Nipmuc Community and Education Center - Spring 2017

NIPMUC

COMMUNITY & EDUCATION CENTER

SUITABILITY STUDY

PETERSHAM, MASSACHUSETTS

T he C onway S chool

180 Pleasant Street, Easthampton, MA 01027

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“The landscape is telling the stories.”

- Larry Spotted Crow Mann, Nipmuc storyteller

I ndex

A special thanks to Fred Freeman and the rest of Nipmuk Cultural Preservation, Inc. for engaging us in this incredibly exciting project, to Professor Ray Mann for her steady help and input, to Earthlands founder Dr. Larry Buell for his instrumental role in the process of making land available, to Nipmuc language keeper David Tall Pine White for his invaluable insights into Nipmuc culture and history, to Craig and Felicia Newhouse of Earthlands for their interest in the project and willingness to discuss potential collaboration, as well as to the other members of the Nipmuc tribe who provided us with valuable input during our community meeting. We wish you the best of luck with the continuation of this project and look forward to seeing the result.

Also, a special thanks to ecologist Glenn Motzkin for his many insights and for spending a day with us in the field, to Connor Stedman for his advice on agroforestry, and to Harvard Forest for giving us access to their archive.

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S heets

Project Overview 2 Community & Education Center Components 3 The Freshwater People 4 Project Timeline: Nichewaug (Petersham) and the Nipmuc People 5 Site Overview 6 Narrative Landscape Features I: Human Impact 7 Narrative Landscape Features II: Natural Forces 8 Narrative Landscape Features III: Wildlife 9 The Shapers of the Land: Ice, Rock, & Soils 10 Gentle Slopes, Rugged Terrain 11 Water Permeates the Land & Ensures its Protection 12 The Past: Cycles of Forests & Fields 13 Present: A Variety of Forest Communities 14 Privacy & Neighbor Relations 15 Summary: Areas Most Suitable for Development 16 Summary of Findings 17 Access to the Development Area 18 Locations for Parking 19 Legal Analysis 20 Design Approach 21 Proposed Design: Clearing Alternative 22 Clearing Alternative: Circle Detail 23 Clearing Alternative: Illustrations 24 Proposed Design: Uplands Alternative 25 Uplands Alternative: Illustrations 26 Sensitive Architecture & Development Strategies 27 Sculptural Landscape Structures 28 Renewable Energy Potential 29 Managing for a Variety of Uses 30 Managing for Food & Materials 31 Managing for Wildlife 32 Seasonal Rhythms & Education 33 Additional Resources 34 Works Cited 35 APPENDIX 36

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P roject O verview Background

Nipmuk Cultural Preservation, Inc.

The Nipmuc Nation and the Chaubnunaugbungamung Band of Nipmuck Indians respectively have two urban community properties, the former Cisco residence in Hassanamessit (Grafton, MA) and the Chaubnunaugbungamung reserve in Thompson, CT, that provide gathering places for limited activities and youth education. However, the members of the tribe feel that these locations do not provide the opportunities for connection to nature that more meaningfully allows for Nipmuc culture and language to be brought to life.

This project is a suitability study for a Nipmuc community and education center on a 50-acre forested property in Petersham, MA. Its secondary purpose is to provide the client, Nipmuk Cultural Preservation, Inc. (NCP), with initial recommendations for how to most appropriately approach the development of such a center in a region of great ecological and cultural value.

The project follows in the footsteps of a similar 2013 endeavor, when the NCP collaborated with the Conway School to develop a suitability study and master plan for a 42-acre site in West Brookfield, MA. Shortly thereafter UMass Architecture professor Ray Mann and her students developed a building design for the proposed site. However, this plan never came to fruition due to insufficient funds to purchase the property.

In 2016, establishing a community and culture center came closer to reality when the Nipmuc(k) were gifted a 2.5-acre property in Petersham, with an additional 45.5-acre property intended to be gifted in 2017. This document outlines the suitability of this new site for such a center.

NCP, Inc. is a 501 (c)3 founded in 2014 following denial of federal tribal recognition for the Nipmuc(k). Its goal is to recover, develop, and promote Nipmuc(k) culture and history. It is seeking to do this by: 1. Acquiring lands significant to Nipmuc(k) history; 2. Developing and sponsoring Nipmuc(k) related educational programs for the Nipmuc(k) and the general public; 3. Maintaining a historical archive of history of the Nipmuc(k); 4. Promoting and providing resources for community activities and programs designed to reconnect tribal youth to their land and heritage.

Summary of Findings While the 2.5 acre parcel originally deeded to the Nipmuk Cultural Preservation, Inc. is interesting as a landscape of indigenous significance it is a location that would be marginal at best for any kind of new construction. This information led to the added consideration of the John Seed Woods parcel which brings the total area under consideration to 45.5 acres.

The cleared area in the John Seed Woods to the west of Glasheen Road was initially envisioned as the location for a reconstructed traditional Nipmuc settlement.

Nipmuk Cultural Preservation, Inc. subsequently identified a facility that would reflect and support the current Nipmuc community as a higher priority, with reconstructions to be considered later as a cultural activity. While the cleared area in the John Seed Woods may be able to support building development and historic reconstructions, any additional building or parking expansion would be constricted. If the donor is willing to consider an alternative sequence of land transfers, the more northerly location should be considered a priority.

Goals • Assess suitability of land for the siting of a main building, ceremonial circle, and a longhouse • Assess suitability and if appropriate identify potential outdoor spaces for meetings, ceremonies, gatherings, and learning • Conduct an extensive ecological assessment of the site in order to 1. inform appropriate future management strategies 2. highlight locations of particular educational interest

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C ommunity & E ducation C enter C omponents The community and education center is intended to be a place for year-round, nature-based community building and learning, and should include these components:

Primary Components

Component Relationships Class Space

Community Building

(See appendix for more detail)

• 120-4,500 square feet • ~300 feet to existing road • Designed for passive solar (6hrs+ in winter) • Entrance from the east • Dry ground • Barrier-free access

Ceremonial Circle

Longhouse

• 100+ people, ~0.5 acres, vendor parking • Barrier-free access • No proximity to neighbors (sound/ sight) • Open to public access • Firespace at center

50’ x 20’ Men enter from east Women enter from west Semi-private location Placed in relationship to ceremonial circle • Barrier-free access

Guest house

Family Garden Plots

Class Space

Access and Parking

• • • • •

Class Space

• 5-10 parking spaces • Overflow parking nearby • Minimize impact Longhouse

Community Building

Parking

Secondary Components Ceremonial Circle

Important Entrance Pedestrian Access Vehicular Access

Agriculture/Allotment Gardens

Outdoor Classrooms

• Managed woodlands • 5-10 family plots • Craft/herbal plantings

• • • •

24’ x 24’ for ~30 people Comfortable microclimate Barrier-free access Close to educational opportunities (features in the landscape)

Caretaker Residence/Guesthouse • At least 900 square feet

Utility Components

Compost Toilets/Waste Management • 20-50 people 1x month • Special events with >100 people 1-2x/year

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Water • Potable and non-potable use • Well drilled or treated rainwater • Domestic and irrigation purposes

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Privacy Important

Alternative Energy Generation • Energy needs are met on-site

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User Groups

1 2 3

Nipmuc Tribe Primary user group to visit 1-2x a month in small groups and a few large celebrations a year.

Other Tribal Nations Secondary users will be members of other tribes invited to larger events and expected to use the space for their own events.

General Public Tertiary users are the general public who will be invited to specific educational or more public events.

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T he F reshwater P eople Traditional Nipmuc way of life was intimately connected with the natural landscape before becoming almost entirely separated from it after the arrival of the European colonists. Now, they are a modern people seeking not to recreate a traditional way of life, but instead to cultivate a deeper connection with the place that gives them their name and the ancestors who were the storytellers and stewards of this landscape.

The Nipmuc take their name, meaning “the freshwater people” in Algonquian, from the landscape they inhabited. They are descendants of the people who moved into the northeast region of the North American continent as the glaciers retreated following the last ice age. Primarily organized in loose groups and bands, the Nipmuc inhabited a territory within what is currently the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, southern New Hampshire, northern Connecticut, and Rhode Island.

The traditional Nipmuc lifestyle was intimately connected to celestial and seasonal cues. As a predominantly inland people, the Nipmuc seasonally migrated between the rich fishing grounds of the Connecticut and Blackstone Rivers, surrounding lakes, and more interior hunting grounds in the uplands.

Besides hunting and fishing, the Nipmuc were like other First Nation peoples: actively managing the landscape they inhabited. For example, creating clearings and managing plants in the forest understory through controlled fires or selective cutting created sightlines for hunting, and encouraged certain plants and habitats that would attract game.

Movement between settlements also followed planting and harvesting cycles that included robust polyculture systems and managed wetland crops in the lowlands and horticulturally managed woodland gardens in the uplands. Different varieties of squash, beans, and maize—often referred to as “The Three Sisters”—were particularly important crops to the Nipmuc and were important foods particularly in the winter when food sources were scarce.

“It’s quite common to see the Indian as a historical artifact.”

- Fred Freeman, Chair of NCP

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“No other people need to prove who they are.”

- Larry Spotted Crow Mann, Nipmuc Storyteller

Chief of the Hassanamessit Band, (photo trace) unknown date.

The arrival of European colonists in the early 1600s began a process of dramatic change for both the landscape and the people who had lived on it for thousands of years. Contact between the Nipmuc and the colonists remained limited until the mid-seventeenth century, when missionaries such as John Eliot and Daniel Gookin traveled much of the region. These conversion efforts were eventually formalized in the form of 14 “Praying Towns” being established throughout New England, which Nipmuc and other Native Americans came to live in. These praying towns were early precursors that later influenced the creation of the reservation system.

As traders and land speculators became more bold in their attempt to control regional resources, the colonial way of life expanded territorially and culturally, which led to tensions between colonists and a number of Native American tribes. These events resulted in the Nipmuc joining forces with the Narragansett and Wampanoag peoples against the Europeans in what later became known as King Philip’s War (1675-76). The deadliest conflict recorded in North American history relative to population numbers, the war was particularly devastating for the Nipmuc. The 300 Nipmuc who were not killed as a result of this or subsequent wars were dispossessed of their ancestral land, often enslaved, or adopted a European way of life in order to survive.

