Walden Pond Stewardship Plan (2009)

Acknowledgments We wish to thank Denise Morrissey, Park Supervisor, and Peter Hoffman, Assistant Park Supervisor, for extraordinary assistance in formulating this plan.

Jim Baecker, Susan Hamilton, Kathryn Garcia, Judy Greene, Nathanael Lloyd, Sean Fisher, David Kimball and Michael Mitchell of the DCR gave valuable assistance and direction.

The Walden Pond Advisory Board led by Ken Bassett provided unique insight into the history and work of the Reservation.

Thank you to the faculty, staff and students of the Conway School of Landscape Design for offering freely of their talent, intelligence and humor.

Cover photograph: Herbert Wendell Gleason.

Overlooking swimming beach at Walden Pond, 1924 Aug. 24. No. 1924.2 in CFPL’s Robbins Collection of Gleason negatives. Used by permission of Concord Free Public Library.

2

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan Draft prepared for the

Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation Jonathan Cooper Kyle Haley Randy Marks Conway School of Landscape Design Winter 2009

Executive Summary Walden Pond State Reservation faces the dilemma confronting all parks that maintain a natural landscape: the opposition between preservation and recreation. For much of its eightyseven-year history, the forces of recreation have outweighed the pull of preservation, much to the detriment of natural ecosystems.

Preservation

Recreation

Since the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), then known as the Department of Environmental Management, began managing the Reservation in 1975, the opposing forces have been brought into balance. Under the direct management of the park supervisors and staff, and with the active input of the Walden Pond Advisory Board, Walden and its environs have been recovering from decades of misuse.

available to the public also requires a balance. The interplay of these dynamics affects the quality of the visitor experience.

Other factors affecting the experience include the quality of interpretive structures, the aesthetic qualities of the constructed environment, and the ease and safety with which visitors can access the features of the Reservation.

Method This study was formulated using the following methods and resources: reviews of previous studies and their recommendations and implementation; interviews with DCR staff; inputs from members of the Walden Pond Advisory Board; research of historical archives; communication with outside experts; critiques and insight from faculty and staff of Conway School of Landscape Design; and field observations of existing conditions from site visits.

This Stewardship Plan intends to further aid the DCR in preserving both natural and recreational elements of Walden Pond and its surroundings for the public to enjoy.

Maintaining Balance The overriding issue facing Walden is maintaining a dynamic balance between recreation and preservation of the natural environment. Preserving cultural resources while making them

ii

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

Fig. 1: Deep Cove, Walden Pond

Recommendations Proposed here are stewardship management zones based on the intensity of visitor use and environmental conditions. The zones, from most-visited to least-visited, are: • Walden Gateway, containing the park entrance, parking, major structures and beach • Pond Circuit, circumnavigating the Pond • Thoreaufare, covering the area of Thoreau’s cabin site and surroundings • Southern Mosaic, consisting of the most varied topography and ecology • Northwest Woods, dense with red oak, white pine, and other trees • Goose Pond Reserve, conserving wildlife habitat The distinct conditions in each of these zones will guide park staff in setting management priorities across the Reservation.

Specific recommendations are made for each zone, ranging from improving pedestrian crossing in Zone 1 to creating a preserve and control area in Zone 6. General recommendations across zones range from continuing erosion-mitigation programs, improving trails by reconstruction where necessary, improving wayfinding on trails by installing signs and markers, installing new or enhancing existing interpretive structures, and protecting wetland habitat.

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

iii

Walden, Today and Tomorrow The management of the Walden Pond State Reservation reflects the DCR mission of protecting, promoting and enhancing the common wealth of natural, cultural and recreational resources.

Walden has these resources in abundance. The Pond itself fits into all three categories: it is a natural wonder, a remarkably clear kettle pond formed by a melting glacier; it is a cultural icon, the home of Thoreau and arguably the birthplace of the environmental movement; it is the favored backyard swimming hole for thousands of Bay State citizens.

Figs. 2-4: Walden is preserved for these and many more.

Although the park area encompasses only about one-tenth of one percent of the total land area managed by the DCR, it has an outsized presence and impact. On account of the influence of Thoreau’s writings worldwide, millions feel a proprietary interest in Walden Pond. Walden is preserved for them.

2

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

More important, though, are the constituents much closer to the Reservation boundaries. The citizens of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, those now living and those to come, are both the inheritors and transmitters of the legacy. Walden is preserved for them.

A third constituent is composed of the myriad creatures who call the Reservation home. An obligation of thoughtful stewardship is placed upon the humans in the park. When the glaciers retreated and Walden Pond was formed, long before humans came, plants and animals arrived whose descendants and successors remain to this day. Walden is preserved for them.

Walden Pond State Reservation remains a haven from the workaday world. Whether a visitor wants to stop for only a few minutes and perhaps take a photo, comes daily to swim or hike, makes a pilgrimage to pay homage to Emerson and Thoreau’s legacy, or perhaps, arrives to learn as a student, her visit is enhanced by careful stewardship of the park. This stewardship is marked by engaging and well-designed interpretive structures, by properly marked and maintained crossings and paths, by protected natural features, and by enhanced accessibility for all.

Henry David Thoreau wrote in his journal in 1859 “All Walden wood might have been preserved for our park forever, with Walden in its midst.” His dream is being fulfilled.

Contents Section 3: Stewardship Zones

Executive Summary Section 1: Introduction Context and History Organization, Management, and Programs Introduction to Stewardship Zones Major Management Issues

3 9 3 19

Section 2: Inventory and Analysis Topography Soil Hydrology Vegetation Rare Species Wildlife Pollutants Trails Interpretive Structures Views Access and Structures Traffic

Walden Gateway Pond Circuit Thoreaufare Southern Mosaic Northwest Woods Goose Pond Reserve Future Tense

52 59 65 70 77 85 91

Appendix 23 25 31 33 36 37 39 41 45 46 47 48

Works Cited Maps Image Credits 2008 Park Interpretive Profile Case Studies AfterWords

94 94 95 96 102 107

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

1

1. Introduction • Context and History • Organization, Management, and Programs • Introduction to Stewardship Zones • Major Management Issues

2

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

Introduction

Context and History The Towns The Walden Pond State Reservation is located in Middlesex County, part of the Boston metropolitan area, which has a population of over four million. It receives sustained use from residents of the surrounding region and attracts visitors from around the world.

Two-thirds of the Walden Pond State Reservation lies within the Town of Concord, and the other third in the Town of Lincoln.

Both towns are located 17 miles northwest of Boston and less than five miles from the intersection of Route 2 and Interstate 95, making the Reservation easily accessible by car.

in Concord in the nineteenth century, Henry James called it “the biggest little place in America.” In that time, Henry David Thoreau, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Louisa May Alcott and Nathaniel Hawthorne all called Concord home. In the aftermath of the publication of Thoreau’s Walden, many people came to view Walden Pond as the birthplace of America’s conservation and naturalist movements. Concord remains a lively town with a bustling center, over thirty local manufacturers, and a population of nearly 17,000.

Lincoln was settled in 1650 as part of Concord and was later incorporated as its own town in 1754. As was common in that era of Massachusetts’ history, the split was about travel, on account of the “difficulties Fig 5: Map of Boston and its Vicinity, ca 1820 and inconveniences by reason of their distance from the places of Public Worship in their respective Towns.”

Concord, one of the earliest inland settlements in Massachusetts, The Massachusetts legislature statute establishing the town line was established in 1635 as a small farming community and declared that the boundary ran from a corner at Well Meadow later became an industrial center. Bog iron ore extraction began Brook “from thence, to the southeasterly side of Walden Pond, around 1660, as well as the production of furniture, leather, so called...” (Chapter 35, Massachusetts Province Laws, 1753clothing and metal containers. Concord may be best known for 54). The Reservation’s status as a two-town park has shaped the Battle of Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775, which management initiatives in the past and will continue to do so. was the initial conflict in the American Revolutionary War. Because of the extraordinary concentration of literary talent

Introduction Introduction

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

3

The town of Lincoln is home to several important cultural treasures including the DeCordova Museum and Sculpture Park.

The Thoreau Institute at Walden Woods pursues the missions of conservation, education and research from its headquarters on Baker Farm Road. Nearby is a national historic landmark, Gropius House, designed, built, and inhabited by Bauhaus founder, architect Walter Gropius.

north of Walden Pond, respectively. The sandy soils found in the Reservation and the surrounding area are remnants of the earthgrinding friction between ice and stone that gave shape to this part of New England.

The town’s settlers were primarily concerned with farming and, in contrast to the citizens of neighboring Concord, never established manufacturing on a large scale. A healthy portion of Lincoln’s’ economic base still draws upon agriculture, and its population as of the 2000 Census was 8,056.

The Ecology Nearly 15,000 years ago the area now known as Walden Pond State Reservation lay beneath a rapidly retreating glacier. In its wake, the glacier left behind an assortment of gravel, sand, water, and ice. A particularly large block of ice remained and came to rest at the current site of Walden Pond. As the ice block melted, it created a body of water known as a kettle hole, approximately 58 acres at the surface and 100 feet deep, with a mean depth of 36 feet. Many other kettle holes were formed, including Goose Pond to the northeast and two dry kettles to the

4

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

Fig. 6: Cross-section of Walden Pond, from Colman and Friesz, 1999

The Walden Pond State Reservation is part of a larger area known as Walden Woods. Walden Woods is 2,680 acres of woodlands and wetlands east of the Sudbury River in the towns of Lincoln and Concord. The kame delta complex (also referred to as “sand plains”) created deep, sandy soils through which water drained easily, resulting in an exceptionally deep water table. However, instead of forming a basin into which water naturally flows and collects, Walden Woods sits atop a convex land mass from which water radially flows outward in all

Introduction

directions. Water leaving the Pond flows in a similar radial manner, but does not flow to the east or southeast. As a kettle pond with no surface inflow or outflow, the Pond depends upon local precipitation and the aquifer bounded by the Concord River to the north and the Sudbury River to the west for its groundwater inflow. These aspects of the Pond are discussed further in the Hydrology analysis below.

private business” which was undoubtedly to write. He wrote in his journal every day, filling many pages that became part of A Week on the Concord and Merrimack. Thoreau may have written “Resistance to Civil Government” while living at Walden, though scholars disagree. It is known for sure that he wrote two lectures, one of which “A History of Myself” eventually was transformed into Walden.

Other than writing, Thoreau’s activities included clearing land, replanting trees, and gardening. The area where he lived was Emerson’s woodlot and was called “The Briars” by Channing, indicating the extent to which it was overgrown. An additional area he cleared became his famous bean field where he also grew potatoes, corn, turnips, and peas. “[S]urveying, carpentry and day-labor of various other kinds” helped to keep the supposedly lazy ne’er-do-well occupied.

The Saunterer In his own words Henry David Thoreau (Figure 7) explains why he moved to his cabin on Walden Pond: “I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.” He was neither a squatter nor a hermit at Walden though he puckishly referred to himself as both. He did live on the land of his friend Ralph Waldo Emerson rent free, but he exchanged that privilege for his labor.

Thoreau regularly visited his family and others in Concord and received visitors at his cabin, particularly his dear friend Ellery Channing.

Fig. 7: Henry David Thoreau

Thinking back on his experience of living on WaldenPond Pondtwelve twelveyears yearslater, later,Thoreau Thoreauwrote, wrote,“I“Ithink think Walden that each town should have a park . . . a common possession forever, for instruction and recreation.” As it turns out, much of the Wood as well as the Pond have become a park for the entire planet.

Thoreau also said he moved to the Pond to “transact some

Introduction Introduction

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

5

The Industries With its sandy, rocky, and acidic soil, the area first termed “Wallden Woode” in 1653 was of little interest to the farmers who tilled the land of Concord and Lincoln in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. Part of the reason the area survived as a forest was that “the deep water table and highly permeable substrate create growing conditions that are inimical to farming” (Schofield, p. 79). The woods surrounding the pond grew thick with pines and oaks, and stands of hemlock, cedar, maple, and birch gained footholds in the exceptionally well-drained soils. The land began to feel the effects of human development in 1844, when the Fitchburg Railroad Company laid tracks along the western edge of the property.

Connecting the state’s capital, Boston, with Fitchburg, a booming manufacturing town on the rise in the central part of the state, the ambitious project brought opportunities for labor to outside labor and locals not living off the land. Timber harvesting in Walden Woods yielded the ties that bound the rails and powered the first locomotives that rode upon them (Figure 8).

Remnants of the shantytowns inhabited by the itinerant workers who built the railroad can still be found in the northwest corner of the Reservation. With this rail link to Boston and her harbor, a new industry arose and capitalized on a boon of the winter: ice harvesting. Frederic Tudor, the self-proclaimed “Ice King of

6

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

Fig. 8: Fitchburg Railroad at west bank of Walden Pond, 1920 By permission of the Concord Free Public Library

Boston,” cut blocks of ice from the surface of Walden Pond, wrapped them in straw, and shipped them worldwide. From London to Mumbai, it was billed as an absolute essential at the dining parties of high society. Tudor’s preference for kettle ponds – Spy Pond in Arlington, Fresh Pond in Cambridge, and Walden Pond in Concord – is an example of prudent commercial interests founded on sound natural principles: without the same level of inflow and outflow as a river or spring-fed lake, kettle ponds are more likely to freeze quickly in the winter and are less likely to be polluted by other bodies of water.

Introduction

In the late 1860s, the Fitchburg Railroad added a destination by the train tracks that run past the pond. Ice Fort Cove lured tourists and vacationers to the banks of the pond with dance halls, restaurants, picnic grounds, bathhouses, sporting events, and boating, until a fire in 1902 destroyed the wooden buildings. It was during these decades that the notion of Walden as a public gathering place for spiritual, social, and political events took hold, even though the property was privately held by the Forbes, Heywood, and Emerson families – some of the most well-known families in town.

The twentieth century and the advent of the weekend-touring automobilist made Walden Pond a destination for many more people. The Town of Concord made the beaches along the east bank available for swimming lessons in 1913 and within four years bathhouses had been built for the enjoyment of the 2000 visitors arriving daily in the summer months. As the population of Greater Boston swelled and looked to recreation areas outside the city, Walden Pond became a haven for outdoor enthusiasts (Figure 9). By 1922, the first steps were taken to bringing civic regulation to this common area. Walden Pond’s history as public land is examined more closely in the following section on Organization, Management, and Programs.

Introduction

Fig. 9: Main Beach at Walden Pond, 1924. By permission of Concord Free Public Library

Introduction

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

7

The Reservation Most of Walden Pond State Reservation (Figure_) is contained within the following points of intersection: (A) • MBTA Fitchburg Railroad and Route 2 to the northwest (B) • Route 126 and Route 2 to the north (C) • MBTA Fitchburg Railroad and Route 126 to the south In this pocket are the most prominent physical, ecological, and historical features of the site. The Pond itself covers approximately 58 acres, and features five coves of varying sizes and shapes. Deep Cove, on the Pond’s southeastern edge, is the site of the Boat Ramp, which doubles as both the place from which all boaters launch their watercraft and the ADA parking area for persons with mobility issues.

By Thoreau’s Cove on the Pond’s north side is the former cabin site of Henry David Thoreau and one of two bogs on the reservation, Wyman’s Meadow. The other bog, Heywood’s Meadow, is due south of Little Cove, and southwest of the Reservation’s highest point, Emerson’s Cliff, and the southern edge of the property is the only open field on the site. Nearly all the land adjacent to the Reservation’s western edge and across the railroad tracks is Protected Open Space, as is much of the neighboring land on the eastern side of Route 126.

Approximately 63 of the Reservation’s 411 acres are located east of Route 126 and south of Route 2, in which the parking lots, administrative facilities, maintenance facilities, and former trailer park are located. Goose Pond and the former Walden Breezes Trailer Park are also on this side of the road.

8

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

A

B Cabin Replica Wyman’s Meadow

1. Thoreau’s Cove

Parking Lots

1

2. Ice Fort Cove 3. Long Cove

2 3

4. Little Cove

5

4

5. Deep Cove

Boat Ramp and ADA Parking Emerson’s Cliff

Water Access Points

Heywood’s Meadow

N

C

Fig 10: 2007 DCR of map Walden Pond State Reservation

Introduction

Organization, Management and Programs The mission of Walden was set out by the deed of gift of 1922 that created a “mandate to protect the natural and cultural resources of the pond and to provide quality public recreational and educational opportunities to all visitors” (Thoreau to Thoroughfare, p.3). Few areas can claim the density of the combined natural and cultural resources that is found on Walden’s 411 acres. This park and many others covering a total of ten percent of the land area of Massachusetts are managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation. It is the mission of the DCR to “protect, promote and enhance our common wealth of natural, cultural and recreational resources.” The focus of the DCR is on four areas: improving outdoor recreational opportunities and natural resource conservation; restoring and improving facilities; expanding public involvement in carrying out DCR’s mission; and, establishing first-rate management systems and practices.

Fulfilling these missions falls primarily on the Walden staff comprising the Park Supervisor and three full-time employees including Assistant Park Supervisor, the Visitor Services Supervisor, and an assistant in Administration and Finance. Additionally, up to thirty part-time and seasonal staff including lifeguards are employed in park programs and maintenance.

Assisting the DCR and the Walden staff in accomplishing these missions is the Walden Pond Advisory Board. Members of this panel appointed by the governor have long-term knowledge of the park and its environs. Although not a policy-setting body, the Board strongly influences the direction of park development.

Introduction

Public Involvement Walden has a solid history of support from public organizations such as the Thoreau Society, which was founded in 1941 to stimulate interest in and foster education about Thoreau’s life, works, legacy and his place in his world and in ours, challenging all Fig. 11: Friends of Walden Pond members to live a deliberate, considered life. The Society operates the Shop at Walden located in the Visitors Center. A program of the Society, Friends of Walden Pond, has been designated the official Friends Group for Walden. Among other activities society members participate in Reservation interpretive programs and give valuable support to the Junior Rangers.

Since 1990 The Walden Woods Project has worked to preserve the land, literature, and legacy of Henry David Thoreau to foster an ethic of environmental stewardship and social responsibility. The Project achieves this mission through the integration of conservation, education and research. The Thoreau Institute was established by the Project in 1998 as a center for research and education focused on Henry David Thoreau.

Introduction

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

9

The Massachusetts Audubon Society conducts educational and recreational programs in the park and in the wider region. Their Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary is less than three miles away in Lincoln. Through their Ecological Extension Service they have partnered with the Walden Woods Project and the Town of Concord in restoring and managing nearby properties.

Programs Whether conducted solely by park staff or in coordination with other organizations, the programs of the Reservation are constructed to provide better understanding and utilization of its cultural and natural resources. Educational programs include “Henry David Thoreau: The Making of a Naturalist,” a learning module in the DCR’s Parks as Classrooms initiative that provides hands-on activities to teach about design and use of landscapes.

