Massachusetts," as set forth in the state's AON.

A. Threat of Conversion to Non-Forest Use The first criterion listed in the AON is, "lands are threatened by present or future conversion to non-forest uses."

There is a high threat of present or future conversion to non-forest uses in the expansion area. Forestland in the expansion area has been increasingly threatened with fragmentation by development, primarily for residences. Because of the steep, prohibitive prices for land and houses in the eastern part of the state, people increasingly seek comparatively cheap land further away, trading off the longer commutes to work. Route 2 feeds Boston; Routes 122, 32, and 62 feed Worcester; Routes 2, 5, and 10 feed Greenfield; Route 32 feeds Keene, Routes 5 and 10 feed Brattleboro, and many secondary roads feed into the above state highway system. It has become easier because of the available transportation routes, and more compelling because of both the lower costs and the high quality of life here, for people of more modest means to purchase homes in the region encompassed by the proposed expansion.

However, as the affected towns are primarily small traditional rural towns, they have not developed, in most instances, planning mechanisms that effectively steer growth and development away from environmentally sensitive and important areas. The totality of these circumstances inevitably has started to create, and threatens to expand, sprawl in this region.

While much of the proposed expansion area is forested, it takes very little to disrupt the integrity of an intact forest system. Even one strategically placed house can cause notable disruption to the health of the surrounding natural systems by creating edge effects, such as the introduction of non-native, invasive plant species, disruption of natural flow cycles, and changes to the composition and dynamics of wildlife populations.

Kittredge and Kittredge emphasize that an increase in development of forestland results in a corresponding 100-1000 percent decrease in the percentage of interior forest (depending on the edge distance chosen as the indicator for significance. “Interior and Edge: The Forest in Massachusetts”). In addition, as residential development fragments or divides the overall forest into smaller pieces, the number of forest pieces grows, and the size of the forest patch decreases. Kittredge and Kittredge estimate that at current fragmentation rates, interior forest in the North Quabbin area could decline by an additional 9-27% by the year 2010. The implications are that relatively small increases in the overall amount of residential development, even in this heavily forested North Quabbin area, can have profound effects on the amount of functional interior forest.

Unfortunately, the amount of residential development in much of this region is no longer “small.” Towns that were never subjected to subdivision plans are now put on the defensive by land speculators and developers. Land is being consumed for development in more remote areas where environmental concerns are often greater; in places where there is inadequate infrastructure; where wildlife corridors are inevitably broken; and where encounters between rare species and humans become more common, to the detriment of the rare species. In a 3-year period (1998-2000), the towns affected by this expansion request issued 455 building permits for new housing. (Mass Municipal Profile, 2001-2002). Small towns bent on blazing a more solid financial path for themselves often issued a disproportionate number of building permits. For example, Northfield, a traditionally European-style town with development clustered close to the town center and natural forestland beyond, issued 72 permits. New housing there has found its way into the unspoiled hills. Hardwick issued 28 permits; Erving issued 16 permits. These, and similar numbers from other communities within the expansion area, are an immediate and significant threat to the amenities that we seek to protect.

Increasingly, landowners enrolled in Chapter 61 are selling their land on the open market, forcing financially strapped towns to forego or assign their right-of-first-refusal option. Significant tracts of private land have frontage on unmaintained roads or maintained "backroads." As these tracts are sold for development, the way becomes literally paved for more infrastructure and development in previously isolated pristine areas.

Conditions in the proposed expansion area favor Forest Legacy implementation. See, Mass AON at 24, Sec. IV (A)(2)(a)(2)("Factors affecting acquirability"). Though land costs are rising, they are still low compared with other parts of the state. A recent state Initiative in Royalston, Athol, Orange and Warwick averaged less than $1,000/acre to acquire development rights to working forestland. An increased awareness of the possibility for and effects of more poorly planned development has raised the consciousness about conservation here. This has translated into a greater demand for conservation throughout the expansion area, without a proportionate ability to consummate it.

B. Natural Resource Based Eligibility Criteria

Beyond threat of conversion, the State AON requires that "[The FLAs] contain one or more of the following important public values:

a. Scenic resources b. Public recreation opportunities c. Riparian/hydrologic areas d. Fish and wildlife habitat e. Known threatened and endangered species f. Known cultural/historic areas, and/or g. Other ecological values

It requires further that FLAs "provide opportunities for continuation of traditional forest uses," and "reflect important regional values", (see Forest Legacy Needs Assessment, Massachusetts, pages 23-27). Protection of these public values constitutes objectives that implement the overarching goal of protecting and connecting large blocks of land.