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Today, there are approximately 3,000 Nipmuc residing in Massachusetts cities like Boston, Worcester, Grafton, Gardner, and other areas in Connecticut and Rhode Island as well as those scattered throughout the United States.

The Nipmuc had their application for federal recognition denied because they were not able to document a continuous presence on their ancestral land—the very land that they were forced from following King Phillip’s War. The tribe is determined to move on in spite of this denial of identity by rebuilding their fragmented heritage and exploring what it means to be Nipmuc today. For the Nipmuc, this begins by re-establishing a connection with their ancestral land, and with the creation of a center where gatherings, sharing of crafts-skills, language, and stories can take place while demonstrating to the wider public that this is a people and a culture that is still very much alive.

A Note on Nipmuc History Recent historical research is beginning to stitch together the complex and largely undocumented story of the Nipmuc people. This plan set cannot accommodate more than a hugely simplified version of this history, which touches upon some key features and events intended to provide a broad context. The information presented here is predominantly based on conversations with Fred Freeman of the Nipmuk Cultural Preservation, Inc., the Nipmuc language keeper David Tall Pine White, a public presentation on May 19 2017 of recent findings on Turner’s Falls and the Treaty of 1676 by Amherst College professor Lisa Brooks, and some of the few written sources available.

There is currently much progress being made to assemble a more complete and nuanced history of the Nipmuc and other native peoples of the Northeast. Some key works so far for understanding the Nipmuc and the world they inhabited include: • The Indians of the Nipmuck Country in Southern New England, 1630-1750, by Dennis Connole.

• The Common Pot: The Recovery of Native Spaces in the Northeast, by Lisa Brooks.

• King Philip’s War: The History and Legacy of America’s Forgotten Conflict, by Eric Schultz and Michael Tougias.

• 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus, by Charles Mann.

• Changes in the Land: Indians, Colonists, and the Ecology of New England, by William Cronon.

Approximate Nipmuc territory in pre-Colonial times (in grey).

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P roject T imeline : N ichewaug (P etersham )

and the

N ipmuc P eople

The Land Between Nichewaug is the Nipmuc name for the area currently called Petersham, meaning “The Land Between.” This graphic presents the parallel stories of the Nipmuc, Petersham, and the property they are exploring for Community Center development.

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S ite O verview Earthlands The project site comprises two parcels, the 43-acre “John Seed Woods” parcel and a 2.5-acre parcel across Glasheen Road. The landscape is largely densely forested, with numerous stone walls and a number of other stone features such as large boulders, stone mounds, and underground chambers.

Earthlands cabin available for use with John Seed Woods.

Cardinal Brook

John Seed Woods

ad

An underground chamber is an historic community landmark.

Moccasin

Brook

Gla

she e

n Ro

An unnamed brook runs through the woods on-site.

t East Stree

A clearing prepared in 2011, called Nipmuc Meadow.

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Four stone mounds form a cluster on the eastern lot. by :

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Light color: layer mixed by tilling

Human influence on the land is visible throughout the site. Above ground, the most striking feature is the number and extent of stone walls that cross the landscape in all directions. These walls are one indication that the site has a history of agricultural use. This historical use is supported by archival maps, such as the 1830 Petersham Town Map, showing a Joseph Stevens homestead built in 1752.

Soil samples also show a deep layer of soil with a lighter shade of brown than would be expected to occur naturally, indicating that soils were mixed by plowing. The three stone-lined wells on the property are further contributions of human settlement, as is the presence of daylily, which was introduced by European settlers. Multi-stemmed tree trunks are the result of trees re-sprouting after having been cut down, and there are numerous examples of this throughout the site, together with rotted tree stumps with no associated trees lying beside them.

Dark color: natural breakdown

N arrative L andscape F eatures I: H uman I mpact

Stone walls indicating past agricultural fields.

1830 map of Glasheen Road, with Stevens’ homestead.

Multi-stemmed tree trunk indicates logging.

Lily-of-the-valley: planted by settlers.

Well The diffuse soil layers indicate mixing.

Timber Harvest

Plowed

Daylily A well associated with the Stevens’ homestead.

Coloninal Foundation

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N arrative L andscape F eatures II: N atural F orces

John Seed Woods is a landscape full of signs of the natural forces that have shaped—and some that still are shaping—the vegetation and the land itself. The many boulders throughout the site, left behind by the glaciers of the last ice age, provide shelter for many animals. The unnamed stream runs across the forest on its way to Cardinal Brook, slowly digging its way into the landscape and altering the path of its flow. Signs of strong winds’ effect on the land and vegetation are widespread, with some areas having a very visible “bumpiness” to them, the result of trees falling over and creating so-called pits and mounds. Trees, such as white pine, have visible scars of past wind events, where they now have two or more trunks growing in place of the original one they initially had.

The unnamed stream is slowly digging through the land.

A cluster of large boulders south of the clearing indicate the landscape’s glacial past.

Mounds point to a severe wind event in the past.

Influence of water

Another sign of strong winds: white pine regrowing.

Prominent Boulder

An octopus-shaped tree has outlasted the log or mound it initially grew on.

Wind Damage

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N arrative L andscape F eatures III: W ildlife

There are signs of wildlife throughout the forest. Wild turkey feathers and tracks are particularly prominent on the lot east of Glasheen Road where the forest is less dense, but also near a stand of hemlock trees. White tailed deer tracks and droppings are found across the property, and there are several dead trees (“snags”) throughout the forest that provide habitat for birds, insects, fungi, and rodents. The more densely forested areas along the western border of the John Seed Woods have steadily moist ground, creating good habitat for amphibians such as frogs and newts.

The large amount of acorn-producing red oaks and nut-producing red maples and hickories are a valuable source of food for wildlife, which is particularly visible in a small cave littered with hickory nut shells just south of the clearing.

Wild turkey feathers found on a hemlock stand on an early spring day.

Deer scat found near the clearing.

Possible black bear scat south of the clearing.

A dead tree providing shelter for rodents and birds.

Large boulders are providing a hickory-nut-eating animal with shelter.

Cave

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L and : I ce , R ock , & S oils

Laurentian terrain to create the continent of Pangaea approximately 400 million years ago.

Elevation ranges from a few hundred feet to about 1,200 feet above sea level, with the highest peak in the region being Mount Wachusett at 2,006 feet.

John Seed Woods has an average elevation of about 1,000 feet, contributing to average air temperatures of 24º Fahrenheit in January and 71º in July, slightly lower than the regional average in the lowlands. As in other northeastern uplands, the area is more moist than the lowlands, receiving an average of 45 inches of precipitation annually.

Quabbin Reservoir

Mt Toby

Connecticut River

As the glaciers of the last ice age retreated from what is now known as the Worcester Plateau, their departure revealed a landscape of hard granite hilltops and mountains and deposits of glacial till and boulders.

The Worcester Plateau is part of a north-south geological formation dating back to the Middle Paleozoic era (440-305 million years ago). This formation includes the gneiss that forms the western and eastern mountain ranges of the plateau, and includes mountains such as Mount Toby and Mount Wachusett. John Seed Woods sits on a formation of Hardwick granite, believed to define the western limit of Godwana terrain that collided with the

The mafic rocks underlying the plateau are particularly rich in magnesium and iron, typically dense and dark in color, and associated with acidic soils (4.8 to 5.2 pH). This acidity, together with the high content of till, sand, and gravel deposits that the glaciers left behind, define the Peru-Marlow soil association that underlies the entirety of both John Seed Woods and the eastern 2.5-acre lot.

Water permeates slowly through the subsoil on the project site, which creates a generally moist landscape with occasional pooling and a high water table at a depth of only 18 to 24 inches between October through May. It is also highly erosion-prone (NRCS).

Till/boulders clusters

Mt Wachusett

of the

John Seed Woods

T he S hapers

Implications The amount of till and boulders in some key areas makes these less favorable for conventional development and agriculture due to the cost—and the impact required on the land—to alter these.

The high water table and shallow depth to bedrock will require low impact construction methods with minimum intrusion into the surface.

The high water table and general wetness makes the site unsuitable for conventional septic systems.

Soil conditioning will be required for conventional annual agriculture because of the low organic matter content and high acidity of the soil.

Surface Shape 2x elevation section

Surficial Geology Conceptual section

Bedrock Geology Plan view

Glacial till & sand

Sedimentary rock

Monson Gneiss

Hardwick Granite

Partridge Sedimentary Rocks

Paxton Schist

Floodplain alluvium

Not to scale

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G entle S lopes , R ugged T errain

site and settles farther downhill. The site remains relatively protected from the dominant winter winds from the northwest.

Clearing

Unnamed brook

An unnamed stream runs down the steepest part of the property before joining Cardinal Brook. The westfacing slopes tend to be the steepest and pose the greatest challenges to buildings; they preclude the ceremonial circle, which needs a large area and flat terrain.

The mid-slope location of the site is conducive to maintaining a comfortable and relatively stable micro-climate. Damaging frosts are less likely during the growing season as cold air passes through the

Cardinal Brook

Glasheen Road runs along the ridge of a gently sloping landscape with a complex microtopography, dividing the two parcels.

The complex surficial geology left behind by the glaciers has created a generally gently rolling landscape. Glasheen Road follows a minor ridge in a southwestern to northeastern direction, with the John Seed Woods property sitting on a southto-southwestern aspect, and the eastern property across Glasheen Road with a southeastern aspect.

>5% slopes >10% slopes

Implications Steep western slopes limit construction and placement of elements requiring relatively level surfaces.

Generally southern aspects are favorable for solar energy generation and agricultural production.

en R o

ad

erosion prone

Gla she

vehicular limit

Glasheen Road

difficult for pedestrians

No

rth

universally accessible

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perceived as flat

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W ater P ermeates

the

L and & E nsures

Water is a central cultural feature for the Nipmuc and a vital feature of the landscape on and around the project site.

