Town of Pelham Open Space and Recreation Plan

Wildlife is abundant in Pelham and includes significant populations of game species such as deer, beaver, grouse, woodcock, gray squirrel, and raccoon; more recently, black bear and moose have been sighted along with turkey, eastern coyote, opossum, red squirrel, and flying squirrel. Migrant non-game birds, including many songbird species and raptors, use a flyway that parallels the spine of the town along Route 202. Bald eagles and golden eagles winter in the vicinity of the Quabbin Reservoir, usually on or near the Prescott Peninsula. The Quabbin Reservoir is commonly used as a migrant waterfowl resting place and the entire Quabbin area has been designated a core habitat in the state’s bio map. In the portions of Pelham not in the Quabbin Reservation, significant acreage is also designated on the bio map as "supporting habitat."

Two areas of estimated habitat of state listed rare wetlands wildlife are generally located at Butter Hill and at Soule Swamp. Several rare animal species have been observed in Pelham since the 1920s and are listed by the Massachusetts Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program. The common loon (Gavia immer) has been located within the protected area of the Quabbin reservation and is listed as of special concern. Additionally listed as of special concern are the wood turtle (Glyptemus insculpta) and eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina). Listed as threatened is the marbled salamander (Ambystoma opacum). Listed as endangered are three birds: the sedge wren (Cistoturos platensis), peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus), and bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus). The spring salamander (Gyrinophilus porphyriticas) once listed as of special concern is currently de-listed. Explanatory information from the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife about these species and about a kettlehole bog found in Pelham is included in Appendix C.

Although some of its watercourses and water bodies are suffering from the effects of acid rain, the fishing potential of the town is still good. Trout are stocked annually below the dam on Amethyst Brook and a limited native brook trout population is present in many of the town's smaller streams. The Quabbin Reservoir itself has some of the finest fishing in the state.

A number of historic houses have been inventoried by the Historical Commission and a more complete survey is underway. Some historic houses were moved to their present locations from towns now lost under the Quabbin Reservoir though many built in Pelham from the mid-eighteenth century to the twentieth century remain in the town landscape. Of greatest concern in assessing the town's open space needs are those historic farmsteads associated with open fields. A number of these were noted above in Section 4B. The town also has old mill and other archaeological sites (see Section 4B) for which ongoing protection is seen as necessary by some townspeople.

The Conservation Commission, the Board of Health and private citizens have identified scattered problems of environmental concern in town. No proven hazardous sites are known, but here and there roadside dumping and back woods debris disposal have become problems. Wherever old woods roads are not blocked off by gates, cables or other barriers, dumping of trash, furniture, abandoned vehicles, old appliances, and possibly hazardous household and automobile fluids has occurred. Shutesbury Road and old Brewer Swamp Road are examples of dumping locations, potentially representing a serious cleanup expense for the town.

Erosion and sedimentation are problems in many parts of town, primarily associated with road sand operations or heavy storm runoff into roadside ditches. According to the Conservation Commission, sand and debris from roads like Arnold Road, Boyden Road and Packardville Road have frequently entered nearby streams, possibly due to insufficient or untimely road maintenance. Meeting House Road, which descends steeply to Amethyst Brook between Hill Reservoir and Intake Reservoir, periodically washes out, releasing loads of sand into the water course. The current highway superintendent has remedied this situation to a degree in recent years despite insufficient budgets. Sand and salt from winter road maintenance also periodically enter Pelham brooks via roadside ditches. Several new road maintenance policies have been undertaken within the past few years to help reduce the contamination of water resources with sand and sediment. Several roads have been leveled to reduce water pooling, which concentrates salt. Road salt usage during winter months has been reduced, with salt being mixed with sand and sprayed with calcium chloride just prior to application. Unfortunately, this increases the amount of sand on the roads, which contributes to increased sediment. Road maintenance policies have been implemented which reduce the impact of road erosion in general. Street sweeping operations have been increased and road shoulders have been cut back to allow a more uniform escape of water from the road and to prevent concentrated streams of runoff.

