GEOLOGY & SOILS

Around 21,000 years ago, glaciers covering Masschusetts started to retreat north as global temperatures started to rise. As the ice sheet melted, rocks, boulders, and other unsorted deposits were left behind. These materials either flowed off the melting glacier through streams and rivers, or remained in place having been scraped along by the glaciers movement south.

Most of the project area, and all focus sites, are underlain by glacial till, materials deposited from the surface of a glacier as it melted. The unsorted materials of till include large stones and boulders. Within D.W. Field Park, boulders have been used throughout the park’s design, particularly along roadways, water bodies, and to construct the iconic 65-foot tower at the crest of Tower Hill, the highest point in the park.

The Tower was constructed from boulders and stones found within the park. There may be opportunities to incorporate boulders into new design features as well, and incorporate geological history into educational signs in the park. The tower is currently only open to visitors during the annual Tower Fest. Incorporating educational materials and moments about the park’s ecology and geology during this event might reach a sizeable crowd.

According to MassGIS data, most of the soils around the park are well draining. This may create favorable conditions for green stormwater infrastructure techniques as water can more easily infiltrate the ground’s surface. Some locations within the project area, including the northeast corner by the South Street exit and the eastern border near Tower Hill, may require different techniques as the soils here are moderately to very poorly draining soils and it may take longer for stormwater to infiltrate.

HABITAT & WILDLIFE

D.W. Field Park hosts a range of distinct habitat types from open water to forested uplands, supporting a rich tapestry of wildlife species within a very developed region.

During the summer of 2022, Manomet Wildlife conducted multiple surveys of a central loop of the project area. Experts identified four general habitat types and over 430 species of flora and fauna.

The first survey included identification of general habitat areas and common plant species, followed by breeding bird surveys and general flora and fauna inventories collected using iNaturalist, eBird, and BioBlitz events with local experts.

Additional details are available in the report “D.W. Field Park Habitat Assessment And Natural Resource Inventory” published by Manomet in 2023.

HABITAT TYPES & A SAMPLING OF IDENTIFIED SPECIES

Design Considerations

Data gathered in the habitat survey could be incorporated into informational signs throughout the park to help inform the public and inspire an interest in wildlife beyond feeding waterfowl.

Incorporating native plants from the survey into green stormwater management and planting designs could create a cohesive aesthetic throughout the park and increase habitat for local insects, birds, and small mammals.

Manomet Survey Loop Forested Uplands

White Pine - Oak Forest

• White Pine (Pinus strobus)

• Red Oak (Quercus rubra)

• American Beech (Fagus grandifolia)

• Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana)

• Bracken Fern (Pteridium aquilinum)

• Lowbush Blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium)

Wet Forest

Red Maple Swamp

• Red Maple (Acer rubrum)

• Sassafras (Sassafras albidum)

• White Oak (Quercus alba)

• Sensitive Fern (Onoclea sensibilis)

• Black Tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica)

• Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia)

WATER’S EDGE

Shrub Swamp

• Coastal Sweet Pepperbush (Clethra alnifolia)

• Joe-pye Weed (Eutrochium sp.)

• Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)

• Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis)

• Swamp Azalea (Rhododendron viscosum)

• Chokeberry (Aronia sp.)

Open Water

Aquatic Plants

• Pickerelweed (Pontederia cordata)

• Water Fringe (Nymphoides peltata)

• White Water Lily (Nymphaea odorata)

• Broadleaf Arrowhead (Saggitaria latifolia)

Three of the 58 bird species identified by the Manomet Breeding Bird Survey (Eastern wood-peewee, wood thrush, and pilleated woodpecker) are indicator species for large, contiguous, and intact forest habitat. Rapid and widespread development in Eastern Massachusetts has greatly reduced this type of habitat in recent years (Manomet Wildlife).

Avoiding disturbance of dense upland areas in future designs could help support these bird species, and other wildlife that may rely on having some distance from humans within the park.