TOWN of SHUTESBURY Open Space and Recreation Plan Update 2012 – 2019 Special thanks to our dedicated editor, Susan Steenstrup, whose perseverance and skill turned many years of rewrites and updates into this professional plan. Cover Photo: Ames Pond as viewed from the overlook on Mt. Mineral, fall 2004. TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION 1: PLAN SUMMARY..................................................................................1 SECTION 2: INTRODUCTION....................................................................................5 A. Statement of Purpose..........................................................................................5 B. Planning Process and Public Participation.......................................................5 SECTION 3: COMMUNITY SETTING......................................................................11 A. Regional Context...............................................................................................11 B. History of the Community.................................................................................11 C. Population Characteristics...............................................................................14 D. Growth and Development Patterns..................................................................16 Patterns and Trends........................................................................................16 Infrastructure..................................................................................................18 Long-term Development Patterns……………………………………………...…18 SECTION 4: ENVIRONMENTAL INVENTORY AND ANALYSIS........................21 A. Geology, Soils and Topography......................................................................21 Geology..........................................................................................................21 Bedrock Geology.........................................................................................21 Surficial Geology.........................................................................................21 Soils...............................................................................................................23 Topography....................................................................................................29 B. Landscape Character........................................................................................29 C. Water Resources...............................................................................................30 Surface Water.................................................................................................30 Connecticut River Watershed.......................................................................31 Adams Brook Sub-watershed......................................................................31 Sawmill River Sub-watershed......................................................................32 Ames Pond........................................................................................32 Lake Wyola........................................................................................32 Dudleyville Marsh................................................................................36 Roaring Brook Sub-watershed.....................................................................36 Chicopee River Watershed...........................................................................36 Protected Surface Waters, Watershed Areas and Wetlands............................37 Living Waters Core Habitats and Supporting Critical Watersheds....................41 Vernal Pools...............................................................................................42 Groundwater...................................................................................................43 i TABLE OF CONTENTS Flood Hazard Areas.................................................................................................46 D. Vegetation..........................................................................................................48 Brief Description of History and Diversity of Vegetation in Shutesbury..........48 Public Shade Trees.................................................................................................50 Interior Forest Blocks and Forest Cores..........................................................51 Rare Plants, BioMap Core Habitats and Exemplary Natural Communities.......55 E. Fisheries and Wildlife........................................................................................56 Shutesbury Wildlife Inventory.........................................................................57 Mammals....................................................................................................57 Birds...........................................................................................................59 Amphibians and Reptiles..............................................................................60 Fish............................................................................................................61 Invertebrates...............................................................................................61 Wildlife Habitat and Associated Recreational Opportunities in Shutesbury....61 Rare Wildlife Species and BioMap Core Habitats............................................63 Important Wildlife Habitat as Reevaluated under BioMap2..............................64 Core Habitats..............................................................................................65 Critical Natural Landscapes..........................................................................67 F. Scenic Resources and Unique Environments................................................67 G. Environmental Challenges...............................................................................71 SECTION 5: INVENTORY OF LANDS OF CONSERVATION AND RECREATION INTEREST....................................................79 A. Introduction........................................................................................................79 B. Protected or Temporarily-protected Parcels...................................................80 Public Lands.......................................................................................................80 Private Lands......................................................................................................82 C. Unprotected Parcels..........................................................................................86 Town-owned Lands..............................................................................................86 Private Lands or Lands Owned by Non-profit Groups..............................................88 SECTION 6: COMMUNITY VISION.........................................................................91 A. Description of Process.......................................................................................91 B. Statement of Open Space and Recreation Goals.............................................91 ii TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION 7: ANALYSIS OF NEEDS.......................................................................93 A. Summary of Resource Protection Needs.....................................................93 B. Summary of Community's Needs.................................................................94 C. Management Needs, Potential Change of Use.............................................95 SECTION 8: GOALS AND OBJECTIVES...............................................................97 SECTION 9: SEVEN-YEAR ACTION PLAN...........................................................99 SECTION 10: PUBLIC COMMENTS.....................................................................111 SECTION 11: REFERENCES….............................................................................121 LIST OF TABLES Table 1: Shutesbury’s Population and Percent Change in Population from 1970 to 2010......................................................................................16 Table 2: Summary of Shutesbury Lands with Permanent, Limited or Temporary Protection...................................................................................................84 Table E-1: Open Space Parcels Permanently-Protected from Development........E-1 Table E-2: Information on Town-owned Conservation Lands………………………E-5 Table E-3: Open Space Parcels with Limited Protection from Development.........E-6 Table E-4: Privately-Owned Open Space Parcels with Temporary Protection from Development................................................................................E-7 Table E-5: Unprotected Land of Conservation or Recreation Interest...................E-13 LIST OF REQUIRED MAPS Map 1: Regional Context Map 3: Zoning Map 4A: Bedrock Geology Map 4B: Surficial Geology iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Map 4C: Soils Grouped by Limitations for Septic Systems Map 5: Unique Features Map 6: Water Resources Map 7: Inventory of Lands of Conservation & Recreation Interest Map 8: Action Plan LIST OF ADDITIONAL MAPS Map A1: Historic 1830 Map Map A2: 1830 Forests and Mills Map Map C: 2005 Land Use Map D: Existing Infrastructure Map F1: Vegetation Map Map F2: Fish & Wildlife Map F3: BioMap2 Map F4: Habitat of Potential Regional or Statewide Importance APPENDICES Appendix A: Supplemental Information on Chapter 61, 61A and 61B Appendix B: Shutesbury 2006 Open Space and Recreation Survey Appendix C: Comments on Shutesbury’s 2006 Open