Fig 12: Story Time, one of the Reservation’s interpretive programs

The interpretive staff at Walden provides three types of tours. A self-guided tour is aided by trail maps and a Quest brochure. In a semi-guided tour a staff member orients a group at the cabin replica before sending them off to explore on their own. A full guided tour meets with a group at the cabin replica then leads them to the original cabin site with interpretation along the way.

Programs are provided year round with a seasonal focus. Children’s programs include nature crafts, story time and the Junior Ranger series for aspiring young naturalists. Poetry reading, tracking programs, and Thoreau walks are offered for adults and families. A full list of programs, which attracted over sixteen thousand participants in 2008, is included in Appendix D.

10

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

Fig. 13: 2007 Attendance

Introduction

Management History

Walden in large numbers. Sunday crowds on warm days could exceed twenty-five thousand. With such untrammeled use the Pond suffered declining water quality and the surrounding area became eroded with bare and compacted soil.

Eighty acres of what is now known as the Walden Pond State Reservation were conveyed by deed of gift to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts on June 9, In 1957 the Red Cross, which taught swimming 1922, by Edith and Emerson Forbes, Edward classes at the Pond, convinced the County to W. Emerson, and C. Fay Heywood, et al. The “enhance” a section of the beach on the east deed specifically stated four activities for side of the pond. The resulting bulldozing which the land was being preserved: bathing, spurred citizens into action, and in 1960 boating, fishing, and picnicking. It specifically the state Supreme Judicial Court ordered forbade the following activities: athletic “replanting, landscaping, and erosion work contests, racing, football, baseball, motion to reduce the damage already caused to pictures, dancing, camping, hunting, trapping, the pond area and woodlands.” This decision shooting, and making fires in the open. It was in the case Nichols vs. Middlesex County also stipulated “no part of the premises shall Fig. 14: Destruction at Red Cross Beach, 1957 Commissioners made clear that the natural be placed under the control of the Metropolitan By permission of the Concord Free Public Library features of the property were to be preserved District Commission (MDC) or become part of under the terms of the 1922 Deed of Gift. the Metropolitan District.” (This was in response to the belief that the MDC had mismanaged public property.) In the absence of In 1965 Walden Pond was designated as a National Historic a state parks department at the time, management of Walden Landmark by the National Park Service, changing the status and Pond was assigned to Middlesex County. managerial approach of the park. Ten years later, with strong public support the management and control of Walden Pond Under the management of Middlesex County between the years was transferred to the Department of Natural Resources, soon to of 1922 and 1974, Walden was open to the public free of become the DEM and eventually the DCR. charge with very little crowd management. Visitors from all over the Greater Boston area came to enjoy the waters and land of

Introduction Introduction

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

11

In 1973 the Commissioners of Middlesex County created the first Walden Pond Advisory Council and charged the group with the task of beginning a process that would lead to the restoration of Walden and its environs. The Council initiated the Walden Pond Restoration Study, known as the Gardiner Report after the firm of Richard A. Gardiner that conducted the study. When the DEM began active management of the Reservation, recommendations from the Gardiner Report began to be implemented. Prime among these was instituting a thousand-person attendance cap at any given time.

In 1993 the Guidelines for Operations and Land Stewardship (GOALS) Plan was conducted by the DEM. This study made many broad-ranging recommendations including reiterating the desirability of relocating Route 126, previously proposed in the Gardiner Report, and building a new visitor center.

Another recommendation was to utilize Land Stewardship Zones that would guide management decisions according to the characteristics of each zone.

The Walden Gateway study of 2003 again examined the issues of road redirection and visitor center construction. In 2006 and 2007 an interdisciplinary team of University of Massachusetts Amherst faculty and graduate students studied the feasibility of a combined pedestrian and wildlife overpass for Route 2 in Concord. Although the Reservation was not directly involved in

12

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

this study, the results concerning area wildlife provided valuable information for the DCR. The most recent study was the East Bank Rehabilitation Plan of 2008. The implementation of this plan is currently on hold.

Objective and Method: Stewardship Plan The objective of this plan is to assist the DCR and park staff in achieving their goals. Reaching and maintaining a balance between the needs of preservation and recreation is necessary to achieve those goals. The analyses and recommendations made in this proposal aim toward balance, which should enhance the visitor experience at Walden.

The focus has centered on three areas that may find broad agreement among various park constituencies: • Accessibility to park resources • Preservation of natural and cultural resources • Enhancement of educational/interpretive opportunities The ideal park visit allows the visitor to reach the resource she wants to see while not damaging elements of the natural world, appreciating the significance of Walden, and going home with an increased understanding of what was seen and experienced.

Introduction

Stewardship Zones A zonal stewardship plan breaks a large area into zones based on what is appropriate for each area. The GOALS stewardship map of 1990 was a successful first step in introducing a zoning concept to Walden Pond State Reservation. The stewardship zones were devised after identifying which areas of the Reservation were sensitive and needed to be protected. Sixteen years later, it is clear that Walden Pond State Reservation would benefit from a more refined system of zones. Maintaining the objective of protecting sensitive areas, the revised stewardship map that follows is determined by existing use and subsequent impacts in relation to environmental and physical attributes such as soil and hydrology. It serves to identify and prioritize management needs throughout the Reservation.

Fig. 15: Statue of Thoreau at cabin replica

Introduction Introduction

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

13

GOALS Stewardship Zones (1993) In the Guidelines for Operations And Land Stewardship (GOALS) management plan of November 1993, Walden Pond State Reservation is divided into Stewardship Zones. The zoning scheme was devised to protect the most significant and sensitive portions of the Reservation. It is divided into four main zones: Reserved Reserved for potential relocation of Route 126 and siting of future needed maintenance facilities.

This stewardship zone map is successful in categorizing large areas of the Reservation based on resources. It does not, however, strongly identify areas based on visitor use and subsequent impacts in relation to environmental and physical attributes such as soils and hydrology. In addition, the map does not prioritize the management needs within the Reservation.

Administration This area east of Route 126, accommodates buildings and structures for administrative use, visitor use, and the Massachusetts Mounted police. The parking lot, utility areas, and storage are within this zone (GOALS, p. 41).

Protected This zone is intended to protect resources that would be degraded by inappropriate use. Ninety percent of the Reservation lies within this category. Within this zone are smaller sub-areas that are deemed cultural and historic, such as Thoreau’s cabin site and bean field.

Intensive Recreation The eastern end of Walden Pond containing the main beach, bathhouse, and boat launch site is within this zone. This is the area of the Reservation that experiences the highest concentration of use.

14

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

Fig. 16: Park Headquarters and Tsongas Gallery

Introduction

GOALS Stewardship Zones Legend Walden Trails Boundary Roads Water Reserved Administration Protected Intensive recreation

짜

Map 1

0

Introduction

0.5

Miles 1

Introduction

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

15

Revised Stewardship Zones ld Wa

Legend 2

t

Roads

5

Parking

6

ee Str

Route

Water

en

Res. Boundary

3

Walden Gateway (1) Pond Circuit (2) Thoreaufare (3) Southern Mosaic (4) Northwest Woods (5)

e

26

or ol d n

nc

nc

Co

Li

Map 2 0

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

te 1

Lin

짜

4

Rou

urg

hb

itc

Reserved

16

1

F TA

Goose Pond Reserve (6)

Walden Pond MB

2

0.5

1 Miles

Introduction

Revised Stewardship Zones The revised Stewardship Zones map proposes six zones based on existing visitor use in relationship to distinct landscape characteristics. The intensity of use and the kind of use have distinct implications for the DCR’s ability to provide areas for recreation and to preserve natural ecosystems. Where human use is intensified, environmental damage and managerial challenges are increased. This is particularly true in many places at the Walden Pond State Reservation, for reasons presented in the Inventory and Analysis (Section 2). Following the patterns of human circulation, determining areas of greatest interest, and considering the diverse natural characteristics within the Reservation yields a useful inventory of Walden Pond State Reservation.

While specific recommendations for each of these zones are included, the 2009 Revised Stewardship Zones Map is also a useful guide for management to determine and implement maintenance strategies tailored to the social and natural conditions of each zone. The result is a management approach that reflects the multifaceted nature of the Reservation, the varied expectations of the hundreds of thousands of people who visit it, and the numerous intentions of the families who bequeathed the land to the State and its citizens.

The map is divided into seven zones, one of which is reserved for existing and future maintenance facilities. Six other zones are based on existing use, Zone 1 being the most intensively

Introduction

used area of the Reservation and Zone 6 the least. Each zone has been assigned a name that is associated with its unique and identifiable attributes.

These stewardship zones are subject to change as the Reservation meets the demands of the future. Zonal boundaries are flexible depending on the demand for certain recreational activities. For example, although the 1,000-person limit will most likely remain, the addition of a visitor center might expand Zone 1 into Zone 5. Portions of Zone 5 could see an increase in visitor numbers due to new points of interest and become extensions of Zone 3.

Walden Gateway (Zone 1) Nearly every visitor passes through this zone. It includes parking, administrative buildings, mounted police station, Main Beach, Red Cross Beach, and boat launch. Route 126 bisects the Walden Gateway. Out of the 1,000-person limit, approximately 900 people gather on the main beach and adjacent areas.

Pond Circuit (Zone 2) This circuit includes the Pond and the trail that circumnavigates the Pond’s edge. Swimming, boating, fishing, and hiking are popular activities here. Pond Trail connects to many of the trails that lead to other zones of the park. This is the second most intensively used area of the Reservation.

Introduction

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

17

Thoreaufare (Zone 3)

Northwest Woods (Zone 5)

The Thoreaufare is located north of Walden Pond. Thoreau’s Cabin site and Bean Field are within this zone as well as Wyman’s Meadow and the amphitheater. This is a popular area for visitors who come to see the place Henry David Thoreau called home for two years and to pay homage to his memory.

The Northwest Woods are not as regularly visited as other park zones. It is located to the northwest of Walden Pond with Route 2 to the north and the MBTA rail line to the west.

Southern Mosaic (Zone 4)

This is the least visited area of the Reservation. Goose Pond is situated within the far northeast corner of the reservation on the east side of Route 126 and south of Route 2. This area is host to Goose Pond, a small, shallow kettle pond that deters visitors during summer months due to its buggy environment.

The Southern Mosaic is the most topographically and ecologically varied area. The rock outcrop of Emerson’s Cliff affords the only elevated view of the Reservation. Heywood’s Meadow and the Field are the only open areas other than Walden Pond. This zone is located south of Walden Pond bounded to the east by Route 126 and to the west by the MBTA rail line.

Goose Pond Reserve (Zone 6)

Fig. 17: Sandy Beach, 1933 By permission of The Concord Free Public Library

18

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

Introduction

Major Management Issues While the six stewardship zones represent distinct areas, each with its own management priorities, several management issues are relevant across the entire Reservation. Chart 1 represents all six stewardship zones and these ten major management issues.

Trail Maintenance Trail maintenance is an ongoing management priority throughout all zones. Management includes stabilizing banks, fixing eroded trails with indigenous materials, closing illegal and inappropriate trails, clearing trails of debris, and creating new trails (refer to Trails analysis).

Wayfinding Wayfinding is necessary for visitors to fully enjoy the trail network of Walden Pond State Reservation. Clear wayfinding encourages people to stay on specific trails, thereby lessening impact. Wayfinding is a concern in all zones but the Pond Circuit, where the main trail is obvious, and Goose Pond, where trails are few and obvious (refer to wayfinding in Trails analysis).

Interpretation Walden Pond State Reservation has tremendous historical and natural resources. Currently many of these resources are unmarked. Interpretation of points of interest educate the visitor about the significance that these points of interest represent in their state park. All checked zones host historical, cultural, or natural resources that further enhance the Reservation (refer to Interpretive structures analysis).

Introduction

Erosion Erosion is a management issue along many of the trails in the Reservation. Erosion is prevalent but is not a major concern in all zones. Erosion is most prevalent in areas of heavy use, steep slopes and highly erodible soils (refer to Soils analysis).

Vernal Pools Vernal pools are in every zone with the exception of the Walden Gateway. There are both certified and potential vernal pools, all of which share the same characteristics, although each vernal pool requires a different management priority and strategy depending on the location. The vernal pool in the Pond Circuit is often below the Pond’s baseline and does not constitute specialized management, and is not included in Chart 1 (refer to Hydrology analysis).

Safety Visitor safety is the highest priority in the Walden Gateway crossing of Route 126.

ADA Access There is currently no ADA access in Walden Pond State Reservation. ADA access is a priority in the Walden Gateway zone (refer to Access and Structures analysis.)

Introduction

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

19

Pollutants Walden Pond State Reservation is situated within an urban environment no more than twenty miles from downtown Boston. Chemical residues associated with automobiles are a management issue in the Walden Gateway. Chemical residues from the MBTA Fitchburg Line may affect the Pond Circuit, Southern Mosaic, and Northwest Woods zones. Septic systems and leach fields located along the eastern border of Goose Pond Reserve may result in water quality issues (refer to Pollutants analysis).

Invasive Species Invasive species are a concern throughout the Reservation but are being successfully managed. The black swallow-wort along the western Reservation border is a major management issue (refer to Vegetation analysis).

Rare Species The lake quillwort is of special concern in Walden Pond. This is the only area in the Reservation that hosts a rare species (refer to Rare Species analysis).

20

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

Introduction

Major Management Issues Chart

e ar R

✔

✔

✔ ✔

✔ ✔

✔

✔

ve

.

pp

S

ts

.

n

✔

pp S

✔

si

n io

✔

ta

✔

s

ls

io

n

lu

va

In

ol

os Er

P

oo P

at

es cc A

al

ty

n er

A D A

e af S

V

g

n di

in

✔

t re rp

te

f ay

In

W

l ai Tr ce an

n te n ai e M on Z

Walden Gateway Pond Circuit Thoreaufare Southern Mosaic Northwest Woods Goose Pond

✔

✔

✔ ✔

✔

✔

✔

✔

✔

✔

✔

✔

✔

✔

✔

✔

✔

✔

✔

✔

✔

✔

✔

Chart 1

Introduction Introduction

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

21

Section 2 Inventory and Analysis • Topography • Soils • Hydrology • Vegetation • Rare Species • Wildlife • Pollutants • Trails • Interpretive Structures • Views and Visual Aesthetics • Access and Structures • Traffic 22

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

Inventory and Analysis

Topography The topography and surficial geology of Walden Pond Sate Reservation is indicative of a landscape sculpted by the last ice age 12,000 years ago (see figure 18). Ninety percent of the landscape comprises glacial fluvial deposits of sand, gravel, silt, and clay and is relatively level with a gradient of 2-5 percent (Gardiner, p.37). The flattest areas are in the Walden Gateway, where all existing buildings stand, the Northwest Woods and the southern corner of the Southern Mosaic. These areas are not as susceptible to erosion as the rest of the Reservation.

There are several small, glacial fluvial deposits in the Northwest Woods that rise 20-40 feet high.

Walden Pond is a classic kettle hole with a steeply sloping perimeter that is generally greater than 25 percent (Gardiner, p.38), which is typical of kettle topography. Goose Pond is another kettle pond located in the Goose Pond Reserve.

The bedrock outcrop of Emerson’s Cliff in the Southern Mosaic was not as susceptible to the erosive nature of glaciation; in it is the only elevated area within the Reservation.

There is no topographic evidence of streambeds or drainage basins, other than on the steep slopes around Walden Pond.

There are, however, a number of broad, shallow swales in the Reservation. Due to the sandy and extremely permeable soils, the swales most likely do not carry surface water except during times of prolonged and heavy rains (Gardiner, p.38).

Slope and surficial geology combined with use are contributing factors to the overall environmental degradation of the Reservation. This is especially prevalent in the Pond Circuit and Thoreaufare Zones, but less so in the flatter Northwest Woods.

There are three small, dry kettle hole depressions north of the pond in the Northwest Woods. These depressions are about 40 feet deep, and have side slopes generally greater than 25 percent (Gardiner, p.37). In addition, there is a small kettle hole east of Emerson’s Cliff.

Side slopes range from 15 to 25 percent, characterized by massive outcroppings of metamorphic bedrock material (GOALS, p.23).

Inventory and Analysis

Fig. 18: Glacial remnant of the last ice age

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

23

Topography Walden Pond and its surroundings display glacially sculpted topography; steep slopes

are adjacent to key features in the Pond Circuit, Thoreaufare, and the Southern Mosaic.

Map 3

24

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

Inventory and Analysis

Soils Relying on the soils maps of the late 1960s and early 1970s from the Soil Conservation Service, the Gardiner Report distinguished five soil types: Windsor, Hinckley, Hollis, Agawam, and Organic. With the publication of the GOALS Plan, that number had increased to a dozen soils, now categorized by type (“Hinckley Loamy Sand”) and slope (“Hinckley Loamy Sand, 1525% Slopes”). Soil surveys available now available online from the Natural Resource Conservation Service (http://websoilsurveys.ncrs.usda.gov) are nearly identical, but include the updated numbering system of the soils.

Aside from Heywood’s Meadow and its Freetown Muck (a thick and nearly oxygen-less layer of very slowly decomposing organic material nearly incapable of draining water), and Emerson’s Cliff, which contains the only glacial till or exposed bedrock on the site, the Reservation’s soil is exceptionally sandy and deep. All dry land (including Emerson’s Cliff) is highly susceptible to erosion, which is easily aggravated by unmanaged foot traffic. As with most physical conditions in New England, the retreating glaciers have had the greatest physical impact.

Schofield makes the case clearly: The environmental factor that ultimately controls the character of the Walden Ecosystem is the vertical distance from the surface of the ground to the water table, which is well over ten feet in most parts of the Ecosystem….

This great depth to groundwater is due, in its turn, to

Inventory and Analysis

topographic relationships and, especially, to the highly permeable nature of the glaciolacustrine (glacial-lake) and glaciofluvial (glacial-stream) ice-contact deposits (kames, deltas, eskers, etc.) on which the Walden Ecosystem has persisted despite three and one-half centuries of intensive farming in Lincoln and (especially) Concord. ([1989], p. 79)

The soils around the Walden Gateway are flat and compacted, having been subjected to generations of housing, parking, and paving. The most engineered of the Reservation’s soils, they are best suited to accommodate more of the same. The steep bank to the Main Beach, however, is the portion most in need of attention in this zone (Figure 19).

The implementation of stormwater drains along Route 126 in Concord has reduced the amount of erosive water runoff along the East Bank.

Erosion management aspects of the East Bank Rehabilitation Plan should Fig. 19: Erosion on the east bank improve its condition.

Erosion and compaction issues are most serious around the Pond Circuit and Thoreaufare. The trails here are the most commonly traveled on the Reservation and are consistently steep, with

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

25

Fig. 20: Erosion control, West Bank

slopes ranging from 15 to 35 percent. Initiatives like the West Bank Rehabilitation Project have met with a great deal of success, with thick understory growth reaching the shoreline (Figure 20). The most popular areas, though, are almost completely devoid of the same (Figure 21).

