Enhancing Ecology in the Heart of Longmeadow: Two Visions for Bliss and Laurel Parks

ENHANCING ECOLOGY IN THE HEART OF LONGMEADOW:

TWO VISIONS FOR BLISS AND LAUREL PARKS Prepared for Longmeadow Citizens to Save Our Parks and the Town of Longmeadow by Cara Montague and Shaine Meulmester, The Conway School, Spring 2020

And to the Core Committee whose work and dedication was essential to the development of this proposal:

ECOLOGICAL CONNECTIONS.............................................................................................................. 3 EXISTING CONDITIONS...................................................................................................................... 4 CIRCULATION...................................................................................................................................... 5 LANDFORMS.. ...................................................................................................................................... 6 TRAIL CONDITIONS.............................................................................................................................. 7 STORMWATER IMPACTS.. .................................................................................................................... 8 STREAM HEALTH SUMMARY............................................................................................................... 9 PRELIMINARY DESIGN ALTERNATIVES.. ........................................................................................... 10 DESIGN #1: PROTECT THE POND.................................................................................................. 11-17 OVERVIEW..................................................................................................................................11 POND......................................................................................................................................... 12 POND GATHERING AREAS......................................................................................................... 13 POND GRADING PLAN............................................................................................................... 14 HEADWATERS............................................................................................................................ 15 STREAM CROSSING AND RESTORATION.............................................................................. 16-17 DESIGN #2: NATURAL PROCESSES............................................................................................ 18-20 OVERVIEW................................................................................................................................. 18 MARSH....................................................................................................................................... 19 RESERVOIR.. ............................................................................................................................. 20 BEYOND THE PARKS: LANDSCAPE DESIGN AND MAINTENANCE................................................... 21 TRAIL CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE................................................................................... 22 TRAILS DESIGN................................................................................................................................. 23 NATURALIZED PLANT PLAN............................................................................................................. 24 NATURALIZED PLANT MANAGEMENT.............................................................................................. 25 USER CONFLICTS.. ............................................................................................................................ 26 COST ESTIMATES.............................................................................................................................. 27 WORKS CITED............................................................................................................................. 28-29

Town of Longmeadow, MA Lyn Simmons, Town Manager Marie Angelides, Select Board Chair Mario Mazza, Director, Department of Public Works Bari Jarvis, Director, Parks and Recreation David Marinelli, Tree Warden Members of Longmeadow Citizens to Save Our Parks Kristin Carnahan Frances Cress Elizabeth Port And to the kind experts who shared with us their time and insight: Andy Fisk, Executive Director, Connecticut River Conservancy Bill Lattrell, Wetland Scientist Denise Burchsted, Associate Professor of Environmental Studies, Keene State College Peter Jensen, Trail Planner and Builder And to the faculty, staff, and students of the Conway School who supported us with their thoughtful feedback and good cheer.

88 Village Hill Rd. Northampton, MA 01060 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu

READING THE LANDSCAPE................................................................................................................ 2

SPRING 2020

Thank you to the residents of Longmeadow who generously gave us their time and feedback.

CARA MONTAGUE AND SHAINE MEULMESTER

PROJECT OVERVIEW............................................................................................................................ 1

INDEX

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

ENHANCING ECOLOGY IN THE HEART OF LONGMEADOW BLISS AND LAUREL PARKS, LONGMEADOW, MA

INDEX

buried stream

La u r e l P o n d

Co o

Originally a spring-fed stream, Cooley Brook today receives stormwater discharge from the neighborhoods surrounding the parks. Near the stormwater culvert outfalls in Bliss Park, the banks of the stream channel have become severely eroded. Downstream, Laurel Pond is filling with sediment.

ley

Bro

ok

CARA MONTAGUE AND SHAINE MEULMESTER

L A U R E L PA R K

B L I S S PA R K

Town of Longmeadow

swimming pool accessible playground

baseball fields

tennis court

THE CLIENTS

With funding from a Community Preservation Act grant, LCSOP and Longmeadow town officials commissioned this ecological design in order to gain a deeper understanding of the parks' stewardship needs and areas of ecological concern.

The stakeholders of the project include all park users, Longmeadow residents, and downriver communities in Longmeadow and the Connecticut River watershed.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT This project’s community outreach involved two community meetings and one online survey. Fifty-six people responded to the survey, all of whom are Longmeadow residents.

Sixty-five people attended the first community meeting and thirty-four people attended the second community meeting focused on stream restoration. Because of COVID-19 restrictions, both meetings were held virtually over Zoom, broadcast live on Longmeadow's public TV station, and shared on YouTube. Feedback provided during the meetings and through the online survey guided the design process, and has been integrated into this report.

Bliss and Laurel Parks are located in the middle of Longmeadow, a town in Hampden County on the Connecticut border.

PROJECT GOALS The park stewards hope to improve ecological health and functioning of the two parks, specifically focusing on Cooley Brook, while meeting the recreational needs of the parks' visitors.

Specific goals include: • Addressing the sedimentation in Laurel Pond. One half of the original pond has filled in. What is the most sustainable way to manage this sediment? What does the community want to see?

• Analyzing and addressing the stream bank erosion occurring in Bliss Park.

• Investigating the in-stream infrastructure in Laurel Park.

• Developing invasive plant management strategies.

• Improving the trail network by identifying design improvements and maintenance strategies.

THE NEIGHBORHOOD In the nineteenth century, this land was a pastoral landscape outside the commercial center of Springfield, Massachusetts.

In the mid-twentieth century, the pastoral character was transformed into the suburban community we see today.

Longmeadow is an affluent community with a population of almost 16,000. Bliss and Laurel Parks sit within a quiet, leafy neighborhood marked by mature canopy trees and single-family homes.

Bliss and Laurel Parks are used, and loved, by the residents of Longmeadow, many of whom enjoy visiting frequently.

Of the fifty-six Longmeadow residents who responded to the online survey, the majority said they come to the parks at least once a week and almost 18% of respondents use the parks daily. The top two reasons respondents said they come to the parks are to be in nature and to walk the trails.

Longmeadow has a culture of stewarding open space, with more than thirty percent of the town under permanent protection as open space. For Bliss and Laurel Parks, the majority (57%) of survey respondents said that they were “very concerned” about the ecological health of the parks and 25% said that they were “somewhat concerned.”

PROJECT OVERVIEW

Longmeadow Citizens to Save Our Parks (LCSOP) is a group of local residents who, in concert with the Town of Longmeadow, have taken initiatives to protect and steward Bliss and Laurel Parks. Recently they have been considering ways to improve the ecological health of Cooley Brook, Laurel Pond, and the two parks overall.

Bliss and Laurel Parks

ENHANCING ECOLOGY IN THE HEART OF LONGMEADOW BLISS AND LAUREL PARKS, LONGMEADOW, MA

Nestled in a suburban landscape, these parks contain abundant wildlife, a network of trails, active recreation facilities, and an Olmsted-Brothers-designed pond. Cooley Brook runs east to west through both parks, forming Laurel Pond where dammed, and eventually joins the Connecticut River a mile west of the park.

old reservoir

SPRING 2020

Bliss and Laurel Parks constitute 80 acres of well-loved open space in the heart of Longmeadow, Massachusetts.

88 Village Hill Rd. Northampton, MA 01060 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu

PROJECT OVERVIEW

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1895: The population of Longmeadow was 570, with just over 100 homes (Hall and Hall). To support the growth of a suburb, a Water Commission was formed, and a water works was built on land formerly owned by James Cooley at Cooley Brook to supply drinking water and help fight fires. A pond, screen, steam pump, water tower, storage tank, and engineer’s house were built (Longmeadow Historical Society).

Photo #1 shows the water tower from 1895 and extensive cleared land around the brook. Photo #2 shows a pond that was upstream of the "new" concrete edged reservoir.

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Though few houses were built in 1912, this map shows areas had been mapped and divided into lots for future housing development. Map: Atlas of Hampden County, MA. Richards Map Company, Springfield, MA, 1912

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1924: After tremendous residential growth there were 842 dwellings in the town, and the water supply at Cooley Brook was no longer adequate. Longmeadow voted to join Springfield’s water system. The reservoir, edged with concrete, and now known as "The Pump," became the Town's swimming hole. Photo #3 shows the area around it cleared for a beach.

1970: Housing development around the parks had slowed, and the street layout and houses looked much like what they do today (US Geological survey, 1970).

Stormwater pipes had by then been installed, directing unfiltered street runoff directly into the stream.

photo: c. Montague

The "new" reservoir was re-purposed as the town swimming hole and called "The Pump". A paddle pool (not shown in picture) was built downstream and was filled daily with water from "the Pump", and drained at night. Photo: from "Reflections on Longmeadow" (37).

Aug 4, 1954: The paddle pool collapsed into a ten-foot deep sink hole, and "The Pump" swimming hole was closed (The Springfield Union, Aug 5, 1954, see Appendix). The new swimming pool at Bliss Park was nearing completion by this time and the old Pump infrastructure was abandoned. Today, the stream disappears in this area, perhaps still buried in the sink hole under the old paddle pool collapse. The land around "The Pump" now supports a young , mixed growth, deciduous forest of maple, beech, oak, black cherry, and hemlock—but also many aggressive naturalized species that have taken advantage of repeated disturbances from construction, clearing , and mowing.

The remains of "The Pump" today. The surrounding forest has grown in, and an abundance of red-eared slider turtles have found a home here. The concrete edge of the water reservoir can still be seen..

2016: Longmeadow Citizens to Save Our Parks (LCSOP) formed to oppose a proposed Adult Community Center on the southeast portion of Bliss Park. Through careful historical research, LCSOP documented the transfer of the Water Commission land to the Parks Department, as well as the intent that the transfered land be used as park land for the citizens of Longmeadow, thereby reestablishing legal protection from development under Article 97 of the Massachusetts legislature.

2017: Longmeadow voted to affirm a referendum recognizing the protection of Bliss and Laurel Parks from future development under Article 97 by approving Article 42 to “designate Laurel Park and Bliss Park for the purpose of conserving , utilizing and protecting for the public the forest, water, air and other natural resources attributable to those lands and contained therein and/or upon them (Article 42, Annual Town Meeting , May 2017).

ENHANCING ECOLOGY IN THE HEART OF LONGMEADOW BLISS AND LAUREL PARKS, LONGMEADOW, MA

1934: An Olmsted Brothers landscape plan was commissioned for both parks, and Laurel Pond was dug using Works Progress Administration labor. Due to lack of funds, the rest of the Olmsted plan was not completed. The concrete reservoir, known as "The Pump", continued to be used as a town swimming hole. (A small paddle pool, filled daily with water from "The Pump" and drained at night, was constructed—date unknown— to the west of the reservoir.)

READING THE LANDSCAPE

THE WATERWORKS

CARA MONTAGUE AND SHAINE MEULMESTER

Feb 28, 1934: Longmeadow voted to transfer the Water Commission land, what is now Bliss and Laurel Parks, to the Parks Department (Annual Longmeadow Town Meeting minutes, Feb 19 & 28, 1934).

Prior to European arrival in the early 1600s, the Nipmuc people shared the Connecticut River Valley with numerous native groups including the Agawams and other Pocumtuck Peoples (Norman). Settlers decimated and displaced these populations within a short period of time through warfare, pathogens such as smallpox, and alcohol (Norman).

1928: With the need to protect the water supply at Cooley Brook eliminated, the Water Commission gave permission for the construction of the Laurel Street Extension that would bisect the park land into Bliss and Laurel Parks.

A natural pond, once part of the water supply system, was just upstream from the "new" concrete lined reservoir. Today this area has transformed into a slow moving, broad, stream channel mapped as a wetland by the MA Department of Environmental Protection.

Photo: J.D. Booth, 1912.