One key to the analysis was the amount of land within the expansion area designated by the state's BioMap as highly important for biodiversity. It designates roughly 113,359 acres – 35% of the total expansion area - as “BioCore” habitat. An additional 93,673 acres, approximately, are designated as “supporting natural landscape.” Of this total BioMap acreage, roughly 23,375 acres of BioCore habitat and 46,848 acres of supporting natural landscapes remain unprotected.

The analysis also looked at landscape patterns in the region. MGLCT performed a landscape-level analysis using GIS aerial photos, map overlays and data, the state's BioMap, and research from Harvard Forest to determine existing and potential landscape corridors, habitats of rare and endangered species, estimated habitats of rare wildlife, locations of vernal pools, locations of aquifers as well as surface water sources, public water supplies, and riparian corridors.

MGLCT utilized their knowledge of the region and connection with people and organizations to conclude that public access should be a presumption, rebuttable only by compelling site-specific circumstances, including such factors as the presence of threatened or endangered species, sensitive natural habitats, or landowner unwillingness to grant public access coupled with outstanding public resource values that weigh in favor of protection.

C. Allowance for Traditional Forest Uses The AON requires that FLAs provide opportunities for continuation of traditional forest uses (pg. 27). In past Forest Legacy projects within the North Quabbin Corridor FLAs, landowners have retained the right to manage their forests pursuant to a Stewardship Plan, while allowing public access for recreation, and managing for other environmental amenities. This would continue in the proposed area. Additional traditional forest uses that will be promoted by the expanded Forest Legacy Area, and

6 which are identified by the state's "Needs Assessment" document include watershed and water filtration, and cordwood and timber management under a Stewardship Plan.

D. Protecting Regional Values The AON also encourages "units that have regional, not just local significance," and includes, as such features, Linkages for recreational values, such as trails, especially along river greenbelts, mountain ridges and parcels which connect existing publicly- owned lands. Public access to boating and swimming relative to the needs of local population centers and the effects of projected land use change. Public or private drinking water supply protection (ground or surface water). Scenic qualities having their basis in the traditional New England natural and cultural landscape.

The proposed expansion area's goal and objectives are designed to provide linkages for recreational, as well as biodiversity, values; to protect surface water sources for both swimming and drinking water protection; and to maintain the outstanding scenic quality of the North Quabbin extended region as part of the New England natural and cultural landscape.

IV. Identification of Important Environmental Values, and How They Will Be Conserved A. Identification of important environmental values The expansion area lies within four major river watersheds: Deerfield, Connecticut, Millers, and Chicopee. Countless major and minor subbasins comprise the four major watersheds. The area is heavily dissected by innumerable brooks, ponds, lakes, swamps, bogs, and vernal pools. There are extensive biocore and supporting natural landscapes; aquifer recharge areas, interim wellhead protection areas; DEP approved zone II areas; and Zone A, B, and C surface water areas. The area is comprised of a vast storehouse of native plant and animal communities, much of which are intact and relatively undisturbed. The area is rich from a standpoint of biodiversity as a result of the relatively undisturbed condition of a wide variety of natural habitats.

This area contains 83 species that are threatened, endangered, or of special concern, (see list, attachment 2) and numerous “estimated habitats of rare wildlife” and “priority habitats of rare species.” Writing about the greater North Quabbin Region, of which the expansion area is a part, Golodetz and Foster noted its values for: 1) mosaics of wetland, water, and forest that can support species requiring extensive, diverse habitat; 2) opportunity to protect broadscale ecological processes and systems; 3) connections to regional conservation areas; and 4) recreation. They continued, Extensive forests and the large Quabbin Reservoir present unique ecological benefits missing in developed areas of southern New England (cite omitted), including habitat for forest interior species and species requiring large

waterbodies. For example, the [North Quabbin Region] has been important in the establishment of uncommon or new wildlife species, such as Bald Eagle, Turkey, and coyote and the range expansion of species previously restricted by deforestation, such as fisher, and moose (cites omitted). Protection of extensive forest areas also provides the potential to manage for large stands of old-growth forest . . . and broad-scale ecosystem processes (Noss 1992). (“History and Importance of Land Use and Protection in North Quabbin Massachusetts,” Conservation Biology, Vol. 11, No. 1, Feb 1997).

The expansion area occurs within the context of traditional old New England towns, and provides outstanding scenic variety, including both natural and cultural landscapes. As the affected region has extremely uneven topography throughout, there are many important panoramic views and exceptional short views from ridge lines, outcrops, trails, and roads.