The Southern Mosaic’s main challenge is the effect of illegal trails on its thin, stony Fig. 21: Little Cove, bereft of understory vegetation soils. Hikers approach Emerson’s Cliff from many different angles, choosing the convenient path over the official trail. With such shallow soils, the habitat destruction of the scrub oak is a serious concern.

Pond Reserve is free from many of these issues.

However, should the Reserve (Figure 23) ever become a destination for hikers, it should be noted that the soil surrounding it is the same highly erodible soil found around the western edge of Walden Pond and the Pond Circuit zone. Fig. 22: Trail in Northwest Woods Illegal trails could very easily be carved out, and this zone would require a great deal of trail management and maintenance.

In the Northwest Woods, the clear, wide trails and gently sloped soils lead to fewer erosion problems than are found in the rest of the Reservation (Figure 22), and the nearly unused Goose Fig. 23: Goose Pond, looking northeast

26

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

Inventory and Analysis

Soils The most common soils in the Reservation are deep, sandy, fast-draining, and highly erodible Hinckley Loamy Sands. Their presence in the Pond Circuit, Thoreaufare, and the East Bank of the Pond in the Walden Gateway Zone consistently require managerial attention. Less erodible, water-retaining soils are found in the Southern Mosaic.

Legend Res. Boundary Water Canton Fine Finde Sandy Loam Charlton-Hollis - Outcrop Freetown Muck Hollis Complex - Outcrop Merrimac Fine Sandy Loam Sudbury Fine Sandy Sadny Loam Windsor Loamy Sand Hinckley Loamy Sand

짜

Map 4 0

Inventory and Analysis

0.5

1 Miles

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

27

Hydrology The Gardiner Report (1974) lamented the “lack of hard, scientific data concerning the actual water resource dynamics of the Pond” and went on to term the hydrologic description that followed as “general conclusions” (Gardiner Report, p. 51).

Schofield’s 1989 article, “Walden Woods Ecosystem” in the publication Walden Woods brought more to light: “…the deep water table and highly permeable soils of the Walden Sand Plain supported a distinct biotic community in the Walden Sand Plan – the Northern Pine-Oak Forest – that differed significantly from the surrounding primeval Northern Transition Forest.” While a great deal was known about the ecology of the forest, little was known about the specific hydrology of Walden Pond. It was generally agreed that the water at the Pond was less clear than it used to be, and its immense popularity as a swimming destination, proximity to Route 126, and status as a catch basin for water runoff were likely causes.

Twenty-five years after the Gardiner Report, John A. Colman and Paul J. Friesz completed Geohydrology and Limnology of Walden Pond, Concord, Massachusetts (1999) and answered many questions about the water at Walden Pond. Colman and Friesz describe the Pond’s bathymetry, groundwater contributing area, nutrient levels, plant growth, external inputs, dissolvedoxygen levels, and many other aspects of the Pond. Combining their findings with current data and previous studies, a more complete picture of the Pond’s functions and vulnerabilities comes into view.

28

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

Well beneath the sandy soil of Walden Pond is the aquifer bounded by the Concord River to the north, and by the Sudbury River to the west. Schofield: “The Walden Pond Unity – i.e., the sand plain, or kame delta complex – is dominated by a hydrological regime centered on or in the vicinity of Walden Pond in all directions except eastward and southeastward [in the direction of Pine Hill and Sandy Pond].”

The aquifer flows from northeast to southwest, and is responsible for the groundwater inflow that accounts for 55 percent of the Pond’s Figure 24: Nitrate concentrations from Colman and Friesz, 1999 Exceptional nitrate levels found on Main water volume.

Beach downslope from septic system The remaining 45 percent is from precipitation.

The Pond baseline fluctuates with the seasons and, on account of a five-year residency time for water, with multi-year precipitation trends. Accordingly, between 1956 and 1999 the water level varied by about 11.5 feet (Colman and Friesz,

Inventory and Analysis

p. 12). When the water level is high, Red Cross Beach is submerged, and the Main Beach carries the entire burden of beach goers.

Aquatic recreation is at the heart of Walden Pond’s popularity.

The Pond is well known across the globe on account of Thoreau; it is well attended on account of the availability of freshwater swimming. “With a ground-water contributing area underlain by a thick unsaturated zone devoid of wetlands and humic substances, Walden Pond has unusually clear water.” (Colman and Friesz, p. 37) To that end, the DCR receives extensive water quality reports throughout the summer to ensure that the beach and water are safe for public use. In the past, the water conditions at the Pond sometimes precluded people from using it. Recently, though, the conditions have been highly satisfactory, due to two significant improvements in the last five years.

At the time of Colman and Friesz’s 1999 study, the restroom facilities in the Gateway fed into a traditional septic system.

Temporary wells were dug along the Pond shoreline by the Main Beach to measure the potential effects of the septic plume. The results (Figure 24, previous page), were striking. Nitrate levels at the shoreline skyrocketed in a 10 meter area almost directly across the street from the septic system. Since then, the restrooms have been fitted with flushless composting toilet systems. While current nitrate-level data is not available at this time, water quality testing from 2006-2008 for enterococci levels at the Main Beach have consistently remained low.

Inventory and Analysis

Recently, the town of Concord agreed to install drains along Route 126 to reduce the amount of oil- and bacteria-laden stormwater washing down the erodible East Bank soils and onto the Main Beach. The DCR also installed drains along the E-Ramp for similar reasons. These drains allow water to filter through the exceptionally sandy soils around the Pond before reaching the Pond itself.

At the same time, the Reservation staff made Fig. 24: the macroalga Nitella the decision to put into disuse the previous method of stormwater collection and mitigation at the pond: a catchbasin connected to a large pipe draining to the center of the Pond.

Benefitting from the improvements is the macroalga Nitella (Figure 25), one of the Pond’s most important residents. Whether people were interested in harvesting ice or taking a swim, the clear water of Walden Pond has brought it a great deal of human interest, and along with it, opportunities for degradation and nutrient-loading. Nitella, living 20 to 43 feet below the Pond’s surface and spread out along the Pond, depends on clear

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

29

Figure 26: Nitella habitat, Colman and Friesz, 1999

water to receive the amount of sunlight it needs to thrive (Figure 26). In order to keep that water clear, Nitella may tieup large amounts of phosphorous, which would otherwise lead to phytoplankton blooms on the surface and reduce the amount of sunlight available below the surface. Compared to other lakes around North America and Europe, “the Nitella biomass of Walden Pond is large on a per-area basis” (Colman and Friesz, p. 37). As much as the clear water matters to swimmers, it may matter even more to the alga below the surface helping to keep it that way.

Around the Reservation are several vernal pools and wetlands (see Hydrology GIS map). The green swath is the aquifer, moving from the Concord River to the northeast to the Sudbury River to the southwest. Vernal pools, both certified (yellow) and potential (pink), are found in all zones, with the exception of

30

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

the Walden Gateway.

Wetlands are found in the Goose Pond Reserve (by Little Goose Pond), the Southern Mosaic (Heywood’s Meadow), and at Wyman’s Meadow, which lies in both the Pond Circuit and the Thoreaufare.

Heavily-used trails lead through Wyman’s Meadow, which lies in both the Pond Circuit and the Thoreaufare, but are nearly impassable when the Pond’s water level is high (Figure 27).

Figure 27: The Pond Path at Wyman’s Cove

In 1987, the Massachusetts Wetland Protection Act was revised to include “wetland habitats” in addition to the wetland types specified in the Act. In so doing, the vernal pool-which offers amphibians a protected and fish-free environment for reproduction and upbringing-was recognized as a functional wetland. Mole salamanders and wood frogs, which can be found on the Reservation, depend on these protected areas for survival. Buffering these areas from foot traffic is a useful way to preserve these fragile but functional aquatic ecosystems.

Inventory and Analysis

k j k jk j jk j k jk

k j k j

k j

j k jk

k j k j Hydrology k j

j k jk

Legend Roads

k j k j k j

Res. Boundary

k j k j

Certified Vernal Pools

k j k j k j

Potential Vernal Pools Water Wetlands

k j k j

Aquifers

k j

Hydrological features including vernal pools and wetlands are found in highly traveled Pond Circuit and Thoreaufare Zones.

The water quality of Walden Pond is due to the naturally filtered water from the aquifer and Pond biomass, but can be damaged by ground k j water runoff from Route 126 in the k j Gateway and human use.

Walden

k j k j

k j k j k j k j

짜

k j

k j

k j Map 5

0

k j k j

k j

k j

0.5

1 Miles

k j

k j

k j k j

Inventory and Analysis k j

k j

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

k j j k jk k j

k j

k j

k jk j k j

31

Vegetation In the nineteenth century Walden Pond State Reservation was cleared of trees, as was much of the state. However, due to the relatively low-nutrient soils, the Reservation was dismissed as suitable agricultural land and reverted back to woodland (Schofield, p. 79). Logging alone was not the only factor contributing to the loss of forest. Several fires sparked from the old coal trains along the MBTA rail led to further deforestation of the western Reservation boundary.

Today, the existing vegetation is a result of the interaction among soil, hydrology, climate, geology and wildlife (Gardiner, p.43).

It is typical of second and third-growth woodland vegetation.

Forests cover 80 percent of Walden Pond State Reservation; the remaining 20 percent consists of water bodies, wetlands, vernal pools, swamps, and an open field.

The Reservation is primarily dominated by red oak and white pine integrated with associated species of white birch, Eastern hemlock, white oak, and sweet birch (GOALS p.25). This matrix is highlighted further with pockets of vegetation resulting from micro-climatic conditions (see map 6). White birch stands are found on north-facing slopes while the Eastern hemlock thrives in the cool, damp areas within the Southern Mosaic, and scrub oak covers the dry rock out-crop of Emerson’s Cliff. Additionally, two dry kettle holes in the Northwest Woods area host poplar, making for an unusual vegetation area.

32

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

Highbush blueberry, winterberry, arrowwood viburnum, witch hazel, and Virginia creeper are a few of the more common understory species thriving within the cool and acidic woodland environment (Schofield, p. 116).

Common Name

Botanical Name

red oak white pine white birch E eastern hemlock white oak sweet birch scrub oak highbush blueberry winterberry arrowwood viburnum Virginia creeper virginia creeper alder dogwood alder poplar dogwood poplar

Quercus Rubra rubra Pinus strobus Betula lentra Tsuga canadensis Cannadensis Quercus alba Betula lentra Quercus berberidifolia Vaccinium corymbosum Ilex vertlillata Viburnum molle Parthenocissus quinquefolia Alnus spp.

Parthenocissus quinquefolia Cornusspp. spp.

Alnus Populusspp. fastigiata Cornus Populus fastigiata

The swamp south of the Walden Pond in the Southern Mosaic can be characterized as an andromeda (an evergreen shrub of the heath family and bog rosemary) swamp and as a shrub swamp, with woody species such as alder, dogwood, and willow (Gardiner p.48).

Inventory and Analysis

Vegetation The greatest vegetation variety is in the Southern Mosaic Zone, which includes the only open grassland in the Reservation, extensive wetland biome, and isolated stands of Eastern hemlock. In addition, the Northwest Woods hosts unusual kettle vegetation and white pine stands that can be used as points of interest and destinations. Managing for the vegetation diversity requires different techniques, but effectively highlights the natural differences between zones.

Legend Roads Water Scrub Oak & W. Pine Red Oak/ White Pine Mx. Field W. Pine, W. Birch & Mx. Hwd. Swamp W. Pine Kettle Vegetation Hemlock & W. Pine S. Birch & Mx. Hwd.

짜

Map 6 0

Inventory and Analysis

0.5

1 Miles

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

33

A number of invasive plant species are present in Walden Pond State Reservation. Of greatest concern is the black swallowwort, which enters the Reservation from the MBTA rail line along the western border and has been observed at the western bank of Walden Pond in the Pond Circuit (Denise Morrissey, Park Supervisor). Reservation management has been collecting and disposing of black swallow-wort seedpods as a control measure. Other invasive species include Oriental bittersweet, multiflora rose, purple loosestrife, and Japanese barberry (see Figures 28-32). These species have been observed throughout the Reservation. According to Reservation Staff, no intensive eradication measures other than uprooting these invasive species has been implemented; they are currently not of significant concern.

Common Name

Botanical Name

black swallow-wort Oriental bittersweet multiflora rose buckthorn purple loosestrife Japanese barberry

Cynanchum louiseae Celastrus oriculatus Rosa multiflora Rhamnus cathartica Lythrum Berberis salicria thunbergii Berberis thunbergii Lythrum Salicria

The heavily forested Walden Pond State Reservation offers visitors an experience of wilderness only twenty miles from Boston. Within an hour one can go from walking the busy streets of Boston flanked by high-rise buildings to the cool serenity of red oak and white pine forests of Walden Pond State Reservation. The unusual stands of kettle vegetation, scrub oak, Eastern hemlock, and white pine are hidden gems within the forest matrix that can be utilized as points of interest and destinations for hikers in both the Southern Mosaic and the Northwest Woods. The survival of the lake quillwort is essential in preserving the aquatic ecosystem of Walden Pond in the Pond Circuit.

The Reservation is host to one endangered plant species, the lake quillwort (Isoetes locustris), which is found in Walden Pond (refer to Rare Species analysis).

34

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

Inventory and Analysis

Figures 28-32: Invasive plant species

Japanese barberry

multiflora rose

purple loosestrife

Inventory and Analysis

black swallow-wort

Oriental bittersweet

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

35

Rare Species The Massachusetts Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program, in conjunction with the New England Wildflower Society, conducted a rare plant survey in 2001 and identified one endangered plant species, the lake qillwort. Study showed evidence of leaves of lake quillwort (Isoetes lacustris), but no plants were found. West of Red Cross Beach in the Pond Circuit, other species of quillwort (Isoetes acadiensis and Isoetes tuckermanii) were found. The next survey is scheduled for 2010 (Denise Morrissey, Park Supervisor).

The lake quillwort (Figure 33) is a perennial distributed in the shallow zones of Walden Pond within the Pond Circuit.

This relative of the fern is completely submerged beneath the water and rooted in sandy substrates. The lake quillwort can be identified by 8-inch elongated, grass-like leaves in a basal clump (USDA plant database). According to Chen Jin-ming in the Wahun University Journal of Natural Sciences, this species is extremely sensitive to disturbance of the shallow lake bottom and enhanced eutrophication of the pond water (p. 455).

Eutrophication is a natural process that can be exacerbated by runoff polluted with agricultural by-products and other sources containing nitrogen or phosphorous that contribute to algal blooms that block sunlight to other aquatic species (The Encyclopedia of Earth, www.eoearth.org/eutrophication). The decrease in lake quillwort may indicate overuse of the pond edge associated with anglers and swimmers in the Pond Circuit.

36

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

The Pond Circuit is the second most visited destination and a popular area for anglers, swimmers and boaters. It is vital to protect the lake quillwort as an integral part of the aquatic ecosystem and as a legal obligation under state law and MNHESP guidelines, while not diminishing visitor experience.

Further studies will be necessary to identify and map specific quillwort populations and locations. This information can be crossreferenced with points of entry to Walden Pond to determine if

Fig. 33: The endangered lake quillwort

visitors accessing the water by foot are damaging habitat. It is essential that a balance between conservation and recreation be found to both continue the stipulations of the original deed and protect the ecological integrity of Walden Pond.

Inventory and Analysis

Wildlife An inventory of the warm-blooded wildlife extant during Thoreau’s time would have included gray squirrels, chipmunks, rabbits, skunks, raccoons, red foxes, kingfishers, blackbirds, chickadees, red-tailed hawks, ducks, and geese. All of these can be found at today’s Walden as well as white-tailed deer and coyotes, and birds large and small from turkeys to the Eastern phoebe, although the Reservation is bounded by the Rail Line and Routes 2 and 126. Wildlife tracking surveys in the area around Walden were carried out by Mass Audubon and by the Wildlife Passages Task Force at various times from 2001 to 2007. These surveys documented the presence of at least a dozen additional mammalian species (Walden Passage, 2007).

Resident amphibians include wood frogs, spring peepers, redback salamanders, Eastern spotted newts, and garter snakes.

Wyman and Heywood’s Meadows are home to bullfrog, grey tree frog, leopard frog, American toad, Woodhouse’s toad, painted turtle, snapping turtle, Northern water snake and Eastern ribbon snake.

Fish have never been naturally abundant in Walden Pond, not even in Thoreau’s time (Thoreau, Journal). The pickerel that were dominant in the mid-nineteenth century had all but disappeared by the twentieth. A number of fish have been introduced for sport fishing at one time or another. Currently, the Department of Fish and Game stocks the Pond seasonally, supplementing the naturally occurring perch and sunfish. Trout, bass, pumpkinseed, smelt and catfish are some of the other varieties in the Pond.

Inventory and Analysis

The Walden Passage Feasibility Study was conducted to determine the location and usefulness of a wildlife and pedestrian overpass on Route 2 in Concord. The study team composed of students and faculty of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, analyzed wildlife distribution in the area known as Walden Woods which surrounds the Reservation.

Analysis determined that the existing wildlife crossing culverts were being successfully used (see Map 8: Views). The study noted the benefit of an overpass as a demonstration project, a pedestrian crossing promoting town and trail connectivity, and as a potential wildlife crossing. The report recommended connecting Concord Public Land to the Reservation near Goose Pond, in the proposed Goose Pond Preserve.

Maintaining wildlife habitat is important for the overall health of the ecosystem of the Reservation. Additionally, the viewing of wildlife is an important component of the outdoors experience for many park visitors. Wildlife viewing has the capacity to connect the viewer more intimately to the natural world. A practical benefit that results is greater understanding of and support for the Reservation’s emphasis on resource preservation.

The presence of waterfowl habitat at Goose Pond influenced the recommendation to designate the zone as a preserve. The emphasis placed on protection of, and education about the vernal pools in several zones is based on the need to preserve amphibian habitat (Schram, 2003).

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

37

Figures 34-41: Species of Walden Pond State Reservation

38

pumpkinseed

turkey

red fox

bullfrog

red-tailed hawk

spring peeper

white-tailed deer

coyote

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

Fig. 41: Vernal pool in the Southern Mosaic hosts amphibians and invertebrates

Fig. 42: A nesting box for wood ducks at Goose Pond

Inventory and Analysis

Pollutants The Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA) rail line runs north-south along the western Reservation boundary. This heavily used commuter rail from Fitchburg to Boston passes the Reservation multiple times throughout the day. This rail line separates Walden Pond State Reservation from privately owned Walden Woods and is often crossed by pedestrians seeking entrance into the Reservation.

Another area of concern is along the eastern property line of Goose Pond Reserve where residential septic systems and leach fields dispose of wastewater. It is possible the homeowners use chemical fertilizers and herbicides in landscape management, though there is no current supporting data. With the proximity of Goose Pond, nutrient loading and water quality issues are a concern (refer to Hydrology analysis).