THE PARKS

PRE-CONTACT

1906: To protect the watershed of Cooley Brook, the remaining land that would eventually become Bliss and Laurel Parks was acquired through eminent domain by the town’s Water Commission (Historical Deeds) after permission was granted by the State Legislative Act in 1899. Based on the age of the trees, some forest in Bliss Park seems to have remained relatively untouched since this act of conservation.

Native plants still dominate the landscape and large pines, maples, beech, and oak loom over a low understory of native blueberries, deciduous azaleas, spicebush, service berry, and elderberry.

88 Village Hill Rd. Northampton, MA 01060 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu

A walk through the woods of Bliss and Laurel Parks shows forests of various ages in a landscape that has been shaped by a long history of protection and conservation, as well as water extraction, abandonment, visions of idealized nature, and suburbanization of the land outside of the parks. Learning about the history of the land helps to explain why the landscape looks the way it does today.

This water tower, once part of the waterworks that supplied drinking water from Cooley Brook, was torn down in 1936. Notice how much of the landscape had been cleared of forest. Photo: Longmeadow Historical Society photo archives circa 1895.

SPRING 2020

READING THE LANDSCAPE

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Bliss and Laurel Parks' hydrologic connection to the Connecticut River suggests that fish species living in the river may inhabit sections of Cooley Brook. However, preliminary investigation suggests that there are some barriers along the stream corridor that may block the movement of fish.

FANNIE STEBBENS WILDLIFE REFUGE One notable connection is the Fannie Stebbens Wildlife Refuge, part of an area on the banks of the Connecticut River known as The Meadows, less than two miles away. At 330 acres, Fannie Stebbens Wildlife Refuge is the largest tract of protected land along the Connecticut River (White). In 2016, the Nature Conservancy began restoring 223 acres as floodplain forest. Fannie Stebbens is now under the management of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as part of the 36,000-acre Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge.

CARA MONTAGUE AND SHAINE MEULMESTER

Cooley Brook contains a dam at Laurel Pond and some aged infrastructure, including walls and pipes from the old reservoir system on the western edge of Laurel Park. Cooley Brook is also channelized under I-91. Also, a significant elevation drop at Elmwood Avenue may preclude the ability of fish to migrate beyond this point. Further investigation into this infrastructure and natural topography will help determine if Cooley Brook could potentially support migratory fish such as blueback herring and lamprey once restored, or if this connection will be difficult to make. A survey of the fish and wildlife currently using Cooley Brook has not been conducted yet; an assessment is recommended.

Floodplain forests are considered to be among the rarest and most threatened natural communities in Massachusetts. Fannie Stebbens in particular is a birding "hotspot" (according to the bird observation database eBird.org ) in a migratory bird corridor. Its proximity may partially explain the diversity of birds observed in Bliss and Laurel Parks, including red-winged blackbird, great blue heron, American redstart, Canada warbler, red-tailed hawk, bald eagle, and many others.

Further research is necessary to determine the specific species using Bliss and Laurel Parks, and how the habitat value of the parks can be enhanced.

Recently the Connecticut River Conservancy has taken an interest in the proposed restoration of Cooley Brook and has added the stream to its list of annual water quality test sites for nitrogen and phosphorus. Information on the water quality of the stream will help guide decision-making about the most effective strategies for improving stream health.

Fannie Stebbens Wildlife Refuge

THE CONNECTICUT RIVER WATERSHED The Connecticut River is less than a mile to the west of the parks, and as the largest river in New England, it serves as a major wildlife corridor. It flows over 400 miles from the Canadian border to the Long Island Sound, and is home to over 142 species of fish, 14 of which are migratory. Fish species such as alewife, blueback herring , American eel, and American shad use cold-water tributaries similar to Cooley Brook.

Brook Cooley

Connecticut River

Bliss and Laurel Parks

ECOLOGICAL CONNECTIONS

It is uncertain whether the water quality of the stream is impaired. It appears that no studies of Cooley Brook’s water quality have been conducted to date. The stream receives untreated stormwater directly from the drains of nearby streets; therefore, impaired water quality is likely. Given the stream’s connection to the Connecticut River, water quality is a key concern not just for the wildlife in the stream, but for systems as far downstream as the Long Island Sound.

ENHANCING ECOLOGY IN THE HEART OF LONGMEADOW BLISS AND LAUREL PARKS, LONGMEADOW, MA

Visitors to the parks are greeted by a diversity of wildlife.

Surrounded as they are by residential streets, how do these parks attract and sustain such a diversity? Zooming out, it becomes clear that the parks are part of a much larger network of habitats.

Great blue herons are one of many birds that enjoy the habitat of Fannie Stebbens Wildife Refuge.

88 Village Hill Rd. Northampton, MA 01060 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu

RESTORATION OF COOLEY BROOK

SPRING 2020

ECOLOGICAL CONNECTIONS

View looking south over Longmeadow. The parks are within a mile of the Connecticut River, and within two miles of the Fannie Stebbens Wildlife Refuge.

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wildlife view ing

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trails

MARSH

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mountain

The walking trails are a huge draw for nature-lovers and dog walkers. As in other communities, conflict exists between offleash dog walking (officially not allowed) and some users of the park. In the south, a large portion of the flat areas of the park have been developed for active recreation and host a swimming pool, baseball fields, tennis courts, and accessible playground.

Accessible asphalt paths were recently added to this area, supporting users with mobility challenges, as well as caregivers with strollers. Though these active recreation areas are outside of the bounds of this plan, building accessible connections between the playground and the trails is explored.

rails

biking no access

Pool

Tennis courts

Photo: Laurel Park access road.

Active recreation

Laurel Park consists of 31 acres, all of which are used for unprogrammed, passive recreation. Laurel Park has an extensive network of informal trails that criss-cross through a young forest of mixed deciduous trees, circle Laurel Pond, and provide views of Cooley Brook. Laurel Pond, whose original size (before sedimentation) was approximately three-quarters of an acre, attracts families eager to explore the marshy edges for frogs and red-eared slider turtles. Red-winged black birds fly among the cattails and black-throated blue warblers flit amongst the bordering shrubs. The park is occasionally visited by a great blue heron or bald eagle. Near the pond, one bench and one picnic table offer some chance for lingering , but the request for more seating throughout the park ranked high in the May 2020 on-line survey. Though water testing has not been recently conducted, there is concern that the lake is eutrophying (whereby excess nutrients promote algae growth that causes a reduction in dissolved oxygen) and is no longer able to support fish.

The park is attractive to kids who, for decades, have created mountain bike trails and forts in the woods. As expressed at the May 7, 2020 community meeting , there is considerable appreciation for letting kids play independently in the woods, engaging with the natural world and spending hours playing outside. However, concern was raised about the unapproved modification of park lands, including constructing ramps out of earth and logs, that may be unsafe and ecologically damaging.

Park visitors ranked the accessible playground as a top reason for visiting Bliss Park, after walking on trails and visiting nature.

Pink lady's slippers growing in Bliss Park indicate acidic and well draining soils, and that this area has been undisturbed for some time. Photo: Chris Gill .

On the west end of Laurel Pond, Cooley Brook flows over a stone and cement dam, and its banks widen; here, abandoned water reservoir infrastructure contributes to sustaining large pools and wetlands, and buries the stream at one point. Areas around the old infrastructure have been taken over by crowded thickets of non-native plant species such as Asiatic bittersweet (which is smothering parts of the overstory), Japanese barberry, burning bush, chocolate vine (sadly, not the chocolate we eat), multi-flora rose and small stands of Japanese knotweed. Human access to the brook is nearly impossible because of this abundant growth.

Laurel Parks' trails circle Laurel Pond and parallel the Brook.

An informal mountain bike jump on a main walking trail creates conflict between bikers and walkers.

Participants at the May 7.

2020 meeting expressed appreciation for Laurel Pond and that it is one of their major reasons for visiting Laurel Park.

EXISTING CONDITIONS

Playground

LAUREL PARK

Trails loop through the mature deciduous forest in Bliss Park

CARA MONTAGUE AND SHAINE MEULMESTER

walking t ra

Bliss and Laurel Parks are a testament to long-term conservation and the benefits of conserved open space within a suburban setting. These parks have served as protected open space since 1906 when the land was originally preserved to protect Longmeadow’s water supply, which came from Cooley Brook. Today the land is a town park, and this wild and public resource, within walking and biking distance of many homes, is visited frequently. Taking steps towards stewarding this land with ecological goals in mind may bring benefits of cleaner water, restored plant communities, and healthier and more abundant wildlife to generations to come.

ENHANCING ECOLOGY IN THE HEART OF LONGMEADOW BLISS AND LAUREL PARKS, LONGMEADOW, MA

BLISS PARK Bliss Park contains 43 acres used for both active and passive recreation. These two use zones are divided by Cooley Brook.

In the north are Cooley Brook, its headwaters, as well as several small tributaries, and a large network of broad trails that loop through a tall, mature forest. It is possible that this forest has been preserved since the land was acquired in 1906. The majority of the woody plants are native, and the slow growing orchid, pink lady's slippers, has been found there, indicating that the soil has been undisturbed for decades (Shea, "Lady's Slipper Season").

88 Village Hill Rd. Northampton, MA 01060 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu

HISTORY OF CONSERVATION

SPRING 2020

EXISTING CONDITIONS

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#3 To visit the playground (Bliss); To visit Laurel Pond (Laurel) *results of May 2020 on-line survey

no access

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wildlife view ing

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P Participants at the May 7, 2020 Community Meeting indicated they loved going to Laurel Pond and walking the trails.

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• Lack of a convenient, safe, pedestrian crossing on Laurel Street. (see p. 23 for more details) • User conflict between off-leash dogs (officially not permitted) and others, especially on Bliss Trails. (see p. 26 for more details) • Concern about kids digging and building ramps for mountain bike trails in Laurel Park. (see p. 26 for more details) • Need for trail maps and wayfinding signs. • A desire for more seating options throughout the park.

The scope of this plan focuses primarily on an ecological design for the parks, though solutions for some of these challenges are explored on pages 23 and 26.

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Unsigned Trail Entrance

By car

On b i k e On f o o t

HOW DO VISI TORS GE T TO THE PARK S?

Bliss Park trails and the playground are loved by visitors.

rails

COO LEY BRO OK

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EXISTING CROSSWALK

WHERE DO PARK VISI TORS LOVE GOI NG?

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trails

BIKE CROSSI NG

Concerns about biker and pedestrian safety arise when mountain bikers and walkers share trails.

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The majority of survey participants travel to the parks on foot or by bike. Sidewalks surrounding the parks are generally wide, shaded and protected by a generous green belt. A majority of community meeting #1 participants reported that the park does not need more parking.

SPRING 2020

walking t ra

Concerns expressed at the community meeting :

CARA MONTAGUE AND SHAINE MEULMESTER

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#1 To walk the trails #2 To be in nature and observe wildlife

Trails in Bliss attract off-leash dog walkers, on-leash dog walkers, and nature lovers. Concerns about dog waste and interactions with off-leash dogs persist.

Visitors, mostly walkers and bikers, approach the park from surrounding sidewalks.

Shortcuts and user created trails proliferate, especially along Laurel Street, where the formal entrances are designed for cars.

Some users have connected trails from their backyards into the parks.

ENHANCING ECOLOGY IN THE HEART OF LONGMEADOW BLISS AND LAUREL PARKS, LONGMEADOW, MA

WHY DO VISI TORS COME TO BLISS AND L AUREL PARK S?*

ZONES OF USE

CIRCULATION

According to the May 2020 on-line survey, the primary reasons visitors come to the parks are to walk the trails and to be in nature. In the same survey, users expressed the desire for upgrading some trails to accessible trails, improving the tread surface to reduce tripping hazards on certain trails, and posting maps and wayfinding signs.

88 Village Hill Rd. Northampton, MA 01060 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu

CIRCULATION

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fine glaciolacustrine sediments ("glacial lake" sediments).

Layered on top of these sediments are stream-terrace deposits, an indication that glacial outwash was deposited over this area as the glaciers began to melt.