The extended region serves as an active outdoor playground for passive recreationists of all types. A significant portion of the region’s local economies are based on the outdoor splendor and opportunities offered by the relatively natural and healthy environments of these communities. Water based recreation, including boating, swimming, fishing, and canoeing, occurs throughout the expansion area. Trail-based recreational opportunities in the form of hiking, picnicking, horseback riding, snowshoeing, and cross country skiing are widely prevalent. Hunting and fishing are widely popular in the expansion area as well.

The expansion area encompasses the Millers River and its riparian zone west of Athol center to the Connecticut River; and the Connecticut River as it flows through Northfield and past Montague and Greenfield. As noted above, the area includes numerous tributaries of these two rivers, as well as of the Deerfield and Chicopee Rivers, and countless other water bodies, including kettle ponds, vernal pools, swamps, bogs, and streams. Areas along the Sawmill River of Montague, the Connecticut River in Northfield, and Millers River contain significant floodplain forests.

The expansion area contains Zone II protection areas, additional Interim Wellhead Protection Areas and non-transient and transient non-community water supplies. As the attached map, “North Quabbin Water Supply Areas” indicates, the Quabbin drainage is a large Public Water Supply Contributor. This indicates a strong need to protect the numerous tributary streams in the Quabbin watershed that lie within the expansion area.

Estimated habitats of rare wildlife, and priority habitats of rare species, as categorized by the Mass Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program, dot the landscape of the expansion area. (See: North Quabbin Rare Species Habitats map, attached). These areas represent estimations of the habitats of state-protected rare wildlife populations that occur in Resource Areas, and estimations of important state- listed rare species habitats based on rare species population records maintained in the Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program database.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has designated roughly 113,359 acres – 35% of the total expansion area - as “BioCore” habitat, indicating its priority status for protection of Biodiversity. An additional 93,673 acres, approximately, are designated as “supporting natural landscape.” Of this total BioMap acreage, roughly 23,375 acres of BioCore habitat and 46,848 acres of supporting natural landscapes remain unprotected. Protection of this acreage is both a Commonwealth and Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust priority, and is calculated to best protect rare and endangered species and their habitats in perpetuity. However, in addition to rare and endangered species, habitat in the expansion area houses countless resident species of mammals, reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates. The large tracts of protected and unprotected forest create the interior forest habitat required by many nesting songbirds. Connecting corridors have reduced biological isolation in populations in the expansion area. However, as noted, many of these corridors have become or are in danger of becoming fragmented by housing developments.

The expansion area contains large amounts of soils of Prime significance for agriculture, particularly around the Connecticut River in the Towns of Montague and Gill. Numerous other tracts throughout the expansion area contain soils of Prime, State or Local significance for forestry.

B. How the Environmental Values Will Be Protected As with the existing North Quabbin Corridor FLAs (see Appendix C), conservation restrictions will be the primary tool employed to implement the goals and objectives. Conservation restrictions will be acquired in order to keep the land in private ownership, contribute to the local tax base, and connect people to their land in a way that is sustainable for both. Conservation Restrictions will seek to:

Encourage continued traditional forest uses, protection of forest types, and sustainable forestry by allowing management activities that follow an approved Forest Stewardship Plan;

Protect forested watersheds by requiring adherence to best management practices;

Protect rare and endangered species and habitats by documenting them, prohibiting or restricting actions that could endanger them, allowing management practices to perpetuate and enhance them, and by judiciously regulating public access as the need requires;

Ensure continued use of traditional public access and create viable new access for recreational users and ecological study and research;

Limit motorized access, except that necessary for trail construction and/or maintenance, wildlife habitat improvements and management rights retained by owners;

Prohibit development for industrial, commercial and residential uses to prevent forest fragmentation and parcelization;

Minimize excavation of soil or minerals, including sand, gravel and stone by prohibiting the mining of these resources for commercial purposes and allowing this activity only when necessary for trail construction and/or maintenance and management rights retained by owners..

V. Conservation Goals and Objectives of the FLA Expansion Area The conservation goals of the expansion area are to protect large blocks of intact forest land, to connect large blocks of land containing habitat, trail, and riparian corridors, and to safeguard the valuable public assets previously identified, including biodiversity, wildlife habitat, water quality, traditional forest uses, non-motorized recreation, and scenic/cultural factors.

Objectives that address the goals include the protection of those areas described in Sec. II, supra, as "important forest areas." In protecting those areas, protection of all the public assets enumerated above would be ensured.

