Summary Edition
P ioneering S tewardship P lan An Action Inspired Design Pioneer Valley Regional School
Northfield, MA
September 2013 P ioneering S tewardship P lan is
E ndorsed
by
Dedication To Pioneer Valley Regional School students of the past, present and future. May you continue to learn Nature’s Ways.
An early 1700’s foundation on the south end of PVRS property reminds us of the landscape’s long, rich agricultural past.
“I f I
had influence with the good fairy who is supposed to preside
over the christening of all children
I
should ask that her gift
to each child in the world be a sense of wonder so indestructible that it would last throughout life , as an unfailing antidote against the boredom and disenchantments of later years , the sterile preoccupation with things artificial , the alienation from the sources of our strength .”
― R achel C arson , T he S ense
of
W onder
Goals, Actions, & Design Inspirations Pioneer Stewardship Plan
Land Use Pr able act n i ice ta s u
s
Foster Thriving Biodiversity
Incorporate Engaging Destinations
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s
at
iv
e
r
y
ir E ducation & R
e ecr
Biod
it
nA
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e
ving
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O
pe
Raise Runoff Water Quality
r
i Thr
Fo
Localize Food Security
on
S
GOALS & ACTIONS
Re-establish Healthy Habitats
L
o
ca
e liz
Food Sec
ur
it
y
Permaculture
Student Gardens
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Pioneering Stewardship Plan
FUTURE LANDS - Ecological By Design
n
a
t
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S c o t t H o wa r d D e s i g n s
Well Designed Trails
High 5 Adventures
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In
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Engaging De s
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Confidence & Leadership
Outdoor Classrooms
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W at e r
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Address Climate Change
it
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Observation Areas
Native Plant Rain Gardens
Green Roof Water Catchment
Goals, Actions, & Design Inspirations 5
Forward
W
hen I became principal of Pioneer Valley Regional School in 2007, John Lepore and I began a conversation about what sustainability means in a public secondary school. It is a word that has been part of the Pioneer mission for many years, but it has had varying degrees of impact on our actions. While we enjoyed our discussions, John is also a man of action. During my first year, John helped found a composting and recycling effort that has reduced our waste stream by 85%. He used this waste as a project in his classrooms by examining what we were sending to landfill. He also used the natural habitat around the school as his classroom by taking his students into the wetlands to conduct primary watershed research. John and I share some fundamental beliefs about learning and education. We agree that the most meaningful learning is constructed by the learner, rather than imparted by the “sage on the stage.” We also share a deep concern about the future of our environment and of our youth. Three years ago John retired from teaching and moved on to pursue a degree in ecological landscape design. During that time, we continued to talk about the central issues of sustainability, resilience, stewardship and the challenges of changing our relationship to the world around us. When he completed his rigorous graduate program, John approached me with a proposal – that we develop a land management plan for Pioneer based on the principles of stewardship, sustainability and resilience with the goal of supporting Pioneer’s educational mission. Coincidentally, the school was in the process of reviewing and revising its mission statement into a statement of core values and learning expectations. In it stewardship and sustainability
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Pioneering Stewardship Plan
continued to be central. In fact, one of our learning expectations reads: “Build environmental stewardship as a means to a sustainable future.” It seemed like a natural fit that we would put these words into action. Over the last two years John has shepherded this idea through a rigorous process. He has read and researched deeply into the core concepts of this document: sustainability, resilience and stewardship. He has researched the history of the land and environment around the school site. He has engaged the stakeholders including students, families, staff, the school committee, the community, as well as numerous public and private agencies in the area that have an interest in this effort. His is a plan designed to meet the needs of the entire community, while at the same time rousing/spurring us to action to change our practices and habits so that we can preserve opportunities for future generations of Pioneer students. Through John’s expertise and hard work, we now have a blueprint for the future to preserve and maintain the land and facilities at Pioneer while enhancing student (and adult) learning. Whether one believes we are on the precipice of a new environmental age or just continuing down the same road we humans have traveled for millennia, it is time for us to rethink and reorganize our human/environmental interconnectedness. We need a language and a framework for living in a world of expanding need and limited resources. The core concepts of sustainability, resilience and stewardship can guide us in the right direction and give us hope for the future. This document is a practical application of this hope. It gives us concrete and meaningful steps we can take to move towards a more sustainable future. It is without reservation that I endorse the Pioneering Stewardship Plan. William Wehrli, Principal March 4, 2012
FUTURE LANDS - Ecological By Design
Executive Summary
T
he major goal of the Pioneering Stewardship Plan (PSP) is to provide opportunities for students to become immersed in environmental stewardship while employing ecologically sustainable management of the school’s highly diverse landscape. The PSP must complement existing programs and offerings; outside funding and a sustainability coordinator would ensure successful implementation. To address community interests and to gather valuable input, several stakeholder meetings were held with students, teachers, and community members in order to achieve the following:
kkEstablish objectives and specific actions; and kkIdentify key ecological concerns and identify potential open-air destinations and features.