The town of Petersham borders the northeastern edge of the Quabbin Reservoir, the largest inland body of water in Massachusetts and a vital source of drinking water within the state. It was built between 1930 and 1939 and is one of the largest man-made freshwater sources in the country. It has also developed into one of the most vibrant ecological habitats in the region,

its

P rotection

largely due to the strict protection of its surrounding watershed. The project site is not currently under any legal protection, but any potential development or land use on this site will have impacts on wildlife and water quality.

The two brooks that run on either side of the site— Moccasin to the east and Cardinal to the west—directly contribute water to the eastern branch of the Swift River, one of the main tributaries to the Quabbin. The two brooks, which are within 10,00 feet of the site, and

the unnamed brook that runs through the John Seed Woods property are important contributors to a vital drinking water source and as sensitive wildlife habitat. Special care should therefore be taken with any kind of development or other major form of disturbance within the micro-watershed of the unnamed stream.

Wet Water Protection buffer Surface water flow

Implications

John Seed Woods

To minimize impact on sensitive habitat, development should at a minimum be avoided within the buffer zone of 200 feet from the stream.

The stream and nearby wetlands are areas of particular cultural and educational value.

The project site sits within a cluster of protected lands and may form part of a valuable northern and eastern ecological corridor with the Quabbin Reservoir.

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The project site contributes to the Quabbin Reservoir via the two nearby brooks, Swift River, and Pottapaug Pond.

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Water flows off the property via four microwatersheds, with the most sensitive watershed running through the northern part.

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T he P ast : C ycles

of

F orests & F ields

Petersham has experienced dramatic vegetation changes throughout its history. The most impressive alterations have resulted from a combination of natural and human forces. Illustrated here is an approximated timeline of some of those changes.

The first Native Americans moved into central Massachusetts as the glaciers of the last ice age retreated to reveal a rugged, tundra-like landscape with megafauna like the woolly mammoth.

As the climate began to warm, mixed coniferhardwood forests began establishing in the region.

The people inhabiting the region migrated seasonally between fishing grounds along lakes, rivers, and the ocean, and hunting grounds inland.

11,000-9,000 BP: Tundra-like landscape & Native American presence

9,000-2,500 BP: Early, mixed conifer-hardwood forests & small Native American camps

Forest

An increasingly warm climate supported a growing human population in the Northeast that developed larger seasonal settlements, and horticulture and fire management.

As Petersham eventually became a destination for European land-speculators, hunters, and prospective farmers, as much as 85% of its forest was cleared to make space for fields of pasture, hay, and some vegetable production. Stone walls were erected throughout the town to define agricultural fields, property boundaries, and contain livestock.

But farming the rugged terrain of Petersham was far from easy, and as the colonies expanded west, many farms on marginal agricultural land were abandoned.

White pine (Pinus strobus) in particular grew on these oldfields, eventually sparking a logging boom around the turn of the twentieth century, before the land again returned to a mostly forested landscape.

Implications 2,500-350 BP: Mature forests, larger Native American settlements, trade routes, horticulture & fire management

The landscape has been ever-changing and returning the area to an “original landscape� may be less about composition or structure and more about the stewadship relationship between humans and landscape.

Forest cover in Petersham 1830-1985 (Foster 1992):

350-150 BP: Arrival of Europeans, disenfranchisement of Native Americans, <85% forests cleared for agriculture

150-70 BP: Large-scale abandonment of agriculture, reforestation, commercial logging

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P resent : A V ariety

of

F orest C ommunities

Earthlands MOCCASIN BROOK

MOCCASIN BROOK

CARDINAL BROOK

CARDINAL BROOK

Red oak & red maple Mixed deciduous & conifers White pine & hemlock EAST STREET

EAST STREET

This summer-season photograph shows the densely forested landscape nearly surrounding John Seed Woods, with the larger Earthlands clearing and a few smaller ones being exceptions. The nearest farmland is approximately 0.14 miles to the west, but the wetlands and additional forest associated with Cardinal Brook means that forested land is still the predominant neighbor.

The site sits within a densely forested landscape that reflects different stages of post-agricultural regrowth, and provides a variety of valuable habitats for wildlife as well as valuable plants for people.

John Seed Woods is a largely mixed forest. Hardwoods such as red oak and red maple are particularly noticeable around the underground chambers and on the eastern lot, as well as along the upper part of the unnamed stream and north to the property line.

Softwoods such as white pine and Eastern hemlock make up most of the central part of the woods, while the rest of the property is a more even distribution of predominantly these species.

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A number of other species are also found throughout the forest. A mature sugar maple stands along the path between the underground chambers and the clearing, likely to have been planted by local homesteaders for sugaring. The clearing itself has a number of early-succession trees growing such as black cherry. A large number of low-bush and highbush blueberry, red and black raspberry, mullein, cinquefoil, viola, sedge, and blackberries also grow here.

Other common species, especially on the eastern lot, are paper birch, black birch, shagbark hickory, and a few young chestnut trees near the cabin. Ferns,

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Early succession

A winter-season image reveals the distribution of evergreens (conifers) and leafy trees (deciduous) in the landscape. The cluster of green that covers most of John Seed Woods, particularly to the west and south, are predominantly white pine and Eastern hemlock.

Further east, the lack of visible green indicates a predominance of dormant leafy trees.

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including ostrich fern and hay-scented fern, are visible throughout the landscape and are signs of a relatively moist forest environment.

Different stages of regrowth and different forest management practices have developed a forest that within the property varies in terms of age, density, and height. This variation within a relatively small area is invaluable to providing habitat for a number of wildlife species. The fact that John Seed Woods sits within a larger forest, and that it is positioned between Cardinal and Moccasin Brook—two important freshwater sources in the area—also means that the woods act as an important connector of multiple valuable habitats.

N ipmuk C ultural P reservation , I nc .

Implications Managing for a variety of forest communities can incorporate a wide variety of edible and medicinal plants, building and crafts materials, and encourage a range of wildlife on site.

A variety of plant communities would best help support the goal of practicing and learning traditional Nipmuc skills and crafts.

A diverse forest will be most resilient in a near future of climate change and its associated effects.

Nipmuc Community & Education Center Suitability Study |

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P rivacy & N eighbor R elations

Private residence

Earthlands Parking

Parking

John Seed Woods

Private residence

Reduced privacy Access easement

she

en

Roa d

Implications

Gla

John Seed Woods sits within a generally quiet and little-trafficked area, but the close proximity to Earthlands, the abutting Glasheen Road, and a small number of private residences may limit privacy on the site.

The predominant influence on the sense of privacy on the site is Earthlands immediately to the north.

Earthlands has regularly hosted day-long and dayslong events, predominantly in the open fields and their immediate vicinity, but have also made use of the wider landscape.

With the recent change in ownership, the frequency and sizes of future events are uncertain, but the new owners have indicated that they intend to increase activity. This means that the Earthlands property itself is likely to have larger amounts of people coming through, Glasheen Road is likely to see more traffic, and the two parking lots associated with Earthlands are likely to be used frequently. It is also likely that there will be ongoing development at Earthlands at least in the foreseeable future. This is an exciting opportunity for partnership but it also means that Nipmuc activities requiring a greater sense of privacy are best stationed away from roads, out of visible range, and out of ear-shot if possible.

There are six private residences that share use of Glasheen Road and two private residences on East Street that are proximate to the project site, the nearest being fifty feet west of the John Seed Woods.

The owners of this residence also retain use of the logging road with a fifteen-foot buffer on each side via an easement through the southern part of the John Seed Woods property.

Private residence

Private residence

Visual screening from the road is desirable for all of the center elements, in particular the longhouse.

The likely increase of activity at Earthlands may mean extra distance from the northern property line is preferable.

The combination of a logging road easement and proximity to private residence makes the southernmost part less desirable for a cultural center.

t East Stree

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Wetland protection buffer

Steep bouldered

Cleared area

Wet Rocky/bouldered

Water protection buffer No construction allowed

Far from existing roads Near Earthlands Not preferable

Low Point

High Point

A compilation of the development constraints identified through the site-wide analyses reveals a complex property where one area stands out as the most suitable for the creation of a cultural center, as currently conceived.

The main constraints on the site are legal, topographical, and social. Three legal buffers demarcate areas where development is illegal, including the 200-foot water protection buffer along the unnamed stream, the southern portion of the John Seed Woods that is within the 400-foot wetland protection buffer, and the access easement for the logging road.

Drainage Most constrained

Too small and separated

Access easement Loss of privacy Construction not allowed

Wet Bouldered

Wet area

Least constrained

Rocky/bouldered Remnants of colonial homestead Poor surface drainage

Preserve area

<5% slope Relatively dry Few boulders Positive surface drainage Near existing roads

Erosion-prone slope, but could accommodate light use

Three areas are particularly rocky and bouldered, making these cost-prohibitive compared to other areas on the site. Slopes steeper than 10% are a concern because of the erosion-prone soils, and would also be comparably more costly to develop than more gentle slopes or level ground. The fact that most of the site is densely forested is not in itself considered a major constraint, as clearing could be combined with harvesting building material.

Ensuring privacy from the roads and neighbors is a social preference and an explicit request, so a buffer from the eastern and northern property lines is preferable.

However, proximity to existing roads is preferable to minimize cost and environmental impact.

ok

180 Pleasant Street, Easthampton, MA 01027

Unnam ed Bro

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Nipmuc Community & Education Center Suitability Study | 16

S ummary

of

F indings A’

The 45.5 acres under consideration is a valuable corridor for wildlife habitat between conservation parcels, contributes to the health and water quality of the Quabbin Reservoir, has a rich cultural history from Nipmuc times to present with archaeological remnants throughout, and offers opportunities for foraging, environmental education, wildlife tracking, and a quiet secluded space that is conducive to the needs of Nipmuc tribal members.

If the full 43 acres is considered, an additional area that has been identified by previous Conway teams as buildable becomes another viable alternative, and one that has fewer environmental restrictions, an existing woods road connecting it to the main road, and a greater potential for views, permitting, and connection to notable landscape features.