A case study by Oregon Route 126 bisects the eastern Toxics Alliance suggests rail portion of the Reservation lines around the country are and the Walden Gateway. contaminated with herbicides There is currently a filtration used to suppress vegetation; system in place to deal with if released into groundwater, excess nutrient runoff, brake the compounds can spread dust, hydraulic fluids, and well beyond the rail line.

Fig. 44: Walden Pond, Goose Pond and former Concord landfill.

Looking from east to west. other petroleum hydrocarbons Additionally, the study suggests and organic compounds that come from passing and parked creosote from old railroad ties, hydraulic fluids, oils, and other automobiles (refer to Soils and Hydrology analyses). petroleum hydrocarbons and semi-volatile organic compounds are commonly found along rail lines (Oregon Toxics Alliance, Since the closure and capping of the Concord town landfill in the www.oregontoxics.com). Although there is currently no evidence 1980s (Thoreau Institute, walden.org/institute/), water quality to suggest chemical residues from the MBTA rail line are of Walden Pond has improved substantially (refer to Hydrology present in or affecting Walden Pond State Reservation, these analysis, Figure 44). Nevertheless, water quality is still at risk as contaminants may be present within the Reservation’s western development and automobile dependency continues. The priority boundary and subsequently affect vegetation and water quality. concern with any introduction of chemical residues into Walden Pond State Reservation is water quality both of Walden Pond

Inventory and Analysis

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

39

40

and Goose Pond. Management should expect that the areas of zones most commonly affected are along the periphery of the Reservation, on account of Route 2, Route 126, the Rail Line, and neighboring residences by Goose Pond Reserve.

Identifying pollutants, mapping distribution of affected areas,

and applying strategies to clean and dispose of pollutants is essential if Walden Pond State Reservation continues to uphold and celebrate the stipulations of the original deed.

Fig. 45: The MBTA rail line

Fig. 46: An example of pond eutrophication

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

Inventory and Analysis

Trails The trail system at Walden Pond State Reservation is extensive (See Map 7). According to Park staff, the majority of the trails within the reservation are in good condition, are easily accessible, and have little to no sign of erosion. Many of these trails are seldom visited and cross relatively flat terrain as in the Northwest Woods and Southern Mosaic and are not as eroded as the heavily used trails in the Pond Circuit and Thoreaufare areas (see DCR GIS Trail Map, Page 44).

Trails are the primary tool for circulation and exploration within the Reservation. The physical upkeep of the trail system is vital for providing access but also for protecting the overall health of the local ecology. Erosion of trails contributes to a decrease in water quality and acceleration of runoff during times of precipitation. Unmanaged trails encourage visitors to create new trails that may pass through environmentally sensitive areas.

Furthermore, trails in poor condition are a safety hazard and may contribute to visitor injuries.

Approximately 20 percent of the trails are in fair condition and show signs of minor rutting and erosion (field observation). Most of these trails are connecting trails between the major arterial trails throughout the Reservation (see Map 7).

Many of the trails, primarily in the Pond Circuit and Thoreaufare, are in poor condition and heavily eroded due to heavy visitor use, steep gradient, and highly erodible soils, factors that will

Inventory and Analysis

quickly compromise a trail’s integrity. These trails can be difficult to travel and are dangerous in some cases.

Illegal trails are sections of the trail system that are in poor condition, that traverse sensitive areas, or that connect to the MBTA Rail Line. The majority of the illegal trails are within the Pond Circuit, the second most impacted area of the Reservation due to heavy use, ambiguous wayfinding, steep slopes and erodible soils.

The Northwest Woods, Southern Mosaic, Thoreaufare and Pond Circuit have many confusing and redundant trails. This system of trails is difficult to navigate; signs are few and marked destinations or points of interest are limited. This is an intentional effort to keep the landscape of the Reservation looking as untouched as possible. Currently, most trails are not marked by signs, or marked only infrequently. Trails are not marked at intersections which can lead to ambiguity in determining trail direction. Blaze marks are not consistently used; many of those in use, although originally colored, have faded. Routed wood signs made at the Reservation by the Assistant Supervisor are the current choice for trail markers. The Park Supervisor has indicated the intention to begin using Carsonite signs in the future.

Walden Pond State Reservation management has worked consistently to update trail maps and to repair trails that are in

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

41

poor condition. The Reservation trail system was surveyed with GPS equipment by the DCR GIS staff in November 2006 (see Figure 46). At that time, staff updated the trail map to include new trails, and to eliminate illegal trails that were closed for safety or resource protection issues (Denise Morrissey, Park Supervisor).

The revised trail map does not, however, closely relate to existing trails. Due to the excessive amount of trails, many unmarked, it is easy to drift from one trail to another (field observation). This navigation pattern is most prevalent in the Thoreaufare, Northwest Woods, and Southern Mosaic Zones.

Walden Pond’s trail system provides access to the Reservation’s cultural and natural attractions, but need to be laid out and managed in a way that protects those same elements. In order to sustain a high quality of visitor experience and overall environmental health of the Reservation’s ecology, trails must be managed in regards to use, physical condition, and safety.

The trail systems in the Pond Circuit, Thoreaufare, and the Southern Mosaic are the most heavily used and degraded in the Reservation and are of a greater priority than the other zones.

Figures 47-49: Sample blaze marks and trail sign from Bear Swamp, Ashfield, MA

42

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

Fig. 50: Pond Circuit Trail

Inventory and Analysis

Trails An extensive network of legal and illegal trails interlaces the Reservation.

Insufficient wayfinding and orientation combined with natural characteristics of the site leads to the establishment of illegal trails.

Legend Res. Boundary [

Parking lots

[

[

[

[

[

Good

[ [

[

[

[

[

Poor

[

[

[

[

[

Fair

[

[

[

CONDITION

[

[

[

[

Trails

[

[ [

[

[

[ [

[

[

[

[

[

[

[

[

[

[ [

[

[

[[

[

Illegal

[

[

[

[

Roads

[

[

[

Water

[

[

[

[[

[

[

[

[ [

[

짜

[

Map 7 0

Inventory and Analysis

0.5

1 Miles

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

43

DCR Revised Trail Map 2006 MBTA Fitchburg Commuter Line

h lock Pat

eR d.

Rd .

Es

C ON CO

Little Cove

Pond

Fie .

Rd

ff Cli

Thoreau's Cove

ld

’s son

EMERSON’S CLIFF

Trail th

th

Pa

man Pat h

7

6

BOAT LAUNCH GATE

M

AI

N

AC

AC

H

MAIN ENTRANCE BE

D RE

O CR

SS

BE

Sher w

H

Paved Road

5

4

a Tr

Path

ds 2

i

1

en Wald

St .

126

TO CONCORD CENTER, COMMUTER RAIL STATION

l

SEASONAL BATHHOUSE & RESTROOMS

LEGEND

THOREAU’S BEANFIELD

Wo o

th Pa ge

Ri d

.

Rd.

Deep Cove

Lower Ridge Path

Po

nd

il

BOAT PARKING

Walden Pond State Reservation

AMPHITHEATER

Wy

Bounda ry

126

a

d.

Old County R

Esker

Connects to Lincoln town trails

dP

an Rd. ym W

Pon

Tra

THOREAU CABIN SITE (ORIGINAL)

Wyman Meadow

or k

Rd

8

2

ord onc Old C F d or nc Co Fork rtown Wate

er

Walden

an Be

Em

3

oo

d

THOREAU CABIN REPLICA

No rth

Shan ty T ow nP ath

r

l

ke

Esk

N RD

i Tra

Fort C ove

H em

Fir

Fort Co ve R

Ice

.

Fire Rd. North

Ice Fort Cove

Ridge Path

d eR

Rd. Meadow od’s

dg

Trail Loop er

wo ey

Bri

Path L IN CO L

ow ead M

H

er

th Pond Pa

Long Cove

. y Rd Fairhaven Ba

Heywood’s

Bak

. South

d.

Trail

FIELD

Fire Rd

Heywood’s Meadow

Ice

ge Pine Rid

TO RTE. 495, ACTON

FORMER TRAILER PARK

Unpaved Road Paved Sidewalk NATURE CENTER

Hiking Trail Hiking Trail on unpaved road Restrooms Parking

Continues to Pine Hill access Rd.

STATE POLICE

MAINTENANCE GARAGE

pur Goose Po

n d

ur

Picnic Area Boat Ramp

pu

S

i

Sp

nd Goose Po

eH

ll

il l S

Pine

Pin

Telephone

N

2

H

Contact Station Park Headquarters and Gift Shop

The DCR-revised trail map of 2006 only displays new and established trails, but not illegal trails that were closed for safety or resource protection issues.

When compared to the GIS trail Map (see map 7), this map does not show all trails in the Reservation and visitors are left to distinguish between the map they are holding and the trail they are walking.

r

il Tra

Scenic Vista Closed Gate Town Boundary

Pond, Reservoir

1⁄4

SCALE IN MILES

Goose

Contour Line (10' Interval)

1⁄8

Goose Pond

Rd.

Brook, River

ond

Wetland

se P Goo

Railroad

d Pon Spur TO RTES. 128, 95, BOSTON

44

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

Inventory and Analysis

Interpretive Structures The Reservation conducts interpretive programs throughout the year on cultural and natural topics. Supplementing these programs are structures that provide information and interpretation. Foremost among these is the Thoreau cabin replica near the main park entrance. Visitors can begin their park experience after a short walk from any of the parking lots to the structure. Near the cabin is a life-sized image of Thoreau.

Together these evoke a strong impression of the man and the life he lived at Walden.

placed interpretive structures to educate visitors about natural ecosystems.

Within view of the cabin and near the main crosswalk to the Pond is an informational kiosk with interpretive displays. Park maps and brochures can be obtained here and also in the small visitor center next to the Shop at Walden. At the top of the E-Ramp on the main thoroughfare to the Pond is a temporary sign explaining erosion control and rehabilitation projects. Two signs at the original Cabin site offer information about Thoreau’s life at the Pond. One of these next to the Cairn is a routed wood sign displaying the famous “I wished to live deliberately” quote.

The management bias against signs for wayfinding is also seen in regard to interpretive signs. The desire not to intrude on the natural landscape results in missed opportunities for education and interpretation. A number of sites of natural significance, such as Heywood’s Meadow, Emerson’s Cliff, vernal pools, and the Field, could benefit from well-designed and discreetly

Inventory and Analysis

Fig. 51: Sign at the Cairn

Interpretive signs do more than provide information. Their presence in the landscape is a cue that an area is under stewardship and that attentiveness may be required to help preserve the resource.

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

45

Views and Visual Aesthetics Walden Pond’s inviting views attract visitors from near and benefit from improvement of visual appeal. The fence on the far. Some visitors are content with a quick stop on Route 126, Pond Trail in Zone 2, for example, is a jarring element on the a hop out of the car and a glance at the Pond with maybe landscape. Also, the view of the area at the Cabin site in Zone 3 time for a photo. Those who have the time to saunter through suffers from bare, eroded soil. the Reservation or who can visit often will be rewarded with hundreds of changing views during extended walks around the five coves. The Pond as a whole can be taken in from a number Legend Water of higher vantage points. Each season has its own viewing Roads pleasures from the wild profusion of fall foliage to the steely Res. Boundary blue and grey of a frozen day.

Parking Walden Gateway (1)

Emerson’s Cliff, the property high point, is a natural spot for taking in the view. A boat in the middle of Walden allows one a completely different perspective. Some spots are especially good for wildlife viewing, such as Goose Pond and the Field.

And finally, many come to Walden to see through the eyes of Thoreau, to see what he may have seen and to understand the environment that helped mold the man.

Views of wildlife are available throughout the park, but two zones offer especially good view points. Waterfowl on Goose Pond can be viewed in Zone 6; the Field in Zone 4 offers views of deer and occasionally coyote.

Pond Circuit (2) Thoreaufare (3) Southern Mosaic (4) Northwest Woods (5) Goose Pond Reserve (6) Reserved

¥ 0

In efforts to enhance visitor experience, how things look can be as important as what is viewed. The Reservation as a whole is beautiful and well-maintained. Some specific locations can

46

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

0.5

Scenic viewpoints

1 Miles

Map 8

Wildlife viewing points

Inventory and Analysis

Access and Structures With the exception of the bathhouse on the Main Beach, picnic tables by the Boat Ramp Gate, and an abandoned outbuilding in the Southern Mosaic, all built structures are located on the east side of Route 126 in the Walden Gateway. Here one finds the gift shop, the nature center, the Thoreau Cabin Replica, and the staff’s administrative offices. All interpretive programs begin here, either at the Replica or in the Tsongas Gallery, and most proceed to the Pond side of Route 126.

For pedestrians parking in the main lots, the access to the Pond and its environs west of Route 126 is confusing. Lots B-E Figure 52: Main Crosswalk, facing north are to the south of the contact station, and filter visitors to the area by the Cabin Replica and main crosswalk. From here they proceed to the Pond via the crosswalk arrangement in Figure 52. Lot A, however, is to the north of the contact station, and leads to its own crosswalk.

Crossing here, visitors are confronted with the confusing and discouraging “No Public Access” sign; those wishing to go to the beach must rely on their own common sense to take a left turn.

A number of trailheads, wide and flat enough to accommodate

Inventory and Analysis

a maintenance vehicle, are accessible from this point, but there is no indication where the first-time visitor should go or where they are in relation to the rest of the Pond. Visitors who would like more information would be best served by walking along the path towards the main crosswalk and heading to the east side of Route 126 for trail maps and information. However, the human tendency to backtrack in the face of such signs as “No Public Access” may cause the newcomer to immediately retreat to Lot A and make determinations on how best to proceed. For those familiar with the terrain and interested in a quicker route to the Thoreaufare or the Northwest Woods, this area is quite useful.

By avoiding the E-Ramp, Sherwood Trail, and Ridge Path, it significantly shortens the walk, and makes use of less-populated and more level trails.

For visitors with mobility concerns, the current ADA access is insufficient and inhospitable. Although the Reservation provides one wheelchair fit for beach use and universally accessible restrooms at the bathhouse, there is no way to reach these destinations from the current parking at the boat ramp. The only other incline from the banks to the shore is the E-Ramp connecting to the main crosswalk. With a slope in excess of 12%, it is too steep for use. Unfortunately, the challenging topography and steep slopes of the kettle pond does not easily lend itself to the grading requirements set forth in the Americans with Disabilities Act. The East Bank Rehabilitation Plan of 2008 proposes modifications to the existing design which do not seem to meet current regulations for grading, parking, or equivalent access.

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

47

Traffic Walden Pond is less than twenty miles from more than two-thirds of the state’s population, and relatively easy to get to by car.

The majority of visitors drive to Walden, and on most days they are able to find a parking spot among the 350 available. The lot is rarely full, but also rarely empty: over sixty cars were parked in the lots by mid-day on a Saturday in mid-March 2009. On days when parking isn’t a problem, visitors turn into the driveway and pay for parking at the contact station. The traffic along Route 126 flows evenly and pedestrians wait for opportunities to cross the street.

Summertime weekends are a different story.

Cars arrive before the Reservation opens, and queue up on the shoulders of Route 126. The majority of the vehicles have approached from Route 2, and that line stretches the halfmile back to the intersection, over 100 cars deep. At least ten staff members stand along the street and a portion of Route 2, making sure that visitors are queuing appropriately and remaining in their cars. A state trooper patrols the area and facilitates the parking process as through-traffic negotiates the congested roadway. The gates are opened at 8 AM and cars slowly fill the lots; visitors pay for parking as they filter in. Those first to park make their way to the crosswalks, and traffic comes to a halt as families, senior citizens, youth groups, students, and tourists walk to the Pond and its environs. By 10 AM, all 350 parking spaces are occupied and subsequent cars are sent away.

Parking on the side of the road is prohibited, and the Reservation does not reopen the parking lot until midafternoon, after a significant number of visitors have left. In this arrangement, the individual interests of pedestrians, motorists, and queued visitors conflict with one another.

Fig. 53: Main Crosswalk, September 2007

48

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

As early as 1963, proposals to realign the portion of Route 126 by Walden Pond have been imagined, drafted, proposed, considered, and, ultimately, shelved. In 2001 the Gateway

Inventory and Analysis

Improvements Study assessed several alternatives to the current arrangement of two crosswalks for pedestrians, a right-angle turn into the park’s driveway, and a short distance from the road to the contact station. The traffic volume of Route 126 was determined, and the results of that study–the most recent to have been conducted–have been charted in Figure 54. While pedestrian/vehicle accidents are rare and have never proven fatal, their near-yearly occurrence and the preponderance of children at the Reservation in summer months is cause for some concern.

Fig. 54: Traffic volume

Figure 54 illustrates the effect of Walden Pond State Reservation on Route 126 traffic. While 16.8% of the total daily traffic of Route 126, running 34 miles between the towns of Blackstone and Concord, passes the Reservation on a weekday, that number increases to 37% on the weekends. The popularity of Walden Pond, along with its proximity to Route 2, likely contributes to this increase. Lastly, the study determined that during the peak Saturday morning hour in the summer, 471 pedestrians crossed Route 126 at the main crosswalk, in the path of 206 vehicles.

Inventory and Analysis

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

49

Stewardship Zones • Walden Gateway • Pond Circuit • Thoreaufare • Southern Mosaic • Northwest Woods • Goose Pond Preserve • Future Tense: A Context of Place, A Context of Time

50

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

Stewardship Zones

Stewardship Zones The concept of stewardship zones was introduced in Section 1.

In this section each of the proposed stewardship zones will be examined in light of the analyses relevant to them. Stewardship recommendations will then follow.

Setting Priorities In the following zone assessments, management recommendations are made based on analysis of existing conditions. The recommendations are assigned a number indicating priority of implementation. The numbers are 1-7, with 1 indicating highest priority. It is recommended that priority 1 actions begin as soon as possible; each successive number indicates less urgency.

Priority 7 actions are desirable under ideal conditions when time, energy and money allow, and after higher priority goals have been accomplished.

Generally, a specific action recommended in Zone 1, Walden Gateway, will be assigned a higher priority than the same action in Zone 5, Northwest Woods, for example. Unique circumstances may alter the priority. The assigned number indicates the recommended priority in the management plan of the entire Reservation as a whole.

Fig. 56: Late winter panorama; frozen Walden Pond from the boat ramp

Stewardship Stewardship Zones Zones

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

51

Zone 1: Walden Gateway Almost every visit to the Walden Pond State Reservation begins in the Walden Gateway. Here the fee is paid, the car is parked, and the journey begins – and ends. The Gateway is split by Route 126, and encompasses the Main Beach and boat ramp on the west side and the parking lots, Cabin Replica, Tsongas Gallery, and Administrative Offices on the east side. For many beachgoers, the Gateway is the main (if only) attraction to Walden Pond, where a hot summer day can be spent lazing on the most popular attraction, the Main Beach. Boaters and visitors with limited mobility can park their cars down by the boat ramp south of the Main Beach, but have no barrier-free way to get there.

