Retiring into Resilience: A Landscape Master Plan for Lathrop Retirement Community

Retiring into Resilience A Landscape Master Plan for Lathrop Retirement Community

Easthampton, Massachusetts Eli Bloch and Allison Mason The Conway School Spring 2020

Index Lathrop Retirement Community.............................. 1 Guiding Principles and Persons............................... 2 Character Zones and Focus Areas............................. 3 Existing and Future Development............................ 4 Maintenance and Land Care: Residential Area....... 5 Maintenance and Land Care: Meadows................... 6 Conservation and Setbacks....................................... 7 Drainage and Infrastructure.................................... 8 Soils and Geology....................................................... 9 Trails, Views, and Accessibility................................. 10 Energy Use and Energy Production Potential......... 11 Design Concept Alternatives.................................... 12 Final Design Concept: Residential Area.................. 13 Design Guide: Townhome Yard Conditions.......... 14 Design Guide: Townhome Yard Templates............. 15 Planting Palette: Townhome Yards.......................... 16 Design Direction: Lawn Replacement..................... 17 Design Direction: Planting For Energy Efficiency.. 18 Design Direction: Gathering Spaces........................ 19 Design Direction: Bassett Brook Drive Swale and Detention Basins................ 20 Design Direction: Swales and Detention Basins.... 21 Design Direction: Cranberry Meadow Border....... 22 Design Direction: Mini Forest................................. 23 Planting Palette: Mini Forest................................... 24 Final Design Concept: Meadows............................. 25 Meadow Management.............................................. 26 Cost Estimates.......................................................... 27 Cost Estimates (continued)..................................... 28 References................................................................. 29

Established pollinator gardens

Residents bird watching

The community garden

The Project Steering Committee is made up of five members of the Land Conservation Committee, Lathrop’s Marketing Director, and Lathrop’s Executive Director. The Steering Committee has served to articulate the goals of this landscape master plan; advocate for the interests of other Lathrop residents; share members’ understanding and opinions of the current landscape; and provide guidance through the design process.

Lathrop Retirement Community’s 175-acre property is made up of two bordering parcels that sit on either side of the Northampton-Easthampton town line; the smaller, fifty-acre parcel is in the town of Northampton, and the larger, 125-acre parcel is in the town of Easthampton. The property is mostly undeveloped with only 35 acres currently built upon.

The Easthampton Inn, commonly called “The Inn,” is the center of campus with 51 units of supported living and numerous shared facilities. The remainder of residents live in 61 townhomes, grouped into in five clusters each named after a type of berry.

The undeveloped portion of Lathrop contains a rich array of ecosystems. Much of the property is wetland, and this, combined with varying topography and a diversity of land cover types, creates a landscape with a high amount of biodiversity. The land is a tremendous source of pride for the community, as well as one of its greatest resources.

Goals • Improve ecological resilience and wildlife habitat.

• Increase native plant cover.

• Decrease energy use and carbon emissions of homes and land maintenance through landscape interventions.

• Sustain and increase residents’ use and enjoyment of Lathrop’s land.

• Identify land appropriate for food production.

Lathrop Retirement Community Landscape Master Plan

Project Steering Committee

Eli Bloch and Allison Mason Spring 2020

In 2013, several residents formed the Land Conservation Committee, which now has 31 members.

Some of the sub-committees include the tree planting work group, the eliminate all toxins group, the community garden group, and the landscape support committee.

Lathrop Retirement Community

The ecological richness of the landscape can be partially attributed to the residents of Lathrop who have used their voices, hands, and financial resources to improve the environmental health of the land.

Northampton and Easthampton, Massachusetts

Land Conservation Committee

THE CONWAY SCHOOL

Existing Conditions

INTRODUCTION

Lathrop Retirement Community

1

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

B: 2002

“As a professional ecologist with decades and decades of experience I was amazed with the restoration done by the residents of the Lathrop Community in Easthampton, MA. Not only have they eradicated acres of invasive exotic plants but they have put in place an ecological management plant that will yield excellent results for generations. In all my years of experience this is the best example I have seen of citizen science put into action.

These senior citizens have not only talked the talk but walked the walk in making their environment and the Earth’s environment a much better place. I am more than favorably, impressed, I am in awe of what they have accomplished.” - Bill Lattrell, MS, PWS, Restoration Ecologist and Professional Wetland Scientist, Lattrell Ecological Consulting LLC.

Photo A: Early spring of 1995. All open space in both of Lathrop’s parcels is used for farming. This is the year before the Northampton parcel was donated and Easthampton parcel was purchased.

Photo B: Early spring of 2002. Lathrop Inc. has owned the land for eight years; in that time, one main road, the Inn, and approximately 40 townhomes have been constructed in the largest field.

Photo C: Early spring of 2016. Lathrop has constructed all 61 townhomes that exist at present.

There are new roads to the two new townhome clusters of Mulberry, at the southern edge of the property, and Huckleberry, closer to the main road entrance to Lathrop.

Lathrop Retirement Community Landscape Master Plan

MAP KEY Currently clear of invasive plants

C: 2016

Regularly managed by contractors and residents Annual work by contractor Regularly managed by residents only Priority for future work Residential area Strategies for invasive plant removal have included brush hogging, “cut stump” herbicide treatment, hand-pulling, releasing beetles (specifically for purple loostrife), and preventing resurgence by planting more natives.

Spring 2020

Lathrop Community embraces the Quaker Principles of Equality, Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, and Community. This landscape master plan respects these values through analyses, designs, and final recommendations.

The Land Conservation Committee has completed numerous projects and developed many initiatives for the land management practices at Lathrop. One of their biggest efforts—and successes — is their invasive plant species removal project. So far, members of the committee have removed invasive plants from a contiguous 50 acres, what is now dubbed the “Free 50,” as seen below in light green. Additionally, this group has advocated for decreasing mowing frequency; eliminating chemical pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers; reducing lawns; and including more native plants in the landscape. They have hired many consultants to assess meadow management, remove invasive plant species, and design portions of the landscape. Furthermore, they have helped residents enjoy Lathrop’s landscape by organizing and leading walks, presentations, bird watching, and conducting trail mapping.

Eli Bloch and Allison Mason

A: 1995

History, Values, and Ongoing Efforts

Lathrop Retirement Community currently has a north campus and an east campus. This landscape master plan is focused only on the east campus.

Lathrop’s east campus began to take root after the Northampton parcel was donated to Lathrop Inc. in 1996. After the purchase of the bordering Easthampton parcel, construction of Lathrop Retirement Community began that same year in July, and residents moved into some of the first townhomes within two years. Until about 2015, Lathrop allowed a farmer to hay the fields that are presently managed as meadows. Agriculture persists on the land surrounding Lathrop’s parcels.

Northampton and Easthampton, Massachusetts

Ongoing Efforts

THE CONWAY SCHOOL

History & Values

GUIDING PRINCIPLES AND PERSONS

Guiding Principles & Persons

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

12 9

CAMPUS ZONES

13 11 2a

2d

pton m a h t r o N pton m a h t s a E

2c 10

2b

1

6

7 6

Analyses are mostly conducted at the full-site scale in order to better understand the context for meadow management recommendations and integrate elements of the undeveloped landscape into the residential area.

The focus area of more detailed designs is centered around the developed area of the property, which will be referred to as the “residential area,” outlined above in red. Lathrop already has contracted many consultants to help them in their mindful stewardship of the forests and meadows, and because of that, these areas of the landscape are healthy, well-managed, and aligned with the clients’ goals for this master plan; however, the developed area management can be greatly altered to reduce Lathrop’s carbon footprint and meet additional goals such as increasing native plant cover, improving the ecological resilience and wildlife habitat, and increasing the number of opportunities and outdoor gathering spaces for Lathrop residents’ enjoyment of the land.

4 3

9 8a 5

MAP KEY 1

2a 2b 2c Community Garden Wetland Rose Field Cranberry Meadow Farmer’s Field Town Line

2d Addison’s Oak Woods

3

Inn Wetland 4

Inn Woods

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Mulberry (South) Field

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7

Mid-Woods Meadow 8

Bassett Brook Woods 8a

Southeast Woods

Wide-Woods Trail

Residential Area

9 10 11 12 13 Bassett Brook Corridor Florence Road Woods North Field Northeast Woods Northwest Woods

Lathrop Retirement Community Landscape Master Plan

8

Eli Bloch and Allison Mason Spring 2020

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Campus Terminology & Focus Area

Focus Area: Residential Zone

Northampton and Easthampton, Massachusetts

Campus Zones

THE CONWAY SCHOOL

Campus Zones & Focus Area

3

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

^ Expansion layout, possibility #1

^ Expansion layout, possibility #2

A new eastern wing will also be added to the Inn (bottom image). This wing will have memory care units and more common spaces. This expansion will replace a portion of the parking lot, and likely increase overall impervious surface, affecting water flow to the nearby detention basin (drainage details on sheet 8).

The new townhomes and Inn expansion will increase the population of the Lathrop community by over 40%, potentially creating more demand for facilities such as trails and the community garden.

^ Expansion schematics for the new memory care wing at the Inn

Eli Bloch and Allison Mason Spring 2020

The main road, Bassett Brook Drive, is lined with a sidewalk and Norway maple trees. Street crossings are indicated by white paint, and they are level with the road. Closer to Florence Road, Bassett Brook Drive passes a small meadow, and it crosses a perennial stream after the first cluster of townhomes. The road will soon wrap around Teaberry cluster and continue north with the construction of new homes.

