town of guilford east river preserve
TRANSCRIPT
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Town of Guilford East River Preserve
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August 26, 2009 the Town of Guilford acquired 583 acres conserving the largest remaining tract of undeveloped land within its coastal boundary for ecological conservation and natural resource-based outdoor recreation.
A condition to the grant was a management plan for the property had to be completed.
The Board of Selectman appointed the East River Preserve Management Plan Committee to create a plan that satisfies the requirements of the NOAA grant and requirements for Class A Open Space.
49 additional acres are Class C Land.
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The East River Preserve contains critical ecosystems providing:
• Habitat for diadromous fish; • Habitat for estuarine-dependent and
interior forest birds; • High quality estuarine ecosystem; • Old field successional grasslands; • Large intact legacy upland forest; • High quality inland wetland system with
vernal and ephemeral pools.
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Recreational activities include: • Walking the New England Trail our nation’s
newest National Scenic Trail; • Educational; • Bird watching, wildflower viewing, night sky and fall foliage viewing; • Open-air arts; • Cultural heritage.
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Goals of the East River Preserve Management Plan : • Conserve a diverse and healthy suite of habitats; • Promote ecological and outdoor recreation
connections to adjacent lands and waters; • Provide public access to the East River; • Preserve cultural heritage; • Protect water quality; • Support a healthy balance of wildlife; • Encourage scientific research; • Promote educational opportunities.
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Species of Special Concern at ERP • Eastern box turtle • Wood turtle • Mudwort • Savannah sparrow • Bobolink • Least bittern • American kestrel • Eastern meadowlark • Sandhill crane in 2006 • American pipit • Great egret • Bald Eagle • Red-shouldered hawk • Broad-winged hawk • Red-bellied
woodpecker • Yellow-throated vireo
•Carolina wren •Wood thrush •Blue-winged warbler •Northern Parula •Prairie warbler •Worm-eating warbler •Eastern towhee •Savannah sparrow •Indigo bunting •Orchard oriole •Eastern meadowlark
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As the East River Preserve is currently used by many for passive recreation, we encourage the Selectmen to:
• Provide additional access to the property and the proposed route of the New England Trail and an independent assessment of the proposed ‘east side trail’;
• Provide support for boundary marking; • Implement High Priority Short Term projects that have no or
minimal costs; • Assign a managing agency with governing capacity; • Provide funding for management of East River Preserve; • Apply for funding to implement management plan; • Control invasive plants.
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There are long-term management concerns that the Selectmen need to investigate.
• Management of the woodlands; • Limit horseback riding and mountain bikes; • Access for canoe and kayak launch by Foote’s bridge; • Increase access points; • Manage the white-tailed deer population which
exceeds recommended population for maintaining healthy forest habitat, increasing the risk of tick-borne illness and collisions with vehicles.
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