Crossing Route 126 is a stark reminder of the densely populated area surrounding the Reservation. On summer weekends, cars line the sides of Route 126 for over half a mile, waiting for the Reservation to open. More cars arrive than can be accommodated, and many visitors who drive out to Walden Pond for a day at the beach will be turned away. Hundreds of vehicles pass by per hour on the busiest days, and visitors with children and supplies in tow cross at painted crosswalks with only a portable “Pedestrian Crossing” sign to bring motorists to a stop. At the main crosswalk, two information boards frame the bare earth overrun with foot traffic.

Existing Uses: Parking, Orientation and Interpretation, Sunbathing, Picnicking

Management Priorities: 1.1 Consolidate Pedestrian Crossing 1.2 Simplify Car Queue 1.3 Improve ADA Access 1.4 Enhance Visitor Information and Orientation

¥ 0

52

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

0.5

1 Miles

Map 9

Stewardship Zones

Walden Gateway Topography and Features Legend Roads

Æ ý ® t | n _ ^ "

Crosswalk

ADA Parking park Handicapped Boat Launch

W AL DE

Historical structures

N

ST RE

ET

Beach

ý Æ

Parking lots

"

Trails

_ ^ ý Æ

Res. Boundary Water

" " " "

Contour 5'

The Walden Gateway lies between Walden and Goose Ponds. Two crosswalks bring visitors to the trails and beaches, while a boat ramp to the south also serves as ADA-accessible parking.

The bathhouse is the main built structure west of Route 126, and the administrative facilities are located in the parking area.

"

D RO

AD

¥

CON

C OR

| n ® t

Map 10 0

Stewardship Stewardship Zones Zones

500

1,000 Feet

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

53

Walden Gateway Soils Legend

The Walden Gateway soils are all loamy sands on varying slopes. The area by the parking lots is fairly level, but soils leading to the Main Beach west of Route 126 are very steep and highly erodible.

Res. Boundary Road Trail Parking lot Water Hinckley Loamy Sand, 15-25% slopes Hinckley Loamy Sand, 3-8% slopes Hinckley Loamy Sand, 25-35% slopes Hinckley Loamy Sand, 8-15% slopes Windsor Loamy Sand, 3-8% slopes

짜

Map 11 0

54

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

0.125

0.25 Miles

Stewardship Zones

Consolidate Pedestrian Crossing Management Recommendation

Rationale

Elements

References

Consolidate pedestrian crossings of Route 126.

More predicatable for motorists and pedestrians.

Elimination of northern crosswalk.

Gathering space by Route 126.

Analyses: Traffic Access and Structures Maps: 10 Figures: 54 Analyses: Traffic Access and Structures Figures: 54

1.1.A

1.1.B

Install traffic light to be Current crossings activated in the mornings inconsistent and of the busiest days of unclear. the year when pedestrian traffic is at its peak.

Stewardship Stewardship Zones Zones

Automated traffic light

Priority Notes

1

4

Visitors who wish to go to Northwest Woods or Cabin Site would still be able to avoid the Main Beach and Pond Circuit.

Involves consultation with Town of Concord and State Department of Transportation officials.

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

55

Simplify Car Queue

1.2.A

1.2.B

1.2.C

56

Management Recommendation

Rationale

Elements

Increase communication to reduce car queue on busy weekends.

Current arrangement Clear and emphatic is staff-intensive and website content about cumbersome. parking conditions.

References Analysis:

Priority Notes Traffic 1

Increase efficiency of car Would reduce wait queue entry. time and speed process along.

Collect fees as cars wait Analysis: in queue prior to park opening.

Enhance waiting experience in car queue with audio programs.

Readings of Thoreau's work, vignettes about his life at Walden, and talks about ecological highlights would be useful.

Low-watt radio Analyses: Traffic transmissions while cars Interpretation queue to enter.

Downloadable podcasts on website.

An informative complement to interpretation could explore Reservationrelated topics in greater depth.

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

Traffic 2

4

Emphasize website as a resource for visitors at Information Terrace and on trail maps.

Could use grease pencil for simple slash in corner of windshield for vehicles to drive past the Contact Station unhindered.

Collaborate with citizens' groups for broadcasts and recordings. Many volunteers may be interested in this project.

Stewardship Zones

Improve ADA Access

Management Recommendation 1.3.A

1.3.B

1.3.C

Rationale

Elements

Review appropriateness of ADA access set forth in East Bank Rehabilitation Plan.

Grading plan on ADA Accessibility sheet L-9 creates Guidelines, section 4.8 slopes to ADA access trail in excess of 12%.

Integrate ADA parking Current parking Reconfigure the parking with existing parking in removes visitors by the Tsongas Gallery the main by Tsongas requiring ADAand sections of Lot B. Gallery and Lot B. accessibility from the Low impact drop off by general group and gate to Boat Ramp, with into a less welcoming access to Main Beach. area.

Design and build a Current ramp landing Stabilized Path Mix functional ADAdoes not provide Concrete ramp accessible ramp access to popular Concrete landings providing access to Main areas or restroom Handrails Beach and Bathhouse facilities. from Ramp Landing.

Repave and upgrade Boat Ramp.

1.3.D

Stewardship Stewardship Zones Zones

Boat Ramp funnels stormwater and runoff into Walden Pond.

Native planting swales Wooden water bars Permeable pavers

References

Priority Notes

Analysis: Access and Structures

Review with DCR Universal Access Program officials.

1

Analyses: Access and Structures Soils Maps: 10, 11

This arrangement is meant to create a more inlcusive visitor experience.

1

Analyses: Access and Structures

Review with DCR Universal Access Program officials.

1

Analyses: Access and Structures Hydrology Soils Maps: 10, 11

2

Drains installed along ERamp have effectively managed water runoff.

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

57

Enhance Visitor Information and Orientation

1.4.A

1.4.B

1.4.C

58

Management Recommendation

Rationale

Elements

References

Create open, comfortable gathering space for visitors waiting to cross Route 126 to Walden Pond.

Area by main crosswalk is unattractive bare earth.

Permeable pavers Low fencing, bollards, or walls to frame area and direct pedestrians.

Analyses: Views Access and Structures Traffic

Open-air, uncovered, permanent signs low to the ground will not block out attractive existing views.

Signs across Route 126.

Open-air, uncovered, permanent signs low to the ground.

Analyses: Views Access and Structures Trails Interpretation

Use open space by crosswalk to orient visitors to Reservation attractions.

Provide visitors with destination-based information.

Stimulate interest in diverse aspects of the Reservation.

Use open space by Informational crosswalk to inform complement to DCR visitors of pertinent website and ecological and historical interpretive content. aspects of the Reservation.

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

Analyses: Views Access and Structures Interpretation Maps: 8

Priority Notes

1

1

1

Emphasizing the "Gateway" aspect, an Information Terrace with low structures creates a sense of anticipation, organization, and arrival.

A clear map, oriented to the view of the Pond from the crosswalks, highlights attractions and recreation opportunities.

An opportunity for DCR to show how its mission relates to the ecological and social history of human use at Walden Pond.

Stewardship Zones

Zone 2: Pond Circuit Each day the park is open, visitors make use of the well-traveled Pond Path that skirts the edge of Walden Pond. Jogging or walking the 1.7-mile trail, visitors are taken around the pond’s five coves, with several opportunities to switch onto the many other trails at the pond or use the water access points along the shoreline. Going at their own pace, they bypass the tourists and conservation enthusiasts at Thoreau’s Cove, the history buffs at Ice Fort Cove, the hikers and naturalists along the Esker Trail and the boaters and anglers gearing up at the boat ramp. Swimmers and boaters make use of the many water access points around the Pond.

Many visitors, however, use the Pond Circuit to get from one area of the Reservation to another. Despite the presence of an extensive trail system, a lack of map/trail integration leaves people unfamiliar with terrain and unsure of which way to go at many trail intersections. Illegal trails and cut-throughs are prevalent, as people shift from one trail to another on the highly erodible soils. The Pond Circuit’s proximity to the western border of the Reservation makes it an area of concern for invasive species – especially with the Pond so close to the railroad tracks and the trains that carry seeds . By Wyman’s Meadow, the Pond Path trail is often muddy and sometimes submerged (Figure 26).

Here, and at the many water access points around the Pond, water quality is especially vulnerable, and ecosystem integrity must be preserved.

Existing Uses: Jogging, Walking, Boating, Angling, Swimming

Management Priorities: 2.1 Aid Wayfinding 2.2 Mitigate Soil Erosion and Compaction 2.3 Monitor Invasive and Rare Species 2.4 Protect Water Quality and Sensitive Ecosystems

¥ 0

Stewardship Stewardship Zones Zones

0.5

1 Miles

Map 12

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

59

k j k j k j k j

Pond Circuit Hydrology Legend Roads

k j k j

Res.Boundary Boundary Re. Town Line

k j k j

The Pond Circuit provides access to the Pond for swimmers and anglers.

Wyman’s Meadow, by Thoreau’s Cove, includes one certified vernal pool and one potential vernal pool.

The endangered lake quillwort and the valuable macroalga nitella inhabit these waters.

k j

k j k j

Certified Vernal Pools Potential Vernal Pools Water Wetlands Aquifers Pond Circuit

¥

k j Map 13 0

0.25

0.5 Miles

k j k j k j

60

Stewardship Zones

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

k j k j k j

Pond Circuit Soils Soils in the Pond Circuit are Hinckley Loamy Sand, with very steep slopes to the east, along the most traveled portion of the Reservation. Erosion is pervasive, and is exacerbated by foot traffic deviating from trails.

Legend Res. Boundary HydroP Water Pond Circuit Hinckley Loamy Sand, 15-25% slopes Hinckley Loamy Sand, 25-35% slopes

짜

Map 14 0

Stewardship Stewardship Zones Zones

0.25

0.5 Miles

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

61

Pond Circuit Trails The trails in the Pond Circuit are in good condition.

However, illegal trails connect to trails in the Thoreaufare, Northwest Woods, and Southern Mosaic. The Pond path crosses sensitive wetland ecosystem. and Wyman’s Meadow.

Legend Res. Boundary Water Roads

CONDITION

[

[

[

[[ [

[

Fair

[

[

[

Good

[

[

[

[ [

[

[

[

Poor

[

[

[

Trails

Illegal Pond Circuit

[

[

[

[

[

[

[

[

[

[

[

[

[

[

[

[

[

[

[

[

[

[

[

[

[

[[

[

[

[

[

[

[

[

[

[

[

[ [

[

[

0.25

[

[

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

Map 15

[

[

[

[

0

62

[

[

[

[

ÂĽ

[

0.5 Miles

Stewardship Zones

Aid Wayfinding Management Recommendation 2.1.A

Rationale

Reduce trail connections Redundant trails to Pond Path. unnecessary, confusing, and damaging.

Elements

References

Plantings Fencing Hardscaping

Analyses: Trails Soils Wayfinding Maps: 15

Priority 2

Notes The trails of the West Bank between Ice Fort Cove and Long Cove is the area of most concern.

Mitigate Soil Erosion and Compaction Management Recommendation 2.2.A

Rationale

Discourage use of illegal Erosion concerns trails and cutbacks by Habitat destruction limiting visitors' access to them.

Educate visitors about management efforts.

2.2.B

Stewardship Stewardship Zones Zones

Elements

References

Fencing Hardscape

Analyses: Trails Soils Hydrology Maps: 13, 14, 15

Informed visitors feel Photographs of most responsible for Park damaged areas. conditions.

Discuss erosion control techniques at Walden Gateway.

Analyses: Access and Structures Interpretation Case Study: Harvard Forest

Priority Notes

2

4

Clarified wayfinding can reduce instances of visitors cutting across habitat to reach a separate trail.

Images of challenges now and challenges of the past demonstrate stewardship success at Walden Pond since 1975.

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

63

Monitor Invasive and Rare Species Management Recommendation

2.3.A

2.3.B

Rationale

Elements

References

Compare lake quillwort Human activity may Habitat study habitat with water access have a direct impact points. on endangered species habitat.

Analysis: Rare Species Figures: 10

Continue collection and destruction of invasive species seed ponds.

Analysis: Vegetation

This method has proven effective, especially along West Bank.

Field work

Priority Notes

1

3

Comparing past habitat reports with upcoming study illustrates species mobility and access areas least prone to disturb quillwort.

Strategies will change if species that spread vegetatively are introduced.

Protect Water Quality and Sensitive Ecosystems

2.4.A

64

Management Recommendation

Rationale

Protect sensitive ecosystem by Wyman's Meadow.

The wetland between Elevated trail Thoreau's Cove and Rerouting Cabin Site is very popular, highly traveled, and contains vernal pools.

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

Elements

References Analyses: Rare Species Hydrology Vernal Pools Case Study: Harvard Forest Maps: 13, 15

Priority Notes

2

Opportunity for DCR to introduce modest built structure, provide yearround access, and reduce human impact on a sensitive ecosystem.

Stewardship Zones

Zone 3: Thoreaufare Encompassing the Cabin site, Cairn, Bean Field, Amphitheater, and the old roads and trails that lead to them, the Thoreaufare is the journey and destination for the tens of thousands of visitors from around the world who come to see Thoreau’s Walden.

Many explore its maze of trails on their own while others take advantage of interpretive walks conducted by park staff. Trails to the Cabin site and Cairn are heavily used; many are eroded and in need of reconstruction.

Uses: Cultural Tourism, Contemplation, Observation, Sauntering, Hiking

Management Priorities: 3.1 3.2 3.3

Improve Trails and Aid Wayfinding Enhance Visual Aesthetics Protect and Interpret Vernal Pools

A grid of low granite pillars, a rather heavy footprint to commemorate one who lived lightly on the land, incongruously marks the original Cabin site. The area around the site is largely bare soil. The splendid view from the Cabin site to Thoreau’s Cove gives a telling clue to Thoreau’s choice of a dwelling place.

A small natural amphitheater lies southeast of the Cabin site. In addition to being a beautiful natural form it is also functional.

Some park interpretive programs are conducted here. Other features are one certified and one potential vernal pool that lie northeast of the Cabin site.

Visitors to the Thoroughfare include many in school groups and others for whom education is important. The experience of these visitors may be greatly enhanced by the addition of welldesigned and carefully placed interpretive signs, and by a more intensive management of the trails and heavily visited sites.

¥ 0

Stewardship Stewardship Zones Zones

0.5

1 Miles

Map 16

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

65

Thoreaufare Hydrology

k j k j

Legend

The most prominent surface hydrological features are one certified and one potential vernal pool. These pools provide critical habitat and breeding grounds for amphibians. In his writings, Thoreau included observations about inhabitants of pools such as these. The experience of visitors to this zone would be enhanced by appropriately displayed vernal pool information.

Roads

Res. Res

Boundary

Town Line

k j k j

Certified Vernal Pools

k j

Potential Vernal Pools Water

k j k j

Wetlands Aquifers Thoreaufare

k j k j

짜

Map 17 0

66

0.125

0.25 Miles

Stewardship Zones

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

k j

Thoreaufare Trails Legend

The Thoreaufare is interlaced with trails, legal and otherwise. Some trails lead in directly from Route 126, allowing access by means other than the main park entry. Some trails, notably the connecting trail from the Pond Circuit to the Cabin site, are in need of reconstruction to stop erosion of soil into the Pond.

Res. Boundary Water

! (

Bean Field

Historical Roads

! (

Trails CONDITION

Thoreau [ Cabin site

[

! (

[

[

[

[

[[

Illegal Thoreaufare

[

[

[

[

[

[

[

짜

[

[

[

[

[

[

Poor

[

Good

[

Fair

Map 18 0

Stewardship Stewardship Zones Zones

0.125

0.25 Miles

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

67

Improve Trails and Aid Wayfinding

3.1.A

Management Recommendation

Rationale

Improve trail usability: assessment.

Use of illegal trails leads to landscape degradation.

Improve trail usability: reconstruction.

3.1.B

3.1.C

3.1.D

68

Upgrade and stabilize trails that can be maintained and block others.

Some trails have Reconstruct trails with eroded to the extent indigenous materials; that reconstruction is install water bars. required.

Improve trail wayfinding. Lack of clear markings leads to illegal trail formation causing landscape degradation.

Improve site specific wayfinding.

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

Elements

References Analysis: Trails Map: 18

Priority Notes

2

Analysis: Trails Map: 18

Install trail signs at Analysis: Trails major trail intersections; Map: 18 direction signs and blaze marks for clarification.

Thoreau sites will see Install direction signs Analysis: Trails increased visitation from major access points. Map: 18 as his birth bicentennial nears.

2

2

3

It may be futile to block some illegal trails; in that case they should be stabilized.

The trail leading from the Pond to Cabin site is particularly eroded.

Signs must be well designed and sensitively placed to fit into the landscape.

Sign design should be consistent across the Reservation.

Stewardship Zones

Enhance Visual Aesthetics Management Recommendation 3.2.A

3.2.B

3.2.C

Rationale

Enhance Cabin site surroundings.

Unsightly bare, eroded soil surrounds the site.

Design a new method to Current design is mark the Cabin heavy-handed. footprint.

Create viewing platform Viewers currently at Cabin interpretive must stand in bare, sign. eroded soil that becomes muddy.

Elements

References

Use indigenous materialsthat can be easily supplemented A design competition or charette can generate alternative designs.

Raise the soil level and cover with a stabilizing surface material.

Analysis: Views and Visual Aesthetics Analysis: Views and Visual Aesthetics Analysis: Views and Visual Aesthetics

Priority Notes 2

3

3

In honor of Thoreau his Cabin site should look more well-maintained.

Thoreau lived lightly on the land; granite pillars squat heavily.

See recommendations in chart 3.3

Protect and Interpret Vernal Pools Management Recommendation

Rationale

Add an additional sign at the Cabin site.

Current single sign crowds viewers on heavy visitor days.

3.3.A

3.3.B

Use vernal pool as an interpretive site.

Stewardship Stewardship Zones Zones

Elements

An additional sign near current one to contain more information can accommodate larger groups.

High visitation to this Install a discrete sign zone provides an explaining importance educational of vernal pools. opportunity.

References Analysis: Interpretive Structures

Analysis: Interpretive Structures

Priority Notes

6

6

Upcoming Bicentennial crowds may dramatically increase visitation.

A very low fence may be installed to discourage encroachment.

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

69

Zone 4: Southern Mosaic The Southern Mosaic is the most ecologically and topographically varied zone. The area can be accessed via the Esker Trail coming from the boat launch in the Walden Gateway, or from the west where Fire Road South connects Esker to Pond Trail. Fire Road South leads to Heywood’s Meadow Path skirting Heywood’s Meadow, which parallels the Reservation’s western boundary.

Along this trail can be viewed wetland habitat including marsh, wooded marsh, and bog. There are two potential vernal pools along the eastern edge of the Zone, both accessible by trail. This is an opportunity to integrate protection and interpretation.

