1995 Miantonomi Park Management Plan

EXHIBIT "CÂť MANAGEMENT PLAN City of Newport / Miantonomi Park Newport, Rhode Island

Prepared March 2005 for the Aquidneck Island Land Trust

Management Plan for Conservation Easement granted by the City of Newport, on property located in Newport, Newport County, Rhode Island to the Aquidneck Island Land Trust.

Management Plan Author: Carol Lynn Trocki Date Completed: April 8, 2005

This Management Plan contains a mixture of suggestions that the Grantor/landowner may decide to follow and requirements that the Grantor/landowner must follow.

Property Description: For the purposes of this Management Plan, the Premises have been divided into several areas delineated on the Management Plan Map attached (Figure 1). The 'Recreation Area' and the 'Woodland Habitat and Passive Recreation and Education Area' are further defined within the Conservation Easement and appear on the Class I Survey Plan within the associated Baseline Documentation Report (Exhibit 'B'). The Grantor and Grantee recognize that the current main trail corridor to the stone tower and the flat terrace around said stone tower will be a heavy maintenance area.

Wildlife Habitat and Conservation Whenever possible, management of the Premises will seek to preserve its ecological value and its value as wildlife habitat.

• Study of the natural, ecological, and geologic features of the Premises will be encouraged, especially within the Woodland Habitat and Passive Recreation and Education Area.

• Wildlife monitoring, in addition to the standard monitoring called for in the Conservation Easement, should be encouraged within the Woodland Habitat and Passive Recreation and Education Area.

• The remnant meadow area in the southwestern corner of the Premises should be mowed annually so as to preserve a meadow habitat area for ground-nesting birds.

Mowing schedules should seek to avoid negative impacts to ground-nesting birds and other wildlife by mowing outside of the nesting season (nesting season runs from May 1st through August 1st).

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Whenever possible, invasive species should be actively controlled on the Premises. Asiatic Bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus), Autumn Olive (Eleagnus umbellate), Black Swallowwort (Cynanchum nigrum), Japanese Knotweed {Fallopiajaponica), Multiflora Rose {Rosa multiflora), and Winged Euonymus {Euonymus alatus) were all detected on the Premises during a site visit in March 2005. The dense, but contained, stand of Japanese Knotweed along Girard Avenue should be a top priority for invasive control.

Appropriate invasive species control techniques include mechanical removal or stem treatment with a systemic herbicide. Initial mechanical removal of invasive species in any area should occur outside of the bird migration or nesting season (1 April to 1 August). To be most effective, repeated cutting, mowing, or pulling may be necessary and may be conducted throughout the growing season. The commercial product 'Roundup' is currently recommended for use in upland areas, but no herbicide should be applied unless mechanical removal has first proven unsuccessful. Stem treatment with a systemic herbicide will be most effective in

r late summer or fall when plants are preparing for winter dormancy. Stem treatment should occur immediately following cutting. The secondary, indirect effects of any herbicide on ecological systems are not yet thoroughly understood.

Before using any herbicide, careful research on current Best Management Practices should be reviewed (contact the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, the Rhode Island Natural History Survey, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, or The Nature Conservancy for latest information on invasive species control).

Recreational and Educational Uses The primary use of the Premises will be as a public park, available for free use by the public. Park maintenance and security should be conducted in a manner that promotes a clean and safe environment for all people. All recreational fields and facilities on the Premises will be constructed and maintained in accordance with the Conservation Easement and National Recreation and Park Association best management practices (BMPs) for fertilizer application, pest management, soil erosion, drainage, and stormwater runoff.

• An ADA accessible trail and a non-paved public walking trail may be created, constructed, reconstructed and maintained on the Premises. These trails are subject to the Conservation Easement and should be carefully designed to provide access to the park's resources while limiting impact on the natural environment.

Trail signage will provide safety and general use information, but should also be designed for its interpretive and educational value.

• The Grantor and Grantee recognize that the current main trail corridor to the stone tower and the flat terrace around said stone tower will be a heavy maintenance area.

• One non-paved trail entrance parking area (with no more than 6 parking spaces for regularly sized automobiles) may be created, constructed, and maintained in the southwest corner of the Premises along Girard Avenue. All construction will adhere to the Conservation Easement and current Best Management Practices regarding soil erosion, drainage, and stormwater runoff.

• ADA accessible non-paved and grassy recreational fields may be constructed, graded, and maintained in a public manner within the Recreation Area of the Premises only. All construction and maintenance will adhere to the Conservation Easement and Best Management Practices established by the National Recreation and Park Association (http://www.nrpa.orgA. • Non-permanent athletic field equipment may be kept, used, and maintained on the public, non-paved and grassy recreational fields within the Recreation Area, provided this equipment is consistent with the Conservation Easement and available for public use.

The Premises will be maintained in a clean and safe manner for park users.

Maintenance equipment of every type and description (including, but not limited to, pumps, tractors, and lawnmowers) may be used on the Premises. All maintenance activities must be consistent with the Conservation Easement, and must adhere to National Recreation and Park Association recognized Best Management Practices.

Chemical and/or organic pesticides, herbicides, weed controls, and fertilizers may be used, subject to State of Rhode Island recognized Best Management Practices and the Conservation Easement.

Flagpoles and signage may be placed and maintained within the Recreation Area of the Premises subject to the Conservation Easement. Telecommunication equipment will not be permitted.

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A limited amount of paved sidewalk may be constructed and maintained within the Recreation Area subject to the Conservation Easement. Wherever possible, non-paved, permeable materials should be favored over non-permeable pavement.

Playground structures may be created, constructed, reconstructed, and maintained within the Recreation Area of the Premises subject to the Conservation Easement, provided they meet Consumer Product Safety Council guidelines. Furthermore, playgrounds shall meet or exceed ASTM-F-1487-98, and ISO 9001 certification standards. In addition, the playgrounds must meet the ADA requirements for accessibility.

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All existing structures and human made features on the Premises (see Baseline Documentation Report, Exhibit 'B' for listing) may be used and maintained in their current state.

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The construction and maintenance of one (1) public bathroom building will be permitted within the Recreation Area of the Premises subject to the Conservation Easement, provided its footprint does not exceed 250 square feet (or the current ADA mandatory requirement). Prior to construction, the existing field stone bathroom structure must first be completely demolished and removed unless the Grantor and Grantee agree otherwise.

Scenic & Historic Resource Protection Whenever possible, management of the Premises will seek to preserve its scenic and historic qualities for the enjoyment of all.

• Study and appreciation of the history of the park should be encouraged.

Interpretive signage recognizing the park's Revolutionary War past and establishment as a World War 1 Memorial should be provided to park users.

* SwndiS' $t0ne Wa"S SUrr0Unding ^ Premises should Âť* maintained in * SST^-t0 pridefa^ "* *"" P^k environment may be installed wrtwn the Recreation Area of the Premises subject to the Conservation Easement but must be placed completely underground. * The stone tower should continue to be maintained in historically accurate and sensitive ways while also keeping the stone tower safe and usable. *This Management Plan is subject to Paragraph I, and all other applicable provisions of the Conservation Easement.

Management Plan MapCity of Newport / Miantonomi Park Newport, Rhode Island

Miantonomi Memorial Parte

Trails Stone Tower Approx.

Property Line

Created by: Carol Lynn Trocki for the Aquidneck Land Trust, 3/2005 Data Source: USDA 2003 Aerial Orthophotographs, 1:12,000 scale

0.04 0 0.04 0.08 Kilometers