To better understand site conditions, a number of professionals and state agencies acted as resources, state-of-the-art scientific references provided up-to-date information, and extensive site analyses provided the key information listed below:
kkPioneer Valley Regional School has the largest public school land holding in Massachusetts;
kkPVRS borders highly-valued BioMap2 Core Habitats and Critical Natural Landscapes;
kkEcosystem services perform functions at little
expense but are threatened by a lack sustainable management;
kkExotic invasive plants have taken advantage of the
site’s landscape and threaten biodiversity as well as the future of ecosystem services;
kkThe school contains several “priority habitats” in need of protection and management to improve resilience during climate change;
kkMuch of the land is unprotected from sale and subdivision;
kkRefuge and a “sense of place” in Nature have
become less and less available in the recent past;
kkLand donated on the west side of property lacks clear boundaries for neighbors who continue to use it;
kkAccess and circulation around the school is safe and
efficient; several trails cut across contour lines and into ecologically sensitive areas, causing damaging erosion;
kkNine engaging destinations and features fit within the framework of sustainability and ecologic functionality;
kkSustainable land use practices would recapture
ecological health and become an educational model; and
kkThree designs offer a number of options in addressing the plans goals and actions.
The PSP details the rationale behind these important efforts throughout the core of the plan while the activities since the soil quickly drains surface water Appendix provides valuable management strategies. vertically into a regional aquifer; Meeting the program goals will involve commitment and involvement by concerned and informed Highly permeable soils allow the accumulation of citizens. By being prudent now, we can preserve the organic debris in certain forests while fire beauty and viability of our local environment and a suppression increases the risk of uncontrollable stewardship-centered educational setting. conditions;
kkClean drinking water is dependent on land use kk
kkExcessive runoff from impervious surfaces drains directly into important habitats;
Executive Summary 7
Context Pioneer Valley Regional School, located in Northfield, Massachusetts, is the largest public school land holder in the state, rests in the heart of the Connecticut River Watershed and is largely surrounded by exemplary natural community as recognized in the Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game and the Nature Conservancy’s BioMap2.
N
CT River Watershed
Northfield
CT River
Northfield is located in a very rural area of Massachusetts, where open space continues to be a high priority. (CT River Watershed Source: USGS)
NORTHFIELD
BERNARDSTON
Legend Connecticut River
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PVRS Core Habitat
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Critical Natural Landscape Major Roads Railroad
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Pioneer Valley Regional School (PVRS) is surrounded by BioMap2 Core Habitat and Critical Natural Landscape, open space, and wetlands making it home for many plants and animals critical to the resiliency under the uncertain effects of climate change.
Be t et
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PVRS is about 65% forested and has a 200 foot elevation change between the high and low points.
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Pioneering Stewardship Plan
FUTURE LANDS - Ecological By Design
ÂŻ
Goals
A
community-centered process was used to generate meaningful and action-oriented goals for the Pioneering Stewardship Plan. (Please see the PSP Full Edition for comprehensive details.) Two open community meetings, an assembly with juniors and seniors followed by a mentor activity plus a faculty meeting provided two focused goals:
kkIdentify open-air educational and recreational opportunities; and
kkDevelop sustainable land use practices. To address these two goals, the Pioneering Stewardship Plan (PSP) recommends the following:
kkInvolve students in Pioneer’s landscape management
to instill environmental stewardship through a wide variety of activities including local food production education, engaging open space destinations, ongoing habitat assessment to identify the school’s biodiversity and a community service component including managing the landscape over a period of time; Create ways to mitigate excessive water runoff via rain gardens near drains, reduction in mowing in prescribed areas, rain ‘catchment’ from rooftops and redirecting trails more appropriately; and Increase natural biodiversity through a realistic plan that assesses exotic invasive plant management priorities, protection of priority habitats, and a forest management plan that considers the variety of needs for each habitat.
kk
kk
Core Values The PSP supports three PVRS Core Values (PVRS website, 2012):
C i v i c E x p e c tat i o n
k k “Build environmental stewardship as a
means to a sustainable future identified by PVRS.”