This glacial outwash is the source of the sandy soils we find today, largely free of rocks and boulders.

88 Village Hill Rd. Northampton, MA 01060 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu

of glacial Lake Hitchcock: glacial till deposits are covered by

A couple implications can be drawn from this information.

First, despite the discrepancies on drainage quality, the soil types alone do not sufficiently explain the puddling happening on some trail segments, an issue which will be explored in subsequent sheets. Loamy sand soils are commonly found in New England forests, and puddling in the forest setting is rare. Other factors, such as compaction through overuse, or poor trail construction, may be to blame.

On the other hand, the erosion that is happening on the banks of Cooley Brook in Bliss Park may be partially explained by the soils. These soils, as is typical of glacial outwash deposits, are largely free of large rocks and boulders that would help to hold the banks in place.

HYDROLOGY Where topography intersects with the groundwater table, water from underground springs becomes a stream. Prior to human development, this hydrologic network was likely dammed by beavers, and circuitous and branching in structure. Cooley Brook, and the seeps that feed into it, was likely a heterogeneous, multithread system (Burchsted).

Today, Cooley Brook appears to be largely disconnected from its The dams formed by beavers likely contributed to a heterogeneous waterway original underground dotted with pools, similar to the pools source at the headformed by man-made dams today. waters. Instead, the stream is fed at the headwaters primarily by two stormwater culverts, from which a small trickle empties on dry days and high volumes of water are released on a rainy day. The stream is culverted and dammed at multiple points along its channel. Some of the water in the channel still comes from seeps where the topography intersects the groundwater table.

SLOPES Bliss and Laurel Park, known as a "dingle" by Longmeadow locals, is a wooded valley. The hilly terrain throughout the parks was likely shaped by the movement of water emerging from seeps and flowing across the surface. The steepest slopes in the parks are along Cooley Brook, but other small tributaries seeping into the brook are visible on the slopes map.

While the brook would naturally carve a channel into the land's sandy soils, the steep banks throughout the stream channel in Bliss Park, especially near the culvert outfalls, seem to be the consequence of a high volume of stormwater entering through the culvert outfalls (discussed more in later sheets).

Eroding banks can be undesirable to the human eye, but erosion is part of the natural trajectory of stream channels and not necessarily a cause for concern. The volumes of water entering the brook have increased with human development, and

the banks are responding accordingly. The process of erosion involves sediment dislodging from banks and entering the stream channel; where the stream water slows (such as behind a dam), sediment drops out and accumulates. This appears to be occurring in Laurel Pond.

Given that no infrastructure is being jeopardized by this erosion, decisions around whether and how to employ stream restoration techniques (discussed in the following pages) will likely hinge on the desired outcome for Laurel Pond.

SPRING 2020

The surficial geolog y of Bliss and Laurel Park bears the mark

The Windsor soils, present throughout most of the park, are very deep, excessively-drained soils, meaning that water drains through quickly. Surface runoff is low to medium. Eldridge are medium draining ; Enosburg are not well-draining.

CARA MONTAGUE AND SHAINE MEULMESTER

Around 15,000 years ago, the Connecticut River was dammed by glacial ice melt and formed Lake Hitchcock over much of the present day Connecticut River Valley.

ENHANCING ECOLOGY IN THE HEART OF LONGMEADOW BLISS AND LAUREL PARKS, LONGMEADOW, MA

A GLACIAL PAST

Three soil types are present in the park: Windsor loamy sand, Eldridge loamy sand, and Enosburg loamy sand. Loamy sand soils are characteristic of areas with glacial outwash deposits.

LANDFORMS

LANDFORMS

SOILS

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SLOPES AND TRAI L S DPW Access road

SLOPES P

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Steep slopes and eroded trails

SEEPS seeps P Existing Crosswalk

Wet Trail

Three commonly used circulation paths, shown on the map in pink lines, begin at parking lot entrance points to the parks, and do not have defined trails. Instead, users walk across large stretches of lawn (Photo 1). Creating defined, graded, fixed-width trails in these areas will help to limit compaction, erosion, and deterioration of the lawn.

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NEED FOR DEFINED TRAILS

IMPROVISED STREAM CROSSING

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Ground spring

Seeps are places where the water table is high enough that it is pushing water up out of the ground. In Laurel Park, this water then runs down towards the brook, eroding a very slight valley, which shows up in the slopes map (see map to the right). Because they contribute to the flow of water in Cooley Brook, are most likely hydrologically connected to wetlands that would qualify for state protection, and are within the 200-foot regulated buffer of a perennial stream, their flow needs to be preserved when considering trail surfacing improvements. Managing the water on the trails, discussed on page 23, will help reduce wet trails, erosion, and the flow of sediment into Cooley Brook (Photo 2).

Lack of Defined Trail

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An informal, but often used, stream crossing (Photo 4) in Bliss Park consists of small branches across 5-foot wide Cooley Brook.

This is the only stream crossing of Cooley Brook in Bliss Park, and it is a well-worn shortcut used by visitors to get from the western parking lot to the trail system. Its presence indicates the possible need for a formal stream crossing and stabilized trail surface in this area to prevent erosion of the stream banks.

Lawn leads from the footbridge up to street level parking.

CARA MONTAGUE AND SHAINE MEULMESTER

B L I S S PA R K

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Laurel Pond

SPRING 2020

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A large seep sends water flowing over a trail in Laurel Park. Dangerous ice sheets form here in winter.

A slope of 10-25% and frequent use leads to an eroded trail surface.

An improvised stream crossing shortcut may lead to erosion as users scramble up steep bank slopes.

ENHANCING ECOLOGY IN THE HEART OF LONGMEADOW BLISS AND LAUREL PARKS, LONGMEADOW, MA

In Bliss Park a large, gentle hill shapes the trail system. While several of the trails stick to flat ground by looping around the hill, some cross the slope, and, in two places, where trails traverse slopes of 10-25%, erosion occurs, leading to tree root tripping hazards (Photo 3). In Laurel Park the access road through the northern portion of the park has a slope of 0-5%, and is observed to get a lot of use from walkers. Where relatively flat trails interrupt runoff flowing from hills above, water collects, creating muddy trails. This is happening on the access road and the trail circling Laurel Pond. On the south side of Cooley Brook, there are slight valleys crossing the trails created by water flowing from ground seeps.

L A U R E L PA R K

TRAIL CONDITIONS

The existing conditions of the trails in Bliss and Laurel Parks are closely related to the slopes of the area. The map shows current trail conditions layered over slopes.

88 Village Hill Rd. Northampton, MA 01060 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu

TRAIL CONDITIONS

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2

LAUREL PA R K

28 A C R E S

20 A C R E S

1

B L I S S PA R K

41 ACRES

Coole y brook

2 3 ACRES 61 A C R E S

Stormwater drainage areas contributing to outfalls on Cooley Brook

STORMWATER IN THE BROOK VOLUME AND VELOCIT Y Erosion in Cooley Brook contributes to buildup of sediment in Laurel Pond. Cooley Brook is widening its banks to accommodate the volume and velocity of water that is directed into it by stormwater drains and pipes coming from the surrounding suburbanized watershed. On dry days there is barely a trickle coming out of the stormwater pipes that form Cooley Brook’s headwaters, and the water in the brook is a low but steady flow that gently collects and grows as groundwater seeps join in along the banks. However, during large rain events, which are occurring more frequently due to climate change, the stormwater system quickly collects run off from surrounding roads and lawns, and fills the headwaters. The intense volume and velocity of the incoming water scours the banks, sending sediment downstream into Laurel Pond.

During extreme events, such as Hurricane Irene, massive sediment loads, deposited from tributaries into the Connecticut River, made their way to Long Island Sound.

DRAINAGE AREAS Stormwater empties into three different areas along the brook in Bliss and Laurel Parks. The first area (in forest green on the map above) includes the two pipes at the headwaters; the second area (in lime green) includes the pipes that empty into Laurel Pond; the third area (in orange) includes the very western edge of Laurel Park where three small tributaries receive runoff from outflows and then join the main brook.

After large rain events, stormwater, brown and full of sediment from the streets, gushes from the same pipe and fills the banks. Flooding is not a concern in the park, but park visitors do have concern about eroding stream banks and falling trees.

CARA MONTAGUE AND SHAINE MEULMESTER

Laurel Pond

Photo taken from a video made about 15 minutes after the storm by Bill Harbison.

This pipe, one of the two located at the headwaters, has a slow, but steady, flow during dry days. Part of it has broken off and is lying in the stream bed. Signs of eroded banks can be seen upstream, below, and opposite the pipe.

Photo: Bill Harbison

UNDERSTANDING THE STORMWATER SYSTEM Each of the three areas receives runoff from roughly 100 acres, but the headwaters, where Cooley Brook now trickles from two stormwater pipes, are experiencing the most erosion, and even show signs of pipe failure (see photo of broken pipe above).

T H E H E A D W AT E R S There are visible differences between the pipes emptying at the headwaters and the pipes emptying at the western end of Laurel Park. The pipes at the headwaters are much closer together and they are also smaller in diameter, perhaps because they were designed at a time before the eastern neighborhoods, and all of their impervious surfaces, had been built. The neighborhoods to the east of Bliss Park were not fully built out until 1970. Smaller pipes increase the velocity of water in a pipe, which can lead to greater erosion in the stream. Pipe failure is seen where three large lengths of stormwater pipe have broken off and fallen into the stream. An engineering evaluation of the stormwater system is required to determine why the pipe failure has occurred and if the system is appropriately sized to handle current conditions and the future large storms that climate change will bring. Any future considerations for contributing additional stormwater to Cooley Brook need to be thoroughly evaluated to determine the impact on the brook.

Longmeadow’s stormwater and sewage systems are separated, meaning that sewage is not being directed into Cooley Brook. Instead, the stormwater system collects rainwater that flows over many diffuse surfaces—roads, houses, driveways, patios, lawns— and into stormwater drains found on town streets. In Longmeadow, rainwater is then directed through pipes under the streets until it is released into brooks, where it contributes to the erosion of dingles all over town. This system also washes excess nitrogen and phosphorus from lawns, hydrocarbons from leaky cars, and other pollutants into waterways. Longmeadow's 2019 Municipal Vulnerabilities Preparedness report cited the need to "Study the problem of dingle erosion and soil stability throughout the town" (18). In 1987 Congress amended the Clean Water Act with Section 402(p) to regulate Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4s), such as Longmeadow’s.

MS4s are permitted to discharge stormwater into water bodies, but they must “determine and implement best management practices (BMPs) to reduce the quantity of pollutants entering into and/or discharging from the MS4" (The National Association of Clean Water Agencies, 8). One of the goals of an MS4 permit is to reduce the velocity of water entering a waterway, because velocity leads to erosion.

SLOW THE FLOW Slowing , treating , and sinking stormwater in neighborhoods before it can enter the stormwater system is essential for reducing the impact of stormwater on Cooley Brook. Giving room for runoff entering the headwaters to spread and slow before joining the brook could reduce erosion and the build up of sediment and pollutants in Laurel Pond.

STORMWATER IMPACTS

Old Reservoir

2

2.2” of rain fell over 1.5 hours.

ENHANCING ECOLOGY IN THE HEART OF LONGMEADOW BLISS AND LAUREL PARKS, LONGMEADOW, MA

62 A C R E S Coole y brook

26 April, 2019

89 A C R E S

outside of stormwater study area

88 Village Hill Rd. Northampton, MA 01060 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu

Though Cooley Brook's stormwater drainage areas nearly align with the natural watershed of the brook, the increased velocity of piped stormwater into the brook leads to scouring and erosion. In areas of the brook that do not receive stormwater discharges, the stream banks, though steep, are stable and vegetated.

SPRING 2020

STORMWATER IMPACTS

A tributary that does not receive any piped stormwater shows remarkable characteristics. Though the soils are sandy, and the banks are steep at times, there is no erosion. Because the stream does not experience intense flows during rain events, vegetation grows right up to the edge of the stream.