Other spaces within the buildable area are too small to accommodate functionality but, will be considered for other uses like trails, agricultural cultivation, and management.

The cleared area in the John Seed Woods was created with the intention of developing a traditional Nipmuc village; however, due to the difficulty of procuring traditional materials and the need for a meeting place that could support a wider diversity of tribal activities, NCP is interested in developing a more modern structure. This site could support such a structure of up to 4,000 square feet and historic reconstructions like a longhouse but any further building or parking expansion would be constricted due to its topography and hydrology. Given the permitting process, this area may also prove to be cost prohibitive and time consuming to develop.

Buildable areas

While the 2.5-acre parcel of land deeded to the Nipmuk Cultural Preservation, Inc. has proved to be very interesting as a landscape of potential indigenous significance, it is a location that would be marginal at best for any kind of new construction due to its abundant ledge and a high water table. It would be inadvisable to develop here and most likely unpermittable. It also directly abuts state land that may be used for hunting and other forms of recreation meaning that it has less privacy and would require proper precuation during hunting seasons. This area may still be valuable for other uses like outdoor education, wildlife viewing, foraging, and ceremony.

A

Suitable center locations

Drainage

A to A’ Looking Southeast Old Woods Road

Northern Border

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Alternative ‘The Uplands’ Gently Sloping

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Bouldered and wet Southern Extent

Southern Border

Access Easement 0

200

400 feet

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A ccess

to the

D evelopment A rea To Earthlands

Proper road access to the development area is important for construction, for universal accessibility to the buildings and ceremonial circle, and for ongoing maintenance of the center.

The four most efficient and least disturbing access routes to the development area all connect to Glasheen Road.

These routes avoid boulders and wet areas, and have roads under 500 feet.

Modifying the existing woods road that enters the development area from the east might be a cost-effective option. The need for additional road construction and clearing and grubbing here is minimal, it follows the contour lines, which reduces the likelihood of erosion, and the less-than 5% slope will be easy for vehicular traffic and also limit the potential for erosion. It also has two natural reverse-grades which shed water effectively.

The three other options require more extensive road construction, but are also relatively barrier-free. Option two and four would run perpendicular to contours upslope following the ridgelines to minimize potential erosion. Option three would also follow contour lines, but the slightly steeper cross-slope would increase the likelihood of erosion. This alternative could also have the most negative environmental impact among the options as sediment and pollutants are likely to flow into the pooling area the road curves around.

Option 1: Use the woods road Length: ~350’ Pros: • Uses existing route (less tree clearing and potential environmental impact) • No large obstructions or drainage issues • Follows contours • <5% slope Cons: • Yields little or no wood for construction • Requires easement on Earthlands property • No access to Nipmuc Meadow

Existing woods road 1

Option 2: East of underground chambers Length: ~500’ Pros: • Shortest access from Glasheen Road • Follows ridge, shedding water naturally • No large obstructions or drainage issues • Access through stone wall could be enticing Cons: • No access to Nipmuc Meadow • Likely most disruptive option because of its length

2

as

he

en

Ro a

d

3

Gl

Till/boulder clusters >10% slopes Surface water flow

4

Wet 0

1 2 3 4

This graphic depicts the four proposed entrances to the buildable area on the property. The green line on the right indicates where it starts at Glasheen Road while the red line indicates where it would meet a proposed parking area.

They are measured in comparison to elevation lines 0 to 12 feet on the y-axis and length in feet on the x-axis.

500

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200

400Feet

To East Street and Petersham    

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   

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Approximate Parking Area 400

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Option 3: Wet eastern entrance Length: ~300’ Pros: • Follows contour • Follows unmaintained previous access path (less clearing and grubbing) • Shortest route to Phase 1 Nipmuc Meadow • Aesthetic, curving approach creates mystery Cons: • Requires attention to drainage • Some boulder removal and clearing may be required

Option 4: Rocky southern entrance Length: ~375’ Pros: • 2% slope and drainage from ridge formation sheds water well • Clearing yields lumber for construction Cons: • Requires moving large boulders and stone wall • Some areas are seasonally wet

0 feet

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for

P arking

Although parking requirements are limited for the most regular proposed uses of the Nipmuc community and education center, there is a need to accommodate parking for large annual events.

The anticipated near-future use for the community and education center is roughly once per month by groups of twenty to fifty people, and a pow-wow once a year of anywhere from fifty to 150 people. A proposed smaller parking area near main areas will receive monthly use and must be within 300 feet of the main buildings to allow elders and others with limited mobility to use the center.

Within the proposed development area, two sites are particularly well-suited for on-site parking. These are areas that are gently sloping, but they do require some grubbing and clearing. They are also areas that are easily reached via the most suitable access routes identified earlier.

Considering the negative environmental impacts and high cost of proposing a large parking lot that would be used only once or twice a year on an ecologically important site like this property, off-site parking is the best option for accommodating larger events.

The adjacent Earthlands parking is currently not an option as the new owners are in the process of planning future development and use of their property. Two possible alternatives are nearby agricultural fields, one owned by Common Grow, an organization dedicated to preserving farmland in Petersham, and one on the more distant Whitney property. Both of these alternatives have ample parking capacity for the events currently envisioned. Shuttle vans could be an alternative if walking distances are too far. However, the Common Grow field is within the 100 foot buffer of an adjacent wetland and parking there could pose a risk to its health and water quality.

Whitney Property Fields (0.7 miles away) Dr. Buell has intentions to purchase the Buell Property to the northeast of the project site. During larger events this may be a suitable option for parking and walking or shuttling to the project site.

Earthlands Parking Lots Currently, these parking areas are not available as overflow parking for the Nipmuc center.

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Common Grow Fields (0.3 miles away) This has been offered as a potential location for overflow parking but its proximity to a wetland means that precautions need to be considered to avoid potential for pollution.

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De ve lo

L ocations

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L egal A nalysis Any development on site will be regulated by the local Petersham town government. This includes constructing a driveway, drilling a well, siting a leach field or compost toilet, and building any structure over 120 square feet.

TOWN OF PETERSHAM

Tim Graves, Highway Superintendent 31 South Street, P.O. Box 486 Petersham, Massachusetts 01366-0486 Office 978-724-3211 FAX 978-724-3501

DRIVEWAY PERMIT STATEMENT OF CONDITIONS

409.2

_________________________________________ Applicant

411.4

______________________________ ________________ Date Permit No.

__________________________________________________________ Name of Owner (If different from Applicant)

________________________________ Telephone No.

___________________________________________________________________________ Address of Applicant

________________ Map No.

___________________________________________________________________________ ________________ Location of Property Parcel No.

This is Step 1.

I, ______________________________, hereby agree to the conditions set forth by the Highway Superintendent of Petersham and agree to complete all the necessary work to comply with these conditions prior to my receipt of a driveway entrance permit from the Town of Petersham. I understand that no occupancy permit will be issued until the driveway has been completed.

Not in Historic District, Disregard Unnamed Brook may already be delineated with wetland buffer.

Step 2: Do contact Petersham Conservation Commission

Conditions: / / Camber & swail to conform and follow water run off to ditch. / / Minimum of 30’ by 12” corrugated steel or plastic culvert pipe. Head walls on each end of pipe. ADS N12 corrugated plastic. / / Compacted 6” or 12” crushed gravel over pipe. / / Paved apron 3” of asphalt. Paved from roadway to property line of owner with 6” gravel base. / / Crushed gravel apron 6” thick from roadway to property line. / / Landing approach before ditch line. / / Before paving, contact Superintendent. / / Driveway not to be relocated from plans. / / Driveway crowned. / / Call Dig Safe – Phone No. 1-888-344-7233. // / / Driveway staked out. / / Apron lines painted for inspection prior to paving. / / No curb out.

4 ½ Radius / / Culvert maintenance is the landowner’s responsibility. ______________________________

This is Step 3.

This is Step 4. Build case for alternative water systems (See sheet 27) This is Step 5. Build case for compost system (See sheet 27)

_________________________________ ____________________________ ______________________________ Highway Superintendent Inspector of Buildings Applicant

This is Step 6. a. Site is unsuitable for septic, explore alternatives b. TBD c. Hyperlink is outdated: Use 1) for state code updates and 2) for web-based code compliance software 1) https://www.energycodes.gov/adoption/states/massachusetts 2) https://energycode.pnl.gov/REScheckWeb/ d. Conversation with General Contractor hired when applicable

________________________________ ____________ _____________ _________________________________ On Site Inspection Date Approved Rejected Signed A plan of proposed work must accompany this application.

Driveway permit fee: $50.00 – No re-inspection fee.

Make checks payable to Town of Petersham – Permit expires one (1) year after date of issuance.

If an extension is needed, the applicant must apply in writing to the Superintendent. If granted, the extension will be for three (3) months.

PETERSHAM BOARD OF HEALTH FEE SCHEDULE (revised 03-03-14)

Note: May be updated permit process not available online All forms can be found @ http://www.townofpetersham.org/ > Town Business > Forms

Petersham General By-laws 2015 UPDATE

Section 3: Residential-Agricultural zoning throughout Petersham Section 4: EITHER

1) >=5000 square feet in area with >=50 foot frontage; OR 2)

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Septic System Installation Soil Evaluation Additional Work Plan Review Revised Plan Review Inspections Minor Repair

$175 $65/hr. $150 $50 $150.00 2 @ $75 ea. $100

Annual Permits Installers & Haulers Food Establishment Residential Kitchen Farmers Market

$150 $150 $ 50 $ 5

Other permits Well Construction Temporary Food Permits Outdoor Wood Boilers Minor Repair Septic

$25 $15 $25 $100

Title V Title V Inspection Report

$75

Total Fees: ~ $2350 - Septic System (compost facilities instead) - Well Construction (alternative water system instead) = $1850

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D esign A pproach Three Sisters

Phases Members of the Nipmuc nation need a center to gather, celebrate, share their culture, and renew their relationship with traditional lands. They believe that building a relationship with the land, learning the unique stories of this particular landscape, and developing onsite facilities takes time. In order to ensure longterm sustainability of the center, to represent the needs of the tribe during development, and make the right decisions for this landscape, the Nipmuc are interested in a phased development process.