Existing & Future Development

Townhomes are situated within six clusters, each named after a berry. Three of these clusters form a ring around a planted elevated island encircled by the road. The other clusters have a linear orientation and are located on the periphery of the developed portion of the site.

Lathrop Inc. has been working with Berkshire Design Group to design the location and layout of 36 new townhomes.

This development is heavily constrained by wetland boundaries which prohibit development of this scale elsewhere on the site. While the exact layout of the townhomes is still in the works, the planned footprint is well defined and the analyses and designs that follow in this master plan assume that these new townhomes will be built as shown in one of the two Berkshire Design Group plans (see future development schematics on the left). The townhomes will be placed mostly in Farmers Field and the western portion of North Field. Some forest will need to be cleared for a new road extending from Bassett Brook Drive.

Northampton and Easthampton, Massachusetts

The developed portion of the land closely resembles a typical, though higher-density, suburban landscape (see next page for site photographs). Small driveways lead into garages of attached townhomes and between each driveway is a small plot of lawn dotted with a few plants. Yet unlike a typical suburb, Lathrop has more common lawn spaces between homes, with no clear property borders. The Inn functions as the central meeting hub, as it contains the mailroom, a place for dining, and housing.

THE CONWAY SCHOOL

Future Development Expansion

BUILT ENVIRONMENT

Existing Developed Area

Lathrop Retirement Community Landscape Master Plan

Existing and Future Development

4 Not for construction. Part of a student project and not based on a legal survey.

Campus entrance on Florence Road.

Large stretches of lawn area

Throughout the residential portion of Lathrop, turf grass is the dominant ground cover. The largest expanses of lawn are at the western edge of Bassett Brook Drive, the areas between the townhome clusters and the road, the large lawn-filled detention basin by the Inn, and the top of the hill behind Huckleberry.

These areas are maintained by Spring Valley, a local landscape maintenance company. The current maintenance routine for the turf grass includes weekly mowing with fossil-fuel-powered mowers, and seasonal application of fertilizer. As of May 2020, Spring Valley is no longer using herbicides and pesticides on the landscape; however, it is using an organic fertilizer on the lawn. Lawn maintenance is one of the community’s biggest contributions to their carbon footprint, which they would like to significantly reduce.

Huckleberry hillside; the line between weekly and annual mowing is seen clearly here.

The entrance to the WideWoods Path is one of the larger lawn spaces.

The western edge of Bassett Brook Drive has a large expanse of seldom-used lawn.

Townhome cluster islands

Lawns do not contribute the same ecological services as other forms of vegetation. For example, ground cover, shrubs, and trees intercept, clean, cool, and infiltrate stormwater runoff and the pollutants that it contains (see Drainage Analysis on sheet 8 for more information). Replacing or supplementing lawn with native vegetation can decrease the energy output of landscape maintenance, sequester greater amounts of stormwater and carbon, and provide habitat for wildlife.

Spring Valley also maintains the formal garden beds and other vegetation around the Inn and around townhomes that are not otherwise marked by “I do my own gardening” signs. This maintenance includes annual mulching, leaf removal, pruning, and fertilizer application.

Cranberry Lane vegetated island.

Huckleberry Lane vegetated island.

Spiceberry Lane vegetated island.

Eli Bloch and Allison Mason Spring 2020

The planted area in front of the Inn parking lot.

Residential Area

Many townhome gardens are mostly lawn.

Northampton and Easthampton, Massachusetts

Formal gardens and townhome gardens

Lathrop Retirement Community Landscape Master Plan

Maintenance Practices

MAINTENANCE & LAND CARE

THE CONWAY SCHOOL

Maintenance and Land Care: Residential Area

5

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

Meadows or Forests

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Farmer’s Field

3

Mulberry Meadow

2

North Field

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Mid-Woods Meadow

The tendency of nearly all New England landscapes is to grow into a forest. Very few New England meadows will remain meadow if left untouched; those that do tend to have unusually poor soil conditions. Meadows, however, have always existed in the New England landscape, whether through natural or human disturbance. Native Americans kept some areas open to improve conditions for hunting and growing crops, while settlers created a landscape dominated by grasslands used to graze animals. Due to the loss of farming in New England and increased development, we now live in a landscape of pavement and forest with few meadows. This has led to a precipitous decline of grassland bird species. Meadows provide crucial habitat but must be mowed or grazed regularly to suppress woody vegetation. Meadows, as compared to lawn, require significantly fewer inputs and provide more habitat. They specifically provide habitat for species that prefer grassland environments; however, they pale in comparison to forests in their ability to sequester carbon, filter stormwater, and cool microclimates.

1

Reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea)

3

Autumn olive (Elaegagnus umbellata)

2

Multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora)

4

Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria)

Eli Bloch and Allison Mason Meadows Spring 2020

All of the meadows contain a significant presence of invasive plants. Some of the meadows, especially the ones in the residential area, are almost entirely reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea). Without significant intervention, these meadows are likely to be dominated by invasive plants, which could decrease plant diversity and make future conversion to agricultural fields difficult.

Northampton and Easthampton, Massachusetts

The new development will primarily be built on what is now Farmers Field and a small portion of North Field. The meadows of Lathrop are mowed either annually or are mowed one third each year, which helps wildlife take refuge in the unmowed part of the meadow. The meadows are also home to an extensive and beautiful trail network.

THE CONWAY SCHOOL

There are five large meadows on Lathrop’s campus, three of which—Cranberry Meadow, Farmers Field, and North Field-—are connected. The other two include Mulberry Meadow and Mid-Woods Meadow. Mulberry Meadow, in the south of campus, is adjacent to a neighboring property that will soon be a solar field; Mid-Woods meadow, surrounded on all sides by woodlands, is a large clearing in the middle of the forest, accessible by a wide trail. These meadows were all farmed recently, either for corn or hay, and they were accessed through neighboring properties via dirt roads . Several smaller areas in the residential part of the property, such as the grassy area below the bridge on Mulberry Lane and the hill behind Huckleberry townhomes, were once mowed several times per year but are now mowed only once per year, thanks to residents’ advocacy for wildlife protection through mowing reduction; these areas now have similar plant composition to a meadow. Lathrop residents value keeping these meadows open for their scenic vistas and wildlife habitat, and to keep the door open for farming them again. Much of these meadows have been recently delineated as wetlands.

MAINTENANCE AND LAND CARE

Meadow Maintenance

Lathrop Retirement Community Landscape Master Plan

Maintenance and Land Care: Meadows

6

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

Wetlands, Vernal Pools, and Streams

Current & Future Conservation

Eli Bloch and Allison Mason

Some of the greatest ecological assets on site constrain where structures and roads can be built.

Current & Future Conservation

THE CONWAY SCHOOL

Conservation and Setbacks

PTON

CONSERVATION SETBACKS

NORTHAM

PTON

NORTHAM

TON EASTHAMP

TON

EASTHAMP

A large portion of Lathrop Retirement Community’s land is wetlands, which were recently delineated as part of Berkshire Design Group’s site assessment. They envelop the developed portion of the site and vary in classification between wet meadows, forested wetlands, stream borders, shrub swamp, and emergent wetlands.

There are four certified vernal pools at Lathrop and one potential vernal pool that is undergoing the process of certification. Three of the vernal pools are in the woods to the west of the developed area, and one is in a cattail wetland in Mulberry Meadow. The potential vernal pool is in a small forested area at the intersection of three meadows. The new development in Farmers Field will encroach within 300 feet of this area.

Wetlands buffers vary across the town line; in Northampton, in addition to state law regulating work within 100 feet 0f a wetland, a bylaw prohibits any new disturbance within 50 feet of the wetland boundary; in Easthampton, the statewide 100-foot buffer also applies, but there are no additional town bylaws restricting work within the buffer. All perennial streams in Massachusetts have a regulated 200-foot riverfront area associated with them. The vernal pools on Lathrop’s property are all within the town of Easthampton, and certified vernal pools are protected by the state of Massachusetts’ Wetlands Protection Act, giving them a 100-foot buffer; there are no additional town bylaws adding to the buffer zone.

Town Line

Currently, Lathrop has approximately 11 acres in conservation, in the northwest corner of the parcel in Northampton. This area was placed in conservation and approved in 2003 by the Northampton Conservation Commission; this land is conserved under Agricultural Preservation Restriction (APR), in perpetuity. The remaining portion of the Northampton parcel is currently under Chapter 61 B as recreational land, which is a tax designation, not part of the deed, and can be changed.

Lathrop is also in the process of placing 75 acres of the Easthampton parcel into a conservation restriction in perpetuity that would span the western half of the property, protecting from development resources such as Bassett Brook, the surrounding forest, Mid-Woods Meadow, Mulberry Meadow, four certified vernal pools, and most of Lathrop’s land that is above the Barnes Aquifer, the main freshwater drinking supply for the town of Easthampton.

This stretch of to-be-conserved land is adjacent to land protected in perpetuity, primarily APR land in addition to the golf course recently purchased by the City of Northampton, which will be gradually returned to a more natural state and managed by the connecting Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary. The proximity of all of these protected parcels may enhance the potential for wildlife corridors by increasing habitat connectivity for wildlife that has a range greater than that of Lathrop’s property.