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mses a d ip oldnd p a

Little is known about this collection of pipes which in one stretch carries Cooley Brook underground. Further investigation is necessary to determine what would be necessary to excavate it, and what the consequences of such actions might be.

PERMITTING REQUIREMENTS The full extent of the stream area falls within jurisdictional boundaries for permitting. The Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act regulates activities (and often requires permits for activities) within 200' of a stream (known as Riverfront Area) and 100' of a wetland. Activities within rare species habitat must also file with the Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program. Further research should be conducted into permitting requirements for specific interventions.

The Olmsted-Brothersdesigned pond, where it hasn't filled in, offers scenic views of open water.

Downed trees

A lush marsh environment has formed where sediment has been deposited in Laurel Pond. This biodiverse environment, filled with wetland vegetation, provides habitat for wildlife.

STREAM HEALTH SUMMARY

A collection of dilapidated infrastructure from the old reservoir system backs up the stream channel in Laurel Pond, creating a stretch of slow-moving water.

ENHANCING ECOLOGY IN THE HEART OF LONGMEADOW BLISS AND LAUREL PARKS, LONGMEADOW, MA

CARA MONTAGUE AND SHAINE MEULMESTER

Downed trees along the stream channel contribute to the slow velocity of the stream flow in this area of Laurel Park. Algae and duckweed are present.

Eroding banks in Bliss Park are leading to sedimentation in Laurel Pond. The banks in some areas are undercut with exposed tree root systems; trees are falling into the stream as a result.

SPRING 2020

Cooley Brook's character changes dramatically as it travels east to west through the parks, with heavy stormwater discharge and erosion in Bliss, and sedimentation and pooling in Laurel.

88 Village Hill Rd. Northampton, MA 01060 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu

STREAM HEALTH SUMMARY

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Given its importance to the community and to the ecological health of the parks, Laurel Pond was the focus of preliminary design alternatives.

Three design alternatives were presented at the second community meeting on May 4, 2020. The feedback received informed the final designs.

Given the complexity of the site, and the need for further engineering, permitting, and cost assessment, two designs were developed further.

POND STEWARDS

WETLAND REFUGE

By removing sediment in the pond and restoring the 1934 Olmsted-designed form, this alternative offers attractive views of open water. With the addition of a covered seating area from which to enjoy the views, and a deck for fishing , this design enhances the pond's recreational draw.

This design seeks to create a lower maintenance pond by adding a planted sediment pond, allowing sediment to settle out before water reaches the pond. Access to the water is increased with a footbridge over the check dam and several stone landings.

Native water loving plants, interplanted with small boulders, are added to stabilize the shoreline, prevent erosion, and increase wildlife habitat.

By allowing the pond to continue transforming into a marsh-like landscape, this design would require the least amount of installation and ongoing maintenance, while providing enhanced habitat for wetland-loving species. With the addition of boardwalks and a community pergola, this design offers educational groups and birdwatchers alike a place to connect with nature.

BENCH LANDING

COV E R E D S E AT I N G A R E A

FOOTBRIDGE OVER CHECK DAM

TREE GROVE

REINFORCED EDGES WITH S TO N E A N D WAT E R P L A N T S

POND

POND

N AT I V E V E G E TAT I O N

V I E W I N G P L AT F O R M S O N E I T H E R SIDE

N AT U RA L S T R E A M M E A N D E R

MARSH

SEDIMENT POND

DECK

WITH STONE BOT TOM

PROS • A deeper pond, stocked with fish, allows for more fishing. Ice skating may be possible in the winter.

• Deeper waters will support more fish.

• A covered seating area offers a place for rest with pleasing views. A new tree grove buffers the pond area from the parking lot to the north.

CONS • Maintaining the pond depth over time would require ongoing maintenance.

Perhaps less maintenance would be necessary if stream restoration efforts upstream are successful.

• May require installing an access road for dredging (trees may need to be removed).

• Regular removal of sediment is detrimental to organisms living in the pond.

Removing marsh eliminates habitat for some species.

• May not support as much wildlife as the existing conditions.

• Wildlife sightings are likely to decrease from the existing conditions.

PERGOL A

BOARDWALK

PROS • Mixes active and passive recreation opportunities, with fishing and ice skating as well as wildlife viewing.

• Deeper waters will support more fish.

• Planted sediment pond may support wildlife.

• Sediment ponds help to reduce heavy metals and hydrocarbons in the main pond.

• Dredging frequency of the pond may be reduced.

CONS • Requires extensive permitting and sediment removal to begin, as well as ongoing sediment maintenance.

• Removing sediment from sediment pond is likely an expensive process.

• Contaminated sediment will likely have to be brought to another community to store.

• May require installing an access road (trees may need to be removed).

• May not support as much wildlife as third alternative.

BOARDWALK SWAMP (TREE CANOPY)

PROS • Biodiverse marsh and swamp landscapes can be enjoyed for their scenic qualities.

• Wetlands provide valuable ecosystem services such as filtering heavy metals, reducing flood risk downstream, and offering habitat to endangered species.

• Accessible trails make it easy for local school groups to observe and learn about the importance of wetlands.

• The cost of sediment removal is eliminated. Marsh requires only occasional tree removal. Need for erosion mitigation measures upstream is diminished.

CONS • Olmsted-Brothers-designed pond is lost.

• Loss of habitat for pond-dwelling species. Insects, like mosquitoes, may increase.

Not for construction. Part of a student project and not based on a legal sur vey.

PRELIMINARY DESIGNS

N AT I V E V E G E TAT I O N

ENHANCING ECOLOGY IN THE HEART OF LONGMEADOW BLISS AND LAUREL PARKS, LONGMEADOW, MA

OPEN WATERS

CARA MONTAGUE AND SHAINE MEULMESTER

All designs feature an accessible (5' wide trap rock gravel) path encircling the pond/marsh area. All designs include the addition of seating areas and native vegetation.

SPRING 2020

88 Village Hill Rd. Northampton, MA 01060 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu

PRELIMINARY DESIGN ALTERNATIVES

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OUT SI DE THE PARK

For more details see page 21.

Native plant restoration

k

STRE AM CROSSI NG

P

A new trail leads visitors from the Bliss Street parking lot and along a planted grove of native trees. The top of the southern bank has been regraded, hazardous undercut trees removed, and safety restored to this area.

Old infrastructure removed

STRE AM RESTORATI ON

ley

Br

A wooden footbridge leads visitors across the brook, where there is convenient access to Bliss' expansive trail network.

A cross vane works to slow and spread water in a wide bend in the brook. By creating a shallow pool, some pollutants and sediment will settle out before the brook reaches the pond.

oo k

Laurel Pond, with sediment removed from its open waters via dredging, is rejuvenated. The eastern half of the pond, where a channel has formed, is broadened and reshaped to give room for the stream to slow and sediment to settle out over a wider area.

The edges of the marsh are left undisturbed and some wetland habitat is left intact. A stepping stone pathway crosses the pond, giving access to both the open water and wetland areas, and serves to slow

Co o

EET

THE POND

STR

For more details see page 24.

L A U R E L PA R K

REL

Consultation with an ecologist, fluvial hydrologist, and engineer will ensure that dam removal will accommodate the grade change where the stream is currently buried and consider ways to prevent gully formation

B L I S S PA R K

LAU

At this four-acre site on the north bank of Cooley Brook, old water reservoir infrastructure is removed and the stream is returned to a natural meander. Working with a restoration specialist, aggressive naturalized plants are removed and replaced with native species, such as oaks, willows, and blueberries, that support large numbers of insects and birds (Tallamy 147), and help to stabilize the shoreline.

Laurel Pond

Working with an engineer and fluvial hydrologist will ensure that the stream is stabilized and the channel is able to handle high stormwater flows.

New bridge New trail Cascades and pools Bioswale filters runoff

and settle the water.

An accessible path circles the pond, passing a small seating wall and dipping platform north of the dam, leading to another small seating wall and a shady picnic area. Benches invite lingering and relaxation under the shade of existing trees.

For more details see pages 15-17.

For more details see pages 13-14.

THE HE ADWATERS

P P P

A grove of trees and native perennials is planted on the open north slope to visually buffer the parking lot, intercept rainwater, and support local insect and bird populations.

More investigation is necessary to determine if sediment removal will be permitted, and this will influence the final design significantly. Future studies will require collaboration with a wetland scientist, engineer, fluvial hydrologist, and restoration specialist, and the pond vegetation and wildlife may take several years to recover.

Native trees replace recent losses

Bioswale filters runoff

Stepping stone pathway in Rock Spring, Alabama

Proposed location of an off-leash dog park

Regenerative stormwater conveyances (RSC) create a series of cascades and pools to help slow and spread high velocity stormwater. Slopes are planted with native trees and shrubs to increase wildlife habitat and stabilize the soil.

Working with an engineer to evaluate the capacity of the system, why the existing pipes are breaking, and exploring what might be needed to secure this site will be a critical first step.

For more details see page 12.

Planted bioswales are added to two Bliss parking lots to help filter stormwater flowing off the asphalt.

DESIGN 1: OVERVIEW

Cooley Broo

CARA MONTAGUE AND SHAINE MEULMESTER

Conversion of lawns to low-input groundcovers and shrubs slows and sinks stormwater before it reaches Cooley Brook.

Many small interventions—rain gardens, rain barrels, trees, ground covers, reduced lawns and permeable pavements—result in reduced peak flow at the outfalls along the stream. Capturing stormwater from roads and driveways, which contribute the most run-off during storms, will have the greatest impact on reducing peaks flows to the brook.

ENHANCING ECOLOGY IN THE HEART OF LONGMEADOW BLISS AND LAUREL PARKS, LONGMEADOW, MA

Preservation of a beloved pond brings with it stormwater mitigation, cleaner water, and a restored stream.

SPRING 2020

OVERVIEW

88 Village Hill Rd. Northampton, MA 01060 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu

DESIGN 1: PROTECT THE POND

TRAI L NE T WORK Trail design improvements are described in more detail on pages 22-23.

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ACCESS Accessible paths connect to the parking lot and circle the pond. A picnic area, stone sitting walls, and a dipping platform that reaches into the water, provides space for visitors to relax, gather with friends, and enjoy the pond.

PLANTS Groves of native trees—paper birches and eastern hophornbeams—and low-input perennials replace the lawn on the northern slope above the pond. Mowing is reduced, insects and birds find new habitat, and shade provides relief from summer heat. Around the water's edge, a ten-foot vegetated buffer, mowed yearly, is allowed to fill in with lush, green growth that protects the pond edge from erosion and provides wildlife habitat. The view from the picnic area is preserved by limbing up the existing trees.

PLANTED BIOSWALE

acc ess

roa

MARSH

d

FOREST GROVE

A

CULVERT

STONE SITTING WALL EXISTING FOOTBRIDGE EXISTING DAM

DIPPING P L AT F O R M

EXISTING TREE CANOPY

A'

EXISTING FOOTBRIDGE STEPPING STONES

Existing trees

Contour lines

New trees

Existing trails

STEPPING STONES A stepping stone path bisects the water where the marsh and pond meet—allowing exploration of both. On the upstream side, a mixture of crushed gravel and river stone provides a slight check dam, further trapping sediment on the marsh side.

THE QUESTION OF SEDIMENT: Sediment removal, either through mechanical dredging or hydrolic dredging will be informed by a dredging feasibility study that will perform a preliminary test of the sediment to determine how it can be disposed of (based on pollution levels), what staging area would be needed for equipment, where the sediment could go, what permits (local, state or federal) would be needed, and give a cost estimate (Horsley Witten Group). Hydroraking , primarily used for removing excessive vegetation from a small floating barge, might be permitted locally and could be used to clear plant growth from the open waters portion of the pond ( Joe Onorato, Solitude Lake Management).

