Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation Bureau of Planning and Resource Protection Resource Management Planning Program RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN DCR’s Stony Brook Reservation Including Camp Meigs Playground; Colella Field and Playground; DeSantis Park; Mother Brook Reservation; Weider Playground; and the Dedham, Enneking, and Turtle Pond Parkways August 2008 DCR’s Stony Brook Reservation Including Camp Meigs Playground; Colella Field and Playground; DeSantis Park; Mother Brook Reservation; Weider Playground; and the Dedham, Enneking, and Turtle Pond Parkways RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN 2008 Deval L. Patrick, Governor Timothy P. Murray, Lt. Governor Ian A. Bowles, Secretary Richard K. Sullivan, Jr., Commissioner Jack Murray, Deputy Commissioner for Parks Operations Resource Management Plans (RMPs) provide guidelines for management of properties under the stewardship of the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR). They are intended to be working documents for setting priorities, enabling the Department to adapt to changing fiscal, social and environmental conditions. The planning process provides a forum for communication and cooperation with park visitors and the surrounding communities to ensure transparency in DCR’s stewardship efforts. Stony Brook Reservation, the largest forested open space in the City of Boston, is one of the oldest properties in the Massachusetts state park system. This RMP represents both a connection to the historic past, and a guide to the future of DCR’s Stony Brook Reservation. This RMP also represents the initial step of DCR’s efforts to prepare RMPs for every state forest, park and reservation across the Commonwealth. Richard K. Sullivan, Jr. Commissioner The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), an agency of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, oversees 450,000 acres of parks and forests, beaches, bike trails, watersheds, dams, and parkways. Led by Commissioner Richard K. Sullivan Jr., the agency’s mission is to protect, promote, and enhance our common wealth of natural, cultural, and recreational resources. To learn more about DCR, our facilities, and our programs, please visit us at www.mass.gov/dcr. Contact us at [email protected]. PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER Contents Page Executive Summary Introduction i Management Goals i Priority Recommendations ii Public Participation in Developing this Resource Management Plan iii Section 1. Introduction 1.1. Mission of the Department of Conservation and Recreation 1 1.2. An Introduction to Resource Management Plans 2 1.3. The Planning Process 3 1.4. Public Participation in Developing this Resource Management Plan 4 Section 2. Property Description 2.1. Introduction 5 2.2. Physical, Ecological, and Political Settings 15 2.3. History of Property 16 Section 3. Existing Conditions 3.1. Introduction 19 3.2. Natural Resources 20 3.3. Cultural Resources 29 3.4. Recreation 34 3.5. Interpretive Services and Environmental Education 43 3.6. Infrastructure 45 3.7. Operations and Management 55 3.8. Development and Improvement Projects 60 Section 4. Defining Characteristics and Goals 4.1. Defining Characteristics 63 4.2. Management Goals 63 Section 5. Land Stewardship Zoning 5.1. Introduction 65 5.2. Land Stewardship Zoning Guidelines 65 5.3. Applied Land Stewardship Zoning Guidelines 66 Section 6. Management Recommendations 6.1. Introduction 71 6.2. Natural Resources 75 6.3. Cultural Resources 76 6.4. Recreation 76 6.5. Interpretive Services and Environmental Education 76 6.6. Infrastructure 77 6.7. Operational and Capital Requirements 79 Contents (continued) Page Appendices A. Plan Contributors 83 B. Public Participation 85 C. Land Stewardship Zoning Guidelines 90 D. GIS Supplemental Information 93 E. Bibliography 100 F. Plants of the Stony Brook Area 104 G. Birds of Stony Brook Reservation 111 H. Mammals of Stony Brook Reservation 113 List of Maps 2005 Orthophotography 7 Regional Land Use (1999) 9 USGS Topographic Quadrangles 11 Regional Open Space 13 Water Resources 21 Priority Natural Resources 25 Cultural Resources 31 Demographics 37 Active Recreation Areas 39 Infrastructure 47 Trails 53 West District 57 Land Stewardship Zoning 67 Recommendations 73 Executive Summary Introduction Committee on the Environment, Natural Resources, and Agriculture. Resource Management Plans, and Resource Management Plans (RMPs) are “working" the process developed to prepare these plans, exceed documents that consider the past, present, and future all legislative mandates. of a forest, park, or reservation. They include an inventory and assessment of environmental, cultural, This plan covers DCR’s Stony Brook Reservation; and recreational resources; identify unique