Spring 2020

Town Line

Northampton and Easthampton, Massachusetts

- Golf Course

Lathrop Retirement Community Landscape Master Plan

Barnes Aquifer

7

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

Storm Drain Drainage Pipe

Mulberry

Outlet Pipe Detention Basin

Swale along Bassett Brook Drive Detention Basin next to the Inn Swale next to Bassett Brook Drive

Swales and Outlet Pipes Mulberry Meadow

Swale leading into perennial stream

Outlet pipe draining into lawn and short grass

Outlet pipe leading towards Cranberry Meadow

Lathrop Retirement Community Landscape Master Plan

Detention Basins

Spring 2020

Stormwater System

Eli Bloch and Allison Mason

Teaberry

Stormwater Infrastructure

There are several storm drains in each parking lot, four along the road at each intersection, and many around the Inn and near townhomes. These lead to drainage pipes that connect to either one of three detention basins or to a grassy swale along Bassett Brook Drive. Most of these swales and detention basins are mowed weekly. Runoff from paved surfaces and lawns carries sediments and environmental pollutants such as road salts and fertilizer that can harm water bodies, wetlands and downstream ecosystems. Increased vegetation in swales and detention basins could slow runoff and remove some of these pollutants.

Cranberry

Northampton and Easthampton, Massachusetts

The entirety of the site drains into Bassett Brook, a pristine tributary of the Manhan River, with about half of the property draining west directly into Bassett Brook and the other half draining east into hydrologic connections leading to Bassett Brook. The new development is likely going to drain towards the hydrologic connections in the northeast of the property, which flow north off of the property and then west into Bassett Brook. The currently developed portion of the site drains into a slow-moving stream that travels beneath both Bassett Brook Drive and Mulberry Lane before emptying into Mulberry Meadow.

Spiceberry

All stormwater runoff in the developed area drains to a detention basin with overflow pipes that spill into the forested wetlands, with the exception of the drainage pipe in front of the Spiceberry townhome cluster that spills stormwater into the lawn space between the Spiceberry and Cranberry townhome clusters and into Cranberry Meadow.

THE CONWAY SCHOOL

Cranberry Meadow

Drainage Patterns &

Site Drainage

DRAINAGE

Drainage and Infrastructure

8

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

Mid-Woods Meadow

Mulberry Meadow

Prime Farmland Soils North Field

Much of Lathrop’s land is classified by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service as either prime farmland or farmland of statewide importance. Cranberry Meadow, Farmers Field, and North Field were in corn or hay production until 2015, managed by a neighboring farmer.

These fields are now managed as meadows, and residents have interest in keeping them open to allow farming in the future.

Beneath Bassett Brook, the adjacent floodplain, and some wetlands are poorly draining muck soils. Most uplands on the site have well draining soils; however, some areas, such as the eastern half of North Field, remain wetland, likely due to the presence of a clay lens that retains water closer to the surface.

Land that is classified as prime farmland soils (or farmland of statewide importance), has a less than 15% slope and is currently open space (meadow, cultivated, or grassland) is shown in the map above in yellow, orange, and red. The dark red indicates the best potential farmland, with 0-5% slopes, allowing for the most diverse array of agricultural practices, including traditional row crops. In orange, land with 5-10% slopes could be farmed on contour and may be more challenging for annual vegetable production. In yellow, land with 10-15% slopes could be used for terraced orchards.

Farmers Field has the largest contiguous area of the land most suitable for farmland at 0-5% slopes, connecting to North Field and Cranberry Meadow, which also contain very good farmland; however, most of this land will be developed for the 36 new townhomes, as outlined in the white dashed border. Cranberry Meadow borders both existing and planned townhomes, making it perhaps too close to residents that may be bothered by the noise and smell, and a lack of privacy. Mid-Woods Meadow has a large stretch of very good farmland, but accessibility and proximity to infrastructure are concerns. Rose Field appears to be the best location for farming, because of its accessibility, existing water connection, mild slopes, and prime farmland soils. A portion of this field is already used for the community garden.

Eli Bloch and Allison Mason Spring 2020

Farmer’s Field Cranberry Meadow

Future Implications

Rose Field

Northampton and Easthampton, Massachusetts

However, the topography of the land and the presence of a clay lens create wet conditions throughout most of Lathrop. Beneath Bassett Brook and the perennial stream along the eastern edge of the property are swamp and marsh deposits, typical of flood plains. Under the developed area are coarse deposits, making it well draining and one of the few buildable areas on the property.

North Field

THE CONWAY SCHOOL

Lathrop’s surficial geology is primarily composed of glaciolacustrine fine deposits, the remnants of glacial Lake Hitchcock which once covered the Pioneer Valley. These types of deposits are usually sandy and well draining.

Past, Present, and

Potential Future Farmland

GEOLOGY AND SOILS

Surficial Geology

Lathrop Retirement Community Landscape Master Plan

Geology and Soils

9

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

Addison’s Oak

Three and a half miles of beautiful trails criss-cross through the meadows and forests of the Lathrop community. The trails are one of Lathrop’s great attractions but to many if not most of the residents they are inaccessible.

The trails take users to Lathrop’s most cherished sites such as Addison’s Oak, Bassett Brook, and vistas from the top of meadows. These views are inaccessible to many residents; 47% of survey respondents indicated they would not feel comfortable walking on grassy hills or woodland trails, and trails to these destinations have these conditions. This leaves a large portion of the Lathrop community unable to access many of the most scenic parts of the property. Lathrop owns an all-terrain-vehicle (ATV) which residents can occasionally use to explore the WideWoods Trail or any of the meadow trails.

Meadow trails must be mowed regularly to remain walkable. During three site visits no other trail users were observed, and tall grasses had filled in some trails. Some parts of the trail network may be redundant; for example, in the Mid-Woods and Mulberry Meadows trails are maintained both around the perimeter and through the middle of the field. While the trail network is a great asset for Lathrop, it is possibly too much for Lathrop staff to maintain.

Cranberry vegetated island

3

Nearly all of the survey respondents said they would like more sitting and gathering areas on campus. Many residents are limited by their mobility, so proximity and access via level pavement or grass is a high priority for these areas.

A general assessment of proximity and slopes is shown above. The areas in light green are currently open and have slopes under 5%; the yellow ring indicates a 500foot distance from the Inn; the red ring indicates a 1000-foot distance. The western edge of Bassett Brook Drive, the Wide-Woods Trail entrance, several small spaces around the Inn, vegetated islands, and Rose Field all fit within the slopes and proximity criteria and have the potential to be improved for outdoor gathering.

Currently, the western edge of Bassett Brook Drive and Wide Woods entrance are open lawn. This area is fairly quiet, but it will likely become busier as a road to the new development and a construction of a new maintenance shed bring more traffic.

Near the main east entrance of the Inn is an already popular sitting area, but the main view is of the parking lot. Behind the Inn is a quiet spot overlooking the wetland, which is accessible from the outdoors via a gentle slope or from the Inn via a door exiting the exercise room. Vegetated islands and common lawn space within townhome clusters may also hold potential gathering spaces. The Teaberry residents Looking out from the benches in front have already commissioned a design from Abound Design for their vegetated island of the Inn to include seating and shade. Rose Field is a large space with great potential for outdoor gathering; however, a small hill with a 15% slope currently makes access difficult for many residents.

Eli Bloch and Allison Mason Recreation & Relaxation Spaces

1

Spring 2020

2

Current & Potential Outdoor

The top of Cranberry Meadow

Northampton and Easthampton, Massachusetts

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4

4

THE CONWAY SCHOOL

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TRAILS, VIEWS, AND ACCESSIBILITY

Trails and Views

Lathrop Retirement Community Landscape Master Plan

Trails, Views, and Accessibility

10

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

Both Lathrop residents and administration have expressed a desire to add solar energy to the existing townhome roofs as well as the roofs of all future townhomes. All roofs at Lathrop receive enough sun to produce significant amounts of solar energy. About half of the townhomes have south-facing roofs, making them well oriented to absorb sunlight. There is also potential to add solar on the roof of the Inn and most of the parking areas.

The absence of shade from the developed area is worrisome in light of climate change. As temperatures increase due to climate change, extreme heat will pose a great threat to public health. This is of particular concern in a retirement community where residents may be more susceptible to heat stroke.

One townhome at Lathrop uses an average of 360 kilowatt hours/month or 12 kilowatt hours/day of electricity. According to MIT School of Engineering, the average home uses about 48 kilowatt hours/ day. Townhomes likely use less than the average home due to their smaller size and shared walls. Assuming 12 kWh/day per townhome, using 15 to 21% efficiency for solar panels (the current range on the market), and an average solar insolation of 4 kWh/meters squared/day in Massachusetts, each townhome unit would need between 14 and 20 square meters of PV panels to produce all of its electricity to meet annual needs.

Sun, Shade, PV, and Energy

Most of the developed area is in full sun, receiving over nine hours of direct sunlight per day during the growing season, defined here as April 1st to October 31st. A few smaller areas, notably behind the Huckleberry and Teaberry homes, receive between six and nine hours of sunlight per day. There are several small pockets of deep shade (under three hours per day) under larger vegetation, and a few small pockets of light shade (three to six hours per day). Because most of the residential area is sunny, plants that thrive in an open area, such as meadow species, could be planted in most yards. Most yards may also be suitable for small-scale food production. Of course, sun patterns could change if tree canopy is increased. Areas under existing trees could provide small pockets for shade-loving plants.