Existing oak knoll

SECTI ON A - A' STEPPI NG STONE PATH

Stepping stone path

Stone steps

SPRING 2020

Supported by interventions that trap stormwater sediment and pollutants upstream and in surrounding neighborhoods, the pond is dredged. In the western half of the pond, open waters are restored, and in the eastern half, the marsh is reshaped to give room for water and sediment to spread. An access road allows trucks to reach the pond's edge for regular sediment maintenance. The parking lot is reshaped to accommodate a planted bioswale, helping to trap pollutants washing off the parking lot.

OAK KNOLL

CARA MONTAGUE AND SHAINE MEULMESTER

THE POND

PARKING

ENHANCING ECOLOGY IN THE HEART OF LONGMEADOW BLISS AND LAUREL PARKS, LONGMEADOW, MA

This design invites lingering and exploration of a beloved, and newly restored, pond.

EXISTING TREE CANOPY

PICNIC AREA

DESIGN 1: POND

POND

88 Village Hill Rd. Northampton, MA 01060 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu

DESIGN 1: PROTECT THE POND

Accessible path

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A

GATHERING AREAS

B A' B'

Accessible gathering areas, shaped by stone sitting walls, are nestled into a hillside planted with paper birch and eastern hophornbeam.

Picnic tables enjoy a view of the pond. A small dock with a 4" high wheel chair guard gives a safe opportunity to be close to the water.

Accessible path and picnic area

Trees limbed up to frame view of pond

Pond

S E C T I O N A - A'

SECTION B - B'

PICNIC AREA

S E AT I N G A R E A A N D D O C K

Accessible path and dry-stone sitting wall

Accessible dock

Pond

SPRING 2020

CARA MONTAGUE AND SHAINE MEULMESTER Slope planted with paper birch, eastern hophornbeam, summersweet, and hardy perennials: black eyed-susans, liltle bluestem, hairy mountain mint, Canada anemone and daffodils

ENHANCING ECOLOGY IN THE HEART OF LONGMEADOW BLISS AND LAUREL PARKS, LONGMEADOW, MA

Existing trees underplanted with hayscented fern and Canada anemone

L AUREL POND

DESIGN 1: GATHERING AREAS

Driveway

88 Village Hill Rd. Northampton, MA 01060 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu

DESIGN 1: PROTECT THE POND

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88 Village Hill Rd. Northampton, MA 01060 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu

DESIGN 1: PROTECT THE POND

PATH GRADING PLAN This grading plan describes how to modify the existing slope to create an accessible pathway from the parking lot to the footbridge. The footprint of the parking lot is reduced, and a bioswale on the south side of the parking lot helps to prevent pollutants from reaching the pond.

EQUIPMENT ACCESS: A 5’ WIDE TRAP ROCK GRAVEL ACCESSIBLE PATH LEADS TO THE MARSH. 2.5’ REINFORCED TURF SHOULDERS ON EITHER SIDE ACCOMMODATE HEAVY EQUIPMENT.

PA R K I N G LO T ACCESSIBLE PARKING

Through stone

Aggregate backfill

Foundation stone

Filter fabric when applicable Perforated pipe sloping to daylight when applicable

Compacted subgrade

DRAINAGE LENS

BIOSWALE

Soil

6" deep 3/4" compacted crushed stone

2

SMALL BRIDGE

1: 6 Batter

SPRING 2020

Cap stone

CARA MONTAGUE AND SHAINE MEULMESTER

L AUREL POND

DRAINAGE 18" DRY STONE LENS RETAINING WALL

1

18" DRY STONE RETAINING WALL

5' TRAP ROCK GRAVEL ACCESSIBLE PATH DRAINAGE LENS

1

ACCESSIBLE PICNIC AREA

C O N S T R U CT I O N D E TA I L : D RY S T O N E WA L L Dry stone walls do not contain any cement or binding agents.

They are held together by the friction of the large stones. The face and back should be built at a 1:6 batter.

TO PROTECT EXISTING TREES, AN AIRSPADE SHOULD BE USED TO EVACUATE AREAS AROUND TREE ROOTS.

LAUREL POND

ACCESSIBLE WOODEN DOCK

3/4" minus Trap rock gravel

Crib stone Trail surface Small stone

EXISTING FOOTBRIDGE

Large stone

W AT

ER Native soil Geotextile fabric

ENHANCING ECOLOGY IN THE HEART OF LONGMEADOW BLISS AND LAUREL PARKS, LONGMEADOW, MA

STABILIZED WITH RIPRAP

DESIGN 1: PATH GRADING PLAN

adapted from The Stone Trust

adapted from Trailism.com

2

C O N S T R U CT I O N D E TA I L : D R A I N A G E L E N S Space between rocks allows water to seep from the uphill slope, under the trail and out the other side. Geotextile fabric helps to ensure that the pore spaces do not fill up with fine sediment.

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88 Village Hill Rd. Northampton, MA 01060 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu

HEADWATERS

Regenerative Stormwater Conveyance (RSC) is used to restore streams and retrofit stormwater conveyance by creating a series of shallow pools, alternating with cascades (drops of up to five feet) and riffles (shallow areas with rough bottoms that cause turbulence near outfalls). Eroded banks are regraded to a more gently sloped bank and planted with native vegetation for stabilization and wildlife habitat benefits. Widening the stream bank reduces the velocity of the stormwater, and therefore the erosive power of the stormwater. During small rain events, the small pools allow sediment to settle out, and limit the amount of sediment moving downstream. "RSC is a good candidate for retrofitting in cases where the existing drainage or conveyance system is eroded and/or incised. In these cases, RSC not only provides stable conveyance, but restores ecosystem and hydraulic functions associated with non-tidal streams and wetlands. In the retrofit context, RSC can also be combined with other upgradient runoff reduction" (West Virginia Stormwater Management and Design Guidance Manual, 19).

I N-S T R E A M BOULDERS CO B B L E S R O O T WA D

CASE STUDY

S A N D/WO O D C H I P MIX F I LT E R F A B R I C N AT I V E SOIL

CASCADE WITH THREE POOLS

O U T FA L L R E T R OF I T S Several factors in favor of RSC retrofitting at the headwaters of Cooley Brook include: • Access to the headwaters through the park can occur on city-owned land, requiring no easements.

• There are no man made structures nearby.

• Site access would traverse relatively flat land.

• Buried utilities are likely not an issue given the lack of structures in the vicinity, though a thorough mapping of the utilities would be needed.

E RO D E D B A N K

Before

After

DESIGN 1: HEADWATERS

At Teaneck Creek Park, in Teaneck, NJ, a stormwater inlet had erroded so severely that it sat 10feet below the floodplain and was called "Stormwater Canyon". The Teaneck Creek Conservancy, a non-profit member supported group, partnered with Bergen County to develop an ecological masterplan for the park which included site remediation and wetland restoration. Working in collaboration with environmental engineers and scientists, landscape architects, and wetland ecologists, with inputs from local NGOs and Teaneck Creek Conservancy volunteers, a restoration plan, funded with state money, was developed. In 2018 Bergen County was awarded $113,000 by the state of NJ for an RSC retrofit of "Stormwater Canyon". The RSC works to ensure that, "stormwater thus becomes the hydrologic foundation for the integrated stream and wetland system that will slow stormwater flow, convert high frequency storm events into hyporheic (saturated interstitial areas beneath the stream bed) seepage flow, thus restoring and enhancing wetland and stream hydrolog y" (Ravit, B. et al, " Urban wetlands: restoration or designed rehabilitation?", 465).

ENHANCING ECOLOGY IN THE HEART OF LONGMEADOW BLISS AND LAUREL PARKS, LONGMEADOW, MA

R E G E N E R AT I V E S T O R M W AT E R C O N V E YA N C E

CARA MONTAGUE AND SHAINE MEULMESTER

An RSC installed in Milkhouse Run, a stream in Washington, D.C.'s Rock Creek Park.

SPRING 2020

DESIGN 1: PROTECT THE POND

S LO P E D B A N K S A N D STEPPED POOLS

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88 Village Hill Rd. Northampton, MA 01060 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu

DESIGN 1: PROTECT THE POND

STREAM CROSSING + RESTORATION Installing a series of in-stream restoration structures will help mitigate erosion and stabilize the stream channel before re-g rading and planting the banks.

B A N K R E G R A D I N G A N D S T A B I L I Z AT I O N

C R O S S VA N E

BRIDGE

C R O S S VA N E

J-H O O K BAN

K ST ABI LIZA T

ION

Cross vanes direct the velocity of the water toward the center of the stream channel

DESIGN 1: STREAM RESTORATION

Consultation with a fluvial geomorphologist, ecologist, and/or stream restoration expert will be necessary to appropriately re-grade and stabilize the bank on the south side of the stream that is experiencing severe erosion. Planting the banks with live willow stakes and other fast-growing , wet-loving plants will help stabilize the soils over time.

ENHANCING ECOLOGY IN THE HEART OF LONGMEADOW BLISS AND LAUREL PARKS, LONGMEADOW, MA

CARA MONTAGUE AND SHAINE MEULMESTER

These two in-stream structures slow the flow of water and re-direct the velocity from the stream banks toward the center of the channel (Rosgen). Over time, these structures will assist in maintaining a stable stream channel (Rosgen). These structures would also support fish migration and habitat and are relatively low-cost compared to other in-stream structures such as check dams. They are also maintenance free. Both structures can be constructed with boulders.

SPRING 2020

C R O S S VA N E S A N D J - H O O K S

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STREAM CROSSING + RESTORATION

NEW BRIDGE A boardwalk bridge supported by low-impact footings causes minimal disruption to the stream channel while providing safe, accessible crossing where the trail currently crosses the stream.

DESIGN 1: STREAM RESTORATION

CROSS VANE

ENHANCING ECOLOGY IN THE HEART OF LONGMEADOW BLISS AND LAUREL PARKS, LONGMEADOW, MA

CARA MONTAGUE AND SHAINE MEULMESTER

The existing informal stream crossing in Bliss Park enables users to ex perience the stream up close, but may be contributing to erosion of the sandy banks, and may not be safe and/or accessible for all users.

A new bridge will add scenic interest and allow users to see stream restoration efforts in prog ress.

SPRING 2020

88 Village Hill Rd. Northampton, MA 01060 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu

DESIGN 1: PROTECT THE POND

Existing conditions at stream crossing area

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THE RESERVOI R

Removal of naturalized plants in the understory opens up views of the reser voir from the trails, adds biodiversity, and beauty.

THE POND

THE HE ADWATERS Stream restoration work is minimal in this design, as the natural processes of erosion are allowed to continue unabated.

As natural processes are allowed to continue, the pond continues to fill in with sediment over time.

This process leads to the formation of a marsh environment, with a small stream channel cutting through. See page 19 or more information.

The culverts are stabilized, however, using riprap or other techniques in order to avert infrastructure failure.

See page 20 for more information.

Because of the safety hazard posed by eroding banks and falling trees, vegetation is added to block access to this pedestrian stream crossing.

The area next to the swimming pool, currently bare, is re-vegetated to stabilize the soil.

TRAI L NE T WORK

DESIGN 2: OVERVIEW

Since the reser voir is less prone to sedimentation, this area, a former water supply reser voir and then swimming hole, is revived as a recreational space with the addition of a new trail and deck.

Green infrastructure is employed in the neighborhoods draining into Cooley Brook in order to catch pollutants before they reach the water way. See page 21 for more information.

SPRING 2020

The eroding banks in Bliss Park are monitored for trees liable to fall. In order to protect the safety of visitors, these areas are cordoned off.

OUT SI DE THE PARK

CARA MONTAGUE AND SHAINE MEULMESTER

This design allows natural processes to continue to shape the landscape. Boardwalks, decks, and new trails increase access to the parks' natural features.

ENHANCING ECOLOGY IN THE HEART OF LONGMEADOW BLISS AND LAUREL PARKS, LONGMEADOW, MA

OVERVIEW

88 Village Hill Rd. Northampton, MA 01060 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu

DESIGN 2: NATURAL PROCESSES

Trail design improvements are described in more detail on pages 22-23.

