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Rocky Hill Greenway Zewski-Easthampton Rd ecological assessment 7.2.20151 Zewski Ecological Assessment July 2015 An Ecological Assessment of the 16-Acre Zewski Parcel By Laurie Sanders, M.S. Overview Located along Route 10 and zoned commercial, the 16-acre Zewski property has been on and off the market for more than two decades (Fig. 1). Over those years, various buy- ers have considered developing the site, including in 2005 when a large business park was proposed on this parcel and the land to the south and west. Commercial investors, how- ever, haven’t been the only ones looking at this piece of land. Ever since a large ‘For Sale’ sign went up along Route 10 in the 1980s, conservation-minded residents and MassAudubon have been interested too. In their case, the main reasons were the property’s proximity to Ar- cadia Wildlife Sanctuary, the presence of vernal pools in the vicinity, and last but not least, the land’s location within a wildlife corridor that extends from the Mount Tom Range to the foothills of the Berkshires (Fig. 2). More recently, acquisitions of conserva- tion land in Northampton—including the wooded parcel immediately north in 2014— have made this property even more attractive from a conservation perspective (Fig. 3). In addition, based on field work for this re- port, the property has other conservation benefits as well. If acquired as conservation Figure 2: The property lies within a mostly forested wildlife corridor that extends from Mount Tom to the Sawmill Hills and beyond. Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary Zewski Figure 1: The Zewski property is located along Route 10 and adjoins the Rocky Hill Greenway. 2 Zewski Ecological Assessment July 2015 land, it would ensure the perma- nent protection of (1) an undevel- oped drumlin, a regionally un- common geologic feature; (2) his- toric cultural fea- tures, including a stretch of stone- wall, evidence of an historic rock- splitting tech- nique, and barbed wire and old wire pasture fencing; and (3) habitat for wildlife and plants, including what appears to be a Watch-Listed plant species, at least four bird species in decline (e.g. scarlet tanager, black-and-white warbler, wood thrush, etc) and non-breeding habitat for vernal pool species. The remainder of this report provides a more de- tailed ecological assessment of the Zewski property, including information about its geology, soils and land use history. Geology & Soils Aside from a band of thinner till along Route 10, most of the Zewski property is underlain by a gla- cial feature known as a drumlin (Fig. 4). Drumlins are typically shaped like elongated ovals and are oriented in the direction that the continental glacier once flowed. They are composed of densely com- pacted glacial till and are literally “rocky hills.” Early settlers recognized this fact and the 1831 map of Northampton shows not one, but two different nearby drumlins named “Rocky Hill” (Fig. 5). The drumlin below the Zewski property never had its Figure 3. The Zewski property in context to other protected, wildlife or cultural lands, with MA Audu- bon’s Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary (bright purple), City-owned conservation land (pink), state hospital land (olive), and the nearby golf course, private conservation restrictions and APRs (orange). Hatched lines indicate the estimated habitat for a rare species, according to MA NHESP. Figure 5. The 1831 map, with two Rocky Hills circled in red. Figure 4. This image shows the surficial geology of the Zewski property, where the lighter green color is unsorted, thin glacial till, the darker green is drumlin (thick till), and the blue areas are Glacial Lake Hitchcock clays. 3 Zewski Ecological Assessment July 2015 own place name, but the presence of drumlins in the vicinity is the reason behind names like Rocky Hill Road and Rocky Hill Brook. Another interesting aspect is that the Zewski drum- lin is found within a cluster of drumlins (Fig. 6). In this case, there are seven others nearby. Only four other drumlins occur in Northampton outside of this cluster (e.g. Round Hill, Baker Hill, Childs Park, High Street in Florence). Perhaps even more noteworthy from the perspective of a future educational opportunity is that the Zewski drumlin is one of only two in the City that remains free of buildings or roads. (The only other undeveloped drumlin is now managed by Smith Vo- cational as pasture and off Rocky Hill Road.) Glacial Lake Hitchcock to the Present After the continental glacier retreated some 15,000 years ago, a long, narrow glacial lake filled the Connecticut River valley. Known as Glacial Lake Hitch- cock, it lasted for about 3,000 years and at its maximum height, it reached what is now our 100 meter contour elevation. At that time, the Zewski property, which is just under 100 meters, was