Existing Uses: Wildlife Viewing, Scenic Viewing, Contemplation, Hiking

Management Priorities: 4.1 4.2 4.3

Improve Trails and Aid Wayfinding Install Interpretive Signs Protect Varied Ecosystems; Educational Resource

The high point, Emerson’s Cliff, is located near the geographic heart of the zone. This bedrock outcropping rises to a height of 274 feet above sea level. Although it is the high point, tree cover prevents a view of Walden Pond.

South of the cliff is a cool, shaded microclimate inhabited by a dense stand of Eastern hemlock. The woolly adelgid has been spotted in this stand. Predatory Japanese ladybugs were released by DCR staff to treat the infestation. There are signs that the infestation has abated.

At the southernmost portion of the property is the only open field in the Reservation, adjacent to stands of white pine, hemlock, and sweet birch. The Field, as it is known, is a prime wildlife viewing area, particularly for deer, coyote, fowl and butterflies.

The area is habitat for grassland birds. Unless it is regularly mown the habitat will be lost as field turns into forest.

70

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

¥

Map 19 0

0.5

1 Miles

Stewardship Zones

Southern Mosaic Trails

[

[

[ [

[

[

[

[

[

[

[

[

[

! (

[

[ [

[

[

CONDITION

[

[

[

[

Fair

[

Emerson’sCliff

[

Good

[

Poor

[

! ( Heywood’s Meadow [ [

x–x– Southern Illegal Mosaic Illegal

[

[

[

[

[

[

[

[

Trails

[

[

[

Roads

[

[

Water

[

[

Point of Interest

[

[

! (

[

[

Res. Boundary

[

[[

[

Legend

! ( The Field

¥

[

Trails in this zone lead the visitor through a variety of topographically and ecologically distinct areas from marsh to field to forest and the highest point on the Reservation.

Trail improvement, including trail reconstruction and installation of wayfinding features, is important, though not as urgent as in other Zones. The variety of natural features makes this an attractive spot as an outdoor classroom.

Interpretive structures installed at key points could deepen the viewing experience for many visitors (refer to Appendix B: Harvard Forest Case Study).

Map 20 0

Stewardship Stewardship Zones Zones

0.125

0.25 Miles

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

71

j kk j

k j

Southern Mosaic Hydrology Legend Roads Res. Boundary

k j k j

Certified Vernal Pools

Heywood’s Meadow

Potential Vernal Pools Water

k j

The variety of hydrological features in this zone are readily accessible by the trail network and are subject to degradation.

These features include marsh, wooded marsh, bog and vernal pools.

k j

Wetlands Aquifers Southern Mosaic

k j

k j

k j k j k j

ÂĽ

k j

Map 21 0

0.125

0.25 Miles

k j

k j k j

72

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

Stewardship Zones k j

Southern Mosaic Soils Legend Res Boundary Water

Canton Finde fine Sandy Canton Sandy Loam Loam Charlton-Hollis - Outcrop Freetown Muck Hollis Complex - Outcrop

Emerson’s Cliff

Merrimac Fine Sandy Loam

There are eight different soil types in this zone, another patchwork beneath the overlying mosaic.

The Canton fine sandy loam in the vicinity of Emerson’s Cliff is highly erodible. Trails in this area may need more extensive maintenance, particularly those on the steeper slopes.

Sudbury Fine Sandy Sadny Loam

Water sheeting off the surface and through the soils around Emerson’s Cliff is retained by the Freetown Muck at Heywood’s Meadow.

Windsor Loamy Sand Hinckley Loamy Sand

¥

Map 22 0

Stewardship Stewardship Zones Zones

0.125

0.25 Miles

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

73

Southern Mosaic Vegetation Legend Roads Res. Boundary Zone4 Water Scrub Oak & W. Pine Red Oak/ White Pine Mx. Field

Heywood’s Meadow

W. Pine, W. Birch & Mx. Hwd. Swamp W. Pine Kettle Vegetation

Hemlock Stand

Hemlock & W. Pine S. Birch & Mx. Hwd.

¥

The Field

0

74

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

0.125

0.25 Miles

Sweet Birch

This area sits within a larger forest zone known as Transition Hardwoods, White Pine-Hemlock. The hardwood tree species found here include: • red oak • black oak • scarlet oak • white oak • black birch • yellow birch • red maple • sugar maple • white ash • black cherry • hickory • American elm Softwood species are: • white pine • pitch pine • hemlock • white cedar • red cedar • tamarack

Map 23

Stewardship Zones

Improve Trails and Aid Wayfinding Management Recommendation

Rationale

Elements

Improve trail usability: assessment.

Illegal trails, particularly on steep slopes (such as Emerson's Cliff), lead to landscape degradation.

Mud holes force visitors off-trail leading to wider landscape degradation.

Highly erodible soils exist in the vicinity of Emerson's Cliff.

Upgrade and stabilize Analysis: Trails trails that can be Map: 20 maintained; block others.

Install water bars or Analysis: Trails other erosion prevention Map: 20 measures.

Lack of clear markings leads to bushwhacking causing landscape degradation.

Install: trail names signs at major trail intersections; direction signs and blaze marks for clarification.

4.1.A

Improve trail usability: mud holes.

4.1.B

4.1.C

Improve trail usability: erodibility.

Improve trail way finding.

4.1.D

Stewardship Stewardship Zones Zones

Improve drainage or reroute trails.

References

Priority Notes

3

DCR GIS map Nov. 2006 3

3

Analysis: Trails Map: 20 4

Blocking some illegal trails may be futile, in which case the trails should be stabilized.

A trail may need to be rerouted around any perennially wet area.

Field observation indicates this is a potential, not current, concern.

Signs must be well designed and sensitively placed to fit into the landscape.

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

75

Install Interpretive Signs

4.2.A

Management Recommendation

Rationale

Install an interpretive sign at Heywood's Meadow.

This wetland includes Install a sign or series of marsh, wooded signs along Heywood's marsh and bog.

Meadow Path indicating different wetland features.

This is an ideal A sign can be discreetly location for placed away from main explaining how viewpoint near the small illegal trails cairn. degrade the landscape.

This is an ideal Install a sign or signs location to explain placed where Pine grassland habitat Ridge Trail enters The and wildlife.

Field.

Install an interpretive sign at Emerson's Cliff.

4.2.B

Install an interpretive sign at The Field.

4.2.C

Elements

References Analyses: Hydrology, Interpretive Structures Map: 21 Analyses: Hydrology, Interpretive Structures Map: 21 Analyses: Hydrology, Interpretive Structures Map: 21

Priority Notes

5

6

6

Providing on-site interpretation enhances visitor experience.

All signs must be well designed and sensitively placed to fit into the landscape.

Consistency of sign design across the Reservation is desirable.

Protect Varied Ecosystems Management Recommendation Maintain unique ecosystem of The Field.

4.3.A

4.3.B

76

Rationale

The only open grassy meadow at Walden: provide grassland bird habitat.

Maintain the unique Potential chemical ecosystem of Heywood's residue from MBTA Meadow. could damage habitat.

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

Elements

References

Mowing or burning once Analysis: a year eliminate forest Vegetation encroachment.

Map: 23

Test for chemicals; Analyses: Pollution, remediate if damaging Hydrology levels are present.

Map: 21

Priority Notes

3

3

Habitat for grassland birds in Massachusetts has been dwindling with reforestation.

Worldwide die-off of amphibians makes healthy habitat maintenance a priority.

Stewardship Zones

Zone 5: Northwest Woods Adjacent to the heavily traveled Thoreaufare and Pond Circuit is the Northwest Woods, which extends to Route 2 and is bounded

by Route 126 and the MBTA railroad. Very few people make their way to this flat terrain of white pine, mixed hardwoods, and kettle vegetation (refer to Vegetation analysis). Those who do, enjoy walking, snowshoeing, or cross-country skiing in this remote corner of the Reservation.

The vegetation and topography of the Northwest Woods are what make this a unique and visually impressive zone. Pockets of pure white pine can be found in the far northwest corner, poplar and alders (uncommon for this area) fill the bottom of small, dry kettle holes (refer to Vegetation and Topography analyses). Glacial fluvial deposits that rise up to 30 feet high from the forest floor are almost completely unnoticeable through the dense undergrowth. These visual resources and the areas of the shantytowns that arose during the construction of the railroad over 150 years ago can be used as points of interest and destinations to further clarify trail navigation.

Another element of this zone that deserves protection is one potential vernal pool where a variety of rare amphibians make their home (refer to Hydrology analysis). The Northwest Woods is an opportunity for walkers, winter enthusiasts, and children alike to witness a phase of ongoing forest succession and glimpse a bit of history where the shantytowns once stood.

Existing Uses: Hiking, Walking, Winter Activities, Seeking Solitude

Management Priorities: 5.1 Improve Trails and Aid Wayfinding 5.2 Protect Vernal Pool 5.3 Determine Chemical Residue from MBTA Rail Line 5.4 Monitor and Remove Invasive Black Swallow-wort

짜 0

Stewardship Stewardship Zones Zones

0.5

1 Miles

Map 24

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

77

j k j k jk k j

j k j k

Northwest Woods Hydrology

j k j k There is one potential vernal pool in the Northwest Woods. Vernal pools are extremely sensitive k jvariety environments that host a k j of rare amphibians that are j suited for this k environment alone. k j Protection of vernal pools is essential in protecting the greater ecosystem of the Reservation, such as directing existing trails away from these areas. The potential vernal pool is located in an area that experiences far less visitation and impact than those in the Thoreaufare zone and will therefore require a different management strategy.

Legend Roads Northwest Woods Res. Boundary

k j k j

Certified Vernal Pools Potential Vernal Pools Water Wetlands

k j

Aquifers

k j k j j kk j

짜

k j k j 0

0.125

0.25 Miles

k j

k j

k j

78

k j

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

k j

Stewardship Zones k j k j

Northwest Woods Trails Legend Res. Boundary Water Roads

Trails [

CONDITION

[

Fair

[

[

[ [

Good

[

[

[

[

Northwest Woods

[

Illegal

[

[

[

[

[

[

[

[

[

[

[

[ [

[

[

[

[

[

Poor

The trail circuit in the Northwest Woods is ambiguous along the borders of the Thoreaufare and Pond Circuit. Many of these trails are shortcuts connecting major arterial trails. Several trails in the greater Northwest Woods area connect to Route 2 and the MBTA rail line. The [ [ Northwest Woods trail system would benefit greatly from points of interest and destinations; this would encourage visitors to stay on main trails and not stray to unmarked illegal trails that line the Pond Circuit and Thoreaufare borders.

[

[

[

[

[

[

[

[

[

[

[

짜

[

[[

[

[

[

[

[ [

[

[

[

Map 26

[

[

Stewardship Stewardship Zones Zones

[

[

[

[

0.125

[

[

0

[

[

[ [

0.25 Miles

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

79

Northwest Woods Vegetation The vegetation of the Northwest Woods is the highlight of this zone and can be promoted as points of interest and destinations year round. There are two dry kettle holes (highlighted in light purple) that host poplar, alder, and dogwood species not commonly found in the Reservation. Beautiful, towering white pines (highlighted in yellow) stand alone in the northwest corner of this zone just north of the old shantytown locations. The red oak mixed forest that covers most of the Northwest Woods provides the visitor with the cool and shady forest environment that has all but disappeared from Greater Boston.

Legend Roads Zone5 Water W. Pine Kettle Vegetation Red Oak/ White Pine Mx.

W. Pine, W. Birch Mx

짜

Map 27 0

80

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

0.125

0.25 Miles

Stewardship Zones

Improve Trails and Aid Wayfinding

5.1.A

5.1.B

Management Recommendation

Rationale

Elements

Make use of kettle hole vegetation, white pine stand, and historic areas of shanty towns as points of interest and trail destinations.

There are currently Points of interest are no marked points of marked on trail map and interest. Points of trail. interest offer the visitor destinations further clarifying trails and preventing the use of unnecessary, unmarked trails.

References Analysis: vegetation Maps: 27

Offer interpretation and Interpretation of information at each point points of interest is of interest. an educational tool that allows visitors, local and foreign, to gain a better understanding of cultural and ecological resources.

Interpretive pamphlets Analysis: available at the main Interp. Structures kiosk in the Walden Appendix B: Gateway will address Harvard Forest the significance of each point of interest.

Clarify main trails that are designated by Park management as appropriate trails

Blaze marks on trees that Analysis : are color coded or Trails/ Wayfinding marked with a symbol help clarify trail and destination.

5.1.C

Stewardship Stewardship Zones Zones

Consistent trail markings deter people from interpreting the ambiguous network themselves and directs foot traffic away from sensitive areas or trails in poor condition.

Priority Notes

3

These are suggested points of interest.

Management may determine that different points are more appropriately situated within the trail network and away from sensitive areas.

There is no need of permanent signs at these points of interest if the information is offered in a pamphlet.

6

Trail markers should be obvious without deterring from the natural beauty of the area.

3

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

81

Trails (cont.)

5.1.D

Repair and define trails This will clarify at Ice Fort Cove Rd. and wayfinding and Fire Rd. North junction. orient visitors to their whereabouts and destinations.

Signs made from Analyis: indigenous materials Trails showing map of Map: 26, 7 Reservation and current location.

1

Most trails in this zone are in good condition. This is the only area that appears experience heavy use and impact.

Protect Vernal Pool

5.2.A

5.2.B

82

Management Recommendation

Rationale

Elements

Designate potential vernal pool as certified

Vernal pool is currently "potential" and does not fall under the same guidelines as "certified". Certified guidelines further protect the vernal pool under state law.

Small markers or Hydrology analysis, symbols designating this map‌ area as a vernal pool.

Symbols should be discrete but visible.

Direct traffic by blocking Limit the probability and redirecting any of impact to this existing trails that lead fragile environment. to or through this sensitive area

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

As in Trails 5.1.C, trail markers help direct people through the appropriate areas.

References

As in Trails 5.1.C, trail markers help direct people through the appropriate areas.

Priority Notes Work with the Mass.

Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program (MNHESP).

4

3

All vernal pools in the Reservation should have a high priority of protection.

These pools host rare amphibian spp. And are easily degraded by impact.

Stewardship Zones

Determine Chemical Residue from MBTA Rail Line

5.3.A

Management Recommendation

Rationale

Contact MBTA to identify rail line management strategies, especially that include the use of chemicals application to suppress vegetation along rail line.

Create a dialog with Direct contact with MBTA Pollutants - MBTA MBTA, better management, identify analysis understand the specific chemicals or effects of the rail line manaement practices. on the western boundary.

Identify and quantify any chemicals from rail line.

This will help Identify Test soils, water table specific chemicals and Map locations of and compounds and contamination using GIS. map them to determine spread and/ or success of eradication.

5.3.B

Stewardship Stewardship Zones Zones

Elements

References

Pollutants - MBTA analysis, hydrology analysis, topography analysis, soil analysis. Maps‌

Priority Notes

4

4

This applies to the western edge of the Pond Circuit and Southern Mosaic as well.

Work with MBTA and Mass. Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), DCR GIS director, Nathanael Lloyd.

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

83

Monitor and Remove Invasive Black Swallow-wort Management Recommendation

Rationale

Continue collecting seedpods of black swallow-wort and appropriate disposal.

Collection of seed Management and Analysis: pods is ongoing, this volunteer groups can be Vegetation will slow the spread effective in collecting of the Black Swallow- seedpods over a large wort area before pods disperse seeds.

5.4.A

Identify, quantify and map using GIS all invasive species on the Reservation 5.4.B

84

Identification of individual species and general locations will help determine spread, cause of spread (i.e., water, shoes, wind, etc.), and relative success of ongoing eradication.

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

Elements

References

Priority Notes

3

Map spread of invasive Analysis: species using GIS data Vegetation collected throughout the year.

3

Black swallow-wort is the greatest concern of all invasive spp. In Reservation. Other invasives are present in the Reservation but not currently a significant problem. Same applies to the Southern Mosaic and Pond Circuit.

Work with DCR GIS department and director, Nathanael Lloyd. Solicit information from knowledgeable park visitors and volunteers.

Stewardship Zones

Zone 6: Goose Pond Reserve The most recent addition to the Walden Pond State Reservation, acquired October 3, 2002 (2007 DCR GIS map), is in the northeast portion of the property, and adjacent to the Walden Gateway, the former Concord Landfill, and Route 2. Buggy conditions deter most visitors in the summer months and the shallow waters of Goose Pond are not suitable for swimming.

With only a few short trails on the property, and a another one that infringes upon land belonging to the Town of Concord, the access is limited and the natural habitat’s integrity is preserved. For those brave enough to battle the mosquitoes, this is an excellent place for wildlife observation, particularly bird watching around Goose Pond. Reservation management has begun introducing duck boxes to attract wood ducks. Crosscountry skiers make use of the trails in the winter, when snow conditions are heaviest.

Existing Uses: Walking, Hiking, Wildlife Observation, Cross-Country Skiing

Management Priorities: 6.1 Improve Trails 6.2 Protect Vernal Pools 6.3 Monitor Water Quality of Goose Pond 6.4 Define and Manage as a Control Area

Because of Goose Pond Reserve’s proximity to the Reservation’s parking, first-time visitors have mistaken Goose Pond for Walden Pond and found themselves disappointed. Wayfinding to Walden Pond is unclear in the Walden Gateway. Several houses abut the eastern property border of Goose Pond, but Goose Pond maintains a unique identity as a quiet and natural world in a bustling and expanding urban environment.

¥ 0

Stewardship Stewardship Zones Zones

0.5

1 Miles

Map 28

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

85

k j

Goose Pond Reserve Hydrology Legend

k j

Roads

k j

Res. Boundary

k j k j

Certified Vernal Pools

k j k j

Potential Vernal Pools Water Wetlands Aquifers Goose Pond Reserve

k j

There is one certified and one potential vernal pool in Goose Pond Reserve. Wetlands line the edge of Goose Pond and Little Goose Pond to the north. The aquifer, shown in green, supplies Goose Pond with most of its water. Any contaminants that enter the aquifer from adjacent residences have the potential of entering Goose Pond and vice versa.

(N.B.: GIS data suggests that there are two vernal pools in the same body of water, Little Goose Pond.

This information requires further field observation and verification k j locations of to determine the exact these vernal pools.)

k j k j k j k j

짜

Map 29 0

0.125

0.25 Miles

k j

86

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

k j

Stewardship Zones

k j

Goose Pond Reserve Trails Legend Res. Boundary Water Roads

Trails CONDITION Fair [

Good Poor [

[

[

Illegal

[

[

[

[

[

[

[

[

Goose Pond Reserve

The trails in Goose Pond Reserve are few and seldom used in the summer months. Snowshoeing is a popular activity along these trails in the winter.

Most trails are in good condition with the exception of two trails in fair condition north of Goose Pond. There is one illegal trail exiting the Reserve and Reservation boundary to the west and entering Concord Town property and the site of a former landfill. This is the only option to enter the Reserve north of Goose Pond.

