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In generai,the site's natural resources have been degraded due to past land uses. However,opportunities <br /> exist to increase the aesthetic and conservation values associated with this development. These <br /> opportunities and associated recommendations are provided beIow. <br /> Forest Preservation-While the quality of the on-site forests is not high,they still have value as wooded <br /> habitat(especially the remnant stands of Maple-Basswood Forest)and they provide visual screening. The <br /> site plan illustrates home placement generally in the old field areas(but outside of the primary viewshed <br /> from Watertown Road). The pian shows the loss of some forest due to road construction,lot grading, <br /> utility installation,and stormwater pond construction;however,the two stands of Maple-Basswood Forest <br /> would be preserved. This is important given that these aze the highest quality native plant communities <br /> on the site,and they are located in the northeast portion of the site,identified as part of a medium-quality, <br /> regionally significant ecological resource. Recommendations for additional forest preservation include: <br /> • Place the stormwater management pond along the western edge of the southern wetland area. <br /> This would significantly reduce the loss of forest resulting from pond construction and <br /> stormwater pipe installation. Mitigation for this recommended wetland alteration is discussed <br /> under the Wetland sections below. <br /> m Pull homesites and lot grading out of the site forests to the extent possible to preserve more <br /> contiguous farest cover. Plant trees around tl�ese new homes and adjacent to the existing forest to <br /> create wooded lots over tune. <br /> � Minimize site grading by working with e�cisting site contours to the extent possible. This may <br /> entail custom grading of lots,rather than lot-wide grading. <br /> Forest Enhancement and Expansion-IDue to the poor quality of the existing forests,there are <br /> opportunities to improve the ecological health of preserved forest areas and enhance their aesthetics for <br /> site residents and the surrounding community. Our recommendations for forest enhancement include: <br /> � Remove all non-native woody vegetation(e.g.,mostly common buckthorn}. This should be done <br /> in a manner sensitive to the forest(e.g.,use hand tools rather than mechanized equipment; <br /> perform cutting during frozen conditions to protect site soils; do any follow-up foiiar spray in a <br /> manner that protects native plants,etc.). <br /> e Remove all non-native or invasive herbaceous vegetation(e.g.,reed canary grass,garlic mustard) <br /> � Replace cut buckthorn areas with appropriate,local ecotype native vegetation. This may include <br /> upland shrubs(e.g.,wild plum),wetland edge shrubs(e.g.,red-twig dogwood),and native grasses <br /> and wildflowers. <br /> � Plant appropriate,local ecotype native trees, shrubs,grasses,and wildflowers to restore native <br /> Maple-Basswood Forest in strategic locations. This can be done to envelop newly graded lots (td <br /> create a wooded lot over time),provide additional visual screeaung,or expand the preserved <br /> forests,making larger biocks of conriguous canopy cover. The greatest ecological benefit from <br /> this forest restoration would be in the northeast portion of the site,to expand the medium-quality, <br /> regionally significant ecological resource identified there. <br /> VG/etland Preservation-While the quality of the mn-site wetland is not high, it still has value�nd perforins <br /> important ecological services(e.g.,infiltration, evapotranspiration,fil2ration, floodwater storage,etc.). <br /> Based on the site plan,some wetland alteration would�ccnr in order to construct a stormwater pond. <br /> Recammendatio�is for wetland preservation include: <br /> o As mentioned previously,place the stormwater management pond along the westiern edge of t�� <br /> southern wetland area. This would avoid impacts to the slightly mare diverse portions of the <br /> wetland. <br /> � Pr�vi�e opport�aniti�s for s±ob-sr��at�TM pn�iltrati�r��ra��f�n�ff,dxivee�,�ay runeff;Etc.y�*�a reda�ce x�e <br /> size of the stormwat�r pond(tiv�ich will minimize vdetland alteration). <br /> 050929:11 1805 3 of 5 MacKinnon Hill <br />