VI. List of Public Benefits That Will Be Derived From Establishing the Amended Forest Legacy Area The public would benefit in a wide variety of tangible and intangible ways by protecting more conservation land in the expansion area. These include:

Continuation of traditional forest uses, thereby bolstering local economies by tying local consumption to local forest management;

In past Forest Legacy projects within the North Quabbin Corridor FLAs, landowners have retained the right to manage their forests pursuant to a Stewardship Plan, while allowing public access for recreation, and managing for other environmental amenities. This would continue in the proposed area. Additional traditional forest uses that will be promoted by the expanded Legacy area, and which are identified by the state's "Needs Assessment" document include watershed and water filtration, and cordwood and timber management under a Stewardship Plan.

Protection of rare and endangered plants and animals;

Estimated habitats of rare wildlife, and priority habitats of rare species, as categorized by the Mass Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program, dot the landscape of the expansion area. (See map, attached). These areas represent estimations of the habitats of state-protected rare wildlife populations that occur in Resource Areas, and estimations of important state-listed rare species habitats based on rare species population records maintained in the Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program database.

Protection of public water supplies;

The expansion area contains Zone II protection areas, additional Interim Wellhead Protection Areas, and non-transient and transient non-community water supplies. As the attached map, “North Quabbin Water Supply Areas” indicates, the Quabbin drainage is a large Public Water Supply Contributor. This in turn indicates a strong need to protect the numerous tributary streams in the Quabbin watershed that lie within the expansion area.

Protection and conservation of wildlife and their habitat;

Riparian Areas

Fish and Wildlife Habitat

Public access for recreation and ecological study and research;

The expansion area includes extensive forest and riparian habitats, trail corridors and water courses that are and will continue to be used for hiking, bird watching, swimming, cross country skiing, photography, canoeing, nature study, fishing, and hunting. These activities occur within and adjacent to protected lands, in largely unspoiled surroundings.

Protection of scenic views and aesthetic quality;

The Commonwealth has identified significant areas within the expansion area as part of its Landscape Inventory Project, to be used for general planning purposes. See attached map, "North Quabbin Scenic Area Inventory". While this inventory was done in 1981, it is still valid because this area has been largely able to elude, at least until now, the forces of development and sprawl that have blighted landscapes to the north and east.

VII. Identification of the governmental entity or entities that may be assigned management responsibilities for the lands enrolled in the program Commonwealth of Massachusetts: Department of Conservation & Recreation (DCR) Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (DFW)

Counties: Franklin and Worcester

Towns: Leyden, Bernardston, Northfield, Warwick, Greenfield, Montague, Wendell, New Salem, Orange, Athol, Hardwick, Barre, Erving, Gill, Shutesbury, Leverett, and Pelham

Federal Agency: U.S. Forest Service, U.S. National Park Service, and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

VIII. Documentation of analysis and public involvement process A. Meeting with state committee to present the proposed Expansion, 4/8/2003 B. Letters of notification (attached) sent to: 1. Municipal officials and committees Ashburnham Open Space Committee Ashburnham Board of Selectmen Athol Board of Selectmen Athol Conservation Commission Barre Conservation Commission Barre Board of Selectmen Bernardston Board of Selectmen Bernardston Open Space Committee Bernardston Conservation Commission Erving Conservation Commission Erving Open Space Committee Erving Board of Selectmen Gardner Conservation Commission Gardner Board of Selectmen Gill Open Space Committee Gill Conservation Commission Gill Board of Selectmen Greenfield Town Council

Greenfield conservation Commission Hardwick Conservation Commission Hardwick Open Space Committee Hardwick Board of Selectmen Hubbardston Board of Selectmen Hubbardston Open Space Committee Leyden Board of Selectmen Leyden Conservation Commission Leyden Open Space Committee Montague Conservation Commission Montague Open Space Committee Montague Board of Selectmen New Salem Board of Selectmen New Salem Open Space Committee New Salem Conservation Commission Northfield Board of Selectmen Northfield Open Space Committee Northfield Conservation Commission Orange Board of Selectmen Orange Conservation Commission Petersham Conservation Commission Petersham Board of Selectmen Phillipston Conservation Commission Phillipston Board of Selectmen Phillipston Open Space Committee Royalston Board of Selectmen Royalston Conservation Commission Warwick Conservation Commission Warwick Board of Selectmen Wendell Conservation Commission Wendell Board of Selectmen Wendell Open Space Committee Westminster Conservation Commission Westminster Board of Selectmen Winchendon Board of Selectmen Winchendon Conservation Commission

2. Regional Planning Agencies Peggy Sloane, Planning Director, Franklin Regional Council of Governments Montachusett Regional Planning Agency

3. State Land Acquisition Representatives DCR (formerly DEM), Nancy Reed, DCR (formerly DEM), Irene Del Bono, Director, Land Protection DCR (formerly DEM), Western Region Land Acquisition Staff 13