shallowly cov- ered by the lake (Fig 7.). When Lake Hitchcock’s level dropped, the top of the drumlin was exposed and became a nar- row peninsula/island in the shallow waters of the lower lake known as Lake Hadley. Since the lake disappeared some 10,000 years ago, the thin layer of fine lake sediments has washed off the top of the drumlin and down the lower slopes. The enriching effect of the glacial lake clays is evi- dent in the plant community that has developed on the land east of the toe of the exposed drumlin. Be- cause clay particles have the capacity to bind nutrients like calcium and magnesium, their presence has added to the soil’s overall fertility and explains why species that require rich soils, like horse balm (Collinsonia canadensis), baneberry (Actaea sp.) and wild geranium (Geranium maculatum), occur in Fig. 6. Although many drumlins are isolated, they are also often found in clusters or “swarms.” This is true of the drumlin underlying much of the Zewski property (arrow). Fig. 7: At its highest, Glacial Lake Hitchcock extended to the present day 300-foot contour interval and covered all of the land shown in blue and aquamarine. When it dropped to about 200 feet in elevation, it covered the area marked in blue and exposed the ridge and sideslopes of the drumlin that may be acquired. 4 Zewski Ecological Assessment July 2015 these areas. Human History Rising to a height of nearly 100 meters, the top of this drumlin may have been—and probably was—a fa- vorite lookout point for generations of na- tive people (Fig. 8). With the aid of fire, the Nonotuck would have kept its summit cleared and open, which would have given them an impressive panorama that took in the meadows along Connecticut and Manhan Rivers, the Connecticut River, and the Mount Tom and Holyoke Ranges. Figure 8. This 3-D view from the top of the drumlin that simulates what native people would have seen minus, of course, the buildings and roads. Figure 9: (A) The remains of a very loosely constructed stone wall, probably done before 1830, with a dead red ce- dar in the center. Red cedar requires open, sunny conditions to germinate and because it is not eaten by cattle, it fre- quently grows up in old pastures. (B) Strands of barbed wire can be seen in this cedar trunk along the property’s southern boundary. Regular wire fencing can be found on the north boundary. (C) One of two bored holes that were found in an area with busted up rock. These holes were cre- ated using the plug-and-feather method of splitting stones, a technique that was used by farmers from the 1774-1810. B C A 5 Zewski Ecological Assessment July 2015 Colonial America-Present When the first English came from Springfield and Connecti- cut to settle Northampton in 1654, they probably followed a Native American trail that looped around the oxbow and continued north to Northamp- ton. It is also very likely that the trail followed the path where Route 10 now lies, which means they would have passed very close to the Zewski property. What this property may have looked like or been used for in the 1600s and 1700s is un- known, but by the early 1800s, a much clearer picture emerges. The presence of a short stretch of mod- est stonewall provides solid evidence that by then the land was cleared and being used as pasture (Fig. 9). The land continued to be used as pasture into the 20th century. But by the early 1950s, most of the land had been allowed to grow back into forest and only the stretch along Route 10 and near the top of the drumlin remained clear and open (Figs. 10, 11). Since the 1960s, little activity has taken place on the land. At some point a section of slope along Route 10 was carved into, possibly for fill for a reconstruction of Route 10, and during the last 15 years, some of the larger trees along the property’s northern boundary were har- vested. Today that his- tory of cutting is obvi- ous; there are the re- mains of cut stumps, old Fig. 10: The Zewski property, as it appeared in 1952. Note the open clear near the summit and along Route 10. The land to the west was still open and not yet a golf Figure. 11: Two larger and much older trees that were left to grow to help serve as boundary markers can be found on the property’s southern boundary. Note the presence of lower branches on one of the trees; this is a clear indication that it grew up in a pasture. 6 Zewski Ecological Assessment July 2015 Today the Zewski property is entirely forested—a mix of deciduous trees, hemlock and pine. The former gravel pit to the south is once again com- pletely forested as well. By 1965, when this photo as taken, the Zewski property was no longer being used as pasture and the former clearings had grown into for- est. By then, Pine Grove golf course had been built and the property to the south had been cleared and was being mined for gravel. 