Spring 2020

Solar (PV) Potential

Northampton and Easthampton, Massachusetts

Sun and Shade

Lathrop Retirement Community Landscape Master Plan

ENERGY USE AND ENERGY PRODUCTION THE CONWAY SCHOOL POTENTIAL Eli Bloch and Allison Mason

Energy Use & Energy Production Potential

11

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

Key Elements • Cranberry Field features a raised overlook into the meadow.

• Vegetated swale along Bassett Brook Drive.

• One outdoor gathering space, behind the Inn. • Huckleberry’s hillside and Wide Woods Trail entrance become pollinator meadows.

• Common lawn and front yards are planted with stone and rock mulch, evergreen shrubs, and groundcover.

• Rose Field includes a boardwalk to the nearby vernal pool, a native botanical walk around the perimeter of the field, and a gathering space and shade trees at the center of the field.

• North Field, Mid-Woods, and Mulberry Meadows are partially reforested along edges; Florence Road meadow becomes a “flagship” intensively managed pollinator meadow.

Assets • High carbon sequestration potential.

• Longest and most diverse forest edge of alternatives, creating high wildlife habitat value.

• Greatest number of outdoor gathering spaces.

Constraints • Slowest time to establish the plant palette.

• May reduce valued views out to meadows.

• Two-thirds of gathering spaces may be too far away for Inn residents

Assets • Highest food production potential.

• Increases food sources for pollinators and other wildlife in addition to humans.

Constraints • Most diverse and intensive management regimens.

• Landscape may be too ephemeral to provide year-round color and visual appeal.

• Rotational grazing and farms may require an independent farmer.

Assets • High pollinator habitat value.

• Maintains all views out and potentially enhances views.

• Incorporates more educational elements.

Constraints • Fewest number of gathering spaces.

• Boardwalk will need NOI and may be expensive to install.

• Front yard landscapes initially very expensive to install.

Spring 2020

Key Elements • Pollinator plant border along Cranberry Field.

• Vegetated swale along Bassett Brook Drive.

• Two outdoor gathering spaces.

• Huckleberry’s hillside converted to an orchard.

• Common lawn and front yards planted with native shrubs and potentially edible landscaping such as fruit trees and berry bushes.

• Rose Field becomes a one-acre farm planted on contour.

• Mid-woods meadow and Mulberry Meadow are managed with rotational grazing, the Florence Road meadow becomes an orchard, North Field becomes an intensively managed pollinator meadow.

Eli Bloch and Allison Mason

Key Elements • Increased forest edge to buffer NW winter winds across Cranberry Meadow.

• Cranberry Meadow has a border of deciduous shade trees with 50+ foot spacing.

• Three outdoor gathering spaces.

• Vegetated swale along Bassett Brook Drive.

• Common lawn and front yards are planted with a layered forest pattern.

• Rose Field forest edge has an outdoor Quaker meeting space and an expanded community garden.

• Forest edge is extended into most meadows. Some meadows are fully or partially allowed to return to forest, and deliberate reforestation occurs around the vernal pool in Mulberry Meadow.

Preliminary Concepts

Lawns to Lupines

Northampton and Easthampton, Massachusetts

Foodscapes

DESIGN ALTERNATIVES THE CONWAY SCHOOL

The Overstory

Lathrop Retirement Community Landscape Master Plan

Design Alternatives

12

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

5 2. Lawn Space Space Large expanses of common lawn become a layered forest planting between the Teaberry and Spiceberry townhome clusters, adding to the existing trees there; the space between Spiceberry and Cranberry townhomes becomes a “wildflower spillway,” soaking up and filtering stormwater from the outlet pipe, while providing a colorful view and diverse pollinator forage.

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7. Rose Field Field Rose Field contains some of the best potential farmland with shallow slopes, open space, road access, water, and no wetlands restrictions.

This area is conserved for this purpose into the future. A boardwalk is installed between Rose Field and the new development, passing along the newly certified vernal pool, creating connection between communities while providing a recreational and educational feature.

3. Bassett Brook Brook Drive Swales & Detention Basins The length of Bassett Brook Drive is now bordered by a rain garden swale (an enhanced version of the existing swale) that merges with the wildflower spillway and connects to several detention basins. The swale slows, filters, cools, and absorbs stormwater before any excess water is managed by the detention basins, which are now planted with native plants, serving as bioretention basins. Norway maple street trees have also been replaced by a diverse array of native species.

4. Gathering Spaces Spaces

5. Townhome Yards

Areas throughout the property have been identified for gathering spaces to improve accessibility to nearby outdoor seating areas for all residents (see sheet 10 for details). One gathering space, at the end of Bassett Brook Drive connecting to the new development and Mulberry townhomes, could serve as a central meeting space.

All turf lawn on campus is completely replaced by a low-mow mix, and front yards are enlivened with native plants that provide wildlife habitat, pollinator forage, and winter interest.

Townhome residents can choose from a variety of planting patterns that provide a diversified look between homes, while retaining simplicity and balance in the townhome landscape.

Spring 2020

1

Eli Bloch and Allison Mason

7

Residential Area

Upon arrival, residents, staff and visitors pass the Florence Road meadow that is now intensely managed as a wildflower and pollinator meadow. The meadow is a welcoming, colorful, and showy feature that highlights the community’s appreciation for its meadows on campus.

Northampton and Easthampton, Massachusetts

The forest edge is extended between the northwest edge of Cranberry Meadow and the new development to attenuate winter winds and reduce heating energy costs in the winter while also creating more privacy for new and old townhomes.

Vegetated wind breaks are installed between the border of Cranberry Meadow closest to townhomes. The meadow’s edge is extended towards the townhomes through the installation of a wildflower border.

THE CONWAY SCHOOL

6. Florence Road Meadow

FINAL CONCEPT

1. Cranberry Meadow

Lathrop Retirement Community Landscape Master Plan

Final Concept: Residential Area

13 Not for construction. Part of a student project and not based on a legal survey.

Locate your townhome unit

2

Look at the sun and shade conditions in your front yard

FULL SUN

PART SUN

Note on seasons and sunlight hours: The sun reference map (left) highlights sunny conditions during the growing season (April-October); however, yards on the north side of townhomes may have shadier conditions in the shoulder seasons and winter. Consider these yards to be in at least part shade.

Additionally, front yards that are north, west, or east of townhomes will likely be in full or part shade from the wall of the house to about 5-10 feet into the yard (see blue or yellow lines around townhomes). It is important to observe the local conditions of your yard in addition to using this guide for the most accurate sunlight exposure assessment.

Spring 2020

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DESIGN GUIDE

Continue to the following page to select specific plants that will fit well within your chosen landscape layout and the sun conditions of your front yard.

Eli Bloch and Allison Mason

Continue on the next page to select the landscape layout for your yard that matches your values and interests.

Townhome Yard Conditions

Begin on this page to identify the sun exposure of your front yard.

Northampton and Easthampton, Massachusetts

STEP BY STEP GUIDE

Lathrop Retirement Community Landscape Master Plan

Nearly all townhome yards at Lathrop have similar existing conditions in terms of their soil composition, drainage patterns, lawn space, and vegetation history; however, the microclimates around townhomes vary due to their orientation and proximity to buildings and shade trees.

This template is designed to guide residents through the process of identifying the sun and shade conditions of their front yard based on aspect; selecting a landscape template suited to their values and interests; and choosing plants that fit the template they have chosen according to the sun exposure of their front yards.

THE CONWAY SCHOOL

Design Guide: Townhome Yard Conditions

14

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

A woodland garden is featured directly in front of the home. Ferns encircle the base of a tree that provides color and interest in the shoulder seasons and structure in the wintertime. Trees such as flowering dogwood or eastern redbud would further accentuate the spring-blooming garden, while river birch would bring color to autumn. Other woodland edge plants mimic the nearby forest edge layers, blooming at different times of the year, and requiring very little maintenance after establishment. This garden is well-suited for residents who are passionate about New England native woodland plants, find interest in spring ephemerals and more subtle color tones, and enjoy the most contiguous open lawn space.

A colorful garden of shrubs and wildflowers wrap around the front of the house and down the side of the driveway, with a medium-height tree set back towards the house to draw the eye up. Native plants consist of mostly colorful wildflowers, low-growing shrubs, and a few evergreens to provide color to the cooler seasons. This design can also be implemented as a mirror image if the driveway is on the other side of the house. This garden is ideal for residents who are interested in attracting pollinators to their yard and for those who enjoy bright summer blooms.

This garden is best suited to birds and bird lovers!

Front and center, a large deciduous tree stands tall in the center of the yard, planted underneath with shade-tolerant native perennials that serve as a living mulch. The tree provides nesting habitat, and the unmowed area below provides habitat for insects who continue their life cycle in the ground.

Next to the tree, two or three large shrubs stretch to the driveway or bordering yard, creating additional privacy from the road and more habitat for birds that prefer to nest lower to the ground. A strip of native perennials and berry bushes runs along the front of the house, which could provide forage and nectar for birds.