DFW, Bill Minior DFW, Phil Truesdell DFW, Ralph Taylor, Bill Steinmetz DCR (formerly MDC), Jim French, Land Acquisition Coordinator Mass Executive Office of Environmental Affairs

4. State political representatives Senator Stephen Brewer Rep. Anne Gobi Rep. Chris Donelan Rep. Brian Knuuttila Rep. Stephen Kulik Rep. Lewis Evangelidis

5. Federal political representatives Congressman John W. Olver Sen. John Kerry Sen. Edward M. Kennedy

6. Local federal agencies National Park Service US Fish and Wildlife Service, Hadley US Army Corps of Engineers, Royalston

7. Local and regional non-governmental land protection organizations North Quabbin Regional Landscape Partnership Kestrel Trust Rattlesnake Gutter Trust MA Land Trust Coalition Land Trust Alliance, Northampton Mass Audubon Society The Nature Conservancy New England Forestry Foundation Athol Bird and Nature Club Ashburnham Conservation Trust Millers River Environmental Center Franklin Land Trust Valley Land Fund East Quabbin Land Trust The Trustees of Reservations Millers River Watershed Council Harvard Forest Monadnock Conservancy Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests

C. Press releases to: Barre Gazette Worcester Telegram Athol Daily News Greenfield Recorder Hampshire Gazette

D. Letters of support from: Senator Steven Brewer Rep. Anne Gobi Congressman John Olver Hubbardston Open Space Committee Monadnock Land Trust (New Hampshire) (anticipated) East Quabbin Land Trust (anticipated) Ashburnham Conservation Trust Northfield Open Space Committee Wendell Open Space Committee (anticipated) Millers River Watershed Council Athol Bird and Nature Club Millers River Environmental Center Warwick Open Space Committee

E. Mount Grace Newsletter Article: Late Winter, 2003, “Is Forest Legacy an Option For You?” F. Discussions with: Kristin Foord, EOEA, 3/25/03 and 3/27/03; Bob O’Connor, EOEA, 3/27/03; Loring Schwarz, The Nature Conservancy/State Forest Legacy Committee, 3/31/03; Deirdre Raimo, NE USFS Forest Legacy representative, 4/3/03

Public Support For the Amended Legacy Area Is Also Shown By: Steadily increased Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust membership enrollment throughout our region; Increased demand for land protection in our region, evidenced by high number of land protection project intakes; North Quabbin Regional Landscape Partnership focus to create new priorities for land protection in parts of the expansion area; Steadily increased number of people enrolling as “conservation buyers” with Mount Grace in order to contribute toward conservation efforts and live in a rural area protected from development;

Steady interest by the state land acquisition agencies in perpetuating land protection throughout the expansion area, as evidenced by their detailed reviews of land protection proposals in Petersham, Phillipston, Northfield, Bernardston, Gill, Wendell, and Warwick in the past 12 months, and by their acquisition of land or interests in land in parts of the proposed expansion area within Warwick, Orange, Athol. Consensus among the Massachusetts Forest Legacy Committee (April 8, 2003) reached to approve submittal of the proposed expansion area to the USFS for approval. The public involvement process did not yield additional issues, or viewpoints that dissented or otherwise differed from those previously identified in the Massachusetts “Needs Assessment” for the North Quabbin Corridor Forest Legacy Area (see Appendix C) and represented in this expansion request.

IX. DESCRIPTION: Proposed Expansion to the North Quabbin Corridor Forest Legacy Area

Beginning at the intersection of the Old Winchester Road and the New Hampshire/Massachusetts state line, in the town of Warwick, Massachusetts; then westerly along said New Hampshire/Massachusetts state line 16.39 miles to the intersection of the Town Line of Leyden and Colrain; then in a general southeasterly direction along the town boundary between Leyden and Colrain until the intersection with the Town line for Greenfield; then southwesterly along the town boundary between Greenfield and Colrain 0.69 miles until the intersection with the town line for Shelburne; then southerly along the town line between Greenfield and Shelburne 4.88 miles; then easterly along the town boundary between Greenfield and Shelburne 0.61 miles until the intersection with the Deerfield town line; then easterly along the irregular town boundary between the towns of Greenfield and Deerfield until the intersection with the town line for Montague; then along the irregular town boundary (center of the Connecticut River) between the towns of Montague and Deerfield southeasterly and southwesterly until the intersection with the town line for Sunderland; then along the town boundary between the towns of Montague and Sunderland easterly for 1.79 miles until the intersection with the town line for Leverett; then southerly along the town boundary between Leverett and Sunderland for 5.64 miles until the intersection with the town line for Amherst; then easterly for 2.13 miles along the town boundary between Amherst and Leverett until the intersection with the town boundary for Shutesbury; then southerly along the town boundary between Shutesbury and Amherst for 1.76 miles until intersecting the town line for Pelham; then southerly along the town boundary line between Pelham and Amherst for 3.85 miles until intersecting the town line for Belchertown; then easterly along the town boundary line between Pelham and Belchertown for 3.24 16