[

[

[

[

[

짜

[

[

Map 30 0

Stewardship Stewardship Zones Zones

0.125

0.25 Miles

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

87

Improve Trails

6.1.A

6.1.B

88

Management Recommendation

Rationale

Elements

Eliminate trail entering Concord town property and rejoining Goose Pond Reserve north of pond.

This will deter people from entering the Northern section of Goose Pond Reserve so it can be managed as a control area

Eliminate trail on map Trail analysis, and post signs on trail at map‌, discussion Reservation boundary that trail is closed and individuals will be trespassing.

Continue to manage This is a great area trails south of Goose to view wildlife and Pond for walking/ hiking enjoy solitude away from Walden Pond.

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

References

Priority Notes

2

Trail analysis, map 6

If Walden Pond Feasibility study is implemented and a wildlife bridge is constructed, it is strongly recommended that the bridge be for wildlife only, no pedestrians.

This is a more popular area in the winter, blaze marks on trees need to be visible as a directional tool.

Stewardship Zones

Protect Vernal Pools

6.2.A

Management Recommendation

Rationale

Elements

References

Manage vernal pools in this zone as sensitive environmental control areas that can be compared with other vernal pools in the other zones.

This will allow Catalogue vernal pool hydrology analysis, management to flora and fauna species wildlife analysis, gauge the relative throughout the year. discussion. success of management strategies regarding other vernal pools in the other zones.

Priority Notes

3

"Potential" vernal pool in Goose Pond Reserve should be considered by the NHESP as being classified as a "certified" vernal pool.

Monitor Water Quality of Goose Pond Management Recommendation

Rationale

Elements

Determine if houses abutting eastern border of zone are contributing to a decrease in water quality of Goose Pond

Houses utilize septic and may use chemical fertilizers.

Lechates from these houses can infiltrate watertable and Goose Pond contributing to algal blooms and ecological degradation.

Approach neighbors to Hydrology analysis, determine if septic is a map‌ safe distance from Goose Pond and application of Chemical Fertilizers. Test water table and Goose Pond for contaminants.

6.3.A

Stewardship Stewardship Zones Zones

References

Priority Notes Work with Mass.

Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and local Concord planners.

4

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

89

Define and Manage as a Control Area 6.4.A (discussion) The main priority for Goose Pond Reserve is to manage the area north of Goose Pond as a sanctuary and as a control area for research and management purposes. The northern section should be off-limits to anyone other than Reservation employees and those appropriate agencies working in conjunction with them. The northern section can be used as a control area to determine the relative success of management strategies implemented in other areas of the Reservation. For example, the vernal pools in this area (see Map 29) are observed and catalogued as a control that is not affected by direct human impact. Data gathered pertaining to vegetation and amphibian population counts, water quality, and available wildlife habitat can be measured against that of other vernal pools within the Reservation, and therefore determine the success of management or the necessity to change management strategy. The same management directive applies to wildlife, vegetation, and environmental rehabilitation efforts elsewhere in the Reservation.

The Walden Passage Feasibility Study of a wildlife overpass of Route 2 was conducted in December 2007. The study was prepared for the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, funded by the Federal Highway Administration, and prepared by the University of Massachusetts Center for Economic Development and Department Of Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning. This study aimed to determine the feasibility of implementing a wildlife overpass to span Route 2 and join this fragmented area of Concord Open Space with Goose Pond

90

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

Reserve. The overpass was designed to transport both wildlife and pedestrians, and in doing so strengthen wildlife populations in Walden Pond State Reservation and lessen wildlife deaths attributed to Route 2 (refer to Wildlife analysis.)

The study concluded that while the overpass would benefit local wildlife populations, population numbers were too small to justify the expense of the project (Feasibility Study, p.47). If implemented, the overpass may encourage visitors to park on the Concord side of Route 2 and use the overpass to gain access to Walden Pond State Reservation. This would exacerbate capacity management challenges and contribute to greater use and subsequent impacts (Feasibility Study, p. 2).

If it is determined at a later date that the overpass is feasible, wildlife should be the only users of the overpass and pedestrians should be strongly discouraged. The feasibility study included pedestrian traffic that is part of the Bay Circuit Trail linking the parks and open spaces surrounding metropolitan Boston. In order to retain the concept of a control area in Goose Pond and adhere to the 1,000-person limit, hikers on the Bay Circuit Trail should be routed elsewhere.

Stewardship Zones

Future Tense: A Context of Place, A Context of Time A consideration of the Walden Pond of the past and the Walden Pond of the present predictably draws out a portrait of the Walden Pond of the future. As has long been the case, the condition of Walden Pond will reflect the natural conditions and the values and ambitions of the people nearby.

“The question is not what you look at, but what you see.”

Journal, 5 Aug. 1851 In the lead-up to the nation’s bicentennial year of 1976 many states, municipalities, organizations, federal enterprises, and thousands of organizations drew inspiration from a pride in place. Walden Pond State Reservation was directed to prepare itself for the celebration, and to represent the citizens of Massachusetts well. The vision for Walden Pond State Reservation laid out in by the 1974 delivery of the Gardiner Report profoundly altered the look and feel of the Reservation, and signaled a clear change in management practice and priorities. Vehicle access was limited to 350 cars, and the lots were designed to reflect the natural setting of the Pond. Erosion control and shoreline restoration around the Pond improved the natural experience of Reservation visitors, and brought back many of the amphibious creatures that had formerly inhabited the Pond shores.

In a similar manner, the upcoming bicentennial of the birth of Thoreau can act as a catalyst for another major advance.

Stewardship Stewardship Zones Zones

There is the opportunity to implement a phased improvement project starting in 2010, with its culmination in time for Thoreau’s 200th birthday on July 12, 2017. Further, 2017 could mark the beginning of a twenty-eight year commemoration leading up to the bicentennial of Thoreau’s move to Walden.

In the nearly seven years leading up to the birthday, a phased zone-by-zone implementation of priorities spelled out in this document, as well as those in other relevant plans and studies, would bring an appropriate and measured structure to the process.

The year 2010 would see the beginning of changes in Zone 1, the Walden Gateway. Major initiatives would address ADA accessibility, East Bank erosion and the construction of an informational, interpretive, and gathering terrace.

As was shown in the management matrix, several issues exist across Zone boundaries. Addressing these as part of the bicentennial celebration would be an excellent way to improve areas Reservation-wide with public involvement while gathering useful data – all parts of the DCR mission. By weaving the numerical theme into focused programs with tangible goals, the staff can invite those interested to participate in special events in both the short and long term. “200 Eyes on Walden” could encourage individuals with an ecological bent to spend an afternoon or weekend at the Pond cataloguing species in

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

91

residence. For a more involved project, “200 Days at the Cliff” could advance particular management priorities for Emerson’s Cliff (trail maintenance, erosion barriers, etc) for a six-month period. Another site-specific project, “200 Days for the Pond Path,” would operate in one area only, but improve all aspects: trail conditions, wayfinding, ecosystem integrity, etc. Projects could also highlight a particular issue, park-wide. “200 Trees for the Future” would designate 200 young, healthy trees in visible or vital areas as “priorities” and consider their continued growth and presence as a long-term goal. Many of these projects would simply be undertaken by staff management as a part of business as usual, but these events could be promoted at the Information Terrace as a way to inform and excite the public about the role of management and stewardship at the Reservation.

For at least thirty-five years there have been plans to build a new visitor center and to move Route 126. In an ideal world, both projects would now receive full funding and commence soon.

Nevertheless, a visitor to the Walden of 1935 would be shocked by the Walden of 2009, so great have been the changes.

92

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

Stewardship Zones

Appendices A. Works Cited B. Maps C. Image Credits D. 2008 Park Interpretive Profile E. Case Studies F. AfterWords

Appendices

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

93

Appendix A: Works Cited

Appendix B: Maps

Carlin, Steve, Michelle Dumas, Denise Morrissey. Thoreau to Thoroughfare: Managing Walden Pond. 2001 National Recreation & Park Association Congress & Exposition. Department of Environmental Management, 2001

GIS map source credit: Office of Geographic and Environmental Information

Colman, John A., and Paul J. Friesz. Geohydrology and Limnology of Walden Pond, Concord, Massachusetts. Water-Resources Investigations Report 01– 4137. Massachusetts–Rhode Island District, U. S. Geological Survey, U. S. Department of the Interior, 2001.

Epsilon Associates, Inc. Walden Pond State Reservation Gateway Improvements. Massachusetts Department of Environmental Management, 2001.

Gardiner, Richard A. and Associates. Walden Pond Restoration Study Final Report. The Middlesex County Commissioners, 1974.

Hebert, Paul D. N. “Seasonal distribution of dissolved oxygen in lakes.” 23 August 2008. The Encyclopedia of Earth. February 2009 <http://www. eoearth.org/article/Chemical_properties_of_lakes>.

Jefferson County Open Space. Crown Hill Park Management Plan. Jefferson County Commissioners, 2006.

Jiu-Meng, Chen. “Analysis of Genetic Variations Within the Endangered Quillwort.” 19 February 2004. Wuhan University Journal. 5 February 2009 <http://www.springerlink.com/content/n53m1k7k71761302/>.

Massachusetts Board of Environmental Management. Guidelines for Operations and Land Stewardship: Walden Pond State Reservation. Massachusetts Department of Environmental Management, 1993.

Mullin, John R., Jack Ahern. Walden Passage Feasibility Study. Metropolitan Area Planning Council, 2007.

Walker-Kluesing Design Group. Walden Pond State Reservation East Bank Rehabilitation. Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, 2008 Schofield, Edmund A. “The Walden Woods Ecosystem” Walden Woods.

Concord, Massachusetts: Thoreau Country Conservation Alliance, 1988 Thoreau, Henry D. The Journal of Henry D. Thoreau 15 Oct 1859

94

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

(MassGIS), Commonwealth of Massachusetts Executive Office of Environmental Affairs

Map 1 Map 2 Map 3 Map 4 Map 5 Map 6 Map 7 Map 8 Map 9 Map 10 Map 11 Map 12 Map 13 Map 14 Map 15 Map 16 Map 17 Map 18 Map 19 Map 20 Map 21 Map 22 Map 23 Map 24 Map 25 Map 26 Map.27 Map 28 Map 29 Map 30

p. p. p. p. p. p. p. p. p. p. p. p. p. p. p. p. p. p. p. p. p. p. p. p. p. p. p. p. p. p.

15 16 24 27 31 33 43 46 52 53 54 59 60 61 62 65 66 67 70 71 72 73 74 77 78 79 80 85 86 87

GOALS Stewardship Zones Revised Stewardship Zones Topography Soils Hydrology Vegetation Trails Views Walden Gateway Gateway Topography and Features Gateway Soils Pond Circuit Pond Circuit Hydrology Pond Circuit Soils Pond Circuit Trails Thoreaufare Thoreaufare Hydrology Thoreaufare Trails Southern Mosaic Southern Mosaic Trails Southern Mosaic Hydrology Southern Mosaic Soils Southern Mosaic Vegetation Northwest Woods Northwest Woods Hydrology Northwest Woods Trails Northwest Woods Vegetation Goose Pond Reserve Goose Pond Reserve Hydrology Goose Pond Reserve Trails

Appendices

Appendix C: Image Credits All images used by permission of the Concord Free Public Library are noted in text. All other photos and images are by Conway student team unless noted below: Fig. 1 Exec. Deep Cove, Walden Fig. 2 Exec. earth Fig. 3 Exrc. newborn Fig. 4 Exec. wood duck Fig. 5 3 map of boston Fig. 6 4 cross-section Fig. 10 8 DCR map Fig. 11 9 Friends of Walden Fig. 12 10 Storytime Fig. 13 10 Attendance Fig. 16 14 Shop at Walden Fig. 18 23 glacier Fig. 20 26 erosion west bank Fig. 24 28 Nitrate concentrations Fig. 25 29 Nitella Fig. 26 30 Nitella habitat Fig. 28 35 japanese barberry Fig. 29 35 multiflora rose Fig. 30 35 black swallow-wort Fig. 31 35 purple loosestrife Fig. 33 36 quillwort Fig. 34 38 pumpkinseed Fig. 35 38 red fox Fig. 36 38 red-tailed hawk Fig. 37 38 white-tailed deer Fig. 38 38 turkey Fig. 39 38 bullfrog Fig. 40 38 spring peeper Fig. 41 38 coyote Fig. 44 39 former landfill Fig. 45 40 MBTA Fig. 46 40 eutrophication Fig. 46 44 DCR trails map Fig. 53 48 summer traffic

Appendices

courtesy DCR public domain copyleft http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:HumanNewborn.JPG creative commons http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Brautente_Wood_Duck_Aix_sponsa.jpg public domain public domain courtesy DCR courtesy DCR courtesy DCR courtesy DCR courtesy DCR creative commons http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Morteratsch_glacier_1.jpg courtesy DCR courtesy author Colman and Friesz courtesy author Colman and Friesz courtesy author Colman and Friesz public domain USDA Plants Database public domain USDA Plants Database public domain USDA Plants Database public domain USDA Plants Database public domain USDA Plants Database public domain public domain creative commons http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Northern-Red-Tailed-Hawk.jpg creative commons http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:White-tailed_deer_fawn_in_Berwyn_PA public domain public domain public domain copyleft http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Coyote2008.jpg courtesy Thoreau Institute public domain public domain courtesy DCR courtesy Ken Bassett

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

95

Appendix D: 2008 Park Interpretive Profile Park Themes: Thoreau’s stay at Walden Pond Thoreau’s writings greatly influenced society.

Thoreau’s Philosophy on Life Geological and Glacial Formation of Walden Pond Land and Cultural Use of Walden Woods Forest Succession Park Audience: School and Educational Groups (elementary to graduate level), Educators looking to improve curriculum, general public (national/ international/all ages/all knowledge levels), visitors who are interested in literature and history, poets, writers, artists, spiritual groups, outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers.

Resources for the Interpreter: Annual Green Notebooks located in Park Headquarters Book Shelves with park history and information at Headquarters Walden Pond Goals Plan (ask Park Supervisor for copy) Walden Pond Capacity Study (ask Park Supervisor for copy) Walden Shoreline Restoration Project (ask Park Supervisor for copy) USGS Walden Pond Water Quality Study (ask Park Supervisor for

copy) Annual Program & Group Reservation System - (check interpretive

computer and disks) Walden Pond Supplies Inventory (ask Visitor Services Supervisor for

copy) Park Pamphlets/Flyers/Maps – Trail Map, Park Brochure, Junior Ranger Brochure, Program Schedules, Flyers and Press Releases

96

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

Books

The Days of Henry Thoreau by Walter Harding Life of Henry David Thoreau by Henry S. Salt, Walden; or, Life in the Woods by Henry David Thoreau Resistance to Civil Government by Henry David Thoreau A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers by Henry

David Thoreau The Journal of Henry D. Thoreau by Dover Publications, Inc.

2 Volumes) Walden Pond, A History by W. Barksdale Maynard Videos Winged Migration

Thoreau’s Walden in the Shop at Walden Pond Henry David Thoreau: In his own words in the Shop at Walden Pond INTERPRETIVE PLANNING Informal Interpretation + Roving Interpretation: Best Locations and Times: 1.

Thoreau House Replica: Allow visitors to read the interpretive kiosk in front of the replica and look around, and then ask visitors if they have any questions about Thoreau or questions about Walden.

Interpreter will tally number of visitors encountered.

2.

Thoreau House Site: Allow visitors to read the interpretive kiosk in front of the house site and look around, and then ask visitors if they have any questions about Thoreau or questions about Walden.

Interpreter will tally number of visitors encountered.

Appendices

The best times for informal/roving interpretation are generally from 10:30 am- 12:00 pm and from 1:00-3:00 pm. Park Interpreters should keep records of all informal/roving interpretive contacts on spreadsheets. It is best if Interpreters supplement these numbers with their monthly reports.

Visitor Services: Visitor Services refers to the contacts made while providing park visitors with non-Interpretive services. An example of this would be giving directions to the nearest restroom or providing information on making camping reservations.

Nature Center/Visitor Center: Walden Pond’s Nature Center is located next to the State Police horse stable across the street from the Pond.

Hours to be determined.

CORE INTERPRETIVE PROGRAMS Each season, the Interpretive Staff at Walden Pond State Reservation will offer core Interpretive Programs each week (to be determined by Interpretive Staff, RIC, and Kristin Karl-Carnahan).

These core Programs will reflect the themes of the park. The Interpretive Calendars will reflect these core programs including the dates, times, topics, and a brief description of the programs.

Interpreters will be responsible with reviewing, modifying (with RIC approval) and submitting the Interpretive Calendars with the core programs listed within their first week of work. These core programs will be posted to the DCR website and changes cannot be made.  Core Program #1: Thoreau’s Walden Date & Time: TBA Duration: 1 hour Location: Meet at the Thoreau House Replica Audience/Ages: School groups/best suited for middle school level or above.

Appendices

Program Concept: Theme of program is historical. Henry David Thoreau’s stay at Walden Pond has had a profound influence on American culture.

Specific Lessons & Concepts: Interpreter will introduce Thoreau to visitors at the House Replica. Visitors will learn about Henry David Thoreau and his stay at Walden Pond. Visitors will see the replica and hike to the original site of Thoreau’s house. Introductory programs on the life of Henry David Thoreau his writings and his historic stay at Walden Pond. All visiting groups must make a reservation two weeks in advance.  Core Program #2: Who was Henry David Thoreau?

Date/Time: TBA Duration: 1 hr.

Location: Meet at Thoreau House Replica.

Audience/Ages: Visitors of all ages, especially adults.

Program Concept: The program is an introductory program on Henry David Thoreau designed for general public audiences. The theme of the program is Henry David Thoreau marched to the beat of a different drummer and welcomed a diversity of ideas, opinions and actions.

Specific Lessons & Concepts: Focus on the life of Henry David Thoreau specifically focusing on Thoreau’s ideas about nature and the environment. Explain the reasons Thoreau came to Walden to live.  Core Program #3: Thoreau’s Garret Date/Time: TBA Duration: 1 hr.

Location: Thoreau House Replica Audience/Ages: Children ages 8-12. This program can also be geared towards adults as well.

Program Concept: This program is about the life of Henry David

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

97

Thoreau. Specifically this program will focus on the major people and events that shaped the life of Henry David Thoreau through artifact exploration.

Specific Lessons & Concepts: To teach children about the important people and events in Thoreau’s life. This program will provide a hands on learning experience for visitors of all ages through the use of reproduction artifacts. Each item describes the life of Henry David Thoreau. This program will bring history to life and make it meaningful and relevant for park visitors.  Core Program #4: Nature’s Builders/Walden’s forest Engineers Date/Time: TBA Location: Meet at the Tsongas Art Gallery. We will start program at the gallery then hike to the site of Walden’s beaver lodge and dam at Heywood’s Meadow.

Audience/Ages: Visitors from children to adults, families in particular.

Program Concept: To inspire visitors to look more closely at the role the beaver plays in the natural world.