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BOARDWALK PERGOLA

MARSH

A

While it's impossible to predict precisely how the pond will transform, it's likely that the pond will continue to fill in with sediment and, over time, transform into a marsh. The landscape will continue through stages of succession, as large woody vegetation comes in. If desired, removal of woody vegetation will help retain open views across the marsh.

SELECTIVE SUCCESSION (NATIVE PLANTS GROW IN)

M A R S H

STREAM As the pond transforms to marsh, Cooley Brook will cut a narrow channel through it.

Over time, the stream may meander and expand its channel.

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B I O S WA L E

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A new bioswale on the south side of the parking lot captures polluted stormwater runoff from the parking lot before it reaches the marsh.

TREE GROVE Four native trees are planted into the lawn/slope to provide shade, buffer views of the parking lot, and capture excess stormwater.

EXISTING TREE CANOPY

SPRING 2020

EXISTING TREE CANOPY

TREE GROVE

CARA MONTAGUE AND SHAINE MEULMESTER

This desig n embraces the natural processes that will continue to transform the pond into a marsh.

BIOSWALE

BOARDWALK

A'

TREE CANOPY

Existing trees

Contour lines

New trees

Existing trails

SELECTIVE SUCCESSION Around the edges of the marsh, on the areas currently covered in lawn, succession is allowed to occur with selective intervention; i.e., naturalized non-native vegetation is removed if it appears, and native vegetation is allowed to in.

B O A R D WA L K Two new accessible boardwalks allow visitors to get up close to this dynamic landscape. Benches along the edges offer a place to rest and enjoy the views.

DESIGN 2: MARSH

(LARGE WOODY VEGETATION GROWS IN)

ENHANCING ECOLOGY IN THE HEART OF LONGMEADOW BLISS AND LAUREL PARKS, LONGMEADOW, MA

MARSH

88 Village Hill Rd. Northampton, MA 01060 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu

DESIGN 2: NATURAL PROCESSES

PERGOLA A shade structure creates a comfortable place for groups to gather and learn about the wetlands.

S E C T I O N A-A'

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88 Village Hill Rd. Northampton, MA 01060 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu

DESIGN 2: NATURAL PROCESSES

RESERVOIR

The reservoir, enhanced with native plants and a new deck, continues to offer wildlife and visitors an open body of water to enjoy.

OLD INFRASTRUCTURE REMOVED Enlist a sustainable site engineer, fluvial geomorphologist, and ecologist to survey the abandoned in-stream infrastructure and determine whether it would be feasible to remove it. Ask whether removing the reservoir walls would be beneficial.

F O R E S T R E S T O R AT I O N

Enlisting an engineer to survey this area will yield a greater understanding of how best to retain the water. This plan depicts a new dam.

DECK

A new path provides all users access to the deck.

F O R E S T A N D W E T L A N D E D G E R E S T O R AT I O N The areas in green presently contain a high number of non-native naturalized species, especially in the understory. Consult with an ecological restoration specialist to define realistic objectives and a create a management plan. In general, removal of naturalized species will have a higher chance of success if accompanied by native plant establishment. Near the water's edge, favor plants that like having their feet wet, as water levels will rise during a heavy rain event.

DECK

WETLAND EDGE R E S T O R AT I O N

ACCESSIBLE PATH OLD INFRASTRUCTURE REMOVED DAM

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ENHANCING ECOLOGY IN THE HEART OF LONGMEADOW BLISS AND LAUREL PARKS, LONGMEADOW, MA

A C C E S S I B L E P AT H

DESIGN 2: RESERVOIR

The recreational use of this area is revived. A new deck on helical piers enables parks users to enjoy the reservoir closeup.

SPRING 2020

DAM

CARA MONTAGUE AND SHAINE MEULMESTER

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S E C T I O N A-A'

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• Not over-watering lawns and gardens; using a soaker hose.

Contrary to natural environments, where rainfall is readily absorbed, rainfall in developed areas hits impervious surfaces such as roads, sidewalks, and roofs, drains off these surfaces in sheets and into catch basins, carrying with it the pollutants it picked up along the way. Lawns can often function as largely impervious surfaces as well because of compacted soils.

Green stormwater infrastructure (systems that are designed to capture water close to where it falls) increases the absorptive capacity of a developed area, and in doing so, reduces the pressure on stormwater systems and stream channels like Cooley Brook. Green infrastructure can achieve other ecological benefits at the same time, by increasing pollinator habitat, recharging the groundwater table, and capturing pollutants.

Green infrastructure is a term that describes many different techniques and designed solutions. For example, rain gardens and swales can infiltrate runoff from streets. Rain barrels capture rainfall from roofs and supply water for home gardens. Permeable pavement allows water to percolate through driveways and patios.

Some combination of these solutions would go a long way towards reducing the volume of water entering the stormwater system.

Land in the public right-of-way, schools, and other town properties and commercial areas may be appropriate for green infrastructure improvements.

• Green streets (reduced impervious surfaces, added street trees and bioswales, and planted medians) • Bioretention basins (large rain gardens) • Pervious pavements • Increasing the tree canopy

SELECTING SITES

Where is green infrastructure possible, and where will it add the most value?

Searching for parcels with the following characteristics may help identify appropriate locations for green infrastructure: • Areas with a high percent of impervious surfaces • Areas with low tree canopy • Roads with wide medians • Roads eligible for federal aid Since the greatest erosion is occurring at the headwaters, consider prioritizing projects in the neighborhoods draining into the culverts at the headwaters (see page 8).

Just outside the park, Laurel Street presents an opportunity to capture water draining off the street by inserting curb cuts, regrading the wide medians as swales, and adding vegetation (bottom right).

D E S I G N I N G S A LT - T O L E R A N T R A I N G A R D E N S

Since the area around the parks is mostly residential, educating homeowners is a good place to begin.

Only certain plants are able to withstand the high concentrations of salt and sand used to de-ice roads. Careful plant selection for roadside sites will help reduce the chances of plant failure. A salt-tolerant plant palette might include:

Practices to increase rainfall absorption: • Planting a rain garden of native plants, shrubs, and trees.

• Applying compost to increase your garden's absorptive capacity.

• Installing rain barrels to collect rainwater from roofs; the water can be used to water your garden.

While water quality testing has not been conducted for Cooley Brook, the Connecticut River has impaired water quality conditions. Several basic yard care best practices can help prevent nutrient pollution in our waterways.

• Pioneer Valley Green Infrastructure Plan, Pioneer Valley Planning Commission • Massachusetts Stormwater Handbook • Rain Gardens How-To Manual, DC Department of Energ y and Environment • Low Impact Development Design Strategies: An Integrated Design Approach, Prince George's County, Maryland

These improvements may include:

HOMEOWNER L AND CARE Rain gardens can be a valuable addition to the residential lawn. A rain garden at the bottom of a sloped yard can capture runoff from both the yard and even the nearby street, depending on the height of the curb. Runoff from downspouts can also be directed into rain gardens.

The following resources may be helpful in deciding where and how to undertake green infrastructure improvements.

CARA MONTAGUE AND SHAINE MEULMESTER

GREEN I NFRASTRUCT URE

PUBLI C SPACE I MPROVEMENT S

88 Village Hill Rd. Northampton, MA 01060 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu

The stream restoration strateg ies discussed in this document will only be so effective if the underlying cause—the high volume of stormwater discharge and the pollutants contained therein—is not addressed .

For more information...

Source: raindogdesigns.com/wordpress

A residential rain garden captures rainfall before it drains into the a nearby catch basin.

• Honeylocust (Gleditsia triacanthos var. inermis) • Maidenhair Tree (Ginkgo biloba) • Serviceberry (Amelanchier spp.)

• Witchhazel (Hamamelis spp.)

• Blueberry/Cranberry (Vaccinium spp.)

• Winterberry (Ilex verticillata)

The addition of a curb cut and vegetated swale could capture and filter stormwater from Bliss Street.

SPRING 2020

LANDSCAPE DESIGN AND MAINTENANCE

• Using yard waste as mulch or compost for gardens; otherwise, composting yard waste at a composting facility to prevent it from washing into streams.

• Avoiding fertilizer use. If necessary, applying only at the recommended amount and not before windy or rainy days.

• Properly storing unused fertilizers and properly disposing of empty containers.

ENHANCING ECOLOGY IN THE HEART OF LONGMEADOW BLISS AND LAUREL PARKS, LONGMEADOW, MA

Practices to prevent nutrient pollution:

BEYOND THE PARKS

BEYOND THE PARKS:

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“Accessible trails are sustainable trails.”

-Peter Jensen, trail planner/builder

T R A I L M A I N T E N A N C E TA S K S

Source: Peter Jensen

The 4-foot wide boardwalk constructed on helical piers offers sustainable access to wetlands.

While a full design for the trail network of Bliss and Laurel Parks is beyond the scope of this project, this page offers an overview of sustainable trail design guidelines and maintenance practices.

A C C E S S I B I L I T Y S TA N D A R D S Accessibility standards for trails are defined by the ABAAG (Architectural Barrier Act Accessibility Guidelines), sections 1017 through 1019, issued in 2015. These guidelines are legally binding on federal lands open to the public. They are also widely used by non-federal entities as a benchmark for trail accessibility.

Designing select trails in Bliss and Laurel Parks to meet these guidelines would enable all park users to enjoy the parks' natural beauty, increase safety of the trails, and reduce long-term maintenance.

TRAIL DESIGN GUIDELINES FOR ACCESSIBILIT Y • Surfaces: surfaces shall be firm and stable • Tread width: 6' minimum allows for 2-way pedestrian traffic • Slopes ¤ Cross-slope (across width of trail) shall not be steeper than 1:48 ¤ Running slope (across length of trail) shall be:

· · · · ·

Less than 5% for any distance 8.3% maximum up to 200 ft 10% maximum up to 30 ft 12% maximum up to 10 ft 70% or more of a trail’s total length must have a running slope of less than 8.3%

• Resting interval: must be 60” long or more • Passing space: minimum 60” x 60”; no more than 1,000 feet between each

passing space, and closer is better • Tread obstacles: 2” maximum height.

Obstacles should be separated by at least 48”.

• Openings: ½” maximum opening for asphalt, concrete, or boardwalks • Protruding objects: No more than 4” into space from 27-80” above tread (includes sign and markers; doesn't include natural objects) • Trail information signs should include: ¤ Length of trail ¤ Surface type ¤ Typical and minimum tread ¤ Typical and maximum running slope ¤ Typical and maximum cross slope Source: Architectural Barriers Act Standards

• Volunteer: ¤ Keeping records of trail degradation to share with the Parks Department (e.g. exposed trail roots, trail erosion, downed trees) ¤ Clearing vegetation, especially young trees, growing on trail ¤ Cutting brush to define trail ¤ Filling ruts and holes with new surface material

• Professional: ¤ Adding new surface material to restore sloped or crowned surfaces and facilitate drainage ¤ Checking the structural integrity of all built trail features such as bridges, steps, and railings and recording any repairs required ¤ Keeping the tread surface free of obstacles and hazards such as downed trees ¤ Clearing and maintaining drainage features to minimize trail erosion and environmental damage.

Source: Peter Jensen

Great Barrington's Housatonic River Walk is an accessible path that is graded so that water will not erode the trail over time.