L i f e l o n g L e a r n i n g & C a r e e r E x p e c tat i o n s
kk “Obtain and interpret available health
information and services to make health and safety decisions;” and
kk“Evaluate changing roles, job responsibilities and priorities in complex 21st century life and work environments.”
The PSP emphasizes the development of lifelong understanding for environmental stewardship through direct experiences with on-site management, interdisciplinary learning activities and recreational experiences. Such opportunities lend themselves to healthier lifestyles and informed decision-making related to the environment and the quality of students’ future lives. By having direct contact with their surroundings, students develop values for their natural community.
Specific actions identified in meeting these goals include the following:
kkIncorporating educational destinations; kkRaising water runoff quality; kkFostering a thriving biodiversity; and kkLocalizing food security education.
As a result of numerous meeting involving the community, teachers, and student meetings, two major goals emerged.
Context 9
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Pioneering Stewardship Plan
FUTURE LANDS - Ecological By Design
Site Analysis Overview Water resources, soils, surficial geology, topography/drainage, vegetation/cover, land use and access circulation were analyzed then developed into the two Site Analysis Summaries: Sustainable Land Use and Engaging Destinations and Functions that follow. (Please refer to the PSP Full Edition for details.)
W at e r Resources
Soils
Surficial Geology
Topography & Drainage
V e g e tat i o n & Cover
Land Use
Access & C i r c u l at i o n
Site Analysis Overview 11
Site Analysis Summary I:
Sustainable
Land Use
P
VRS has some of the most bio-diverse habitat areas in Massachusetts (Lattrell, 2012). Unfortunately many of these areas face a variety of threats including bank erosion near wetlands, increasing dominance by exotic, invasive species, and rapid, heated rain runoff. The absence of habitat management will eventually lead to reduction in biodiversity and decreasing resilience as climate change brings new and unpredictable challenges. The summary table below identifies specific concerns and solutions.
B
12
Concerns
Solutions
The Potential Vernal Pool is most likely the home of Natural Heritage Species.
Certification would secure permanent protection and increase the value of a conservation restriction (French, NHESP, 2012; Rasku, 2012).
Four Unsustainable Trails cut too close to spring seeps cause bank erosion and threaten priority habitat. These trails also enable illegal and damaging use by ATV’s.
Re-route up and over the bank to reduces erosion; old trails should be remediated after consulting with the Northfield Conservation Commission(Hawthorne, DFW, 2012).
Runoff from Impervious Surfaces flows into Critical Natural Landscape and eventually into Core Habitat (Savetherain.com, 2013).
Rain gardens coupled with different mowing practices would significantly reduce this problem (Hawthorne, DFW, 2012).
Thin Till Bedrock on the high point allows accumulation of dry plant material, making it prone to forest fire and creating a safety threat to students and the community.
Routine prescribed burns would reduce fuel loads and improve the oak stand with a healthier forest edge and floor (Hawthorne, DFW, 2012).
The decrease in forest-field transition meadows from Heavy Invasive Plants diminishes important habitat and biodiversity as well as opportunities for aquifer recharge (Sauer 1998).
An initial clear mowing and herbicide application would stimulate the area (Deely, 2011).
The East Pasture Pine Forest offer safe, accessible, and inviting recreational and educational opportunities; the West Pasture Pine Forest has reached maturity.
The East Pasture Pine Forest would be an ideal location for a ropes course. Harvesting West Pasture Pine Forest would supply materials for outdoor classrooms and release an understory of oaks (Johnson, DCR, 2012; Paulson, 2012).
The Red Pine Planting Forest is old and being overtaken by exotic invasive plants.
The area should be cleared for an outdoor classroom constructed with harvested trees from this site (Johnson, DCR, 2012).
