DCR's Beaver Brook Reservation
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Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation Bureau of Planning and Resource Protection Resource Management Planning Program RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN DCR’s Beaver Brook Reservation Historic Beaver Brook Reservation and Beaver Brook North Reservation Belmont, Lexington and Waltham, Massachusetts March 2010 DCR’s Beaver Brook Reservation Historic Beaver Brook Reservation and Beaver Brook North Reservation Belmont, Lexington and Waltham, Massachusetts RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN 2010 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 PLAN Expanded Beaver Brook Reservation Belmont, Lexington and Waltham, Massachusetts Contents Executive Summary 1 Introduction 1 Planning Process 2 Distinctive Characteristics of the Expanded Reservation 2 Priority Findings 3 Recommendations 5 Capital Improvements 7 Land Stewardship Zoning Guidelines 9 Management and Operations Alternatives 10 Recommendations for Further Study 10 Chapter 1: Introduction 11 DCR Mission 11 Resource Management Plans 12 The Planning Process 13 The Expanded Beaver Brook Reservation 13 Project Area 13 Characteristics 14 RMP for the Expanded Beaver Brook Reservation 15 Purpose 15 Goals and Objectives 15 Methodology 15 Chapter 2: Property Description and Existing Conditions 19 Introduction 19 Natural Resources 19 Relevant Documents 19 Evaluation Methodology 20 Findings and Discussion 21 Habitat Diversity and Value 25 Wildlife Habitat Potential 27 Overall Assessment of Wildlife Habitat 30 Summary 34 Cultural Resources 37 Beaver Brook Reservation 37 Beaver Brook North Reservation 47 Current Site Conditions 55 Location 55 Site Description 55 Site Access and Circulation 56 iii Resource Management Plan for the Expanded Beaver Brook Reservation Contents Structures 58 Site Features and Furnishings 59 Recreational Uses 60 Relationship to Adjacent Open Space 64 Analysis of Adjacent Land Uses 66 Analysis of Community Recreational Needs 67 Operations and Maintenance 70 DCR Management Structure and Staffing 70 Existing Regulations 71 Special Permits and Interpretive Programs 71 Chapter 3: Resource Protection and Land Stewardship Zoning 75 Resource Protection 75 Natural Resource Regulations 75 Wetland Protection Act 75 Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program 76 Municipal Conservation Commissions 77 Cultural Resource Regulations 78 National Register of Historic Places 78 Secretary of the Interior’s Standards 78 Laws and Regulations Protecting Burial Grounds in Massachusetts 80 Metropolitan State Hospital Reuse Plan and Associated Documents 81 Overview 81 Reuse Plan 82 First Amendment to the Reuse Plan 83 Second Amendment to the Reuse Plan 83 Other Agreements 85 DCR Land Stewardship Zoning 85 Applicable Land Stewardship Zones 85 Significant Feature Overlays 87 Chapter 4: Recommendations 91 Introduction 91 Management Goals 92 Natural Resource Recommendations 92 Public Access 92 Public Education 93 Invasive Species Management 93 Wildlife Habitat Enhancement 94 Continuing Site Investigation and Education 96 Cultural Resources Recommendations 96 Beaver Brook Reservation 96 Beaver Brook North Reservation 98 Site and Recreational Resource Recommendations 100 Beaver Brook Reservation 100 Beaver Brook North Reservation 103 Management Recommendations 109 Public Access and Recreational Issues 109 Surrounding Land Uses and Property Issues 109 Operations and Maintenance 110 Park Staff 111 Public Education and Interpretation 111 iv Resource Management Plan for the Expanded Beaver Brook Reservation Contents Recommendations for Further Study 112 General Recommendations 112 Beaver Brook 112 Beaver Brook North 112 Chapter 5: Capital Improvements Implementation Strategy 117 Introduction 117 Capital Improvement Tasks 118 Basic Level 118 Enhanced Level 122 Priorities 124 Chapter 6: Operations Plan 127 Introduction 127 DCR Management Structure 128 Proposed Management Levels 128 DCR Urban Parks Trust Fund 130 Maintenance Areas and Standards 130 Recommended Maintenance Zones 130 Collaborative Management Opportunities 132 Bibliography 133 Appendices A Contributors A.1 B Natural Resource Technical Appendices B.1 C Land Stewardship Zoning Guidelines C.1 D Public Comments and Revisions to the Public Review Draft RMP D.1 E Evaluation of Waltham’s Golf Course Proposal E.1 Supplemental Appendices Included in Volume 2 (Available by Request): F Cultural Resources Technical Appendices F.1 G Metropolitan State Hospital Reuse Plan and Associated Documents G.1 List of Maps Chapter 1 2008 Orthophotography 17 USGS Topographic Quadrangle 18 Chapter 2 Habitat Inventory – Beaver Brook Reservation 35 Habitat Inventory – Beaver Brook North Reservation 36 Cultural