7 Zewski Ecological Assessment July 2015 wood roads, skidder scars and an abundance of younger saplings. Ecology Understanding the site’s underlying geology and land use history is key to understanding its habitat diversity and current vegetation patterns. In general, the property can be di- vided into four upland community types (Fig. 12) and two small wetland areas. Uplands U-1: Beginning along Route 10 is a forested stretch of uplands. Parts of this hillside were cut into during the last fifty years and there is an old broad swale that was eroded naturally by groundwater and seeps. Due to natural seeps and the presence of an intermittent stream, this area has moister soils and based on MA NHESP’s Natural Com- munities classification system it could be very loosely characterized as a “forest seep community” in the early-mid succession. As is typical of that natural community type, the most common canopy species include red maple, black birch, cottonwood, with lesser amounts of red oak. The understory vegetation in this section is lush and dominated by spotted touch-me -not, Virginia creeper, and sensitive fern. Not surprisingly, invasive non-native plants have also gotten a foothold here and in some areas, they are abundant, especially near the edge of Route 10. They include black locust, Norway maple, privet, Mor- row’s honeysuckle, multiflora rose and Asiatic bittersweet. U-1 U-2 U-3 U-4 W-1 W-2 Figure 12. Natural Communities on the Zewski Property 1: Successional “Forest Seep Community”, with abun- dant invasive species 2: Mixed Forest/Successional—with abundant invasive species 3: Mixed hardwood, with red oak/black birch/hickory and sugar maple 4. Oak/white pine/hemlock community W-1: Red Maple swamp W-2: Intermittent stream A steeper, altered hillside can be found not far from Route 10. Not the abundance of exposed boulders and stones. In the foreground is a Norway maple. 8 Zewski Ecological Assessment July 2015 U-2: Moving uphill, there is a clear break in the slope and the slope becomes more gentle. This area also has fairly moist soils. The rea- sons why are two-fold. Partly it is because rainwater cannot soak down through the more compact till layer that forms the drumlin, so runs along the at or near surface until it reaches the toe of the slope, where it either emerges as groundwater or infiltrates into the less dense former shoreline of the glacial lake, which includes both thin- ner (i.e. less dense) till deposits and glacial clays. The drumlin’s compact till, however, continues below the thinner till, which causes a perched water table in this area—i.e. wetter soils. What’s also different here is that this more gentle slope has richer soils due to the presence of accumulated fine sediments (silts and clays) from the glacial (A) Near Route 10, an intermittent stream has carved a broad, lush basin. (B) Here and there on the property are areas where the soils have been altered by a backhoe. This is one of those sites, but now filled with a handful of wetland species and surrounded by wild sarsaparilla and other plants more typical of drier, upland soils. (A) Above the first rise is a plateau where you can find big patches of hayscented fern growing below a mixed deciduous forest. (B) Because this area was kept open for pasture longer, the forest here is fairly young (~50 years) and more of a tangle. (C) Grape vines are common along the plateau and in the till soils below the drum- lin. A B A B C 9 Zewski Ecological Assessment July 2015 lake. Because of these two conditions (fertility and moisture), the plant diversity in this area is higher than elsewhere on the property and in- cludes species such as wild geranium, jack-in-the -pulpit, baneberry, horse balm, grape and sugar maple—all of which only grow in neutral, fertile soils. Unfortunately, because this area was also cleared within the last sixty years, it also has been more vulnerable to invasion by non-native plants. Not only are Asiatic bittersweet and mul- tiflora rose common here, but you can also find lesser amounts of swallowwort, autumn olive, privet and Japanese barberry. U-3: Heading west and climbing up the drumlin, the slope ascends steadily and swiftly. The soils in this band are drier and more acidic, stones are com- mon, and the forest is older and more open. Red oak and black birch are more common in the overstory, while the percentage of red maple is less than in zone U-2. Other common species here include witch hazel, sassafras, Canada mayflower, starflower, wild sarsaparilla, Virginia creeper, hayscented fern, lady fern, Christmas fern, and New York fern. U-4: At the summit of the drumlin, the land flattens out. The soils here are even drier and acidic, and the canopy transitions to mostly red oak, hemlock, and white pine, with lesser amounts of black birch, white birch and black locust. The shrub layer differs too and includes large patches of mountain laurel, smaller clones of lowbush blueberry and dwarf blueberry, as well as scattered maple-leaved viburnum and witch hazel. Below the areas of deciduous forest are broad swaths of hayscented fern, while the shaded under- The forest on the slopes of the drumlin is older and the underly- ing soils are drier and more acidic. One result is that the under- story is more open. It is also almost entirely free of non-native plants. The top of the drumlin includes a mix of oak, hemlock and white pine. Below the oak dominated woods, mountain laurel is common. In areas where hemlock dominates, there is almost no understory….for now. All of these hemlocks are dying from woolly adelgid. 