Town of Amherst 2017 Update of the Open Space and Recreation Plan Table of Contents Section 1. Plan Summary .......................................................................... 1 Philosophy ................................................................................................2 Section 2. Introduction .............................................................................. 5 A. Statement of Purpose ...........................................................................5 Conservation & LSSE Departments - Overview ......................................5 Recent Open Space and Recreation Projects ............................................6 B. Planning Process and Public Participation .........................................8 C. Enhanced Outreach in Environmental Justice (EJ) Neighborhoods ...9 Section 3. Community Setting ................................................................ 11 A. Regional Context ..............................................................................11 B. History of the Community ................................................................13 Native American History .......................................................................13 European Settlement & History .............................................................14 C. Population Characteristics ................................................................16 Population ...............................................................................................16 Environmental Justice Populations ........................................................17 Employment ...........................................................................................21 D. Growth and Development Patterns ...................................................25 Patterns and Trends ................................................................................25 Infrastructure ..........................................................................................26 Long-Term Development Patterns .........................................................28 Open Space and Recreation Trends .......................................................31 Section 4. Environmental Inventory and Analysis ............................... 33 A. Geology, Soils, and Topography ......................................................33 B. Landscape Character .........................................................................34 Scenic & Unique Features ......................................................................34 C. Water Resources ...............................................................................38 Watersheds and Aquifer Recharge Areas ...............................................38 Surface Water .........................................................................................38 Flood Hazard Areas ................................................................................38 Wetlands .................................................................................................39 D. Vegetation ........................................................................................41 General Inventory ...................................................................................41 Forest Land .............................................................................................41 Public Shade Trees .................................................................................42 Agricultural Land ...................................................................................43 Wetland Vegetation ................................................................................43 Rare Plant Species ..................................................................................43 Unique Natural Resources ......................................................................44 E. Fisheries and Wildlife .......................................................................45 General Inventory ...................................................................................45 Vernal Pools ...........................................................................................47 Corridors for Wildlife Migration ............................................................47 Town of Amherst i 2017 OSRP Update Rare, Threatened, and Endangered Animal Species ..............................48 F. Scenic Resources and Unique Environments ....................................49 Scenic Landscapes ..................................................................................49 Unusual Geologic Features ....................................................................51 Cultural, Archaeological, and Historic Areas ........................................51 Unique Environments .............................................................................52 G. Environmental Challenges ...............................................................55 Invasive Exotic Species ..........................................................................55 Overuse & Inappropriate Use of Conservation Lands ...........................56 Water Quality & Quantity ......................................................................57 Climate Change ......................................................................................59 Forested Lands and Timber Management ..............................................60 Environmental Equity Issues ..................................................................61 Section 5. Inventory of Conservation and Recreation Lands .............. 63 Purpose ...................................................................................................63 Introduction ............................................................................................64 Protected Open Space .............................................................................64 Permanently Protected Open Space .......................................................65 Town Conservation Lands - Public ownership ......................................65 Commonwealth of Massachusetts – Public ownership ..........................65 Agricultural Preservation Restrictions (APR’s) – Private Ownership ...66 Conservation Restrictions (CR’s) – Private Ownership .........................66 Town Parks and Recreation Areas – Public Ownership ........................66 Town Commons – Public Ownership ....................................................67 Town & Village Center Greenspaces .....................................................67 Partially Protected Open Space ..............................................................67 Chapter 61 Land - General .....................................................................68 Chapter 61 (Forests) – Private Ownership .............................................68 Chapter 61A (Farmland) – Private Ownership ......................................68 Chapter 61B (Recreation) – Private Ownership .....................................68 Subdivision Open Space .........................................................................69 School Property – Public Ownership .....................................................69 Tax Exempt Property .............................................................................69 Section 6. Community Vision ................................................................. 71 A. Description of Process ......................................................................71 B. Statement of Open Space and Recreation Goals ..............................71 Section 7. Analysis of Needs.................................................................... 73 A. Summary of Resource Protection Needs ..........................................73 Local Farming ........................................................................................73 Preserved Land .......................................................................................74 Watershed Protection .............................................................................75 Trails and Greenways .............................................................................77 Maintenance and Management ...............................................................78 B. Summary of Community’s Needs ....................................................78 Active Recreation Land ..........................................................................79 Passive Recreation Land ........................................................................82 Town of Amherst ii 2017 OSRP Update General Recreation Needs ......................................................................83 C. Priority Management Needs .............................................................85 Open Space Management .......................................................................85 Active Recreation Facilities ...................................................................87 D. ADA/AAB Accessibility Needs .......................................................89 Conservation Areas ................................................................................89 Recreation Facilities ...............................................................................90 Section 8. Goals and Objectives ............................................................. 92 Section 9. Seven-year Action Plan .......................................................... 94 The Action Plan ......................................................................................94