Phase 1 will require acquisition of the 43 western acres containing the buildable areas, many notable landscape features, and many opportunities for Nipmuc cultural development. The 2.5 acres currently owned by the Nipmuk Cultural Preservation, although containing archaeological stone mounds and a hardwood tree canopy, is not suitable for development and will not be considered for anything other than educational and ceremonial use. This first phase will include the introduction of bathrooms, storage, and covered space where smaller initial events and ceremonies can take place. The focus will be on establishing relationships within the Petersham community and introducing tribal members to the site.

Within the recommended development area, at least two alternative strategies for Phase 2 are worth considering: Phase 2a builds directly upon the initial establishment of basic amenities in the existing clearing, and involves building more structures to provide more indoor space with more specialized functions. In this scenario, the clearing remains the one focal point for the cultural center, and it connects with the broader landscape through a series of trails to its north.

Phase 2b preserves the establishment of basic amenities in the clearing from Phase 1, but moves the primary elements including the main building and ceremonial circle into the northern buildable lot. This location is roughly equidistant to all other destinations on the site while providing potential space for more parking, emergency access, and a new clearing that enables the cultivation of tree fruit and nut crops like chestnuts and apples. In this scenario the main day-to-day hub is to the north, while the clearing is more for foraging and agricultural activities.

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Destinations

Stream

2b 2b

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P roposed D esign : C learing A lternative A drop-off area provides easy access to the main entrance, and doubles as an entryway for cars bringing supplies to the ceremonial circle during pow-wows.

Tr a

il t o

Trail to woods and str eam

This design assumes that the community and education center is clustered within the existing clearing. At its heart is the ceremonial circle with the main building (see appendix for more detail) and longhouse in close proximity. A looping driveway from Glasheen Road provides vehicular access from the east, with a drop-off point and parking space that connect with the existing trail from the underground chambers. Much of the existing blueberry and bramble plants are preserved, with paths cleared through them for access. Modest tree planting provides some shade, nuts and fruit, and potential building material in the form of coppiced birch.

The main building sits in the northern edge of the clearing, nested into the landscape by multi-stemmed birch trees.

wo

od

sa

nd

rs

be

o lt ai

am

ch

Tr

str e

am

ad

sheen Ro

From Gla

A looping roadway provides efficient circulation and access for larger vehicles (see appendix for details).

The parking area comfortably accommodates five cars, including larger vans.

A ~480 square-foot garden space with 4-foot-wide beds for easy access provides growing space for Three Sisters and other annual crops.

d

h

las

G To

een

a Ro

Longhouse with eastern and western entrances on its longer sides.

A bonfire marks the center of the ceremonial circle, while a wooden structure marks its inner and outer boundaries (see sheet 25 for details).

The structure also doubles as a shading structure with removable shading cloth, and can be used as vendor space.

A small orchard of chestnut and apple trees are an added source of food and provide a shaded area within the clearing.

0 Edge of clearing.

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Paths cleared through the existing high-bush and low-bush blueberries and brambles provide easy access to berry picking and to the more distant, southern part of the clearing.

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25

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10 so foot al -w lo id ws e ca ma rs in to en th tra e c nc irc e le

C learing A lternative : C ircle D etail

al

Main building

e or m e e hr s) r t bed o f a en re ard a l g tia de en -wi t o t (P foo 4-

Birch tree grove

Parking

Three Sisters Garden

Longhouse

Ceremonial circle e of Edg

ring

clea

Chestnut and apple tree orchard

0

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C learing A lternative : I llustrations Shade sails

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Eight triangulated wooden poles frame the ceremonial circle and double as shade structures with revovable shading cloth. The vertical poles are 15, 16, 17, and 18 feet tall, with the two facing the building being the lowest, and the others increasing in height until the southernmost poles stand at 18 feet. The support poles are 16 feet long and stand at a 10-foot radius from the vertical pole.

15’-18’

Ceremonial circle structure concept

10’

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P roposed D esign : U plands A lternative CONSTRAINTS

Site analysis, on-site observation, and three previous site assessments indicate that this area has conditions that may make it easier to permit, is a suitable location for Nipmuc Community Center elements, offers benefits like potential views, building material potential, and less insect pressure.

This area may have the greatest potential for meeting the Nipmuc needs long-term; however, a number of constraints will determine how development proceeds and what management strategies will be necessary.

Between Two Drainages • Dry and sheds water to Cardinal Brook to west and Moccasin Brook to east

Unna med B rook

OPPORTUNITIES

Near Steep Slopes (Without Significant Boulders) • Potential for erosion on the western edge Slope and Aspect • Clearing may leave development exposed to sun and prevailing winter winds

Near Steep Slopes (Without Significant Boulders) • Opportunity for views west to the unnamed brook

NIPMUC CULTURE CENTER INCREMENTAL STRUCTURE

Slope and Aspect • West to south aspect supports passive solar and agricultural efforts • Slopes 5% or below fit needs for ceremonial circle and building

1

1

Access Route Already Established • Old woods roads are not always the best designed and may need adjustment to alignment • Has easement to pass through Earthlands land but this could require negotiation 3

1

3

2

4

2

5

Fully Forested • Development may require clearing • Potential to harvest lumber for biomass heating, building, and craft material

1

1 6

6 3

7

9

6 3

7

4

10

1 8

9

8 3

7

4

4 10

Access Route Already Established • Initial site development activities will be easier • Driveway permitting may be easier with existing woods road

11

2

11

2

5

2

5

5

0'

Proximate to Other Key Locations • Potential to function as hub for site activity

1-STARDOME 2-POW WOW SPACE 3-EARTHDOME W/ YOUTH/ADULT DECK 4-YOUTH SPACE 5-GARDENS 6-ELDER SPACE W/ ELDER/ADULT DECK 7-MAIN PORCH 8-ADULT SPACE 9-YOUTH/ADULT PORCH/ROOM 9-ELDER/ADULT PORCH/ROOM 10-OTHER EXPANSION 11-LONG HOUSE 12-CARETAKER RESIDENCE 13-OTHER STRUCTURES

G

0 >10% Slope

Forested

>5% Slope

Bouldered/Ledgy

120 300 300 1000 300 400 300 1000

3840

SMALL SPACE FOR MEETING/CONTEMPLATION DANCING CIRCLE/FIRE, SEATING/SERVICES @ MAIN PORCH, ADDITIONAL TEMPORARY PAVILIONS @ PERIMETER SOLAR TOILETS, RAINWATER CAPTURE W/ TANK, SECURE TOOL STORAGE WORKSPACE, TOOLS AND STORAGE FOR MAKING ACTIVITIES, SUPPORTED BY ADJACENT OUTDOOR SPACES PLANTING AREAS FOR DEMONSTRATION GARDENS AND FAMILY GARDEN PLOTS QUIET SPACE FOR ELDERS AND OTHERS, SMALL SECURED ARCHIVE, MEETING AND ADMININSTRATIVE FUNCTIONS INFORMAL SOCIAL SPACE, SUPPORT VARIOUS INDOOR AND OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, ESP. POW WOW FOOD PREPARATION SPACE WITH EQUIPMENT AND LIMITED STORAGE, SOCIAL SPACE FOR ADULTS AND OTHERS LARGE SOCIAL/WORK SPACE FOR YOUTH AND OTHERS, EARTHDOME/SERVICE ACCESS LARGE SOCIAL/MEETING SPACE FOR ADULTS, ELDERS AND OTHERS, ESP. FOOD GATHERINGS. WOOD-FIRED HEARTH ADDITIONS TO MAIN STRUCTURE--EXTEND TO REAR AND/OR AROUND POW WOW CIRCLE HISTORIC STUDY AND CEREMONIAL MEETING/OCCASIONS 1-FAMILY RESIDENCE AT SOME DISTANCE FROM PUBLIC FACILITY SCATTERED PAVILIONS, MAPLE SUGAR SHACK, SHED FOR BOAT STORAGE/SERVICE VEHICLES/HARVESTED TIMBER, ETC. SUB-TOTAL

200

Wetland Buffer

20'

50'

N

Scaled model of Nipmuc Center Design (See appendix for more info) STANDARD LUMBER W/ STARPLATE, SCREENED/UNCONDITIONED, SOLAR LIGHTS OUTDOORS, APPROX. 60' DIAMETER PLUS PERIMETER SPACE, SOLAR LIGHTS STANDARD LUMBER W/ STARPLATE, SCREENED/UNCONDITIONED, SOLAR LIGHTS, ELOO TOILETS, RAINWATER TANK PRE-FAB UNIT, HVAC CONDITIONED, PV PANELS, GRID-TIED OUTDOORS, ACCESS TO RAINWATER TANK PRE-FAB UNIT, HVAC CONDITIONED, PV PANELS, GRID-TIED SITE TIMBER, SCREENED/UNCONDITIONED, RAINWATER CAPTURE PRE-FAB UNIT, HVAC CONDITIONED, PV PANELS, GRID-TIED, WELL WATER, REFRIGERATION, PROPANE SITE TIMBER OR STANDARD LUMBER, SCREENED/UNCONDITIONED OR ENCLOSED/SEMI-CONDITIONED SITE TIMBER OR STANDARD LUMBER, SCREENED/UNCONDITIONED OR ENCLOSED/SEMI-CONDITIONED, WOOD FIRE SITE TIMBER OR STANDARD LUMBER, SCREENED/UNCONDITIONED OR ENCLOSED/SEMI-CONDITIONED 20'X50' SPECIAL BUILDING PROJECT, REGIONALLY-SOURCED FOREST MATERIALS REFURBISH EXISTING OR BUILD NEW SITE-SOURCED MATERIALS

It is not recommended to superimpose the design from the clearing alternative without completing a full analysis of the implications for doing so.

e

he

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Prepared by Prof. Ray K Mann & Team, University of Massachusetts Amherst, PSEG Grant

400 Valley divide line Desirable View

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U plands A lternative : I llustrations

A to A’ Looking Southeast

Old Woods Road

Northern Border

Alternative ‘The Uplands’

Alternative ‘The Clearing’

Southern Border

Bouldered Southern Extent 0

The uplands alternative has fewer boulders, a gentle slope, existing access, and is a short walk from the clearing.