10 Zewski Ecological Assessment July 2015 story below the hemlock and mountain laurel are virtually free of any herbaceous ground cover. Wetlands W-1: Dropping down into the saddle of the drum- lin are the headwaters of an intermittent stream that joins a small, unnamed perennial stream, which drains the golf course property and ulti- mately flows into the Manhan River. The land in this section of the property is slightly swampy and includes a typical mix of wetland ferns (cinnamon, interrupted, sensitive), wildflowers (skunk cabbage, gold thread, Indian cucumber root), shrubs (winterberry, spicebush, mountain laurel) and red maple. Just west the property’s boundary is a shallow stretch of open water, which may function as a vernal pool. W-2: The only other wetland on the property is a seep that occurs near Route 10, not far from the parcels southwestern boundary. Over the last 10,000 years the groundwater in this area has carved out a large, bowl-shaped amphitheatre. (A) The arrow overlaid on this 1939 topographic map points to the saddle that lies in the middle of the drumlin. The water that gathers here drains to the south and joins the brook that flows through the golf course and then wangles east to the Manhan River. (B) the headwater wetlands/intermittent stream at the property’s northwestern boundary. (C) The seep near Route 10, covered with touch-me-not and lady fern. Young saplings and a tree trunk scarred by a skidder can be found on the property’s northern border. Within the last 15 years, a logging operation on the adjacent property led to some cutting along the northern boundary of the Zewski property in zones 2, 3 and 4. Today, in addition to the decomposing cut stumps, this section has an abundance of young saplings (mostly black birch) and the remains of two wood roads. A B C 11 Zewski Ecological Assessment July 2015 Rare Species, Priority Habitat, Vernal Pools and Species in Decline Although the Zewski property falls outside of any designated MA NHESP polygon, it does lie close to BioMap2 Core Habitat, Critical Natural Landscape, Aquatic Core Habitat, and Priority Natural Habitat for a Rare Species. It does not, however, have a vernal pool. The certified vernal pool shown on the NHESP certified vernal pool datalayer is actually not on this parcel, but on private land to the south- west. Nevertheless, this land does provide valuable non-breeding habitat for spotted salamanders and wood frogs, which spend all but two weeks of their adult lives living away from their breeding pools and in the surrounding uplands. In addition, this relatively young forest is contiguous to other for- ested lands, which makes it more valuable to animal species that are forest specialists or use forests transitionally. During the field work for this report, sign of bear, deer, and raccoon was observed and sev- eral different species of birds were heard or seen, including four spe- cies (wood thrush, scarlet tanager, black-throated blue warbler, black -and-white warbler) that are declining (MA Audubon, State of the Birds, 2013). In addition, a preliminary botanical list generated 75+ spe- cies of plants, including a small patch of pinx- terflower (tentatively identified as Rhododen- dron periclymenoides), a Watch-listed species. A wood thrush, a long distant migrant declining due to habitat fragmentation, was seen on the Zewski property. (B) Indian pipe was one of the 75+ plant species seen on the property. (C) “Hidden biodiversity” like this cluster of mushrooms also survive on the Zewski property. A B C C 12 Zewski Ecological Assessment July 2015 Qualifications: Laurie Sanders is a field biologist and naturalist with an M.S. from the University of Vermont’s Field Naturalist Program and an A.B. from Smith College. She lives in Westhampton, MA and in 2014-2015 completed an ecological assessment of all of Northampton’s city-owned conservation land. Sources This report is based on field work (June 27, 2015), data from MA GIS, MA Audubon’s State of the Birds (2013), a report by Molly Hale (2005), and MA NHESP’s Classification of Natural Communities of Massachusetts (2005). All photos by (c) Laurie Sanders. A “tireless songster”, this red-eyed vireo was feeding chicks on the property in June 2015.