Much of the Conservation Commission's work in recent years has been related to overseeing replacement of failed septic systems. Septic problems and failures are happening all over town; replacement is often difficult given that in many instances onsite systems were permitted on lots that are small or with soils not suitable for such systems. In general, development in town has been evenly spread out, partly because there is not much room for septic systems on the marginal sites that are so common within the town limits. Although there are odd areas of buildable sand and gravel scattered throughout the town, the longevity and proper functioning of septic systems will continue to be a concern for future development. The Board of Health has some regulations under Home Rule provisions that require more stringent requirements than the state's Title 5 Sanitary Code. The Board is currently discussing appropriate revisions to these regulations in order to assure that systems are located in suitable soils.

Pelham faces a number of challenges in regards to invasive species and global warming. Among the most important of the invasive species issues is the loss of a dominant overstory tree, the eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis), to the introduced scale insect, the hemlock wooly adelgid (Adelges tsugae). Significant reductions in hemlock stands, potential changes in water quality, and loss of significant habitats are some of the many interrelated problems identified with hemlock wooly adelgid infestation. As with many surrounding towns, Pelham also has a number of additional invasive species whose impacts are multifaceted. These are primarily common garden/landscape plants that are considered invasive, including but certainly not limited to: oriental bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus), Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii), mutliflora rose (Rosa multiflora), Japanese knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum), smooth buckthorn (Rhamnus frangula) and winged burning bush (Euonymus alatus). Recently, the Conservation Commission has been contacted by landowners to review and monitor ongoing efforts to eradicate invasive plants on land with conservation easements. Potentially compounding problems with invasive species as well as a host of additional ecosystem impacts is the apparent trend in climate warming known as global warming. Rapid landscape change, loss of ecological community types, migration/extirpation of organisms, and changes in water quality and availability are only some of the potential changes suspected under various climate modeling scenarios in the Northeast.

SECTION 5: INVENTORY OF LANDS OF CONSERVATION & RECREATION INTEREST

What is open space? Misconceptions about just what constitutes protected open space occasionally occur. When, for example, might a parking lot be considered open space and how does legally protected open space differ from any other type? The Environmental Handbook for Massachusetts Conservation Commissioners says open space has been defined as "land which does not contain substantial buildings, other structures, roads or other impervious surfaces." General Laws Ch. 61B defines open land as land that is: "maintained in a substantially natural, wild or open condition or must be maintained in a landscaped condition permitting the preservation of wildlife and natural resources.”

This broad public definition of open space reflects the state of the Massachusetts landscape - one that has been altered by natural events and human activity so that very little of it qualifies as "wild" or "pristine." Much open space, whether it is portions of a golf course, wetlands, farmland or forest, is not permanently protected because it is in private ownership without necessary restrictions that go with land if and when it changes hands. Despite the intentions of current owners, some open space that seems protected may in fact be lost when that land changes hands or when the current owners' heirs decide upon a new plan for the property.

The function of this open space plan is to help the town determine ways to permanently protect what it has determined is important to Pelham's future. By itself, the plan does nothing. It is not zoning law or other legal regulation. The function of this plan is to point the way toward protection by mechanisms such as:

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  purchase by the town or some other non-profit conservation organization;
  
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  deed restrictions or easements;
  
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  acquisition of development rights; and,
  
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  tax or other incentives to landowners to protect all or portions of critical properties.
  

Protected open space in Pelham falls into several categories: public watershed land owned by the town of Amherst, public land owned by the University of Massachusetts or the Department of Conservation and Recreation (for the protection of the public water supply under the jurisdiction of the Metropolitan Water Resources Authority), lands listed under Chapter 61, lands owned by the town as Conservation areas and some private holdings upon which deed restrictions have been placed protecting them in some way but not always available for public use. Lands in Chapter 61 are of some concern since these parcels may be taken out of the program at the owner's discretion and are therefore only temporarily protected.