Resources – Beaver Brook Reservation 53 Cultural Resources – Beaver Brook North Reservation 54 Existing Conditions – Beaver Brook Reservation 62 Existing Conditions – Beaver Brook North Reservation 63 Regional Open Space 69 Chapter 3 Land Stewardship Zoning – Beaver Brook Reservation 89 Land Stewardship Zoning – Beaver Brook North Reservation 90 Chapter 4 Recommended Improvements – Beaver Brook Reservation 114 Recommended Improvements – Beaver Brook North Reservation 115 v Resource Management Plan for the Expanded Beaver Brook Reservation Contents List of Tables Table 2.1: Summary of Integrity for Beaver Brook Reservation 46 Table 2.2: Contributing and Non-contributing Resources in Beaver brook Reservation 46 Table 2.3: Summary of Integrity for the Former Metropolitan Hospital Property 51 Table 2.4: Contributing and Non-contributing resources in the Former Metropolitan Hospital Property 52 Table 2.5: Spring 2009 Maintenance Work Plan for Beaver Brook Reservation 72 Table 5.1: Basic Level of Management and Services 118 Table 5.2: Enhanced Level of Management and Services 122 vi Figure 1: Carriage road and MetFern Cemetery in the Beaver Brook North Reservation, 2009 (Pressley Associates). Executive Summary Introduction dams, and oversees watershed and forestry management across the state. Resource Management Plans (RMPs) are “working” documents that develop short and long-term management goals and The mission of the DCR is to exercise care and oversight for the objectives for the properties under the stewardship of the natural, cultural, and historic resources of the Commonwealth Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Department of Conservation and to provide quality public outdoor recreational opportunities and Recreation (DCR). They include an inventory and that are environmentally sustainable, affordable, and accessible assessment of environmental, cultural, and recreational to all citizens. To carry out its mission, DCR investigates, resources and identify unique characteristics and values analyzes, plans, and provides stewardship of the associated with a forest, park, or reservation. They are intended Commonwealth’s resources. as working documents, used to set priorities, establish capital and operational budgets, allocate resources, and enhance DCR is guided by a legislative mandate (M.G.L. Chapter 21, communication and cooperation between park visitors and the Section 2F) to prepare management plans for “all reservations, surrounding communities. parks, and forests under the management of the department.” Although the mandate does not specify the format or content of The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation these management plans, it does require the following: (DCR) was established in 2003 as a merger of the former Metropolitan District Commission (MDC) and the Department of “Said management plans shall include guidelines for Environmental Management (DEM). DCR manages of one of the operation and land stewardship of the the largest state parks systems in the country. Its 450,000 acres aforementioned reservations, parks and forests, shall is made up of forests, parks, greenways, historic sites and provide for the protection and stewardship of natural landscapes, seashores, lakes, ponds, reservoirs and and cultural resources and shall ensure consistency watersheds, constituting 10% of the state’s landmass and between recreation, resource protection, and including 29 campgrounds, 67 beaches, 39 pools, 2 golf sustainable forest management.” courses, 60 playgrounds, and 55 ball fields. The agency also manages 650 lane miles of parkways, 278 bridges, and 338 In addition, this legislation also requires that the DCR Commissioner “shall seek and consider public input in the 1 Resource Management Plan for the Expanded Beaver Brook Reservation Executive Summary development of management plans, and shall make draft plans Environmental to prepare the RMP for the Expanded Beaver available for public review and comment period through notice in Brook Reservation. The process of developing the RMP the Environmental Monitor.” These management plans must be included reviewing previous studies for both the original reviewed and adopted by the Stewardship Council; within thirty reservation and Beaver Brook North Reservations, conducting (30) days of adoption, the Commissioner must file a copy with site inventory and evaluations, completing additional research, the Secretary and the Joint Committee on the Environment, public review process, and preparation of draft and final reports. Natural Resources and Agriculture. Resource Management Plans meet and exceed the basic requirements defined by all Public Participation legislative mandates. A public meeting to present preliminary findings and solicit input on issues