miles; then southerly along the town boundary line between Pelham and Belchertown for 1.60 miles; then easterly along the town boundary line between Pelham and Belchertown for 2.55 miles until the intersection with the town line for New Salem; then southerly along the jagged town boundary between New Salem and Belchertown until the intersection with the town line for Ware; then north-easterly along the town boundary between New Salem and Ware until intersection with the town line for Petersham; then north-easterly along the town boundary between Petersham and Ware for 1.49 miles until intersection with the town line for Hardwick. then southerly along the town boundary between Hardwick and Ware for 3.9 miles; then easterly along the town boundary between Hardwick and Ware for 3.33 miles; then southerly along the town line between Hardwick and Ware for 1.27 miles: then easterly along the town boundary between Hardwick and Ware for 0.16 miles until the intersection with the town line for New Braintree; then north-easterly along the town boundary between Hardwick and New Braintree for 0.95 miles; then north-westerly along the town boundary between Hardwick and New Braintree for 0.38 miles; then easterly and northeasterly along the town boundary between Hardwick and New Braintree until the intersection with the town line for Barre; then south-easterly along the town boundary between Barre and New Braintree for 0.69 miles until the intersection with the town line for Oakham; then north-easterly along the town boundary between Barre and Oakham for 3.9 miles until the intersection with Route 122. then north-westerly, generally, along Route 122 until the intersection with Route 32 in Barre; then north-westerly, generally, along Routes 122 and 32 until the intersection of Routes 122 and 32 in Petersham; then northerly, generally, along Route 32 until the intersection with West Street in Petersham Center; then westerly along West Street to its intersection with Hardwick Road, a distance of 0.4 miles; then southerly on Hardwick Road, crossing Route 122 and continuing southerly on Hardwick Road (also known as Route 32A) to its intersection with Dugway Road; a distance of 1.6 miles; then westerly along Dugway Road to its intersection with power lines, a distance of 1.2 miles; then north-westerly along the power line to its junction with Blackington Road, a distance of 4.0 miles; then northerly along Blackington Road to the junction with Route 122, a distance of 1.5 miles; then easterly along Route 122 to its junction with Rice Road, a distance of 0.6 miles;

17 then north-easterly along Rice Road to its junction with South Athol Road, a distance of 0.3 miles; then northerly along South Athol Road to its junction with Route 2, a distance of 3.5 miles; then easterly along Route 2 to its intersection with Route 32; then northerly along Route 32 through parts of the town of Athol, crossing the Millers River, to its intersection with Chestnut Hill Avenue, a distance of 2.4 miles; then north-easterly along Chestnut Hill Avenue to its intersection with Old Keene Road, a distance of 0.5 miles; then northerly along Old Keen Road to its intersection with Adams Drive, a distance of 1.0 miles; then westerly on Adams Drive to its intersection with Route 32 (Silver Lake Street), a distance of 0.4 miles; then southerly along Route 32 to its intersection with Pinedale Street; a distance of 0.1 miles; then westerly along Pinedale Street to its intersection with Tully Road; a distance of 0.6 miles; then northerly along Tully Road to its intersection with the east branch of the Tully River and the Franklin-Worcester county line, beginning one and the same, a distance of 0.1 miles; then westerly along the county line and the east branch of the Tully River, through the intersection of the west branch and the east branch, and continuing along the county line to its intersection with Lower Road, a distance of 0.5 miles; then northerly along Lower Road to its intersection with Athol Road, a distance of 0.8 miles; then northerly along Athol Road to the village of North Orange, a distance of 1.0 miles; then north-westerly along North Orange Road to its intersection with the Gale Road, at the town line between Orange and Warwick, a distance of 2.4 miles; then northerly along the Gale road to its intersection with the Athol Road, a distance of 2.5 miles; then westerly along the Athol Road to its intersection with the Old Winchester Road, a distance of 0.4 miles; then northerly along the Old Winchester Road to the Massachusetts/New Hampshire state line, being the point of beginning, a distance of 2.9 miles…

North Quabbin Corridor Forest Legacy Area

Application for Legacy Area Expansion, September 29, 2003

Appendices

Appendix A

State-listed Rare Species

Proposed Forest Legacy Area State-listed rare species as of 9/30/03, prepared by the Massachusetts Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program. Not that the boundaries of the area included are approximate.