T R A I L SU R FAC I NG N AT I V E S O I L

T R A P R O C K G R AV E L

CUSTOM

Pros • Freely available on site; easily sourced • No materials cost, can be maintained by volunteers

Pros • Accessible • Creates traction • Protects soil from compaction • Can be graded to shed water

Pros • Bark mulch would help hold soil mineral content in place • Soil can be harvested on site • Will build a more stable surface over time • Would need less frequent application than bark mulch alone

Cons • Requires maintenance around drainage issues and compaction

WOOD CHIPS Pros • Freely available on site • Creates traction • Protects soil from further compaction • Can be installed by volunteers Cons • Not an accessible surface • Needs continual replacement as it decomposes and washes off trail (every 1-3 years) • Requires constant maintenance to keep width and surface stable • Wet areas may get even wetter as organic matter builds up and holds moisture

Cons • Costly to install • Requires professional equipment and expertise

BARK MULCH Pros • Hangs together more than wood chips • Creates traction • Protects soil from further compaction • Can be installed by volunteers Cons

• Not an accessible surface • Needs continual replacement as it decomposes and washes off trail (every 1-3 years) • Wet areas may get even wetter as organic matter builds up and holds moisture

( 6 0 % N AT I V E S O I L / 4 0 % B A R K M U L C H )

Cons • Requires importing bark mulch

B O A R D WA L K Pros • Enable access to areas where trails otherwise would not be permitted under wetland regulations.

• Protects the soil from compaction in sensitive areas (especially wetlands)

ENHANCING ECOLOGY IN THE HEART OF LONGMEADOW BLISS AND LAUREL PARKS, LONGMEADOW, MA

One option available to meet both of these needs is to adhere to a set of accessibility design guidelines (outlined below), and in doing so, create a trail that is also sustainable. For example, an accessible trail sheds water easily, is less prone to erosion, and protects the surrounding landscape from further compaction by defining the area of human use ( Jensen).

While re-designing segments of the trail would need to be done by a trail specialist, many maintenance tasks can be performed by volunteer crews.

CARA MONTAGUE AND SHAINE MEULMESTER

In the first community meeting , several participants expressed a desire to develop an accessible trail for users coming to Bliss Park to enjoy its accessible playground.

Participants also voiced concern over the safety of muddy/icy trails, and wondered how trail erosion could be halted.

TRAIL CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE

SPRING 2020

88 Village Hill Rd. Northampton, MA 01060 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu

TRAIL CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE

Cons • Expensive to design and install

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88 Village Hill Rd. Northampton, MA 01060 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu

TRAILS DESIGN ACCESSIBILIT Y IMPROVEMENTS

2 ook

New

Footbridge

acce

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oad

Laurel Pond

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In Laurel Park, the DPW access road and a proposed new access road to the pond are narrowed to 5 feet and surfaced with 3/4" minus trap rock gravel. Constructed with 2.5-foot wide shoulders of reinforced turf, they can accommodate trucks. They are regraded with a 2% cross-slope to shed water.

Mountain bikes are discussed on page 26.

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L A U R E L PA R K

B L I S S PA R K

rel

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New footbridge

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Coo ley Br

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7 Playground

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R E SU R FAC I NG I M P R OV E M E N T S

3 Hugging the south side of the brook in Laurel Park, a main trail is resurfaced with a mix of native soil and mulch to create a smooth tread, and where seeps cross a secondary trail, simple bog bridges (pictured below left) are constructed to ensure that water from wetland seeps pass freely to the brook.

Re-surfacing

Bog bridge

ABA trail conversion

Re-grade to shed water

Existing trails

Where a particularly large seep crosses the trail just west of the Laurel Pond footbridge, a new grade reversal sends the water across the trail instead of down the trail, and a bog bridge keeps visitors' feet dry. See drawing below right.

CROSSWALK S Two new, signed crosswalks on Laurel Street (see map above) create safer pedestrian passage between parks, and help direct visitors to trail entrances.

Existing trail alignment

Existing seep

A simple bog bridge protects wetlands and keeps visitors dry.

Photo: ADK46ER Club, Iroquois Ridge trail

Bog bridge

New path of seep

Water from a large seep currently flows across and then down the trail.

Regraded trail Creating a grade reversal— building up a small gravel lined swale— will direct the water across the trail.

NEW TRAI L S 3 new trails connect visitors from park entrances to the trail system.

5 In Laurel Park, a sinuous and gentle trail winds down the hill from the Longmeadow Street entrance to the Cooley Brook footbridge.

6

Around Laurel Pond, a gentle accessible trail leads to a shady picnic area, past seating areas, and to a dock at the pond's edge.

7

In Bliss Park, a trail formalizes a frequently used shortcut from the western parking lot, crosses the brook with a new footbridge, and connects with the established trail network.

Remove young trees growing in path.

Add bog bridges where seeps are causing muddiness.

TRAILS DESIGN

New trail

4

SPRING 2020

6

k

CARA MONTAGUE AND SHAINE MEULMESTER

5

Crosswal

ENHANCING ECOLOGY IN THE HEART OF LONGMEADOW BLISS AND LAUREL PARKS, LONGMEADOW, MA

Coo ley Br

Lau

Starting at the eastern Bliss parking lot, and connecting with existing accessible trails from the playground, a .6 mile accessible trail loops through Bliss Park, and .2 miles of spurs connect to surrounding neighborhoods; one segment of the western edge of the trail is moved to circle around the hill to replace a steep and eroded trail.

adow S tr e e t

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DPW access road

lo n g m e

Converting existing trails to accessible trails is proposed where the trails are located on a 0-5% slope; these areas are marked in peach on the map. ABA accessible trails are 4-5' wide and constructed with 3/4" minus trap-rock gravel to create a stable and firm surface. Trail construction within 200 feet of the brook or 100 feet of a wetland will require permitting.

Move trails away from mature trees if possible.

Maintain 5' tread width.

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OFF-LEASH DOGS Survey and meeting participants also complained about the number of off-

BIKES The alteration of trails by youth for mountain biking occurring in one section of Laurel Park involves earth-moving to build jumps. Some community members are concerned about the impact this

Again, further community discussions are necessary to refine solutions for this conflict. Some potential solutions to consider are: • designating a "bike zone" in the park for supervised trail modifications; • teaching children and teenagers how to care for and maintain the trails through summer camps or workshops; • partnering with the New England Mountain Bike Association (NEMBA) to develop a trail development and stewardship plan; • or adding a sign or gate where bike trails and walking trails intersect to keep uses separate.

P RO PO S E D LO CAT I O N F O R "B I K E ZO N E"

PRECEDENTS

Enlisting local bike riders to help build a "pump track" or obstacle course with natural materials could help define the area of use.

P RO PO S E D LO CAT I O N F O R O F F L E A S H D O G PA R K

"Park Spark," a creative solution to dog waste pollution piloted in Cambridge, MA, harnesses methane from dog waste to light a lamp.

Mutt Mitts offered at Fitzgerald Lake Conservation Area

SPRING 2020

Another option may be to designate a dog park where owners would be welcome to let their dogs off-leash. Meeting participants did express a desire to keep the parks "natural," so this proposal would require further discussion.

CARA MONTAGUE AND SHAINE MEULMESTER

So, how to encourage visitors to pick up after their dogs? One study found that adding signs and dog waste receptacles and bags increased the rate of dog waste pick-up from 32% to approximately 84% (May et al). Posting educational signs that describe the connection between dog waste and water contamination may also help.

Improving the trails in Laurel Park per the design recommendations on page 23 may help alleviate some of the conflict between dog walkers and non-dog walkers in Bliss Park by expanding the offering of safe, accessible trails and diffusing the concentration of walkers in Bliss.

activity is having on the landscape. Since this activity is currently taking place in a flat area of the park, it likely not contributing directly to trail erosion, but may be compacting soil and removing vegetation.

Some members of the community, however, do not seem to mind the activity, recognizing that biking in the parks may help children and teenagers establish a relationship with nature at a young age.

ENHANCING ECOLOGY IN THE HEART OF LONGMEADOW BLISS AND LAUREL PARKS, LONGMEADOW, MA

Dog waste ranked highly as one of the community's chief areas of ecological concern for the parks. It's true that dog waste can contribute to water pollution. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, just two or three days of waste from 100 dogs can contribute enough bacteria, nitrogen, and phosphorus to close 20 miles of a bay-watershed to swimming and shellfishing (EPA). It also makes for an unpleasant walking experience, many survey participants noted.

leash dogs. One simple fix might be the addition of signs at the entrance to trails: "Dogs are always welcome on the trails!

Just grab your leash, and a plastic grocery bag or mutt mitt to pick up your dog's waste."

USER CONFLICTS

DOG WASTE

88 Village Hill Rd. Northampton, MA 01060 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu

USER CONFLICTS

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N AT U R A L I Z E D P L A N T P R E S E N C E Burning bush found in the understory

Approximately 4 acres of land (pictured below) near the old water reservoir infrastructure has been extremely impacted by aggressive naturalized plants. Opportunistic spreaders found on site include Japanese barberry, oriental bittersweet, multiflora rose, burning bush, chocolate vine and Japanese knotweed. Canopy trees in this area are being smothered. There are also native plants virginia creeper, wild raspberry, staghorn sumac, hemlock, sugar maple, oak, American beech, native grape, trillium, and jack in the pulpit. This is a complex site, close to the brook (a regulated water resource area), in an area that is mapped as a wetland by the state Dept of Environmental Protection. This may require local permitting considerations for plant removal and restoration planting , as well as state and federal level permitting for removal of the abandoned water infrastructure and stream bank restoration.

Readily accessible areas are a wonderful starting spot for small volunteer groups.

Gaps in the forest canopy, such as on the edges of Bliss and Laurel Park that front Laurel St, and along the bank of Cooley brook behind the pool in Bliss Park, are a good place to focus management efforts. Check for bittersweet, Japanese barberry and burning bush. Cutting and pulling , focused on removing all roots, can be done by volunteers. This should be an annual July-Aug project or before seed is set.

Volunteer efforts are rewarding for many and can be planned for varying levels of committment. Many folks will be interested in short-term commitments, and will be very effective at tackling smaller projects, such as along Laurel Street. It’s nice to remind volunteers, who arrive with different levels of stamina, interest and abilities that, “it’s not a race about who can pull more. It is a task that helps native plants survive" (Wenning ).

Given the complexity of this area, building a restoration team that includes an ecologist, wetland specialist, engineer, professional restoration company, and landscape designer will be immensely beneficial. Planning for habitat restoration of this area will be aided by close coordination with the stream restoration project so that soil disturbance and stream bank construction will not spread more unwanted plants into downstream and recently disturbed areas. Taking time to develop a sustainable ongoing plan for removal, planting and monitoring will ensure a successful restoration, and working with a professional restoration company, that is trained in plant identification, mechanical removal and minimal herbicide methods, will be the best longterm option.

ONGOI NG PROJ ECT S

Burning bush dominating the understory

1 e Laur

Area of greatest disturbance and highest naturalized presence

SHORT-TERM PROJECT S

MONI TORI NG On-going monitoring of recently cleared sites and other park edges is important for tracking progress and creating plans for plant removal days. Volunteers trained in plant identification play a key part in this aspect of the plan.

Bliss Park

l Str

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Laurel Park

Possible yard waste dump site

The closer an ecosystem is to a native, undisturbed site, the more successful the removal of opportunistic naturalized plants will be. With this in mind, the removal of burning bush ( Euonymus alatus ) from the understory in Bliss and Laurel Parks has a good chance of success. Volunteers will be useful for this part of the plan, but some coordination with professional stump grinders, tree removal experts or professional invasive species removers may be helpful given the volume of woody debris involved. On volunteer days, coordination will be needed for the removal of woody cuttings; if no seeds are present, brush piles can be left in the forest, but may be objected to on aesthetic grounds.

Burning bush found in the understory Bittersweet beginning to take advantage of gaps in the canopy

Mulitflora rose and oriental bittersweet are growing thickly in areas of Laurel Park that contain the old water reservoir and abandoned "Pump" swimming hole.

SPRING 2020

Many of the aggressive naturalized plants found in the parks were once highly valued ornamental landscape plants used in home gardens. One of the best ways to ensure naturalized plants do not find their way into the forests is to remove them from one's own yard. This includes burning bush, pachysandra, and oriental bittersweet. Educating homeowners to not drag yard waste into the park will also help to keep more plants from spreading into the understory.