Specific Lessons & Concepts: The theme of the program is natural: The beaver is the engineer of our forests. This program is about beavers, their lives and their valuable roles in the ecosystem. Visitors will view a 30 minute video from the interpretive kit. We will then hike to the beaver dam where visitors will be able to get up close to a beaver dam.  Core Program #5: Story Time Date/Time: TBA during the summer months/weekends Duration: ½ hr.

Location: Main Beach area.

Audience/Ages: Young Children, ages 3 and above.

Program Concept: To entertain our youngest visitors and educate them

98

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

about nature, history and protecting the environment through the use of classic children stories.

Specific Lessons & Concepts: Environmental education and conservation.  Core Program #6: Nature Crafts Date/Time: TBA during the summer months/weekends Duration: 1 hr.

Location: Nature Center/Main Beach Audience/Ages: Children ages 5-12.

Program Concept: To provide children with entertainment and education through the creation of nature crafts.

Specific Lessons & Concepts: Environmental education through appropriate hands-on crafts and activities.  Core Program #7: Thoreau for Kids Date/Time: TBA during the summer/weekends Duration: 1 hr.

Location: Meet at the Thoreau House Replica Audience/Ages: Children ages 9-12.

Program Concept: Theme of program is historical. Henry David Thoreau was a man ahead of his time. This program will introduce children to Henry David Thoreau.

Specific Lessons & Concepts: Children will learn about Henry David Thoreau and his life at Walden Pond. Children will learn why Thoreau came to Walden and what he did here during his two year stay.

Children will visit the replica and the site of Thoreau’s house. 

Core Program #8: Seasonal Saunters Date & Time: TBA spring/summer/fall.

Duration: 1 hr Location: Trails will vary.

Appendices

Audience/Ages: General public/visitors of all ages.

Program Concept: In the spirit of Henry David Thoreau, park staff will offer a series of seasonal walks to explore some of the lesser known trails surrounding Walden Pond. Thoreau thought that he was born to walk and walked daily to exercise both the body and the mind.

Specific Lessons & Concepts: Thoreau once said, “I have met with but one or two persons in the course of my life who understood the art of Walking, that is, of taking walks, - who had a genius, so to speak for sauntering:” Each saunter will be on a different trail with various terrain and for all abilities.

SPECIAL EVENTS:  Civil Disobedience: January/Duration 3 hours. A living history program and lecture featuring Thoreau scholars Richard Smith and Thomas Blanding. This program discusses the historic legacy of Thoreau’s most famous essay.  Winter Tracking: Winter/Duration 2 hours. Indoor slideshow and winter hike led by professional tracker Bob Metcalfe.  Remembering Henry David Thoreau: May 6th/ Duration 1 hour. A program celebrating the life and legacy of Henry David Thoreau on the anniversary of his death.

JUNIOR RANGER PROGRAM: Since 1998, Walden Pond has had an extensive Junior Ranger program that is offered for 3 weeks during the months of July and August. The first two week’s programs are titled “Junior Ranger Cubs,” and “Junior Ranger Bears.” These weeklong programs are for children ages 6-8 and 9-11. During these week long programs, children come to Walden from 10 am – 12pm. Every day we have different themes (EX. Henry Day, Wildlife Day, Tree Day, etc.) and the children partake in different activities including activities from DCR’s Junior Ranger Workbook. The week ends on Friday with a graduation ceremony for children and parents, featuring special guests including Smokey Bear.

The 3rd week of Junior Ranger’s is titled “Junior Ranger Grizzlies.”

This weeklong program is for children ages 12-14. The Grizzlies come to Walden Monday through Friday and stay from 10-12. During the course of the week, the children learn about Henry David Thoreau, become familiar with numerous trails around Walden Pond, learn about wildlife and tress native to Walden, and learn about the basics of fishing.

Appendices

 Flowers for Mom: Mothers Day Weekend/Duration 2 hours. A program for Mom’s on their day. Children decorate a flowerpot and present it to their Mother with flowers.  Free Fishing Weekend: Traditionally the first weekend in June statewide (check hunting and fishing abstract for specific dates).

Duration 3 hours. Co-sponsored by Masswildlife.  Universal Access Hiking: Late June/Duration 2 hours. Walden Interpretive staff traditionally offers a guided program to the universal Access programs visit to Walden Pond. Interpreters guide visitors from the House Replica to the House Site.  The Thoreau Society’s Annual Gathering: Early July/Duration 3 days. Members from all around the world gather in Concord and at Walden Pond for 3 days of Thoreau related activities. Interpreters provide support during these 3 days.  Universal Access Paddling: July and August/Duration 4 hours.

DCR’s Universal Access program offers free paddling opportunities on

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

99

Walden Pond to participants of all ages and abilities.

and educational opportunities.

 Junior Ranger Program: 3 weeks during July and August. See listing above.

 The Thoreau Society: Interpreters work in partnership with The Thoreau Society during their annual summer gathering, with activities at Walden Pond.

 Watermelon Party: The last weekend in August. 2 hours in duration. To commemorate Henry Thoreau’s annual watermelon party, park staff share free watermelon with visitors and share the history of Thoreau’s historic visit to Walden.  Children’s Fishing Clinic: July/Duration 3 hours. This program co-sponsored by Masswildlife is an introductory fishing clinic for children and to provide instruction for parents so that they can take children fishing on their own.  National Public Lands Day: Late September/Duration depends on event. Walden participates in National Public Lands Day by offering an environmental stewardship program.  Equinox Poetry: Year round/Duration 2 hours. This program features local poets who share their poems and an open mic. Held outdoors, weather permitting.  Thoreau Living History Programs: Year round/Duration 3 hours. A variety of living history programs featuring historian Richard Smith as Henry David Thoreau. Often scheduled on weekends and typically attract large numbers of participants. Occasionally, members of the Concord’s Junior Volunteers attend as well to portray members of the Alcott family.

PROGRAMS WITH OTHER PARTNERS/BUREAUS  The Walden Woods Project: Interpreters work in partnership with the Walden Woods Project to offer an annual teachers workshop

100

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

 The Friends of Walden Pond: The park’s official Friends Group, provides unwavering support to the park programs, including the Junior Ranger Program.  Concord Historical Collaborative: Park Interpreters are continually involved in collaborative programming and training with Concord’s numerous historical sites.  Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game: Mass Wildlife co-sponsors Angler Education programs at the pond and provides interpreters with free fishing equipment.  Mass Audubon Society: Interpreters share interpretive ideas and assist with co-sponsored programs at Walden Pond and at nearby Drumlin Farm Sanctuary.

ADDITIONAL MATERIALS:  Trail Map  Park Brochure  Quest  Interpretive Backpack  Kiosks  Geocaches APPROPRIATE KITS: • Finding the Forest

Appendices

• • • • • •

Discovering Ponds & Streams Journaling Discover the Night Raptors: Hunting Machines Beavers: Our Forest Engineers Kids & History

RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITES: Walden Pond attracts thousands of visitors annually who come to participate in swimming, non-motorized boating, fishing, hiking, reflection, picnicking, ice fishing, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing.

Geocaching has become increasingly popular and a self guided Quest is also available for visitors to enjoy throughout the year. In order to protect the natural, cultural and historic resources of the reservation, the park staff is mandated to maintain a park capacity of 1000 visitors at one time. This number is reached often and early in the day during the summer months.

Appendices

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

101

Appendix E: Case Studies Harvard Forest Petersham, Massachusetts Located in Petersham, Massachusetts, Harvard Forest is the primary laboratory of the forestry program of the university from which it draws its name. On the former site of John Sandersonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s farm and extending into a bog at the farthest reaches of the property, the site offers visitors the opportunity to better understand the causes and effects of active land stewardship, and better recognize the signs of land use that exist in many communities of the northeast that no longer engage in the farming that had been so common in those places.

Among the most successful interpretive installations at the forest are the Sanderson Trail and the Black Gum Trail. These two walks vary in their length, their ecology, and their expectation of the visitor, but their differences in interpretation are indicative of all these things. It is the intent of this case study to demonstrate the appropriateness of these interpretive programs for their natural content.

1

102

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

Figures 1 and 2 are images of one of the 25 interpretive signs found along the quarter-mile Sanderson Trail, averaging one sign about every 53 feet. The signs are solidly constructed, and as shown in Figure 3, placed in their appropriate context.

Visitors need no map, as the trail and its distinctive signs are selfexplanatory. The signs contain graphic and textual information relevant to their physical placement, separating text from images for visitors who wish to focus on one aspect or the other.

Visitors interested in the 1.5-mile hike along the Black Gum Trail have a different interpretive and wayfinding experience. Both trails start at the same informational kiosk (Figure 4) where the Black Gum Trail handout is available. Veering off from the Sanderson Trail, the Black Gum Trail moves past different examples of natural forest succession and contrasts them with areas of forestry stewardship, and often the differences are not so clear. The handout at the trail kiosk contains paragraphs on each of the twelve interpretation stops on the trail (Figure 4), and also contains a half-page map of the trail. The directional signs on the trail (Figure 5) are similarly colored and unobtrusive, as are the blaze marks. In Figure 6, two blaze marks are visible, and at all points along the trail visitors are able to see the next two blazes. A small loop through a swamp is formed by the boardwalk shown in Figure 7.

2

Appendices

In the different zones throughout Harvard Forest, visitorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; wayfinding and interpretive needs vary. The differences in visitor use are mirrored by the differences in interpretation. Along the Black Gum trail, the interpretive signs are smaller and refer to an optional, but readily available, companion piece. Along the Sanderson trail, the signs are larger and self-explanatory. At Walden Pond, wayfinding and interpretive systems tailored to the more specific requirements of a visitor to the Thoreaufare or Southern Mosaic would be determined by the particular characteristics of the two zones and reinforce the natural and cultural distinctions between them.

3

Appendices

4

5

6

7

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

103

Open Space and Mountain Parks Visitor Master Plan Boulder, Colorado For eleven decades the city of Boulder has preserved open space parkland in what is currently a rapidly growing and urbanizing area of Colorado’s Front Range. The parks offer local recreation in a setting receiving increasing national attention. Currently 43,000 acres with over 130 miles of maintained trails (and 300 miles of illegal trails) are in the system.

Beginning in 1998 the city initiated studies to update management strategies across a range of topics. Two in-depth public surveys were conducted in five years to assess the visitor experience. Additionally, more than sixty public meetings were held with public and community interest groups to disseminate information and gain input. Armed with the information received and in light of existing conditions in the parks, the final citizens advisory committee formulated a series of seven initiatives to address the long-term needs of the community.

Steve Armstead, the Visitor Master Plan Implementation Coordinator, related in a recent conversation that by using adaptive management they are learning which techniques work best for upgrading and maintaining the trail system. As one example, they have learned that community volunteers are helpful in trail reconstruction and in new trail construction while volunteer involvement in trail maintenance is not productive. Mr. Armstead said the Plan had allowed Boulder to set realistic and defined priorities and to develop a specific plan of standards that are being met.

Walden has a history of strong community involvement. Volunteers may be helpful in accomplishing trail reconstruction projects at a great saving of time and money for the Reservation and DCR.

Among these was the trails and facilities initiative. Recommended actions included: major reconstruction beyond routine maintenance in some areas close and reclaim or retain and monitor undesignated trails improve aesthetic appeal of trails and trailheads explore volunteer opportunities for trail maintenance and enhancement • install informational and interpretive signs at trailheads • utilize adaptive management to assess and refine trail maintenance methods. Adaptive management is observing what works and what doesn’t, then keeping and refining what does work.

• • • •

104

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

Flat Iron Range, Boulder County Photo courtesy of David Sutherland

Appendices

Crown Hill Park, Jefferson County Open Space Crown Hill Park, approximately 242 acres, is located between Wheat Ridge and Lakewood, Colorado, about fifteen minutes west of Denver. Crown Park includes a variety of recreational activities, environmental education, and interpretation opportunities, and natural resource conservation efforts, including native prairie restoration. Largely attributed to its suburban location, Crown Hill Park exceeds one-half million visitors annually. Hiking, wildlife viewing, and running/jogging were the most popular recreational activities. Unlike Open Spaceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s non-urban parks, Crown Hill experiences 52.7 percent repeat visitation (Jefferson County Open Space, 2006, p.6).

Parking lots at Crown Hill can accommodate 124 vehicles at any one time. Including visitors that enter by non-motorized means via trail connection from adjacent neighborhoods, there are approximately 430 visitors in the park at any one time (Management Plan, p.8).

Crown Hill has a sensitive nesting habitat that hosts a pair of Swainsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hawks that migrate some 4,000 miles to winter in Argentina, and then return to Crown Hill to nest and breed (Management Plan, p.7).

Crown Hill Park is managed within the Jefferson County Open Space (JCOS) Management Directions System. The management directions system is an integrated approach by which land and water areas are classified according to ecosystem and

Appendices

cultural resource protection requirements, at their capability and suitability to provide opportunities for visitor experiences (Management Plan, p. A-1).

The management directions system is divided into three units or areas of management that aim to maintain ecological integrity through area-specific policy direction for resource management, appropriate recreational activities, and research.

Each management unit includes a goal statement, and specific guidelines. In addition, the management system works to ensure the integrity of parkland and resources and ensure a minimum of human-induced change and impact.

Parkland Recreation Management Unit is intended to provide recreational activities for nature-based or parkland-type experiences while ensuring ecological integrity and the sustainability of natural resources. This unit also includes educational programs, facilities, visitor information that complement and celebrate nature-based recreational activities, natural and historical resources (Management Plan, p. A-2).

Natural Management Unit provides protection of naturally operating ecosystems and ecological processes to provide a vital balance and sense of perspective to the largely built environment of Jefferson County. In this unit, trail-based recreation opportunities provide visitors with a sense of solitude and remoteness (Management Plan, 2006, p. A-2 & A-3).

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

105

Sensitive Management Unit include areas that may serve as sanctuaries and birthing places of flora and fauna, or as outdoor museums tor archaeological an historical resources, or as outdoor arenas for educational and research purposes. The main objective within this unit is to preserve and protect naturally operating ecosystems. Visitation is limited, controlled, and monitored through a registration permit system. Walden Pond State Reservationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vernal pools could benefit from this sensitive management unit scheme.

are unique in that they accompany a variety of environments, opportunities and uses and should be managed differently from one another. The application of area-specific zones of use will assist in identifying resource management priorities and strategies within Walden Pond State Reservation, as does the management direction system of the JCOS.

The guidelines that apply to each of these units may include pre-existing recreation uses, water-based recreation uses, interpretation, educational programs, noise, signs, vegetation management, wetland management, fencing, grading and easements of utilities and access, and construction to name a few.

Each guideline will have a different stipulation for each unit and in so doing provide management guidelines that aim to protect the integrity of the ecosystem, while, securing the opportunity for recreation and education sustainably for the long-term.

Walden Pond State Reservation shares many of the same qualities, recreational and educational opportunities, and visitor use/impact as Crown Hill. The protection of ecological integrity and the importance of recreational use and visitor experience is a common theme. As in each management area at Crown Hill, there can also be specific guidelines within each zone of use at Walden Pond State Reservation. Individual areas or zones

106

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

Courtesy of Jefferson County Open Space

Appendices

AfterWords In his Travels in North America, 1753-1761, the Swedish naturalist Peter Kalm compared his countrymen to New Englanders and observed, “we can hardly be more hostile toward our woods in Sweden and Finland than they are here: their eyes are fixed upon the present gain, and they are blind to the future.” Kalm was from a northern nation with a limited supply of timber, and was stunned by the voracious appetites (and inefficient construction) of the mills and their fires. A century earlier, the historian Edward Johnson wrote in his 1654 volume Johnson’s Wonder-Working Providence, “nor could it be imagined that this Wilderness should turn a mart for Merchants in so short a space, Holland, France, Spain, and Portugal coming hither for trade.”

that many people could own machines capable of incredible amounts of production.

One by one, kingdoms sought their fortunes elsewhere. The timber and fur was followed westwards, and the cleared land was put to the plow. By the time Thoreau wrote in his journal that he felt as if his natural experience was of “a wilderness emasculated” when compared to the descriptions of the earliest settlers, Massachusetts was as devoid of forest as it would ever be. The exhaustion of timber, the switch to coal (and later on to oil,) meant that the region was dependent upon resources it did not have and sat beneath the Damocletian Sword of supply and demand. Slowly, that burden spread across the country and changed sources with the advent of the Oil Age, when a plentiful supply of a cheap commodity from even farther afield meant

Eighty years ago, in a less technologically-advanced age, up to twenty-five thousand visitors could flock to Walden on a summer Sunday. Could this pattern return, even after the decline of the automobile? Traffic on 126 might cease to be an aggravation as foot traffic increases. If rail transit is still viable, train stations in Lincoln and Concord are both less than two miles from Reservation property. This more local population could demand and require other amenities, such as another bath house and food sold on site. Concurrently, numbers of visitors from a distance would be reduced. These are the individuals who are less likely to lounge on the beach and more likely to sign the Cabin Replica guestbook and hear Walden interpretation. The

Appendices

Less than a century into the Oil Age, it appears that there is reason to believe that though it has burned bright and hot, it will not burn for long. There is much hope that it will propel us into an age of Renewable Energy, but the very near future seems more a matter of survival than of progress. The converging and connected crises of financial meltdown, climate change and peak oil are going to stretch society’s capacities to cope, let alone thrive. What repercussions will reach the shores of Walden Pond? Will they fall from the sky, blow through the trees, wash over the land, travel along the roads, roll through on the rails?

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

107

pendulum of public opinion could swing back towards the era of Middlesex County management.

such sensible transportation for the madness of those barren stretches called â&#x20AC;&#x153;parking lots.â&#x20AC;?

It now seems likely that CO2 in the atmosphere will pass the supposed safe limits within a decade or two. If this happens with ensuing predicted results and Massachusetts acquires Georgiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s climate, the Walden of Emerson and Thoreau will shift from hardiness zone 6a to 8b and cease to exist. Rainfall patterns will change and the aquifer that feeds the Pond may dry up on its own or be sucked dry by increased extraction demands. A muddy, shallow Walden surrounded by dying forests will not be attracting many visitors.

In this future one of the themes at a Visitors Center would be how very close to the brink the earth had come, but had awakened in time due, at least in part, to the actions of one man who had chosen to live deliberately.

These are not the only options, and this is not meant as a call to environmental arms; yet, it must be acknowledged as a serious possibility that could unfold within the next generation. Other possibilities include the situation remaining relatively unchanged for years or decades. We may also see technology unite with environmental understanding, and the Great Green Hope may yet deliver us from peril. Abandoned Route 126 could become a rail and bike corridor. In such a case a light rail line operating on electricity generated from the sun would deposit visitors at a combined rail station/visitors center. Ice Fort Cove may rise yet again, and visitors will compare photographs of the earliest locomotives and their clumsy machinations to modern models, and wonder aloud why people would ever have departed from

108

Walden Pond State Reservation Stewardship Plan

Appendices