E – Endangered; T – Threatened; SC – Special Concern 23

Appendix B

Resource Maps

Appendix C

Executive Summary For Proposed Massachusetts Forest Legacy Area:

“North Quabbin Corridor Forest Legacy Area”

I. MAP Refer to maps and boundary descriptions on pp. D-9 through D-12 of the Assessment of Need.

II. DESCRIPTION OF EACH IMPORTANT FOREST AREA

Two important contiguous forest areas are within this proposed FLA and are locally known as the “North Quabbin Corridor”. Both areas (Phases I and II) are part of a 50- mile corridor of protected land that spans 10 towns and 80,000 acres. Forest products are imported to the economy of these areas since most of the people of this region are employed directly or indirectly in forest-based industries.

A. Phase I focuses on corridor protection and traditional forest uses that support the local rural economy. This forested area abuts the 85,000 acre Quabbin Reservation surrounding the reservoir that supplies drinking water to 2.5 million people in 45 Metropolitan Boston cities and towns.

B. Phase II continues the corridor by connecting various publicly (federal and state) and privately protected lands. This area fosters the more traditional forest uses – summer and winter outdoor/recreational activities. It also harbors aquifer recharge zones.

III. SUMMARY OF IMPORTANT ENVIRONMENTAL VALUES AND HOW (TYPE OF CONSERVATION EASEMENT) THEY WILL BE PROTECTED AND CONSERVED.

A. Within the Phase I subunit, Harvard Forest (Harvard University) serves as a long- term ecological research station for forest research with worldwide impacts. Most private woodlands are classified under Massachusetts Forest Taxation Law (M.G.L. Ch.61). These forested tracts are managed for forest products under a 10-year plan approved by the State Forester. Protection of this area will facilitate recreational uses and insure water quality, particularly since its ponds and streams drain into the Quabbin Reservoir. Furthermore, most private tracts are linkages to publicly protected properties.

Currently available for Forest Legacy Area status are nearly 2,000 wooded acres. These tracts connect the Route 2 (Mohawk Trail) corridor through Harvard Forest, and provide protection to woodlands, productive forest soils and historic sites of the famous Shays’ Rebellion. C-15

B. Forty percent of Phase II is compromised of larger tracts of permanently protected public and private lands are in traditional forest uses with 30-40 percent classified under M.G.L. Ch. 61.

Further protection of woodland in this area under the Forest Legacy Program ensures continued availability of the goods and services which bolster this area’s rural economy. Both Phases contain rare and endangered species of plants and animals, plus about10,000 acres of presently protected land.

C. Conservation Easements for tracts should address: 1. Limited development for industrial, commercial and residential uses. 2. Limited motorized access, except that necessary for trail construction and/or maintenance, wildlife habitat improvements and management of rights retained by owners. 3. Limited excavation of soil or minerals, including sand, gravel and stone. 4. Public access for recreation. 5. Acquisition of rights to protect the aesthetics of the FLA 6. Acquisition of rights to practice forest management. 7. Continuation and enhancement of traditional forest uses and protection of forest types. 8. Protection of forested watersheds. 9. Protection of rare and endangered species and habitats.

IV. LIST OF PUBLIC BENEFITS TO BE DERIVED

A. Continuation of traditional forest uses. B. Protection of public water supplies. C. Protection and conservation of wildlife habitat. D. Protection of rare and endangered plants and animals. E. Public access for recreation (hiking trails). F. Scenic quality (Route 2 – The Mohawk Trail) G. Ecological research.

V. IDENTIFICATION OF GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY OR ENTITIES THAT MAY BE ASSIGNED MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITY

A. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers B. Commonwealth of Massachusetts: Division of Forest and Parks; Division of Fisheries and Wildlife; Metropolitan District Commission C. Franklin and Worcester Counties D. Towns of: Petersham Phillipston Orange New Salem Royalston Warwick Athol Templeton Winchendon

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VI. DOCUMENTATION OF THE ANALYSIS AND PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT PROCESS

A. Discussions with and support for Forest Legacy with the following groups: 1. Mass DEM – land acquisition staff 2. Millers River Watershed Council 3. Mt. Grace Land Conservation Trust 4. Town of Athol – Conservation Commission 5. Town of Warwick– Conservation Commission 6. Town of Orange– Conservation Commission 7. Town of Petersham– Conservation Commission 8. Town of Phillipston– Conservation Commission 9. Massachusetts Div. of Fisheries and Wildlife 10. Metropolitan District Commission 11. The Harvard Forest 12. Mass. Audubon Society 13. The Monadnock Conservancy (N.H.) 14. The Friends of Pisgah (Pisgah State Park, N.H.) 15. Metacomet – Monadnock Trail Committee

