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The Butterfly Effect

Protecting a unique meadow habitat in the Middlesex Fells from outside development

A discussion piece by Friends of the Fells November 2018

To find out more or join this effort, contact Ron Morin,

Executive Director of Friends of the Fells @ ron.morin@fells.org

Winchester developers propose building a hockey rink on a unique, biodiverse meadow in the Middlesex Fells Reservation

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The proposal would:

• Clear-cut an unknown portion of the 13-acre 90mm meadow.
• Build a large indoor skating facility.
• Pave an extensive area for parking lots.
• Necessitate substantial modifications to South Border Road and excavation for utilities.
• Add light and noise pollution to the woods and neighborhood.

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A discussion piece by Friends of the Fells

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The hockey-rink developers mischaracterized the site as “degraded” occupying a “couple of acres” of pavement, rather than a meadow site rich in bird and plant life.

In truth:

• This is one of the nine richest butterfly habitats between Boston and Washington, DC.
• <2 percent of the 13 acres that make up the 90mm meadow has asphalt access paths or remnants of concrete foundations.

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A discussion piece by Friends of the Fells

A cooperative effort of government agencies and volunteers has maintained the 90 mm meadow for over 50 years.

• The former Metropolitan District Commission and the Massachusetts Department of Conservation & Recreation has actively maintained and preserved the former military site as a meadow.
• More recently, a variety of volunteers have joined in the site’s maintenance and conservation, including
• Medford Girl Scout troops
• Tufts University FOCUS (First Year Orientation Community Service)
• Medford HS football team
• Friends of the Fells and community volunteers.

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A discussion piece by Friends of the Fells

The proposed rink would fundamentally destroy the enjoyment of this area by neighbors and people from all over.

• From the South Border Road entrance, the 90mm meadow may appear to be an isolated site, but a network of established trails runs close to the meadow.
• These trails provide opportunities to families and people of all ages for hiking, biking, snowshoeing, dog-walking and other recreational uses.
• This area is a valuable and much-used community resource for people in Medford, Winchester, and beyond.
• The proposed rink would transform this quiet refuge to a large parking lot with a loud and glaring hockey rink.

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A discussion piece by Friends of the Fells

Rather than erase 50 years of work, let’s put resources into a meadow enhancement plan:

• Continue the current mowing plan to preserve meadow habitat.
• Actively manage plants that encourage butterfly and bird habitats, as well as important pollinators.
• Remove invasive species to protect trees.
• Enhance educational opportunities with local schools and universities, Students of the Fells, scout troops, and more!

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A discussion piece by Friends of the Fells

Source: UMass Center for Agriculture, Food and the Environment

Meadows are rare in nature, but are now vitally important to offset the effects of urbanization on birds and insects.

• After being cleared for use as an artillery installation, the open area was transformed into an ideal and unique habitat for butterflies.
• 90mm meadow represents the richest butterfly diversity of any area within Route 128.
• Almost 70 unique species of butterflies, including rare or endangered species have been recorded there.
• The site contains an ideal variety and density of nectar sources combined with proximity of forest, field, stream, and marsh habitats.

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A discussion piece by Friends of the Fells

Northern Hairstreak

90 mm meadow is a Mass Audubon “Important Bird Area”

• In addition to butterflies, the 90mm meadow supports an amazing range of biodiversity.
• The meadow is included in Mass Audubon’s Fells Important Bird Area classification due to its ideal habitat for supporting breeding and bird migration.
• Over 130 plant species have been catalogued in 90mm meadow and its surroundings.

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A discussion piece by Friends of the Fells

Image source: George Mclean

The 90 mm meadow is an important environmental education asset in our region.

• Volunteers who participate in conservation activities learn about this unique ecosystem and the symbiotic relationships between plants, pollinators, and animals that rely on the biodiversity of the Fells.
• Medford High School uses the 90mm meadow as part of its environmental curriculum.
• The Friends of the Fells’ local high school environmental program, Students of the Fells, is developing plans for more educational plaques and learning tools at site.

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A discussion piece by Friends of the Fells

South Border Road is protected as an historic parkway. Getting traffic safely to a hockey rink will demand extensive changes, destroying this historical resource.