Only one Meadow remains and is a valuable nesting and feeding habitat for many native species.
Meadows should be reinstated in several locations because they offer valuable ecological resilience during climate change and slow water movement during violent storms, while improving infiltration (Walker, 2012).
The Flat Early Woodland extends over three acres away from priority habitat areas and has good southern exposure.
This hidden area would provide needed space for photovoltaics to power the school.
Pioneering Stewardship Plan
FUTURE LANDS - Ecological By Design
Sustainable Land Use il Ra
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Site Analysis Summary I:
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BioMap2 Critical Lanscape Unsustainable Trail Impervious Surface Runoff
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Thin Till Bedrock Heavy Invasive Plants Pasture Pine Forest Red Pine Planting Forest Meadow Early Woodland
Site Analysis Summary I: Sustainable Land Use 13
Engaging Destinations & Functions Site Analysis Summary II:
E
ngaging destinations are places for students, teachers and community members to experience authentic educational environment and recreational opportunities. Some can be accessed near the building (rain gardens, for example), while others will need trails that are clearly marked with informational signs. Their use will be defined by their location and natural resources while considering minimal negative impact to each site’s ecology. A few destinations will require radical changes; the photovoltaic array location, for example, will require forest removal to create an uninterrupted southern exposure.
D e s t i n at i o n /F u n c t i o n s
Outdoor Classroom Sites
Three locations: High Point, Red Pine Planting and School Side.
18 t h C e n t u ry F o u n d at i o n Offers a glimpse of our relevant agricultural heritage.
F i e l d /F o r e s t T r a n s i t i o n Z o n e s Provide water runoff mitigation and important forestfield transition habitat for many birds and other important wildlife.
L o c at i o n R at i o n a l e High Point offers shed of Connecticut Valley and school. Red Pine Planting provides site sourced materials in desperate need of management; School Side provides quick access (Hawthorne, DFW, 2012). Very unique, one-of-a-kind site for cross-disciplinary curricula connects the role of agriculture to our daily lives. Reduces mowing and helps management of invasive plants with native plant competition; re-establishes important habitat for students to investigate and value (Hawthorne, DFW, 2012).
W e t l a n d /W i l d l i f e V i e w i n g A r e a
Creates an engaging destination for interdisciplinary A raised viewing platform and walkway in a very rich activities and wildlife observation in a very unique location (Lattrelle, 2012). and diverse wetland.
Trail
head
Kiosks
Three locations; near south entry way, close to parking lot and off Route 142.
Student Gardens Give students an opportunity to raise food and create links to a healthy lifestyle.
Rain Garden Areas Reduce runoff and provide valuable pollinator habitat and visitor seating around the school building.
Engage visitors by offering information and direction while providing visual accessibility (Monro, 2012). Located near the building for easy access to open courtyard near middle school and senior lobby for high school. Sited close to building for easy accessibility for while offering functionality where runoff can be most dramatic.
Confidence Ropes Course
Provides a safe, readily-accessible location for students Develops leadership, cooperation and team problem in an area that requires little management and has privacy for multiple stations (Paulson, 2012). solving in a noncompetitive setting.
P h o to v o lta i c A rr ay Generates enough electricity to fully power the school, save money, and reduce dependency on unsustainable resources.
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Pioneering Stewardship Plan
Location is large enough to create full electrical support while being out of major viewing areas; highly accessible for management and near power lines for interconnection needs (Hawthorne, DFW, 2012).
FUTURE LANDS - Ecological By Design
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Site Analysis Summary II:
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18th Century Farm Foundation
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Rain Gardens
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Field-Forest Transitions
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“Wild View” Wetland Viewing
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Photovoltaic Array
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Trail Head Kiosks
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Site Analysis Summary II: Engaging Destinations & Functions 15
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Pioneering Stewardship Plan
FUTURE LANDS - Ecological By Design
Designs: Preferred & Alternatives Overview
B
uilding environmental stewardship as a means to a sustainable future is an important Core Value.
One preferred and two alternative designs have been developed through a community process, professional consultation, and extensive “best practices� research from the most recent scientific resources.
Each design identifies a more resilient landscape through sustainable land use practices. Open-air education and recreation provide students with places to study and observe Nature.
