The Conservation Department is pleased to submit this report of activities for the period beginning July 1, 2015.
The Conservation Commission holds regularly scheduled meetings on the first and third Thursday of each month, with a special summer schedule for the months of July and August. Meetings start at 6:00pm and are held in the Center Office Building.
The Conservation Commission currently has four volunteers who are appointed by the Town Administrator and BOS to serve three year terms. Current members are Ed Goodwin, David Barnicle, Steven Chidester, and Steven Halterman. The Conservation Commission said goodbye to Joe Kowalski, Calvin Montigne, and Donna Grehl, and thank them for their service to the town. In July 2016 Ed Goodwin was voted to serve as chairman of the commission with David Barnicle assuming the position of vice-chair.
Since I gave my last report in August 2015 the Conservation Commission has seen an increase in applications for work in wetland resource areas and their buffer zones. Notices of Intents submitted to the commission have increased from twelve in 2013, twenty-two in 2014, twenty-six in 2015 to thirty three in the last twelve months. Letter Permits have decreased by 25% to forty-two permits in the last twelve months.
Of the thirty-three Notice of Intents submitted to the Conservation Commission six NOI’s were for the razing of small summer camps and rebuilding large four season homes. These conversions also include landscaping for the new dwelling. In my opinion we will continue to see this trend of conversion of camps to year-round homes as people seek waterfront property. The effects of year round use of these properties, combined with high maintenance landscaping could result in degradation of the lake quality if not carefully regulated. The un-paved private roads around the lakes are also showing the effects of increased year round traffic. We must all make a conscious effort to be responsible stewards of our lakes and open space.
Other Notice of Intents reviewed by the commission included the removal of the I-90 toll plaza, drainage improvements to I-84, a solar project at Old Sturbridge Village, and an artificial turf project at Tantasqua High School. Also reviewed were three new single family homes, two applications for additions or decks to existing homes, six replacements of failed septic systems, retaining wall repairs and landscaping, and other miscellaneous projects.
Letter Permits are used by the Conservation Commission to review smaller projects that are in the buffer zone and do not require the close oversight of the commission or the control of site conditions afforded by an Order of Conditions. The Conservation Commission acted on 42 Letter Permits in the last twelve months. Examples of projects reviewed with Letter Permits are landscaping, wells, home additions, and pools. Letter Permits can only be used for projects in the buffer zone and never for a project that is in a wetland resource area.
Tree removal in the 200-foot buffer zone is also covered under the Letter Permit process. Studies have shown that good tree, shrub, and groundcover are significant to the continued good health of the lakes and wetlands. For that reason the Sturbridge Conservation Commission reviews every application for tree removal to ensure that only dead and dying trees, or trees that pose a safety risk are allowed to be removed. The commission strongly opposes removal of healthy trees, and frequently requires replacement trees be planted for those removed. The commission reviewed 22 tree removal permits in the past year.
The Conservation Commission also issued forty-two Certificates of Compliance for projects that have been completed. This is up from thirty last year. Many of these CoC's have been requested as a result of home sales in which a title search has uncovered an old Order of Conditions. Many of these projects were completed years ago and the records must be retrieved from the Safety Complex. The commission must review the old file and compare the original plan with what is on the site. In most instances the project is substantially in compliance with the approved plan. However there have been some instances when work has not conformed to the plan or there have been encroachments into Conservation Easements.
The Conservation Commission has continued work on four Conservation Restrictions on open space parcels that were purchased with Community Preservation Act funds. These parcels are Heins Farm, the Shepard parcel, Long Pond Conservation Area, and the Riverlands. I am happy to report that the four CRs were taken to the Worcester County Registry of Deeds this morning for recording. The four CRs will be held by Opacum Land Trust who will monitor use of the lands to ensure preservation of the conservation values of these lands.
Annual lakes testing was conducted on July 22nd and 24th. Thanks go out to Chris Mazeika for organizing this year’s event. Thanks also to the boat captains for your time and use of your boats to conduct this year’s samples, and to the volunteers who worked with Mr. Mazeika to collect samples and record data. Our captains this year were Bob and Claudia White for Walker Pond, Brian McCleary for South Pond, and Tom Quindlan for Cedar Lake, Dan Minchoff for Leadmine Pond, Steve and Carolynn Bressette for Long Pond, and Joel Casubaun and crew for Big Alum.
I have worked with the Trails Committee and put together a Notice of Intent for bridge work on Leadmine Mountain Conservation Area. One timber mat bridge is deteriorating and will be replaced with a bridge similar to the other bridges in the trail system. A new bridge will be placed over a small seasonal stream as part of the trail system master plan. At my suggestion the DPW has installed water diversion structures along the Seven Ridges trail and Arbutus Park trail to stop erosion of the trail.
This was the last year of the WHIP program for the early successional habitat field at Heins Farm. Funding from this program has paid for treatment to eradicate invasive plant species in the WHIP field, and for mowing of the field to keep the habitat in an early successional stage of growth. The last mowing under this program took place this past July. Next year we will be on our own for maintenance of the field. We have had good results from the program. I have seen multiple bluebirds in the nest boxes and heard that bobolinks are also seen in the field. And there has been an enormous reduction in the invasive plants that were growing in the field. I would like to thank the Highway Department for use of their equipment to mow the WHIP field and keeping the
Stafford Turnpike trail open. Without their help the cost to maintain these areas would be much higher
I am happy to report that all members of the Conservation Commission attended the MACC Environmental Conference in early March at Holy Cross in Worcester. This annual opportunity for training is helpful in the many courses offered and the opportunity to meet and talk with other conservation commissioners from across the state.
There have been a few projects of note this past year. A new solar field will be constructed on the large Old Sturbridge Village field off the rear access road. The project required a management plan from Natural Heritage to protect habitat of a state listed species. A Forest Stewardship Plan was created for Leadmine Mountain which will help in long range management of the forest. And the Town completed the purchase of the Plimpton Community Forest. A walk was held in mid-May at the forest and was attended by 45 people, who heard talks on native flowers and plants, geology of the land and explanations of why we see such pronounced ledge on the property, and a brief history of the foundation and stonewalls on the property. It was a beautiful spring evening as we walked
a small portion of the 281-acre parcel located off New Boston Road and Allen Road. Tantasqua High School students built a beautiful kiosk for the trailhead, and DPW improved the old Holden Road to make a very nice parking area. And last but not least, the Conservation Department has put together and published a lakes brochure designed to educated residents on how to keep the lakes healthy and guide them on the permitting process should they decide to do work within 200-feet of the shoreline.
Respectfully yours,
Glenn D. Colburn
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