B to B’ Looking North

Unnamed Brook

Western Border

Steep Slope

Alternative ‘The Clearing’

Eastern Border

Earthlands Property

The uplands alternative has the potential for views down to the unnamed brook but is subject to the uses of the Earthlands property to the east.

A’

0

B

200

400 feet

Lodge Road To Earthlands 100

200 feet

B’ Building

Ceremony

Access

Configuration 2

Configuration 3

A

Configuration 1

The ~7-acre buildable area allows for the exploration of a number of alternative configurations of the primary elements. It is possible to transpose “the clearing” configuration (see page 23) though it may require site engineering. Here are three conceptual examples of configurations with preferable locations in the darkest shade. Config. 1 and 2 site the main building (dark blue) at the steep slope for views while config. 3 moves it north of the old woods road, leaving more southern space open for potential agricultural or agrofeorestry development. All of them cluster the building (dark blue) and ceremonial circle (light blue) with accessible parking (purple) nearby.

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S ensitive A rchitecture & D evelopment S trategies Paulk Residence, Washington, USA Cutler-Anderson Architecture

Maple Sugar House, Wisconsin, USA Studio: Indigenous

Construction of the Paulk Residence had minimal environmental impact in part by relying on hand-dug footings and replanting vegetation that was displaced during the process. A platform eliminated the need for significant grading, reduced impact on vegetation, and created elevated views over the landscape (Zeiher 1996). Similar low-impact strategies could be applied on the erosive, rocky, uneven terrain and heavily forested landscape of the project site.

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The Maple Sugar House, designed for the Oneida Nation in Wisconsin, was designed to have low impact on the environment and respond to the culture of the Oneida. It used a small foundation, native vegetation, and sustainable materials like cordwood-constructed walls and local timber framing.

The architect, Chris Cornelius, designed the evaporator vent to open to the Pleiades, the constellation that signals the commencing of the sugaring season. (Recording of Chris Cornelius talk at UMASS and Studio: Indigenous website) The Nipmuc Community Center landscape and architecture could similarly be designed to incorporate connections with celestial and seasonal events.

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Hitchcock Center Living Building, Massachusetts, USA designLAB Architects

The Living Building Challenge is an effort started by the Cascadia Green Building Council to challenge conventional certifying bodies like LEED. It has created red-lists for building materials known to be toxic, and has standards for water management, soil building, construction management, energy use, beauty, health and happiness, and equity. The Hitchcock Center is an environmental education organization whose Living Building Challenge headquarters is located on the Hampshire College campus in Massachusetts.

It features a water system that relies on rainwaterâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;supplemented with municipal connection in the case of emergencyâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;that is treated and stored for use within the building. Greywater from sinks, laundry, and showers is treated in a constructed wetland and used for landscape irrigation. They also have municipal water to rely on in the case of a serious drought. This type of closed-loop water system could limit the environmental impact of a Nipmuc community center and be an alternative to the conventional well and leach field system.

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S culptural L andscape S tructures

The development of a Nipmuc community and education center presents the Nipmuc community with an opportunity to explore the creation of artful elements in the landscape as a process of community and place-making, especially when repurposing colonial remnants like stone walls.

Ceremonial Circle

Stone Walls

A ceremonial circle can be defined in a number of ways, most commonly involving stone, wood, or live vegetation. At its simplest, it can be a round clearing in a shrubland or in a forest, or, more elaborately, plantings, poles, or stones sculpturally placed around the edges of the circle. Using wooden posts to define the circle can provide a striking feature and highlight its centrality within the community and education center.

Stone defines the landscape in Petersham. Several large boulders already stand as focal points in the landscape, reminding visitors of the force glaciers exerted on the land during the last ice age.

Many First Nation peoples in the region were known to construct stone features at key cultural points in the landscape, and the later colonial farmers used stone as their primary material for constructing walls.

Reinterpreting the Stone Wall

A circle defined by low-growing vegetation (top) creates a sense of oppenness to the outside, while a circle defined by trees (bottom) focuses attention upwards.

The arrangement of poles around the circle affects its relationship with the outside. Many poles (top) give a sense of complexity, while fewer, thicker poles (middle) give a sturdier, more open feeling. The poles can also vary in height (bottom) to indicate particular entrances or reference other landscape features or architecture.

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Stone features can have a more natural look, relying on stones of different sizes (right) or use regularly sized stones (left).

Piling stones as continuous walls (left) provides a sense of division and protection, while partial walls or even simpler lines of irregularly sized stones (right) are much more open to the outside.

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Andy Goldsworthy’s stone wall at Storm King Art Center in New Windsor, New York, is an iconic reinterpretation of a landscape feature that is incredibly common throughout the American Northeast. His stone wall, however, does not follow the strict, straight lines that most historically built stone walls do, but is instead strikingly sinuous, curving through the landscape in an organic way.

Traditional stone walls are very much a colonial structure, and could be interpreted as symbols of the displacement of the Native Americans. The Nipmuc, however, have been clear that these are features that still represent an important part of the story of the landscape, and hence do not wish them away. Instead, one approach might be to re-appropriate some of these stone walls to symbolize the return to the ancestral land by the Nipmuc. Symbolically, this can be the coming together of traditions by two initially very different cultures, where the European stone wall takes on a more organic shape and takes on the role of a “memorializing” landsscape feature (Craig 1991).

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R enewable E nergy P otential Geothermal Geothermal is not appropriate for the site based on the prohibitive cost of drilling the wells into the shallow bedrock found throughout the site.

Geothermal heat pumps differ from typical air-source heat pumps by using the constant temperature of the earth rather than the fluctuating temperature of air to moderate indoor temperatures. Four designs for these systems are illustrated below, including watersource heat pumps which require a body of water. The shallowest excavation required would be four feet. The average depth to bedrock on the project site is 18-36”, which would make any geothermal system costprohibitive. There is also no body of water, eliminating the potential for a water-source heat pump.

Micro-hydro The change in elevation over the distance available and low flow of the stream on the project site indicates that a micro-hydro system would not be appropriate.

According to the USGS Stream-stats 4 program, the unnamed stream has a 71% chance of perennial flow from a drainage area of ~96 acres and a bank-full stream-flow of 6.39 cubic feet per second at a depth of 0.52 feet. Bank-full stream-flow is inconsistent and not an indicator of normal conditions but low-flow statistics were unavailable. Even under this scenario, average depth is not sufficient for an in-stream turbine (https://energy.gov/energysaver/ planning-microhydropower-system). It is likely that the projected output of ~24kwh/day would under normal circumstances be more like ~12kwh/day, which will not have a significant long-term return on investment.

Biomass Biomass may be suitable for supplementary heating during winter visits.

The project site comprises ~45 forested acres and it is proposed that they be managed for habitat, materials, food production, or a combination of the three. Although much of the site is dominated by a white pines—which are not ideal for stoves or fireplaces due to creosote buildup—there are hardwood stands and individuals that could be selectively logged to meet the minimal heating needs for winter use.

High-efficiency wood stove systems like rocket mass heaters are worth further exploration as they may reduce the cordwood requirement for comfortably heating community spaces.

Harvesting of cordwood is an activity that could be integrated with other forest management strategies to contribute to a healthier and more productive forest ecosystem.

Wind

Solar

The average wind speed at 30m is not sufficient to justify the inclusion of a wind turbine.

The project site experiences wind speeds of 4 to 5 meters per second or about 10 miles per hour, which does not meet current wind turbines requirement of an average 12 miles per hour.

~28’ drop in elevation

Based on the existing clearing and the potential for further clearing elsewhere, solar energy generation and passive solar for indoor conditioning is the best renewable energy option for the project.

“The actual electricity generated by a solar electric system is a function of its size, efficiency, sun exposure and a variety of other factors” (MA Residential Guide to Solar Electricity).

Some of these other factors include battery storage capacity, shading, and tilt.

In 2016, the average US household consumed 11,000 KWh, but for this project site’s intended infrequent use, it may realistically be closer to 5,000 KWh/year. According to Energy Sage, the average Massachusetts home would require an 8.8 KWh system to meet annual household needs, requiring 450 to 600 square feet of 250 watt solar panels. Based on the expected lower energy use of the Nipmuc community and education center, a 3.5kW system would suffice to start, requiring <300 square feet of space.

With proper placement a solar hot water system could provide all hot water needs too.

Source: MassGIS

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M anaging

for a

V ariety

of

U ses

Managing the forest can provide many benefits for both the Nipmuc and the forest ecosystem.

There are organisms within the forest that already provide food for humans and animals and there are opportunities to clear densely forested areas to create more habitat, generate materials for construction, and create spaces for the cultivation of craft materials.

Nuts & Seeds Fruits & Berries Food Herbs & Greens Game (see wildlife)

Timber forest

Firewood

Materials

Game Wildlife

Forest-interior birds Pollinators

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W i d e r Tr e n d s t o C o n s i d e r

Climate change Anthropogenic climate change is being felt in different ways by different ecosystems all over the globe.

In Petersham, warming trends and unpredictable weather will likely continue to influence the health and characteristics of the ecosystems present. Numerous pests that are able to spread more readily in these conditions.

Hemlock woolly adelgid HWA is typically active from October to March and is cold tolerant, but warming trends have facilitated its continued northern expansion (Colby Study). Related to aphids, the HWA feeds on plant sap and is believed to inject a toxin into the tree that can kill an otherwise healthy hemlock in as little as 3-5 years (UMass 2017). The stands of hemlock on the site range from canopy species in the western portion to emergent canopy in the center-middle, to understory in the eastern oak-maple woodland. Indications of HWA have been observed on some individual trees, and professional consultation is recommended to develop a management plan.