• Alterations to Parkways are subject to DCR Historic Parkway Preservation Guidelines.
• The Guidelines state that increasing traffic volume, adding turning lanes and signals are character-defining features causing adverse effects to Historic Parkways.
• Nearby residents would also be negatively impacted by the traffic congestion, noise and air pollution.

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A discussion piece by Friends of the Fells

The hockey rink proposal could easily worsen flooding in neighboring communities and degrade groundwater

• Replacing the natural habitat with a hockey facility, access roads, and parking for 120 cars would greatly increase runoff and worsen local flooding.
• Preserving open, natural spaces is one of the simplest and most cost-effective ways to mitigate the growing effects of climate change.

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A discussion piece by Friends of the Fells

Example of street flooding on Cross St. in Winchester (Source: WCVB-5)

Example of a meadow mitigating climate change

Building a hockey rink at the 90mm meadow would violate DCR's Fells Reservation Resource Management Plan guidelines for conferring special resource protection status to the entire Lawrence Woods area.

From DCR Resource Management Plan for the Middlesex Fells Reservation (January 2012):

• The 90mm area of the Fells as part of the surrounding Lawrence Woods has been designated by DCR for special protection status given its importance as Vernal Pool Core Habitat and Forest Core Habitat. [Fells RMP, p. 6.]
• The Fells RMP states that the Lawrence Woods area includes “…locations of sensitive rare species, priority natural communities and trail free areas over 10 acres. It also contains the area with the highest diversity of amphibian species…” [Fells RMP, p. 15.]

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A discussion piece by Friends of the Fells

Article 97 of Amendments to the Massachusetts Constitution was enacted in 1972 to prevent just this type of land grab.

Article XCVII. Article XLIX of the Amendments to the Constitution is hereby annulled and the following is adopted in place thereof: - The people shall have the right to clean air and water, freedom from excessive and unnecessary noise, and the natural, scenic, historic, and esthetic qualities of their environment; and the protection of the people in their right to the conservation, development and utilization of the agricultural, mineral, forest, water, air and other natural resources is hereby declared to be a public purpose.

The general court shall have the power to enact legislation necessary or expedient to protect such rights. In the furtherance of the foregoing powers, the general court shall have the power to provide for the taking, upon payment of just compensation therefor, or for the acquisition by purchase or otherwise, of lands and easements or such other interests therein as may be deemed necessary to accomplish these purposes. Lands and easements taken or acquired for such purposes shall not be used for other purposes or otherwise disposed of except by laws enacted by a two thirds vote, taken by yeas and nays, of each branch of the general court.

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A discussion piece by Friends of the Fells

Local elected officials, citizens, and civic groups overwhelmingly oppose building on this precious meadow

Local officials

• State Senators
• Pat Jehlen
• Jason Lewis
• State Representatives
• Christine Barber
• Paul Brodeur
• Paul Donato
• Sean Garballey
• Medford Mayor Stephanie Burke

Organizations

• Mystic River Watershed Association
• Philip Saunders Associates

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A discussion piece by Friends of the Fells

The oldest and largest conservation nonprofits in the Commonwealth oppose the hockey rink project.

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Our change.org petition has garnered close to 7,000 signatures as of December 3, 2018

Comments from petition signers:

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“I’m a photographer, and some of my best pictures were taken in 90mm—how can they think it’s a dilapidated abandoned piece of asphalt—it’s beautiful with its fruit trees, birds and butterflies.”

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“Why can’t they do what soccer people did in Winchester? They found their own land.”

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“I walk there every day—this is unbelievable! Count me against.”

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Once the land is developed, it will never be returned!

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• In 1883 Elizur Wright, the 'Father of the Fells', advocated for the Fells to be preserved "for everyone who likes to breathe pure air, drink pure water, and see green things.”
• Park system landscape architect Charles Eliot said the protected spaces would provide the public with “space for air, for light, for exercise, for rest and for the enjoyment of that peaceful beauty of nature."
• Sacrificing this shared area for the use of a select few violates the Reservation's original public purpose.

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We must act to protect the Fells!