D e s i g n O v e rv i e w
Preferred Design
Resilience
Alternative Design I
Alternative Design II
S t e wa r d s h i p
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Provides Engaging
D e s t i n at i o n s Raises Runoff Quality Localizes Food Security Fosters Thriving Biodiversity
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Moderate
Moderate
Uses / manages entire site; well balanced
Emphasis close to building for quick access
Destinations for education and recreation away from building
Site Analysis Summary II: Engaging Destinations & Functions 17
Preferred Design: Resilience This design addresses an important Core Value and Student Expectation to build environmental stewardship in a variety of practical ways. It clearly addresses climate change by improving water run off, renewable energy sources, biodiversity and local food security while providing engaging destinations for student use.
Pros kkTrail re-routing away from steep slopes reduces erosion and siltation;
kkTrail Kiosks welcome visitors and provide clear direction;
kkOutdoor Classrooms with green roofs create structured places for lessons;
kkWetland Wild View encourages ecologically sound access to the wetlands for research and creative activities;
kkPrescribed Burn would reduces the risk of unmanaged forest fires;
kkUniversal Access Trail encourages access to a wider range of visitors;
kkField-Forest Transition Zones reduce mowing, decrease water runoff, increase edge habitat, and further protects the WPZ;
kkRegenerative Forestry improves forest health and provides educational tree-to-lumber processing skills;
kkPhotovoltaic Array reduces the growing utility bill and carbon footprint;
kkNative Planting creates natural habitat which
encourages local species, creates aesthetic additions from hard building lines and eliminates exotic invasive plants;
Cons kkTrails can interfere with some animal migration
patterns, hindering the search for food, and reducing genetic diversity by restricting breeding;
kkConstruction of a Wetland Wild View within wetland resource areas require special permits;
kkField-Forest Transition Zones need pathways mowed to control black-legged ticks;
kkTime frame for exotic invasive plant control in Field- Forest Transition Zones is not in sync with the school calendar;
kkClearing for ground mounted Photovoltaic Array
would eliminate habitat and could interfere with athletic practice area;
kkCommunity support will be required to maintain summer Student Gardens;
kkAddition of Native Planting requires careful planning for snow management; and
kkNewly cleared and disturbed areas create
opportunities for exotic invasive plant colonization and require routine management.
Two other Alternative Designs are included in the PSP Full Edition.
kkLeadership Ropes Course develops student confidence and cohesion;
kkStudent Gardens encourage healthier eating, could involve community support, and extend conventional thinking about local food production;
kkLiving Green Roof provides irrigation for gardens, improves water quality and significantly reduces heating and cooling costs; and
kkRain Gardens reduce rapid drainage, improve aquifer recharge, and provide native plant pollinator vegetation.
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Pioneering Stewardship Plan
FUTURE LANDS - Ecological By Design
P r e f e rr e d D e s i g n : R e s i l i e n c e ad
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Trails
Universal Access Trail
Leadership Ropes Course
Kiosks
Field-Forest Transition
Student Gardens
Outdoor Classrooms
Regenerative Forestry
Living Green Roof
Wetland Wild View
Photovoltaic Array
Rain Gardens
Prescribed Burn
Native Planting
Preferred Design: Resilience 19
Getting Started
M
uch of the PSP can be implemented with little expense once the school has formally adopted the identified concepts and strategies into management practices and incorporated them into the curricula as a sustainable vision for the future. The District will need to seek funding from public and private agencies.
Step 1 - The Key
to S u c c e s s A key component to project adoption will be a full or parttime Sustainability Coordinator who oversees the plan’s forward movement. The job description should include, but not be limited to, grant writing, training management staff, working hand-in-hand with teachers on curricula, and scheduling community events.