WINTER INTEREST

Lathrop Retirement Community Landscape Master Plan

This palette provides a pop of color during the coldest time of the year. Bright accents of red twig dogwood and witch hazel shrubs grow along the front of the house, accented with tall fescues around the base to provide year-round texture and color. Towards the front of the yard, a river birch displays bright yellow leaves in the fall, matches the color tones of its environment in winter, and provides a contrasting element with its white bark in the summer. This townhome yard template is likely to require the least amount of maintenance, and at the same time, it provides the most additional lawn space for residents to do their own gardening, beginning with enhancing the birch understory and continuing across the lawn.

Spring 2020

AVIAN HAVEN

Eli Bloch and Allison Mason

POLLINATOR HABITAT

DESIGN GUIDE

NATIVE WOODLAND

Townhome Yard Templates

Select your landscape layout below, based on your values and interests

Northampton and Easthampton, Massachusetts

3

THE CONWAY SCHOOL

Design Guide: Townhome Yard Templates

15

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

7 5 1

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6

Trees (1)

Large Woody Shrubs (2)

Small Woody Shrubs (3)

Large Forbs (4)

Small Forbs (5)

Border Plants (6)

Grasses and Sedges (7)

Ground Covers (8)

Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis)

Highbush Cranberry (Viburnum trilobum)

New Jersey Tea (Ceanothus americanus)

False Indigo (Baptisia australis)

Brown-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia triloba)

Pink Tickseed (Coreopsis rosea)

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum)

Wild Strawberry (Fragaraia virginiana)

Greater than 6 hours per day

River Birch (Betula nigra)

Virginia Rose (Rosa virginiana)

Red Osier Dogwood (Cornus sericea)

New England Aster (Symphotrcum novae-angliae)

Lanceleaf Coreopsis (Coreopsis lancelota)

Sneezeweed (Helenium autumnale)

Indian Grass (Sorghastrum nutans)

Green and Gold (Chrysogonum virginianum)

Sweetbay Magnolia (Magnolia virginiana)

Oakleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia)

Sweet Pepperbush (Clethra alnifolia)

Joe-Pye weed (Eutrochium purpuream)

Shrubby Cinquefoil (Potentilla fruticosa)

Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa)

Little Bluestem (Schyzachiriu scoparium)

Running Groundsel (Packera obevata)

Part Sun

Shadberry (Amelanchier canadensis, A. laevis)

Flame Azalea (Rhododendron austrinum)

Red elderberry (Sambucus racemosa)

Ostrich fern (Matteucia struthiopteris)

Lady Fern (Athyrium filix-femina)

Foamflower (Tiarella cordifloria)

Sea Oats Wild ginger (Chasmatium latifolium) (Asarum canadense)

Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida

Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana)

Smooth Hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens),

Lady Fern (Athyrium filix-femina)

King Solomon’s Seal (Polygonatum biflorum)

Squirrel Corn (Dicentra canadensis)

Plantain Sedge (Carex plantaginea)

Pennsylvania Sedge (Carex pennsylvanica)

American Hornbeam (Carpus caroliniana)

Spicebush (Lindera benzoin)

Dwarf Fothergilla (Fothergila gardenii)

White Wood Aster (Symphotricum cordifloria)

Marginal Fern (Dryopteris marginalis)

Woodland Phlox (Phlox divaricata)

Wavy Hair Grass (Deschampia flexuosa)

Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum)

Striped Maple (Acer pennsylvanicum)

Blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium, V. coryumbosum)

Maple Leaf Viburnum (Viburnum acerifolium)

Interrupted Fern (Osmunda claytoniana)

Anemone (Anomone hepatica)

Blue lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica)

Creek Sedge (Carex amphibola)

Canada Windflower (Anemone canadensis)

Sun

Between 3 to 6 hours per day

Shade Fewer than 3 hours of sunlight per day

Spring 2020

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5

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2

Eli Bloch and Allison Mason

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3

Townhome Yards

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Northampton and Easthampton, Massachusetts

3

THE CONWAY SCHOOL

4

Find your preferred layout below to identify which columns correspond to each element in the layout; then, select plant varieties from the sun or shade conditions of your front yard.

PLANTING PALETTE

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4

Lathrop Retirement Community Landscape Master Plan

Planting Palette: Townhome Yards

16

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

FESCUES: 1. Hard Fescue, Festuca brevipila 2. Sheep Fescue, Festuca ovina 3. Chewings Fescue, Festuca rubra subs. fallax 4. Red Fescue, Festuca rubra 5. Creeping Red Fescue, Festuca rubra var. rubra MICROCLOVERS: 6. Trifolium repens var. ‘Pipolina’ 7. Trifolium repens var. ‘Pirouette’ (not pictured) The mix can be made up of only fescues or only microclover, but when grown together, microclover supplies an organic source of nitrogen (reducing the need for fertilizer) and can smother other weeds. Microclover may need persistent reseeding, as it has less of a tolerance for high heat and drought compared to fescues. Many low-mow (often referred to as no-mow) mixes are available for purchase at local nurseries, online, and in home and garden stores.

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Rainfall and Soil pH Requirements Fescues need no additional watering if the climate receives at least twenty-five inches of rain annually, with at least twelve inches arriving during the growing season. Easthampton receives an average of 46 inches of rain each year. Climate change is expected to increase rainfall in this region, with a greater concentration of rain in the winter. These grasses can also thrive in a wide range of soil pH, between 5.0-8.0, but ideally between 5.5-6.5; pH can be modified by increasing soil organic matter through the addition of compost or other organic material rather than soil amendments.

SEEDING METHODS Mixes can be sown by hand for smaller areas or sown using equipment such as push-type spreaders, broadcast seeders, and hydro-seeders. It is important to cover the seed with weed-free straw to retain soil moisture for germination.

Maintenance WATERING Watering is only necessary for initial establishment. Seed covered with straw mulch should be watered every 2 to 3 days. Once seedlings become visible after 10 to 14 days, watering can be reduced to twice a week and discontinued by week three or four unless the season is exceptionally hot and dry.

FERTILIZATION It is highly unlikely that fertilization will be required for installing a low-mow mix into areas that were previously lawn at Lathrop. Soil should be tested for Phosphorous (P) and Potassium (K), which can be amended with an organic fertilizer. No further amendments should be necessary after establishment.

MOWING For a more manicured look, mowing can be done once a month. Otherwise, mowing may only be necessary once or twice a year in spring and in the fall to maintain a height of four to six inches.

DE-THATCHING & AERATION Fine fescues may develop a layer of dead grass that only partially decomposes, called a thatch layer, which smothers new shoots. Mechanical de-thatchers, power rakes, or de-thatching rakes lift up the thatch without disturbing the soil, De-thatching prevents fungal diseases or dead spots and can be performed once a year in early spring. High-traffic areas and heavier soils can also benefit from aeration once a year.

Spring 2020

Species in a Low-Mow Mix for the Northeast

SEEDING DATES The best time of the year to seed a low-mow mix is at the end of summer or beginning of autumn; this can help cool season grasses establish during their natural cycle of germination while avoiding spring weed germination. Seeds can also be sown in the spring, but they will likely experience more weed pressure.

Eli Bloch and Allison Mason

SITE PREPARATION Grasses and other vegetation on site must be completely removed before seeding the low-mow mix.

There are a variety of methods for killing the lawn that do not involve the use of glyphosate. One technique, smothering, can be done using black plastic, newspapers, or cardboard. Turf can also be removed with a sod-cutter, but this may not kill tap-rooted weeds. Another method is repeated tilling, although tilling can cause erosion and disrupt soil structure. Both smothering and tilling likely have to be performed for one to two years but may not eliminate weeds.

Lawn Replacement

Most plant varieties used in lawn replacement mixes include fescues, which are native to the northern hemisphere. Fescues grow significantly slower than turf grass, already reducing the need to mow as frequently. Additionally, these grasses have a higher tolerance for drought and shade. A palette of bunching species, combined with creeping species of fescues, fills in spaces to block out other weeds, which can reduce or eliminate the need for broad-leaf herbicides. Furthermore, fescues prefer low nitrogen levels in soil, reducing or eliminating the need for fertilizers. The replacement of turf grass with fescue and microclover varieties suggested below can cut Lathrop’s mowing frequency by 75%, transitioning from weekly mowing to monthly mowing, with even less frequent mowing in less visible areas.

Northampton and Easthampton, Massachusetts

Site Preparation, Seeding Dates, and Methods

THE CONWAY SCHOOL

Benefits to Lawn Replacement

DESIGN DIRECTION

Turf grass can be replaced by low-mow mixes to reduce the energy and carbon footprint of Lathrop.

Lathrop Retirement Community Landscape Master Plan

Design Direction: Lawn Replacement

17

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

This combination of Eastern red cedar and rhododendron on the north side of two townhomes preserves views into the meadow. Once fully grown, these plants would reduce annual heating costs by an estimated total of $79 each year. Energy savings are estimated using the US Forest Service iTree tool.

This row of Eastern red cedars on the northern side of two townhomes would block views into the meadow, but it would provide excellent protection from cold winds, reducing heating costs by an estimated $137 each year once trees reach maturity. Energy savings are estimated using the US Forest Service iTree tool.