Deed restrictions for private parcels are shown in the first matrix in Section 5C and have been recorded for properties including:

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  the Lamdin (formerly Romer) holdings off Cook Road along the Amethyst and Dunlop Brooks which allow an easement for the public to walk along the cascades and trail and which is intended to retain land and water areas affected by the easement predominately in their natural scenic open condition or in agriculture, farming or forest use;
  
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  Orient Springs (now owned by James Casagrande) restricted to protect the natural resources from degradation or development;
  
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  the Banfield Farm restricted by an Agricultural Preservation Restriction;
  
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  a right of way through the Bartlett land on North Valley Road to the Buffam Falls Conservation Area.
  
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  a right of way from Arnold Road into the Butter Hill Sanctuary
  
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  the Hepler property on Quarry Road restricted to protect a historic field and largely undisturbed woodland.
  

Permanently protected public and non-profit parcels are shown in the matrix tables in Section 5C. Of the conservation or recreation areas that fall under Recreation Commission, Town or Conservation Commission management, three, in addition to the Pelham School playground, are accessible to varying degrees for those with disabilities. These are the Buffam Falls Conservation Area, Partridge Meadow, and portions of the Harkness Road Conservation Area. The Partridge Meadow is regularly mowed, allowing for limited access. Some of the trails in the Buffam Falls Conservation Area are fairly wide and free from rocks; better access to the trailheads from the roads needs to be explored. In some areas trails may need to be leveled, bridged or relocated to make them more accessible, but portions of the Buffam Falls Conservation Area are amenable to upgrading. The Harkness Road Conservation Area presents similar problems at the entrance but even if the lower trails were upgraded, only a small section of these 150 acres could reasonably be brought up to Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards. Neither the upper portions of the Harkness Road Conservation Area nor any portions of the Butter Hill Wildlife Sanctuary are suitable or feasible for trail upgrades to make them handicapped accessible. The relatively recently acquired Moose Trail Conservation Area (formerly the Weeks Property) has no parking at all, and lacks developed trails. Appendix E contains an evaluation of municipally owned conservation and recreation areas for accessibility to people with disabilities.

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  CR Conservation Restriction
  
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  APR Agricultural Preservation Restriction
  
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  ROW Right of Way
  
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  CC Conservation Commission
  

The Growth Study Committee and Forest Conservation Project followed up on earlier recommendations that seemed to merit more consideration given new information and current conditions in the town and state. In addition, both examined the various potential impacts on the town of the state’s “Smart Growth” and affordable housing initiatives while also assessing the potential consequences of sprawling development on lifestyle and the environment.

Town boards were interviewed during the efforts of the Growth Study Committee and the Forest Conservation Project. The Growth Study Committee developed a short survey to assess townspeople’s interest in addressing issues relating to affordable housing, the Community Preservation Act, and particular zoning changes to assess whether to proceed with further efforts in those directions based upon residents’ desires. (See survey results in Appendix A.) This work as well as the work done to study the feasibility of forest conservation zoning and other means to plan for the future and channel growth appropriately have informed this Open Space Plan update. (See Appendix B for the Pelham Hills Forest Conservation Project Summary.) In addition to these major efforts over the past several years, the Conservation Commission has held public meetings to get input from citizens specifically related to this current update of the Open Space and Recreation Plan. See also Section 2B with respect to public involvement.

B. Statement of Open Space and Recreation Goals

Pelham prefers to prevent environmental damage rather than try to fix mistakes later. Pelham is, and the general consensus is that it should remain, a largely unspoiled landscape and rural setting with abundant wildlife. It is a place where clean water, protected habitat and large tracts of unbroken forest will continue to make it a desirable place to live and in which residents and visitors can enjoy the peaceful natural setting and many trails and vistas. Appropriate land uses and protection of habitat and drinking water supplies are paramount given Pelham's unique soil characteristics and place in the regional framework for watershed protection and core as well as supporting habitat for biological conservation. This overarching goal requires close coordination of land use boards: the Board of Health, Planning Board, Conservation Commission and Zoning Board, in particular. Most citizens understand the long term financial implications of over-development and even in trying fiscal times residents are seeking ways to maintain the integrity of natural systems.