Step 2 - Invest in Low Cost/ N o C o s t P r o j e c t s
kkRedirect and design trails to run parallel or diagonally to contour lines instead of perpendicular;
kkApply for Northfield’s Community Preservation Act monies (over $90,000) by November. One-third of the use of this money must be used for open space preservation;
kkCertify the Potential Vernal Pool on the west side
certified; see http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/nhesp/ vernal_pools/vernal_pool_cert.htm;
kk Implement the forest management plan developed in 2013;
kkReduce mowing to establish healthy field to forest
transitions and improve pollinator habitat areas with managed native plants. Manage woody invasive exotics by pulling and re-planting with eco-regional natives and/or cut and paint with herbicides after prioritizing and carefully reviewing the best practices associated with invasive plant management;
kkContact the Northfield Planning Board about the
steps necessary for becoming part of the town’s Solar Overlay District for the photovoltaic array;
kkBegin the process of acquiring a leased, full-
photovoltaic system or budgeting for direct ownership to reduce electrical costs. Savings will be between 40 to 60% (~ $60,000) per year;
20
Pioneering Stewardship Plan
kkReduce siltation into drains by keeping plow piles away from drains;
kkReplace the use of road salt on sidewalks; kkRemove parking lot sweepings from winter sand
accumulations from drains and clean storm drains annually;
kkConsult a forest fire management professional for
details on reducing fire risk on Hitchcock Island Forest; and
kkCollaborate with a local land trust in obtaining
assistance from an AmeriCorp volunteer to assist the Coordinator.
S t e p 3 - A p p ly
for Grants Many of the items listed below are eligible for grants now that the school has the PSP.
kkEstablish raised - bed garden plots for the community with easy access to ample water; purchase the necessary gardening tools and provide a storage shed;
kkRemove managed burning bush shrubs from the
four areas on the school grounds and replace with native plants;
kkDesign water mitigating ‘rain gardens’ at strategic locations around the school;
kkEstablish habitat monitoring stations; kkProtect the vernal pool; kkMonitor and protect wetland; kkMonitor and protect pollinator habitats; and kkMonitor and protect turtle nesting areas. kkOffer teachers curriculum development stipends to integrate the PSP into existing curricula;
kkDesign outdoor classrooms and wildlife viewing
areas using site source materials and hiring students during the summer to work with a logger, forester, sawyer, and contractor; and
kkDevelop an entrepreneur program with middle
school students that utilizes site resources (e.g. cord wood harvesting, mushroom cultivation, and production gardens). FUTURE LANDS - Ecological By Design
Contents
of the
Full Edition
Forward 9 11 Executive Summary 13 Preface 14 Introduction 15 Inset: What Is BioMap? 16 Goals 18 Community Process 20 Context 23 History 30 Existing Conditions 31 Inset: Adopt-a-Habitat 33 Site Analysis Overview 34 Site Analysis: Water Resources Site Analysis: Surficial Geology 36 Site Analysis: Soils 38 Site Analysis: Topography & Drainage 40 Site Analysis: Vegetation & Cover 42 Inset: Invasive Species 44 Site Analysis: Wildlife & Natural Heritage 46 Site Analysis: Land Use 50 Site Analysis: Existing Access & Circulation 52 Case Study: Art Unites Outdoor Uses...This Could Be Pioneer! 55 56 Site Analysis Summary I: Sustainable Land Use Site Analysis Summary II: Engaging Destinations & Functions 58 Action Inspired Design Images 60 63 Designs: Preferred & Alternatives Overview Preferred Design: Resilience 64 Alternative Design I: Stewardship 66 Alternative Design II: Open-Air 68 Getting Started 70 72 Resources, Grants & Partnerships Appendix A: Building Resilient Communities 74 Appendix B: Community Input 77 Appendix C: Historic Details 79 Appendix B History 79 83 Appendix D: Soil Test Results Appendix E: Ecosystem Services 84 87 Appendix F: Invasive Plants - Guidelines for Managers Appendix G: Invasive Plants Details 88 Appendix H: Invasive Plant Locations & Replacements 92 94 Appendix I: NHESP Management at PVRS Appendix J: Endorsements 107 Appendix K: Forest Management Strategies 112 Appendix L: Photovoltaics - Buy or Lease? 115 Appendix M: Grants & Foundations 117 Appendix N: Developing A Trail System 120 Appendix O: Climate Change Report 2011 128 Appendix P: PSP’s Overlaps with Northfield’s OSRP 129 Bibliography 130 © 2013 FUTURE LANDS, LLC: No portion of the publication may be reproduced without written permission from the designer, EXCEPT for educational purposes by the staff and students at Pioneer Valley Regional School. Additional copies are available of the Full or Summary Additions can be downloaded free or purchased in book form from www.lulu.com/PVRS. The full version is also available at the PVRS website.
Getting Started 21