Download Article 21 Wildlife Habitat/Biodiversity Study Request

Article 21
Wildlife Habitat/Biodiversity Study Request
"To see if the Town will vote to Authorize the Board of Selectmen to hire an accredited,
independent, professional organization to conduct a wildlife habitat and biodiversity study as
recommended by the Dover Master Plan of 2012, such study to focus on the effects of the
potential development of the land known as Bay Colony railroad line or right of way within
the town of Dover on the land and habitat abutting and surrounding said railroad line, or
right of way; said study to be completed prior to the execution of any easement, leasehold,
license or real property interest related to the aforementioned potential development; to see
if the Town will raise and appropriate transfer from available funds, accept gifts or provide
by any combination of these methods a sum of money for this purpose; or take any action
relative thereto."
What Does Article 21 Mean?
The article asks the Town to study the Natural Resources of the area
adjacent to the rail bed, prior to authorizing any disturbance of the land.
Dover rail bed
Dover rail bed near Hunt Drive
http://needham.baycolonyrailtrail.org
The 2012 Dover Master Plan
• Favors “Wildlife corridors and areas helping to sustain ecological balance
and biological diversity”
• Encourages the Town to “Create an ecosystem map of Dover and census
of species diversity"
• Recommends the Town to “Develop and implement strategies of habitat
management to increase long-term biodiversity"
Dover Master Plan 2012 pages V-4, IX-7
Wildlife Habitat
• Map from UMASS Extension
Center for Agriculture (updated
11/11)
• Identifies “Habitat of Potential
and Statewide Importance”
• The rail bed goes directly
through a large area of
important Wildlife Habitat
Springdale Ave
Railbed
Hunt Dr
Why is Article 21 Important?
• Existing Biomaps are out of date
• Con Com and Eco Tec walked the rail bed in July 2012 during summer
conditions and found a number of Wetland Resource Areas (WRA’s)
• Beals & Thomas walked the rail bed in July 2015 and indicated more
extensive wetlands
• A study over four seasons is necessary to understand environmental
impact
• Wildlife habitat and biodiversity have not been studied
Why is Article 21 Important?
• “The Centre Street Conservation Corridor” (from Springdale Ave. to
Hunt Dr.) represents the largest area of unfragmented open space in
Town - over 800 acres
• Wylde Woods and the surrounding conservation land functions as a
critical wildlife corridor. It has been identified as an area supporting
regionally rare species (www.tpl.org)
• The 46 Springdale study identified the forested woodland next to the
rail bed as a significant wildlife corridor
Study Before Signing
• Article 21 provides critical information before disturbing our
important conservation land
• The study will create a baseline of Natural Resources and identify
the impact of development on wildlife
• This should be conducted before the Town surveys the land
• Once destroyed, biodiversity and habitat rarely recover
Open Space Efforts To Protect Wildlife Are Not Always
Compatible With Recreation
Bobcat seen on the Sherborn line 3/16
http://boston.cbslocal.com/2016/03/04/natick-bobcat-sherborn-police/
Needham Rail Trail construction & clear cutting
http://needham.baycolonyrailtrail.org
What are the Important
Factors to Consider?
• Rick Van de Poll, PhD
• Ecosystem Management Consultants of
New England, LLC
• Est. 1988
• Completed natural resource inventories
& assessments on over 300,000 acres of
private and public land in New England
• Certified Wetland Scientist, past chair of
NH Joint Board of Natural Scientists,
current Chair of the Governor-appointed
Site Selection Committee for the Aquatic
Resources Mitigation (ARM) Fund,
practicing wildlife biologist since 1978
From the Biologist’s Perspective – Why do this Study?
• Very little work has been done to
document the viability and movement of
wildlife species across open space lands
• Wildlife habitat has not been studied
relative to its diversity and importance for
this part of town
• Wildlife refugia – those places where
species reside free from the influences of
humans, pets, and other potential
predators – are increasingly scarce in
Dover
From the Biologist’s Perspective – Why do this Study?
• Open Space in the upper
Trout Brook watershed holds
incredible value to the Town
• Recognized as a potentially
important habitat area
From the Biologist’s Perspective – Why do this Study?
• Open Space in the upper Trout
Brook watershed holds
incredible value to the Town
• Recognized as a potentially
important habitat area
• Contains critical upper
watershed lands that supply
downstream aquifers
From the Biologist’s Perspective – Why do this Study?
• Open Space in the upper Trout Brook
watershed holds incredible value to the
town:
• Recognized as potentially important
habitat area
• Contains critical upper watershed lands
that supply downstream aquifers
• Wylde Woods is connected to several
other conservation parcels that make it
a source site for wildlife species
dispersal
Potential Impacts from a Rail Trail on Wildlife
• Impacts to Refugia
- Increase in edge %
- Increased predation
- Increase in direct mortality
• Altered Wildlife Behaviors
- Increased energy expenditure
- Retreat from preferred feeding areas
- Attraction to artificial feeding areas
• Secondary Impacts
VERNAL POOL
Some of the Species of Concern
White-tailed Deer
Species Found
Eastern Coyote
Red Fox
Raccoon
Black Bear?
Bobcat
Fisher
Porcupine
Mink
Some Negative Impacts of Trails
Castle Mammal Transects - Number of
Tracks per km by Transect Type
50.00
37.50
25.00
12.50
0.00
Cc
Ts
Th
Sc
Gsp
Ed
La
Straight line Transects
Me by
Mf 2-letter
Msp
Mv
Mp
Lc
Vv
Uc
Species
scientific
binomials
Ma
Foot Trail Transects
Cl
Cf
Lr
Pl
Snowmobile Trail Transects
Ua
Ov
Aa
Final Thoughts
• What Land Use Patterns currently exist
in the area?
• Is the proposed rail trail use consistent
with these?
• Will the increased level of activity be for
the “greater good” of Dover?
• Are there alternatives that could provide
ample recreational opportunities without
compromising unfragmented lands?