Emerald ash borer Now considered the most destructive forest pest ever seen in North America the EAB was first encountered in Massachusetts in 2012 and has since spread throughout the state. It is most destructive in its larval phase when it effectively girdles the tree by feeding on the nutrient and water conducting tissues (Moy 2017). They take their name from their primary host, the ash family, including the white ash, which is important to the Nipmuc for its easily splinted wood for basketry. There is primarily black ash observed on the project site as white ash prefers wetter lowland sites.

Tick population Ticks are ever-present in the woodlands of New England.

Some years, populations are far greater than others. This year, due to the warmer than usual winter, ticks have been especially numerous. Climate change and warming trends associated with it are predicted to facilitate a continued northward and higher elevation spread of ticks. Lyme disease is most commonly associated with ticks however there are a number of other tick-borne illnesses which proper precautions can help guard against when in the woods (Doucleff 2017).

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M anaging

for

F ood & M aterials

Shrubland/Meadow

The shrubland/meadow area on site is home to food-producing plants like lowand high-bush blueberry, raspberry, blackberry, and black cherry. There are also medicinal herbs like mullein. This area can continue to be managed for early successional species with interplanting of additional medicinal and food-producing plants like huckleberry and sunchoke. Some areas may be cleared to allow for annual production of Three Sisters crops or fruit and nut-producing trees like hazelnut, chestnut, and apple.

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Woodland

Streamside

There are many different types of woodlands present on site like deciduous dominated areas that allow a lot of sunlight to enter throughout the early spring, giving rise to herbaceous undestory species like Indian cucumber, wild sarsparilla, and wintergreen. Other areas have shagbark hickory which can be maintained for its nut production, and sugar maples for maple sugaring production. The woods can be managed for buiding materials or for firewood or maple sugaring.

Selective clearing can open spaces to produce a greater abundance of understory species and create the opportunity for seedlings to establish and create a more heterogenous and dynamic canopy.

The stream that runs through the west of the site is fully-shaded on its western bank and almost absent of an understory as a result of the hemlockâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s shade.

The eastern bank has hemlock interspersed with maple and hickory and more herbaceous species in the understory like ferns and water-loving woody species.

These areas can be selectively logged to open up space for the opportunity to plant craft-material plants like willow, dogwood, arrowwood, hazel, and birch.

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M anaging

for

W ildlife

Managing the landscape to encourage wildlife, either for hunting or for the inherent value of their presence will contribute greatly to educational and environmental richness of the Nipmuc center.

In its current state, the project site includes a variety - ta i l e d D of different habitats, but managing more actively for h i te ee W r wildlife habitat could encourage both more species diversity and greater populations of animals. Many animals thrive on the edges where two different kinds of habitat meet, such as the edge of a forest clearing, where many songbird species find food in insect-rich shrublands or meadows and find nearby shelter in the forest. Deer, too, find clearings of young forest stands to be a valuable food source, eating grasses and browsing young tree saplings. Come winter, deer, as well as grouse, find shelter under evergreen trees such as hemlock and white pine where the snow is less deep than elsewhere. Wild turkey and squirrels prefer more mature forest with less undergrowth, and rely on a steady supply of acorn- and nut-producing trees. Amphibians, such as the newt, thrive in a moist landscape with access to a constant water source.

Conifers provide winter shelter and food source All of these habitat types are already present on the project site, but as the forest will continue to evolve, it is worth taking the time to articulate a management plan that integrates maintenance and creation of a variety of wildlife habitat on site with the other two goals of managing for food and materials. This graphic gives a quick introduction to the kinds of features that are important to the wildlife already on site.

Prefers mixed deciduous-conifer forests

S ca

rlet Tanage

r

Breeds in maples, oaks, and pines Reserve resting trees

Likes brushland, fields, orchards

Encourage steady cover

G re

Leave old large trees with hollows

Likes berries and other fruits

Favors large conifers for roosting

Likes mast-producing forests (oak, hickory)

Shelters in slash piles and along edges

Reduce stand density to encourage

y S q u ir r el

Wi

Prefers sunny, slowmoving, shallow water

G ro us e

Re

d-spott ed new

ld Turkey

t

Likes fruit and berry bearing plants Likes mixed deciduous-conifer woodlands and meadows

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Indicators of healthy wetlands and forest ecoosystems

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S easonal R hythms & E ducation

Spatially, after Phase 2, the hearth or new main building becomes the year-round center of activity. In winter, it is the place of warmth, connection, storytelling, crafting, and planning for the seasons to come. As spring awakens, activity branches out to wider landscape learning and management. This may take place at the maple area as sap harvest and evaporation begins. As spring heats into summer, activity expands with the landscape in full swing with much to offer. As summer winds down, activity focuses on the two main clearings with ample sun, and the woodland and corn classrooms for harvesting at the end of the season.

The inner circle describes the seasonal variation in a traditional 17th century Algonquin diet adapted from the 2013 Nipmuc suitability study and master plan by Anna Fialkoff and Noah Zimmerman. The outer circle of images show demonstrate natural events that characterize each month (adapted from MA Audubon seasonal newsletters 2014).

Periods of limited to no consumption Periods of moderate consumption Periods of heavy consumption

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A dditional R esources Previous Conway Projects (Earthlands & Nipmuc)

Conservation Agencies & Land Trusts

Nipmuc Community & Education Center Suitability Study & Master Plan. Conway School report, 2013. (https://issuu.com/conwaydesign/docs/nipmucspring13_finalreport_lowres)

East Quabbin Land Trust (www.eqlt.org) Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust (www.mountgrace.org)

Vision for Earthlands Master Plan. Conway School report, 2007. (not available online; contact the school)

Mass Audobon (www.massaudubon.org)

“Vision for the Future: Strategic Planning for the Suitability of Earthlands and the University of the Wild”. Conway School report, 2007. (https://issuu.com/conwaydesign/docs/earthlands_ winter07)

Nipmuc & Regional History

Native Seed and Agroforestry Nurseries

Nipmuk Cultural Preservation, Inc. (https://www.facebook.com/nipmukculturalpreservation/)

Native Seeds (www.nativeseeds.org)

Nipmuc Nation (www.nipmucnation.org)

Forrest Keeling Nursery (www.fknursery.com)

Nipmuck Tribal Council of Chaubunagungamaug (http://www.nipmuck.org)

Badgersett Research Corporation (http://www.badgersett.com)

Hassanamisco Indian Museum (http://www.nipmucmuseum.org) Nipmuc Language (http://www.nipmuclanguage.org) Project Mishoon (http://projectmishoon.homestead.com) Historic Deerfield (www.historic-deerfield.org) Harvard Forest (www.harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu) The Trustees of Reservations’ Historic Landscapes Petersham (http://www.thetrustees.org/ assets/documents/places-to-visit/Land-Use-History-Petersham.pdf)

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W orks C ited Allard, Amélie. “Foodways, Animal Husbandry and Nipmuc Identity: Faunal Analysis from Sarah Boston’s Farmstead, Grafton, MA, 1790–1840.” International Journal of Historical Archaeology 19.1, 2015: 208-231.

Beattie, Mollie, Charles Thompson, and Lynn Levine. Working With your Woodland: A Landowner’s Guide. Hanover, NH: University Press of New England, 1993.

Bierhorst, John. The Way of the Earth: Native America and the Environment. New York: William Morrow and Company, 1994.

Boose, Emery R., Kristen E. Chamberlin, and David R. Foster. “Landscape and Regional Impacts of Hurricanes in New England.” Ecological Monographs 71.1, 2001: 27-48.

Bray, Diane Fisk. “Change and Continuity of Spiritual Practice among the Chaubunagungamaug Nipmuck Indians of Webster, Massachusetts.” Algonkians in New England. Boston University, 1991: 114-20.

Brooks, Lisa. The Common Pot: Indigenous Writing and the Reconstruction of Native Space in the Northeast. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2008.

Crosby, Constance A. “The Algonkian Spiritual Landscape.” Algonkians of New England: Past and Present. Annual Proceedings of the Dublin Seminar for New England Folklife. Boston, MA: Boston University, 1993.

Doolittle, William E. Cultivated Landscapes of Native North America. New York: Oxford University Press, 2000.

Doucleff, Michaeleen. “Will Climate Change Help Ticks And Mosquitoes Spread Disease?” NPR. NPR, 21 Apr. 2017. Web. 23 June 2017.

Dubé, Richard L. and Frederick C. Campbell. Natural Landscapes: The Art and Craft of Stone Placement. Pownal, VT: Storey Books, 1999.

Fialkoff, Anna and Noah Zimmermann. Nipmuc Community & Education Center Suitability Study & Master Plan. Conway School report, 2013. (https://issuu.com/conwaydesign/docs/nipmucspring13_finalreport_lowres) Foster, David R. “Land-use History (1730-1990) and Vegetation Dynamics in Central New England, USA.” Journal of Ecology, 1992: 753-771.

Gary, Jack, Stephen Mrozowski, and David B. Landon. Phase I Archaeological Intensive Survey of Hassanamesitt Woods Property, Grafton, Massachusetts. Fiske Center for Archaeological Research, University of Massachusetts, Boston, 2005.

Gill, Jerry H. Native American Worldviews: An Introduction. New York: Humanity Books, 2002.

Goldsworthy, Andy. Wall. New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 2011.

Hurt, R. Douglas. Indian Agriculture in America: Prehistory to the Present. University Press of Kansas, 1987.

Krinsky, Carol H. Contemporary Native American Architecture. New York: Oxford University Press, 1996.

Mahone, Douglas. Buildings and Ground. Thesis. MIT, 1977. Boston: Not Published, 1977.

Mann, Charles C. 1493: Uncovering the New World Columbus Created. Vintage, 2011.

McEvoy, Thom J. Introduction to Forest Ecology and Silviculture. Burlington, VT: UVM EXT, 1995.

McLuhan, T. C. Way of the Earth. Simon and Schuster, 1995.

Minckler, Leon S. Woodland Ecology: Environmental Forestry for the Small Owner. New York: Syracuse University Press, 1975.

Morgan, William. Pre-colombian Architecture in Eastern North America. Gainesville: University Press of Florida, 1999.

Moy, Derek. “Emerald Ash Borer Information Network.” Emerald Ash Borer | FAQ. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 June 2017.