Common Name

Latin Name

Type

Height at Maturity

Eastern redbud

Cercis canadensis

deciduous

12-25’

red mulberry

Morus rubra

deciduous

15-30’

serviceberry

Allegheny laevis

deciduous

15-25’

musclewood

Carpus carolinia

deciduous

20-35’

river birch

Betula nigra

deciduous

25-45’

tulip tree

Liriodendron tulipeferia

deciduous

60-90’

sweet gum

Liquidambar styracifula

deciduous

60-90’

red maple

Acer rubrum

deciduous

35-50’

American holly

Ilex opaca

evergreen

12-30’

Eastern red cedar

Juniperus virginiana

evergreen

15-30’

red spruce

Picea rubens

evergreen

30-60’

baslam fir

Abies balsamesa

evergreen

35-60’

mountain laurel

Kalmia latifolia

evergreen

4-10’

rhododendron

Rhododendron spp.

evergreen

5-15’

Eli Bloch and Allison Mason Spring 2020

In this rendering birch (Betula nigra) trees are aligned next to the gables and placed farther from the structures to minimize shading. This design of three birch trees would reduce summer cooling costs by an estimated $74 each year once the trees reach maturity. The cooling effect would also improve the efficiency of rooftop PV panels. Energy savings are estimated using the US Forest Service iTree tool.

Plantings for Energy Efficiency

Trees can also reduce energy needs for winter heating by partially blocking cold winter winds from hitting the walls of a building, reducing the loss of thermal energy. Since winter winds in this region generally travel from the north or northwest to south or southeast, it is best to plant trees to the north or northwest of a home. Evergreen trees with a dense branching structure are most effective at protecting buildings from cold winds. When these trees are positioned to the northern side of a building, blocking solar panels is not a concern.

Northampton and Easthampton, Massachusetts

Tree planting in a way that blocks rooftop solar panels would be counterproductive. If planting next to a townhome that has or is suitable for solar panels, plant a species that grows to a maximum of 10 feet or for every foot over 10 place it an extra foot away from the home. For example a 30-foot tree could be planted 20 feet away from a structure with solar panels or a 50-foot tree planted 40 feet away. Planting to the west of structures also provides valuable cooling as it shades the home during the afternoon, and since it would not interfere with solar panels, larger species can be used.

Lathrop Retirement Community Landscape Master Plan

Trees are natural temperature regulators and can reduce the need for both winter heating and summer cooling in buildings. Trees cast shade, protecting surfaces from the sun, and cool the air around them through the process of evapotranspiration. The combination of shading and evapotranspiration leads to dramatic reductions in the need for mechanical cooling systems. Various studies have measured that suburbs with mature trees are 4 to 6 degrees Fahrenheit cooler than suburban areas without significant tree cover (EPA). This reduces the need for cooling , and creates safer conditions to be outside. Planting trees anywhere near a home will contribute some summer cooling effect; however, to get the most shade on a building it is best to plant on the southern side. Deciduous trees should always be used for this purpose because they provide cooling during the summer when it is most needed but allow sunlight through the canopy in the winter when heating is needed.

Evergreen trees, if planted to the south of buildings, can actually increase winter heating needs.

DESIGN DIRECTION

THE CONWAY SCHOOL

Design Direction: Plantings for Energy Efficiency

18

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

4

The pond is 3 feet deep and the banks are planted with wetland species.

Shady sitting area with picnic tables and Adirondack chairs allows for group gatherings and a quiet spot for individuals.

(1) Mulberry cluster island, (2) Wide-Woods trail entrance, (3) Behind the Inn, (4) Florence Road Meadow, and (5) the glade by the community garden have been identified by residents and designers as areas desired for gathering, and these spaces meet the minimum requirements for additional chairs, benches, or picnic tables.

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4 A row of newly planted trees mirrors the opposite forest edge creating an allee.

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The entrance to the Wide-Woods Trail is a scenic space accessible by road from the existing townhomes and future development. This design replaces the pond that will be lost in the construction of a new road and makes it the centerpiece of a new gathering area.

Eli Bloch and Allison Mason

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Spring 2020

A new pond is installed to replace the one lost during construction.

2

Gathering Spaces

A depression in the bank directs overflow to existing outflow swale.

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Northampton and Easthampton, Massachusetts

Community feedback via a survey indicated near universal desire for more spaces to sit and enjoy the outdoors at Lathrop. Particularly important are areas that can be easily accessed without walking long distances. This design direction details six spaces where additional seating should be added.

Lathrop Retirement Community Landscape Master Plan

Suggested locations for sitting solemnly, enjoying company, or spending time resting in nature

DESIGN DIRECTION

THE CONWAY SCHOOL

Design Direction: Gathering Spaces

19 Not for construction. Part of a student project and not based on a legal survey.

Enhancing stormwater management and increasing wildlife habitat through the addition of a bioswale

2%

MULCH 2" LAYER LARGE ROCKS SEDIMENT TRAP

FILTER FABRIC COBBLE

0

1

2 1:24

PEASTONE SEPARATOR GRAVEL BED EXISTING SOIL

4

Feet

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION

Above: Swale cross section.

Left: Precedent of a road with curb cuts into a bordering bioswale

Image source: Montgomery County Dept. of Environmental Protection

OPTIONAL GEOTEXTILE (SIDES ONLY)

An extended swale along the length of Bassett Brook Drive will not only provide an artistic linear element in the landscape, but it will also serve to slow, cool, and filter rain water before it makes its way into detention basins. The swale should be planted with species that tolerate drought and inundation; the top of the swale should include plants that have the highest degree of drought tolerance, plants on the slope should have more of an affinity for water with occasional inundation, and plants in the basin should be able to tolerate regular inundation.

Above: Detention basin cross section Left: Lathrop vegetated detention basin photo rendering Lathrop’s detention basins all drain in less than 24 hours after a large rainstorm according to resident reports.

Basins are capable of supporting increased native vegetation (they are currently maintained as lawns). Not only will native plants such as tall grasses and wildflowers take up more stormwater and eliminate the need to mow the lawn, but they will also serve as a filter for water before it overflows into the wetlands or sinks down into the Barnes Aquifer. A soil pit should be dug to ensure that at least six inches of soil are above the gravel bed (or peastone separator, if existing) and that there is no geotextile in the basin, except for on the sides, to ensure plants’ roots can grow down.

Spring 2020

ROAD

BIORETENTION SOIL (AT LEAST 6" DEEP)

& Detention Basins

BOTTOM OF CURB (BEGIN CURB CUT HERE)

OVERFLOW PIPE

Northampton and Easthampton, Massachusetts

SIDEWALK & BASE

INLET PIPE

Bassett Brook Drive Swale

LAWN SPACE (WIDTH VARIES)

VEGETATED SWALE (WIDTH VARIES)

NATIVE PLANTINGS

DESIGN DIRECTION

5'-0"

2'-0"

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION

TOP OF CURB (END CUT HERE)

CURB CUT FILLED W/ ROCK

6'-0"

TEMPORARY PONDING AREA

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION

1'-0"

Detention Basins

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION

Bassett Brook Drive Swale

Lathrop Retirement Community Landscape Master Plan

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION

Eli Bloch and Allison Mason

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION

THE CONWAY SCHOOL

Design Direction: Bassett Brook Drive Swale and Detention Basins

20

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

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Little Bluestem, Schizachyrium scoparium

Lavender Hyssop, Agastache foeniculum

SLOPE

>

Plants that can grow on a slope, with a strong root system, and are suitable for drought and occasional inundation Bee Balm, Monarda fistulosa

Green Headed Coneflower, Rudbeckia laciniata

New England Aster, Symphyotrichum novae-angliae

Green Headed Coneflower, Rudbeckia laciniata

Coreopsis, Coreopsis lanceolata

BASE

>

Plants that have the highest tolerance for inundation and prefer a wetter environment, but PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION can survive drought

Great Blue Lobelia, Lobelia siphilitica

Common Winterberry, Ilex verticillata

Indian grass, Sorghastrum nutans

Tussok Sedge, Carex stricta

Big bluestem, Andropogon gerardii

Joe Pye Weed, Eupatorium maculatum

Boneset, Eupatorium perfoliatum

BASIN

>

TEMPORARY PONDING AREA NATIVE PLANTINGS

Plants that are specifically suited for the base OPTIONAL of detention basins, GEOTEXTILE (SIDES ONLY) which can tolerate comPEASTONE plete inundation SEPARATOR INLET PIPE

BIORETENTION SOIL (AT LEAST 6" DEEP)

GRAVEL BED EXISTING SOIL

OVERFLOW PIPE

21

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

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION

Ox Eye Sunflower, Heliopsis helianthoides

Golden Alexander, Zizia aurea

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION

Swamp Milkweed, Asclepias incarnata

Spring 2020

Foxglove beartonge, Penstemon digitalis

Northampton and Easthampton, Massachusetts

Butterfly Milkweed, Asclepias tuberosa

Lathrop Retirement Community Landscape Master Plan

Spotted Crane’s Bill, Geranium maculatam

PLANTING PALETTE

Plants that have a high drought tolerance and will experience little to no inundation

Eli Bloch and Allison Mason

BERM

and Detention Basins

Plants suited for each type of condition present in a swale, rain garden, or detention basin

Swales, Rain Gardens,

THE CONWAY SCHOOL

Planting Palette: Swales, Rain Gardens, and Detention Basins

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5

10 ft

Extending the meadow edge with a wildflower border increases habitat, decreases mowing and adds visual appeal.