E X TREME DIST URBANCE

CARA MONTAGUE AND SHAINE MEULMESTER

PARK EDGES

VOLUNTEER EFFORTS

ENHANCING ECOLOGY IN THE HEART OF LONGMEADOW BLISS AND LAUREL PARKS, LONGMEADOW, MA

"Naturalized plants" is used to describe plants that have been introduced to the landscape, and which are now opportunistically spreading in ways that may be changing local ecosystem diversity. Though sometimes called "invasive", they are not an invading army, but plants that are filling a role by providing , at times, erosion control, nitrogen fixation, habitat cover, or food for wildlife. The use of herbicides should only be used as a last resort, as the effects on humans and wildlife, especially the surfactants and dispersal agents in the herbicide formulas, are lingering and not well known. Glyphosate also binds with minerals in the soil, changing the soil chemistry, and potentially the plants that will grow there (Orion 33-35). When using herbicides it is also challenging to ensure that native plants are not affected. Instead, pulling or cutting should be used in combination with quick establishment of replacement, native plants.

PROFESSIONAL TEAM

NATURALIZED PLANT PLAN

NATURALIZED PLANTS

88 Village Hill Rd. Northampton, MA 01060 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu

NATURALIZED PLANT PLAN

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Removal Time: Pull small, 2 ft tall seedlings by hand. Medium height shrubs can be pulled with a “Puller Bear” or “Uprooter”. Larger shrubs can be cut to the ground leaving a 2” stump, but must be monitored for resprouts (Travis 4-7).

Ideal timing for cutting is right after flowering in early June. A follow up cutting in the fall is also recommended. It may take 3-4 years of cutting to kill the shrub, and consistent follow through and monitoring is essential so as not to waste efforts.

Collection and Dispoal: Seeded material should be bagged and removed. Brush without seeds can be left in piles. This will provide wildlife shelter, but may also be considered unsightly by visitors.

Celastrus orbiculatus

J A PA N E S E B A R B E R R Y

Berberis thunbergii

Identification: Woody, corkscrew vine; leaves are alternate, with scalloped edges and a pointy tip. Yellow capsules enclose red berries in fall. Roots are a distinctive orange.

Identification: Approximately 3 feet high, multi-stemmed shrub. Smooth, clustered leaves and alternating thorns on stems. Red berries, with a single seed, persist into the winter.

Removal: Hand pull small seedlings. Cut large vines to the ground in July-August. Make a 2nd cut at head height. Leave vines in trees to disintigrate. Frequent, weekly mowing over several years will starve the plant.

Removal: Hand pull small shrubs using thick gloves or "Uprooter". In late spring and summer cut larger shrubs to the ground to avoid fruit set.

Collection and Dispoal: All root materal should be bagged and taken off site or piled on pavement to dry and die. Anything with seeds should be bagged.

Collection and Dispoal: Hang pulled shrubs from trees or place upside down in a pile to prevent re-rooting. Shrubs that have already set seed should be removed from the site.

Goal: Seed reduction; elimination of small seedlings; weakening and killing large vines with repeated cutting.

Goal: Seed reduction, elimination of small shrubs.

C H O C O L AT E V I N E

M U LT I F L O R A R O S E

J A PA N E S E K N O T W E E D

Polygonum spp.

Identification:L 5-6 feet tall, thick stands of perennial vegetation. Stems are hollow and leaves are heart-shaped. Dies to the ground every winter.

Removal: Focus on sparse populations first to prevent spread. Cut to ground and dig roots. Large stands, mow monthly ( July-October) or every two weeks.

Combine with tree planting (e.g., willow) to shade out new growth. Pure glyphosate injection into cut stems in July or August can be very effective. May require a licensed applicator.

Akebia quinata

Identification: Twining , deciduous vine. Leaves are palmately compound, with up to five leaflets. Flowers are fragrant, purplish-red in spring. Stems turn brown and woody as they age. Roots tend to break easily.

Removal: Use cutting and pulling on small seedlings. For large vines, cut to the ground and make a second cut at head height. Consider dabbing glyphosate on cut stumps, though repeated application may be necesaary. Licensed applicator may be necessary.

Collection and Dispoal: Should not be composted. Materal should be bagged and taken off site or piled on pavement to dry and die, and then be bagged.

Collection and Dispoal: Should not be composted. Material should be bagged and taken off site or piled on pavement to dry and die, and then composted.

Goal: Elimination of small stands, reduced vigor of large patches, reduced spread, careful elimination of all collected material.

Goal: Elimination of small stands, reduced vigor of large patches, reduced spread, careful elimination of all collected plant material.

Rosa multiflora

Identification: Thorny, shrub rose growing up to fifteen feet high. White flowers in early summer, and small, red hips in fall.

Removal: Handpull small shrubs using thick gloves or "Uprooter", working to get all root fragments. For large shrubs, cut 3-6 times a year for 4 years.

Collection and Dispoal: Fruited growth should be bagged and landfilled.

Canes should be dried until dead.

Goal: Elimination of small shrubs, management of large patches to prevent seed set.

NATURALIZED PLANT MANAGEMENT

Goal: Seed reduction, elimination of small seedlings, weaken and kill large shrubs

SPRING 2020

Identification: Burning bush is most notable for the corky wings on its stems.

O R I E N TA L B I T T E R S W E E T

CARA MONTAGUE AND SHAINE MEULMESTER

Euonymus alatus

ENHANCING ECOLOGY IN THE HEART OF LONGMEADOW BLISS AND LAUREL PARKS, LONGMEADOW, MA

BURNING BUSH

88 Village Hill Rd. Northampton, MA 01060 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu

NATURALIZED PLANT MANAGEMENT

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Unit of Measurement

High Cost

Total Low

Total High

High Cost

Total Low

Total High

POND DESIGN

1

$5,000.00

$15,000.00

$5,000.00

$15,000.00

Grading

square feet

50

$0.25

$0.30

$12.50

$15.00

Path around marsh

square feet

5250

$14.00

$16.00

$73,500.00

$84,000.00

Boardwalk

square feet

4500

$40.00

$50.00

$180,000.00

$225,000.00

Pergola

square feet

350

$20.00

$30.00

$7,000.00

$10,500.00

Parking lot swale

square feet

400

$5.00

$10.00

$2,000.00

$4,000.00

Trees (2” caliper)

each

5

$750.00

$1,000.00

$3,750.00

$5,000.00

Subtotal

$271,262.50

$343,515.00

Sales tax (6.25%)

$16,953.91

$21,469.69

Contingency (10%)

$27,126.25

$34,351.50

TOTAL

$315,342.66

$399,336.19

Infrastructure inspection

TBD

TBD

Infrastructure removal

TBD

TBD

Pond Preparation Dredging Feasability study

lump sum

1

$30,000.00

Engineering study

lump sum

Wetland Scientist

lump sum

1

$500.00

Dredging

lump sum

1 acre

Stepping stones

2’x 2’ x1.5’ cut stone

Gravel

$50,000.00

$30,000.00

$50,000.00

TBD

TBD

$2,500.00

$500.00

$2,500.00

$75,000.00

$150,000.00

$75,000.00

$150,000.00

18

$200.00

$250.00

$3,600.00

$4,500.00

cubic yard

9

$40.00

$50.00

$360.00

$450.00

Landing stone (north side)

2’ x 1.5’ x 6” stone

2

$200.00

$250.00

$400.00

$500.00

Stones steps (south side)

stone steps

11

$300.00

$500.00

$3,300.00

Stepping Stone Path

RESEVOIR AREA

Excavation/earth-moving

lump sum

1

$2,000.00

$5,000.00

$2,000.00

$5,000.00

$5,500.00

Grading

square feet

22000

$0.25

$0.30

$5,500.00

$6,600.00

Deck

square feet

3325

$40.00

$50.00

$133,000.00

$166,250.00

Dam

lump sum

1

TBD

TBD

Seed mix

acre

2

$8,000.00

$12,000.00

Subtotal

$148,500.00

$189,850.00

Sales tax (6.25%)

$9,281.25

$11,865.63

Contingency (10%)

$14,850.00

$18,985.00

TOTAL

$172,631.25

$220,700.63

Pond Gathering Areas 25’ stone retaining wall

lump sum

1

$3,125.00

$4,075.00

$3,125.00

$4,075.00

20’ stone retaining wall

lump sum

1

$2,500.00

$3,250.00

$2,500.00

$3,250.00

Picnic tables

each

2

$800.00

$950.00

$1,600.00

$1,900.00

Wooden pond dock

square foot

160

$60.00

$75.00

$9,600.00

$12,000.00

Helical piers

each

6

$100.00

$120.00

$600.00

$720.00

Trees (2” caliper)

each

9

$800.00

$950.00

$7,200.00

$8,550.00

Shrubs (1 gallon)

each

6

$55.00

$75.00

$330.00

$450.00

ADDITIONAL TRAIL WORK

7000

$3.35

$4.00

$23,450.00

$28,000.00

BLISS PARK

Vegetation

Trap Rock Gravel Paths

Path Around Pond

CARA MONTAGUE AND SHAINE MEULMESTER

Low Cost

lump sum

$4,000.00

$6,000.00

square foot

21120

$12.00

$15.00

$253,440.00

$316,800.00

Landshaping

lump sum

1

$5,000.00

$15,000.00

$5,000.00

$15,000.00

LAUREL PARK

Fine grading

square foot

15000

$0.25

$0.30

$3,750.00

$4,500.00

Trap Rock Gravel Paths

square foot

7920

$12.00

$15.00

$95,040.00

$118,800.00

square foot

7920

$25.00

$30.00

$198,000.00

$237,600.00

lump sum

1

$2,350.00

$2,820.00

$2,350.00

$2,820.00

Subtotal

$548,830.00

$676,020.00

$34,301.88

$42,251.25

Trap rock gravel path

square foot

8340

$14.00

$16.00

$116,760.00

$133,440.00

Reinforced Turf

Reinforced turf

square foot

1075

$25.00

$30.00

$26,875.00

$32,250.00

Drainage lens - gravel

cubic yard

17

$50.00

$60.00

$850.00

$1,020.00

Bog Bridges- white oak lumber

Parking lot swale

square feet

400

$5.00

$10.00

$2,000.00

$4,000.00

Stone retaining wall on pond edge

lump sum

1

$10,000.00

$15,000.00

$10,000.00

$15,000.00

Sales tax (6.25%) Contingency (10%)

$54,883.00

$67,602.00

Subtotal

$326,800.00

$477,605.00

TOTAL

$638,014.88

$785,873.25

Sales tax (6.25%)

$20,425.00

$29,850.31

Contingency (10%)

$32,680.00

$47,760.50

TOTAL

$379,905.00

$555,215.81

ENHANCING ECOLOGY IN THE HEART OF LONGMEADOW BLISS AND LAUREL PARKS, LONGMEADOW, MA

Unit of Measurement Quantity

Excavation/earth-moving

COST ESTIMATES

DESIGN 1: PROTEC T THE POND

Perennials (landscape plugs) each

Quantity Low Cost

MARSH DESIGN

FOR CONCEPTUAL DESIGNS

Item

88 Village Hill Rd. Northampton, MA 01060 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu

Item

SPRING 2020

COST ESTIMATES

D E S I G N 2 : N AT U R A L P R O C E S S E S

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SPRING 2020

88 Village Hill Rd. Northampton, MA 01060 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu

WORKS CITED

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ENHANCING ECOLOGY IN THE HEART OF LONGMEADOW BLISS AND LAUREL PARKS, LONGMEADOW, MA

Town of Tisbury, MA

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88 Village Hill Rd. Northampton, MA 01060 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu

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SPRING 2020

CARA MONTAGUE AND SHAINE MEULMESTER

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ENHANCING ECOLOGY IN THE HEART OF LONGMEADOW BLISS AND LAUREL PARKS, LONGMEADOW, MA

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