B. Public Support for the two proposed Forest Legacy subunits shown by: 1. Acquisition by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Div. of Fisheries and Wildlife of about 1,000 acres for wildlife habitat protection and public access. 2. Pre-acquisitions by Mt. Grace Land Conservation Trust for Mass. State agencies. 3. Letter of Support from Governor William F. Weld. 4. Congressional support from Congressman John Olver (D-Amherst). 5. Active congressional support by Congressman Chester Atkins that resulted in authorization of Forest Legacy funds to the State of Massachusetts in FY 1992. Appropriations upon completion of the AON and approval by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. 6. Request from Mt. Grace Land Conservation Trust to Congressman Chester Atkins requesting his support for Forest Legacy. 7. Letter (3-10-92) from Mt. Grace Land Conservation Trust to Congressman Sidney Yates, Char-House Appropriations, Interior Subcommittee, for his support in funding the Forest Legacy Program. 8. Letter from Mr. Ted Hutchinson, forest owner in Phase I, requesting consideration for inclusion in FLP. 9. Personal communication of woodland owner, Don Wilson, with Congressman Atkins thanking him for his strong support for Forest Legacy and his successful effort in making Massachusetts eligible for FY ’92 Legacy monies. 10. Continued negotiations by Mt. Grace Land Conservation Trust with Harvard Forest for a conservation restriction on its entire 2,000 acres.

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C. Public announcements 1. News article by Stan Freeman on “Fragmentation of forest land threatens quality of resources” in the Springfield Union-News, September 13, 1991, promotes woodland retention. 2. News article by Fred Contrada on “Forest preservation program may reverse state’s loss of woodlands” in the Springfield Sunday Republican, January 5, 1992, talks about the forest Legacy Program in western Massachusetts. 3. News article by Bradford Miner on “Green corridor: doors opening” in the Worcester (MA) Telegram and Gazette, March 23, 1992, talks about a greenway connecting the Quabbin Reservation (MA) with Mt. Monadnock (NH). 4. Mt. Grace LCT Newsletter (Spring ’93) features an article on the proposed North Quabbin Corridor Forest Legacy Area. 5. Article by Robert Braile on “Mass. Forests to be included in US preservation program” in The Boston Globe, Saturday, November 9, 1991, specifically mentioned the Forest Legacy Program. 6. Press release by Congressman Atkins to newspapers throughout Massachusetts on October 30, 1991, announcing that Massachusetts was eligible for Forest Legacy funds upon completion of the Assessment of Need. 7. Editorial by Perry R. Hagenstein, Past President of American Forestry Association and Mass. Resident, “Get behind the Forest Legacy program”, in American Forest magazine, December 1991. 8. “Historical patterns of land protection in north central Massachusetts: The emergence of a greenway”, by Alisa Dian Gollodetz, discusses patterns of land protection that developed into the North Quabbin Corridor (a Harvard University February 1993 Bachelor’s thesis).

D. This proposed Forest Legacy Area meets the eligibility criteria for a Forest Legacy Area as follows: 1. Forests are threatened by immediate and future conversion to nonforest house lots. 2. Individual landowners have been approached about selling conservation easements and are interested in selling easements; three are committed to sell 1,350 acres. 3. Scenic resources are important to tourism along the Mohawk Trail (Route 2). 4. Public has traditionally used lands in the “corridor” for recreation and there are opportunities to extend development of trail systems, especially the Metacomet – Monadnock Trail from Metacomet Mountain in Connecticut to Mt. Monadnock in New Hampshire. 5. Private wells and water sources lie within both Phases – protection of water supply resources. 6. Contain habitat for bobcats, black bear, bald eagles and several rare and endangered flora and fauna.

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7. Both Phases, part particularly Phase I is important to protecting the drinking water supply for Greater Boston. 8. Long-term ecological research at Harvard Forest will benefit the earth and humanity.

E. Threats to the North Quabbin Corridor 1. The area had undergone tremendous developmental pressure during the development boom of the last decade. 2. Close proximity to Route 2 enhances commuter access and the town of Petersham remains a particularly desirable area for housing.

No objections were received from local communities and individuals following Congressional news releases, newspaper articles, discussions with town officials or when queried on establishing the North Quabbin Corridor as a Forest Legacy Area. In fact, several inquiries were made by interested and “willing” landowners.

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Appendix D

Letters of Support

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