Designed Plant Communities: Plant the wildflower spillway with roughly 10-15% structural plants, 30-40% seasonal theme plants, 40-50% ground cover plants, and roughly 10% filler plants. Mulch generously using leaves, woodchips, or straw. Continue to use mulch until groundcover layer has established. Adding in annual flowers during establishment can also help provide ground cover and beauty in early years.

Along the edge of Cranberry Meadow choose 10 to 15 spots to establish wildflower masses. Prioritize species that can naturalize within the meadow. Allow these plantings 2 to 3 growing seasons to establish. After this move the mow line for the meadow to incorporate the wildflower border into Cranberry Meadow.

Common Name

Latin Name Panicum virgatum

Layer structural structural

Joe-Pye weed

Schizachyrium scorparium Eutrochium fistulosum

false indigo

Baptisia australis

structural

bee balm

Monarda dydima

seasonal theme

butterfly weed

Asclepias tuberosa

seasonal theme

new england aster

seasonal theme

Structural

golden alexanders

Symphotricum novae-angliae Zizia aurea

seasonal theme

cardinal flower

Lobelia cardinalis

filler

Seasonal Theme

lavender hyssop

Agastache foeniculum

filler

Filler

lanceleaf coreopsis

Coreopsis lancelota

filler

wild strawberry

Fragaria virginiana

groundcover

barren strawberry

Waldsteinia fragaroides

groundcover

green and gold

Chrysogonum virginianum Anemone canadensis

groundcover

switchgrass little blue stem

Canada windflower

Sample Planting Pattern

structural

groundcover

Legend

Ground Cover

Eli Bloch and Allison Mason Spring 2020

Low-Mow Lawn

Cranberry Meadow

Wildflower Buffer

Lathrop Retirement Community Landscape Master Plan

Existing Meadow

DESIGN DIRECTION

Many Lathrop townhomes look at over Cranberry Meadow; this is a cherished view. Grasses and birds are abundant in the meadow but there are few wildflowers. Incorporating more wildflowers here will provide visual appeal and food for pollinators. This design includes two sections of wildflower additions to Cranberry Meadow: a wildflower spillway which extends from the meadow through the area between Cranberry and Teaberry cluster, and a planted meadow edge, which, through the planting of wildflowers, extends the meadow a few feet towards the townhomes.

Northampton and Easthampton, Massachusetts

These designs extend cranberry meadow through wildflower plantings that reduce lawn and bring color to the landscape

THE CONWAY SCHOOL

Design Direction: Cranberry Meadow

22 Not for construction. Part of a student project and not based on a legal survey.

Residents using walkers or wheelchairs could find it difficult to move through leaf litter. The creation of stone dust paths would allow all residents to enjoy the shade and scenery of the mini forest. Leaves would have to be removed from these paths occasionally to maintain accessibility.

Precedents

Above: A canopy planting plan; new trees are shown with a plus symbol, while light green signifies existing stands of trees. A path network allows access into the middle of the mini forest. Undestory and ground cover species are planted beneath the canopy.

Plastic mesh to protect from deer

A forest garden with a canopy and ground cover layer would allow more visibility and require fewer plants than a multi-tiered forest.

A multi-tiered forest with understory shrubs would mimic a typical New England forest and provide excellent habitat value.

Left: Planting smaller saplings of one to three feet tall reduces transplant stress and thus increases the rate of success. When possible, it is best to use bare root saplings.

Dig a planting hole to the depth of the root ball and two to thee times as wide; water thoroughly. Before 2-3” of planting, ensure that no roots are woodchip crossing. Dip the roots in a high mulch, avoid quality mycorrhizal innoculant and root crown Dig hole then bury with native soil dug from 2-3x as wide as the the site. Ensure that the root crown root ball is just above the soil line.

Water the area again. Apply roughly 1/4” of high quality compost and mulch with 2-3” of wood chips, ensuring not to bury the root crown.

Use deer protection such as plastic mesh fencing while the tree is small.

Spring 2020

Mowing can be reduced or eliminated as grass is suppressed by a lack of sunlight and a layer of leaf litter. The ground layer can be planted with ferns, or forest understory shrubs could be added to create a multi-tiered woodland garden. The addition of signs explaining the benefits of leaf litter to the forest ecosystem may help residents who expect leaves to be removed to understand this practice.

Lathrop Retirement Community Landscape Master Plan

DESIGN DIRECTION

This area should be managed as a forest or woodland garden. Trees are planted close enough to create a closed canopy suppressing grass beneath it. Once the trees are uniformly over 15 feet tall, fallen leaves and small twigs should be allowed to remain in place; which will create forest-like soil conditions. The leaf litter layer reduces evaporation from the soil, helping plants survive droughts which may occur more frequently with climate change. The leaf litter layer is also a crucial source of carbon for soil micro-organisms, which, in turn, release nutrients into the soil that plants then use. Numerous animal and insect species rely on leaf litter for food or overwintering habitat, and these organisms will provide food to birds and other animals.

Eli Bloch and Allison Mason

This design adds 19 native trees to existing stands of mature trees to create a forest-like environment. Trees are planted 20 to 35 feet apart to keep the ground layer open and easy to navigate. There will be room to add chairs, benches or forest understory plants if that is desired in the future.

Mini Forest

This design connects existing stands of mature trees to create a forest within the residential landscape

Northampton and Easthampton, Massachusetts

THE CONWAY SCHOOL

Design Direction: Mini Forest

23

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

River Birch, betula nigra

Tamarack, Larix laricina

Hophornbeam, Ostrya virginiana

Canopy Trees that reach over 30 feet tall and are the dominant plant species of the forest Sycamore, Platanus occidentalis

White Pine, Pinus strobus

Black Cherry, Prunus serotina

American Ash, Fraxinus americanus

Silver Maple, Acer Saccharinum

Understory Woody shrubs that grow between 5 and 20 feet beneath the forest canopy. Should tolerate partial and full shade.

Witch Hazel, Hamamelis virginiana

Mountain Laurel, Kalmia latifolia

Rhododendron, Rhododendron spp.

Maple Leaf Viburnum, Viburnum acerifolium Hobblebush, Viburnum lantanoides

Groundcover Low growing species that can cover the forest floor. These species may not tolerate constant walking or mowing.

Marginal Fern, Dryopteris marginalis

Mayapple, Podophyllum peltatum

Foamflower, Tiarella cordifolia

Wild Giner, Asarum canadense

Pennsylvania Sedge, Carex Pennsylvanica

Eli Bloch and Allison Mason Spring 2020

Sweet Birch, Betula lenta

Mini Forest

Red Maple, Acer rubrum

Northampton and Easthampton, Massachusetts

Trees that reach over 30 feet tall and are the dominant plant species of the forest

THE CONWAY SCHOOL

Canopy

PLANTING PALETTE

Plants for each forest layer: Species were selected for hardiness and ornamental and wildlife value. Trees that produce large masts are avoided as to not create a hazard for people using canes and walkers. Trees planted near townhomes should be shorter species as to not interfere with rooftop solar (see Planting for Energy Efficiency P.18).

Lathrop Retirement Community Landscape Master Plan

Planting Palette: Mini Forest

24

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

4 Florence Road Meadow is planted with wildflower drifts. The meadow is also expanded and brought to within 10 feet away from the road to reduce unnecesary lawn.

4

1

Mid-Woods Meadow is partially reforested by allowing an existing aspen stand to expand.

This area should be managed as shrubland to provide habitat for rare birds and other animals.

The southern part of the meadow could be overseeded to introduce more native species.

5

2

2 Mulberry Meadow is partially re-forested and managed as shrubland. This area is large enough (over 1.9 acres) to support a variety of birds and mammals of high conservation value.

The remainder of Mulberry Meadow is re-seeded to introduce more native species.

The western upland part of North Field is planted with wildflower drifts suitable for dry sites. The eastern part of the field is partially re-seeded. A small section of the field is allowed to return to forest, reducing maintenance, buffering the vernal pool, and attracting birds to the area.

6

Overseeding Recommended

Seedling or Plug Planting Recommended

Early Forest Regeneration Recommended

Farmers Field will likely be almost fully converted to new townhomes. The eastern edge of the field is a wetland and cannot be built on. This section should be allowed to return to forest to protect the vernal pool downstream.

Eli Bloch and Allison Mason Spring 2020

New Development Area

Meadow Management

6

Northampton and Easthampton, Massachusetts

5

3

1

A planted wildflower border is added to the southern edge of Cranberry Meadow to increase visual appeal. The northern edge is partially reforested to buffer winter winds and views of the new townhomes.

THE CONWAY SCHOOL

Meadow management recommendations seek to improve habitat for wildlife by creating diversity in habitat type and buffer against the environmental impact of development while preserving and improving views into the meadow through the addition of wildflowers.

FINAL CONCEPT

3

Overview

Lathrop Retirement Community Landscape Master Plan

Final Concept: Meadow Management

25

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

Plants should be established in early spring. Prepare the site by scraping off the existing vegetation while disturbing the soil as little as possible. Mulch heavily with cardboard or woodchips. Weed these areas for one or two growing seasons after planting; after this, weed annually or as needed.

Each drift should contain no more than three rows with one species in each row. Ideally, choose three species that flower at different points in the year to provide visual interest for humans and pollen for insects at different points in the season.