Nabokov, Peter and Robert Easton. Native American Architecture. New York: Oxford University Press, 1989.

O’Brien, Jean M. Dispossession by Degrees: Indian Land and Identity in Natick, Massachusetts, 1650-1790. London: Cambridge University Press, 1997.

Petersham Reconnaissance Report: Upper Quaboag and North Quabbin Region Landscape Inventory. Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, 2008.

Pezzarossi, Guido. “Camouflaging Consumption and Colonial Mimicry: The Materiality of an Eighteenth and Nineteenth-Century Nipmuc Household.” International Journal of Historical Archaeology 18.1 2014: 146-174.

Potteiger, Matthew and Jamie Purinton. Landscape Narratives: Design Practices for Telling Stories. New York: John Wiley and Sons, 1998.

Tritsch, Electa K. I Wish I Were in the Woods: The Historic Landscapes of Brooks Woodland Preserve, North Common Meadow, Swift River Reservation. Oakfield Research, 2005.

UMass. “Hemlock Woolly Adelgid Frequently Asked Questions.” Center for Agriculture, Food and the Environment. N.p., 07 Dec. 2016. Web. 23 June 2017.

Yenne, Bill. The Encyclopedia of North American Indian Tribes: A Comprehensive Study of Tribes from the Abitibi to the Zuni. Greenwich, CT: Brompton Books Ltd., 1986.

Zeiher, Laura C. Ecology of Architecture: A Complete Guide to Creating an Environmentally Conscious Building. New York: Watson-Guptill, 1996.

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APPENDIX: N ipmuc C ulture C enter I ncremental S tructure CULTURE CENTER INCREMENTAL STRUCTUREAmherst, PSEG Grant Prepared byNIPMUC Prof. Ray K. Mann, University of Masschusetts 1

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1-STARDOME 2-POW WOW SPACE 3-EARTHDOME W/ YOUTH/ADULT DECK 4-YOUTH SPACE 5-GARDENS 6-ELDER SPACE W/ ELDER/ADULT DECK 7-MAIN PORCH 8-ADULT SPACE 9-YOUTH/ADULT PORCH/ROOM 9-ELDER/ADULT PORCH/ROOM 10-OTHER EXPANSION 11-LONG HOUSE 12-CARETAKER RESIDENCE 13-OTHER STRUCTURES

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SMALL SPACE FOR MEETING/CONTEMPLATION DANCING CIRCLE/FIRE, SEATING/SERVICES @ MAIN PORCH, ADDITIONAL TEMPORARY PAVILIONS @ PERIMETER SOLAR TOILETS, RAINWATER CAPTURE W/ TANK, SECURE TOOL STORAGE WORKSPACE, TOOLS AND STORAGE FOR MAKING ACTIVITIES, SUPPORTED BY ADJACENT OUTDOOR SPACES PLANTING AREAS FOR DEMONSTRATION GARDENS AND FAMILY GARDEN PLOTS QUIET SPACE FOR ELDERS AND OTHERS, SMALL SECURED ARCHIVE, MEETING AND ADMININSTRATIVE FUNCTIONS INFORMAL SOCIAL SPACE, SUPPORT VARIOUS INDOOR AND OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, ESP. POW WOW FOOD PREPARATION SPACE WITH EQUIPMENT AND LIMITED STORAGE, SOCIAL SPACE FOR ADULTS AND OTHERS LARGE SOCIAL/WORK SPACE FOR YOUTH AND OTHERS, EARTHDOME/SERVICE ACCESS LARGE SOCIAL/MEETING SPACE FOR ADULTS, ELDERS AND OTHERS, ESP. FOOD GATHERINGS. WOOD-FIRED HEARTH ADDITIONS TO MAIN STRUCTURE--EXTEND TO REAR AND/OR AROUND POW WOW CIRCLE HISTORIC STUDY AND CEREMONIAL MEETING/OCCASIONS 1-FAMILY RESIDENCE AT SOME DISTANCE FROM PUBLIC FACILITY SCATTERED PAVILIONS, MAPLE SUGAR SHACK, SHED FOR BOAT STORAGE/SERVICE VEHICLES/HARVESTED TIMBER, ETC. SUB-TOTAL

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STANDARD LUMBER W/ STARPLATE, SCREENED/UNCONDITIONED, SOLAR LIGHTS OUTDOORS, APPROX. 60' DIAMETER PLUS PERIMETER SPACE, SOLAR LIGHTS STANDARD LUMBER W/ STARPLATE, SCREENED/UNCONDITIONED, SOLAR LIGHTS, ELOO TOILETS, RAINWATER TANK PRE-FAB UNIT, HVAC CONDITIONED, PV PANELS, GRID-TIED OUTDOORS, ACCESS TO RAINWATER TANK PRE-FAB UNIT, HVAC CONDITIONED, PV PANELS, GRID-TIED SITE TIMBER, SCREENED/UNCONDITIONED, RAINWATER CAPTURE PRE-FAB UNIT, HVAC CONDITIONED, PV PANELS, GRID-TIED, WELL WATER, REFRIGERATION, PROPANE SITE TIMBER OR STANDARD LUMBER, SCREENED/UNCONDITIONED OR ENCLOSED/SEMI-CONDITIONED SITE TIMBER OR STANDARD LUMBER, SCREENED/UNCONDITIONED OR ENCLOSED/SEMI-CONDITIONED, WOOD FIRE SITE TIMBER OR STANDARD LUMBER, SCREENED/UNCONDITIONED OR ENCLOSED/SEMI-CONDITIONED 20'X50' SPECIAL BUILDING PROJECT, REGIONALLY-SOURCED FOREST MATERIALS REFURBISH EXISTING OR BUILD NEW SITE-SOURCED MATERIALS Prepared by Prof. Ray K Mann & Team, University of Massachusetts Amherst, PSEG Grant

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APPENDIX: N ipmuc C ulture C enter I ncremental S tructure (C ont .)

Prepared by Prof. Ray K. Mann, University of Masschusetts Amherst, PSEG Grant NIPMUC CULTURE CENTER INCREMENTAL STRUCTURE

CULTURE CENTER ACTIVITIES GENERAL MEETINGS COMMITTEE MEETINGS (NCP, YOUTH COUNCIL) LANGUAGE LEARNING HISTORY AND ARCHIVAL STUDY CREATE REGALIA INSTRUMENT-MAKING WOODWORKING/CONSTRUCTION BASKETRY OTHER ARTS (CLAY, FIBER/BEADING, ETC.) HARVEST/PREP/STORE MATERIALS FOR MAKING FOOD PREP EVENTS/TEACHING/COMMERCIAL INDOOR PLANT CULTIVATION & STARTS GARDEN--PREP, CULTIVATE HARVEST /PREP MATERIALS FOR EATING, HEALING COMPOSTING POW WOW / LARGE GATHERINGS/OTHER CEREMONIAL STORY-TELLING PERFORMANCE & TRAINING (DANCE, MUSIC, THEATER) SPIRITUAL LEARNING SWEAT LODGE SACRED LANDSCAPES STUDY/GIS TRAINING FOREST EDIBLES & PLANT KNOWLEDGE MAPLE SUGARING CELESTIAL KNOWLEDGE & ENJOYMENT TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE OF LAND/WATER TRADITIONAL SHELTER CONSTRUCTION BOAT-BUILDING FISHING & HUNTING BUILDING CONSTRUCTION AND UPKEEP LANDSCAPE CONSTRUCTION AND UPKEEP FOREST MANAGEMENT/HARVEST FIREWOOD

SPRING SUMMER (HOW OFTEN/HOW MANY) 1/50 2/15 1/10 1/20

1/10 1/5

1/20

FALL 1/50 2/15 1/10 1/20

2/10 1/5

1/10 1/5

1/5

1 /200-300

1/20 1/10-20 1/10

1/10

1/5 1/10 1/10

2/15

1/10

1/20 2/20 1/20 1/10 WEEKENDS/12-20 WEEKENDS/12-20 WEEKENDS/12-20 WEEKENDS/12-20 WEEKENDS/12-20 WEEKENDS/2-3 WEEKENDS/2-3 WEEKENDS/2-3

1 /50 1/10

WINTER

1/20

2/10

1/20

1/10

1/10

1/10 2/20 1/10

1/10

1 /5 1/5

1/5 1/10 1/10

1/5 1/5 1/5

SPACE 2,6,7,9 4,6 6,9 2,6,7 4 3,4 3,4 3,4,6 3,4 3,4 8 3,8 5 3,8 5 2 1,7 2,7 6,9 13 OUTDOOR OUTDOOR OUTDOOR, 13 1 OUTDOOR OUTDOOR 13 OUTDOOR, 7 ANY OUTDOOR OUTDOOR

STARDOME EARTHDOME VIEW FROM ABOVE

MAIN PORCH & POW WOW CIRCLE

GARDENS Prepared by Prof. Ray K Mann & Team, University of Massachusetts Amherst, PSEG Grant

T he C onway S chool 180 Pleasant Street, Easthampton, MA 01027

P repared

by :

Ã&#x2DC; ystein K ristiansen & T im T ensen | S pring 2017

P repared

for :

N ipmuk C ultural P reservation , I nc .

Nipmuc Community & Education Center Suitability Study |

37

APPENDIX: R ecommended D riveway

to

C learing

The recommended access road from Glasheen Road follows the old forest road on contour and loops back again. An alternative route is currently not recommended as it likely runs through an ecologically sensitve habitat (possible wetland).

Drop off area: 35x10 feet

1029

Parking area: 40x20 feet

One-way loop: 12 feet wide 10

27

10

25

Two way: 15 feet wide

10

23

Clearing

Gl

as

he

en

Ro a

d

Alternative route (not recommended: conduct more soil tests)

1021

0

T he C onway S chool 180 Pleasant Street, Easthampton, MA 01027

P repared

by :

Ă&#x2DC; ystein K ristiansen & T im T ensen | S pring 2017

P repared

for :

N ipmuk C ultural P reservation , I nc .

50

Feet

Nipmuc Community & Education Center Suitability Study |

38