Camp Meigs Playground; Colella Field and characteristics and values; and develop clear Playground; DeSantis Park, Mother Brook management goals and objectives. RMPs provide a Reservation; Weider Playground; and the Dedham, guide to the short and long-term management of Enneking, and Turtle Pond parkways. These properties under the stewardship of the Department properties are included in this plan because of their of Conservation and Recreation (DCR). They are physical proximity to DCR’s Stony Brook intended to be working documents for setting Reservation, and also because they share a common priorities, capital and operational budgeting and management structure. resource allocation, and enhancing communication and cooperation with park visitors and the surrounding communities. Management Goals The Department of Conservation and Recreation is The following 11 management goals have been guided by a legislative mandate (M.G.L. Chapter 21: identified for DCR’s Stony Brook Reservation and Section 2F) to prepare management plans for “all its satellite properties. reservations, parks, and forests under the • Create a “gateway” to the Reservation. management of the department.” Although the • Establish and nurture programmatic and social mandate does not specify the format or content of connections between the Reservation and its these management plans, it does require the satellites, and surrounding communities. following: • Inventory natural resources and manage them to “Said management plans shall include promote native species and communities. guidelines for the operation and land • Promote the Reservation’s history and preserve stewardship of the aforementioned its cultural resources. reservations, parks and forests, shall provide • Improve the existing athletic facilities to for the protection and stewardship of natural increase their availability for use and to decrease and cultural resources and shall ensure ongoing maintenance needs. consistency between recreation, resource • Reorganize and simplify the existing trail system protection, and sustainable forest to decrease maintenance and to increase ease of management.” use. The legislative mandate also establishes two other • Honor the legacy of the Thompson Center by requirements. First, that the Commissioner of the ensuring that facilities and activities are Department of Conservation and Recreation “shall available to the widest cross-section of people. seek and consider public input in the development of • Develop environmental education programming management plans, and shall make draft plans and materials for diverse audiences. available for a public review and comment period • Identify and maintain the properties’ boundaries. through notice in the Environmental Monitor.” • Improve the West District administrative and Second, management plans must be reviewed and operations facilities. adopted by the Stewardship Council. Within 30 days • Eliminate unneeded infrastructure. of adoption, the Commissioner “…shall file a copy of such management plans as adopted by the The first two management goals, creating a council” with the State Secretary and the Joint “gateway” to the Reservation and establishing i connections with surrounding communities offer improving existing recreation facilities and athletic conceptual frameworks for the remaining nine goals. fields. Although each management goal and Implementation of the following recommendation can and will work independently, recommendations will increase the protection of several will yield additional benefits if they are Stony Brook’s infrastructure and decrease future addressed as part of these conceptual frameworks. maintenance costs. • Seal the West District Headquarters to the Priority Recommendations elements. • Seal the Kelley Field field-house to the This RMP identifies over 70 management elements. recommendations. These recommendations are • Seal the house at 57 Dedham Street to the specific actions to be taken to achieve the elements. management goals. Each recommendation is • Conduct a re-use study for the house at 57 associated with one of two levels of management Dedham Street. and services; basic or enhanced. • Seal the Thompson Center to the elements. • The basic level maintains a property’s current • Conduct a re-use study for the Thompson resources, facilities, and infrastructure. It Center. provides for the continuation of compatible Collectively these recommendations protect the recreation, with the goal of meaningfully and safely connecting visitors to public lands. Commonwealth’s investment in these buildings until their roles in the operation of Stony Brook, if any, • The enhanced level expands facilities and have been identified. operations beyond the basic level to reach a Implementation of the following recommendation property’s