Example Drift Pattern Wildflower Drifts in the U.K.

The golden winged warbler. Photo Credit: American Bird Conservancy

Maintaining Early Succession

Sample Wildflower Drift Plant Palette

Without a disturbance event, most species that rely on early successional forest will abandon the site once the forest matures to the point that it is no longer suitable habitat. Meadows at Lathrop will likely take 20-30 years to mature into a forest due to wet conditions and the fact that they have been farmed for a long period of time.

Land can be kept in the stage of shrubland and early succession by removing canopy-forming species such as oaks and maples or by clear-cutting the entire stand. There may be natural disturbances such as deer, beavers, or weather that make these interventions unnecessary.

False Indigo (Baptisia australis), Lanceleaf Coreopsis (Coreopsis lancelota), Joe-Pye Weed (Eupatorium perfoliatum)

Above: This drift pattern shown on Florence Road Meadow would give the appearance of a field in full bloom.

Right: Species should be selected based on site conditions and ability to naturalize within a meadow.

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), Ironweed (Veronia noveborecensiss), New England Aster (Symphotricum Novae-angliae) Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis), Northern Blue Flag (Iris versicolor), Golden Alexanders (Zizia aurea)

Spring 2020

In early spring, mow meadows to cut back the growth of cool season grasses.

This will be disruptive to wildlife so it is best to only do this once or twice.

After cutting the grass back, scatter a meadow seed mix suited to those conditions. Use a wet meadow mix for wetland areas and an upland mix for dry areas.

Eli Bloch and Allison Mason

One way to establish wildflowers in the meadows is to use plugs or quart-sized plants and reduce competition around them through weeding and mulching. This is a laborious and expensive process that is impractical for large meadows. Alternatively, planting a few drifts spaced throughout the meadow could provide excellent visual appeal with less overall space planted.

Meadow Management Techniques

Overseeding Techniques

FINAL CONCEPT

Shrubland and early successional forest describes the transitional stage between grassland and forest ecosystems. There has been a 66% loss of early succession forest and shrubland habitat in New England (excluding Maine). This rare habitat is valuable to a number of species of conservation concern (Schlossberg and King (2007). The golden winged warbler and New England cottontail are two species of conservation concern that rely exclusively on early succession forest (Livatis 1999). Nearly all mammals that live in the Northeastern U.S. have some preference for early successional habitat (Fuller, Destefano 2003). Increasing early succession forest on site could increase the number and diversity of birds and mammals at Lathrop, while also sequestering carbon and potentially providing wood for building or fuel.

Planting Wildflower Drifts

Lathrop Retirement Community Landscape Master Plan

Habitat Value of Early Successional Forest and Shrubland

Northampton and Easthampton, Massachusetts

A guide to implementing meadow management recommendations

THE CONWAY SCHOOL

Final Concept: Meadow Management Techniques

26

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

261,360

Low Mow Seed Mix (2500-3000lb per acre) Seed Mix (5 lbs per 1000 square feet) Lawn Erosion Control, Straw Mat

6 625-1,125 261,360

High Cost Estimate

$3,000-$5,000

$18,000

$30,000

$0.15-$0.20

$39,204

$52,272

$3000-$3600

$18,000

$21,600

$3.75

$2,343.75

$4,219

$0.10-$0.12

$26,136

$31,363

$103,684

$139,454

SF ACRE LBS SF

TOTAL

SWALE Item

Area/Quantity

Curb Cuts

Unit

Cost/Unit

Low Cost Estimate

High Cost Estimate

1

LS

$600-$800

$600

$800

Plants (plugs)

5000

SF

$2-$3

$10,000

$15,000

Gravel (cobble)

1000

SF

$14-$18

$14,000

$18,000

20

SF

$50-$150

$1,000

$3,000

1000

SF

$3.50-$5.50

$3,500

$5,500

40

CY

$60-$70

$2,400

$2,800

$31,500

$45,100

Boulders (small 12x12) Filter Fabric Mulch TOTAL

DETENTION BASIN Item

Area/Quantity

Plants (plugs or gallons)

Unit

Cost/Unit

Low Cost Estimate

High Cost Estimate

1,500

SF

$3-15

$4,500

$22,500

Mulch

2

CY

$60-$70

$120

$240

Topsoil (with delivery)

4

CY

$60-$70

$240

$280

$4,860

$23,020

TOTAL

WILDFLOWER SPILLWAY Item

Area/Quantity

Plants (plugs or gallons)

Unit

1,500

SF

Low Cost Estimate

High Cost Estimate

$3-15

$4,500

$22,500

$3,000-$4,500

$300

$450

Seeds

0.1

Mulch

2

CY

$60-$70

$120

$240

Topsoil (with delivery)

4

CY

$50

$240

$280

$5,160

$23,470

TOTAL

ACRE

Cost/Unit

Spring 2020

Fine Grading

ACRE

Low Cost Estimate

Eli Bloch and Allison Mason

6

Cost/Unit

Various Landscape Elements

Sod Clearing (incl. equip & disposal)

Unit

Northampton and Easthampton, Massachusetts

Area/Quantity

THE CONWAY SCHOOL

Item

COST ESTIMATES

LAWN REPLACEMENT

Lathrop Retirement Community Landscape Master Plan

Cost Estimates:

27

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

High Cost Estimate

Excavation Border Plants (plugs or gallons)

700

SF

$3-15

$2,100

$10,500

Gravel Layer

1,400

SF

$8-$12

$11,200

$16,800

Impervious Lining (Bentonite Clay)

1,400

SF

$1,50-$2.50

$2,100

$3,500

Picnic Tables

4

EA

$300-$1,500

$1,200

$6,000

Benches

4

EA

$400-$1,200

$1,600

$4,800

10

EA

$800-$1,200

$8,000

$12,000

$26,200

$53,600

Shade Trees TOTAL

REGRADED ROAD TO ROSE FIELD Item

Area/Quantity

Unit

Cost/Unit

Low Cost Estimate

High Cost Estimate

Grading

300

SF

$.20-.30

$60

$90

Crushed Gravel

300

SF

$8-$12

$2,400

$3,600

$2,460

$3,690

TOTAL

MINI FOREST Item

Area/Quantity

Trees (19)

Unit

Cost/Unit

Low Cost Estimate

High Cost Estimate

19

EA

$100-$800

$1,900

$15,200

Paths=360 feetx 5 feet wide

1,800

SF

$8-$12

$14,400

$21,600

Ground Cover

1,800

SF

$6-$8

$10,600

$14,400

$26,900

$51,200

TOTAL

Low Cost Estimate

GRAND TOTAL

$200,764

High Cost Estimate

$339,534

Spring 2020

Low Cost Estimate

Eli Bloch and Allison Mason

Cost/Unit

Various Landscape Elements

Unit

Northampton and Easthampton, Massachusetts

Area/Quantity

THE CONWAY SCHOOL

Item

COST ESTIMATES

WIDE WOODS GATHERING SPACE

Lathrop Retirement Community Landscape Master Plan

Cost Estimates (continued):

28 Not for construction. Part of a student project and not based on a legal survey.

Nasami Farm https://www.nativeplanttrust.org/for-your-garden/buy-native-plants/

Mycorrhizal Innoculant https://www.wildrootorganic.com/

American Meadows https://www.americanmeadows.com/ Vernmont Wildflower Farm https://www.vermontwildflowerfarm.com Prairie Nursery https://www.prairienursery.com/no-mow-lawn/no-mowlawn-seed-mixes/no-mow-lawn-seed-mixes.html

Landscape Design Books Planting in a Post Wild World Claudia West and Thomas Rainer (2015) The Living Landscape Douglas W. Tallamy and Rick Darke (2014) Energy-Wise Landscaping Sue Reed (2010)

Cornell Woody Plant Databasehttp://woodyplants.cals.cornell.edu/home Northampton Tree List and Planting Guidelines https://www.northamptonma.gov/DocumentCenter/ View/13144/Northampton-Tree-List--Planting-Guidelines-2018 Bare root planting http://www.hort.cornell.edu/uhi/outreach/pdfs/bareroot.pdf

REFERENCES

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 2008. “Trees and Vegetation.” In: Reducing Urban Heat Islands: Compendium of Strategies. Draft.

Fedco Trees https://www.fedcoseeds.com/trees/

Lathrop Retirement Community Landscape Master Plan

King, David I., and Scott Schlossberg. “Synthesis of the Conservation Value of the Early-Successional Stage in Forests of Eastern North America.” Forest Ecology and Management, vol. 324, 2014, pp. 186–95. Crossref, doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2013.12.001.

New England Wetland Plants https://newp.com/

Tree Planting for Energy Efficiency https://design.itreetools.org/

Spring 2020

Fuller, Todd K., and Stephen DeStefano. “Relative Importance of Early-Successional Forests and Shrubland Habitats to Mammals in the Northeastern United States.” Forest Ecology and Management, vol. 185, no. 1–2, 2003, pp. 75–79. Crossref, doi:10.1016/s03781127(03)00247-0.

Eli Bloch and Allison Mason

Tree Planting

Works Cited & Additional Resources

Recommended Plant Sources

Northampton and Easthampton, Massachusetts

Works Cited

THE CONWAY SCHOOL

Works Cited and Additional Resources:

29 Not for construction. Part of a student project and not based on a legal survey.