Tag: global natural environment

State doles out $28M to preserve open space

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BOSTON — The state is distributing nearly $28 million to communities and regional organizations to upgrade parks and preserve open space as part of broader efforts to blunt the impact of climate change.

The state Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs said it has awarded $27.8 million for park improvements and open space acquisition through several grant programs to help 54 communities and trusts to protect land. The spending will help preserve nearly 2,400 acres of open space statewide, the agency said.

Gov. Maura Healey said the open space program’s projects will “boost public health, drive tourism, and strengthen our economy” and that the spending is part of a large effort “creating sustainable communities and safeguarding our natural resources for future generations.”

“Investing in parks and open space is critical for our state’s resilience against climate change, tackling issues like urban heat islands, flooding, sea level rise, and drought,” Healey said in a statement.

The funding includes $500,000 for Lawrence to cover upgrades to Campagnone Common, a 17.5-acre park in the city’s downtown that hosts festivals and other gatherings.

“By enhancing public spaces for recreation and community, we’re not only fostering a healthier, more vibrant Lawrence but also contributing to our city’s economic vitality as more people come to enjoy everything Lawrence has to offer,” state Sen. Pavel Payano, D-Lawrence, said in a statement.

Salem is receiving $500,000 from the Parkland Acquisitions and Renovations for Communities program for renovations at Curtis Memorial Park that will upgrade structures and a playing field, the agency said.

The Essex County Greenbelt Association will receive $300,000 through the Conservation Partnership Grants program to preserve 84 acres of farmland, wildlife habitat and headwaters to the East Meadow River, a tributary to the Merrimack River and a major source of drinking water for Haverhill, the agency said.

A 1972 amendment to the state constitution, approved by 82% of voters, gave the state Legislature the authority to order the purchase of land – by eminent domain or otherwise – for conservation, recreation or open space. It set a two-thirds vote requirement for lawmakers to approve or make changes to protections.

A 2022 amendment to the law declares that land preservation is considered a “public purpose” by the state government and that “people have the right to clean air and water, freedom from excessive and unnecessary noise, and the natural, scenic, historic and aesthetic qualities of their environment.”

The law includes a provision that allows for a cash payment in lieu of replacement land, which must be at 110% of the property’s value.

Within three years of the transaction, the money must be deposited into a fund dedicated to the purchase of Article 97 land that is of “equal natural resource value and acreage.”

The Resilient Lands Initiative, a coalition of state agencies, nonprofit environmental groups and land trusts, wants to speed up land conservation in Massachusetts with a focus on climate resilience and environmental justice. The group has set a goal of conserving 30% of land statewide by 2030 and 40% by 2050.

Conservationists have faced a backlash from some local leaders who have raised concerns about the drain on their budgets when large tracts are taken off the tax rolls and made off limits to commercial development or housing projects that provide tax revenue.

The scramble for undeveloped land has also pitted advocates of open space against those of affordable housing, who argue that the need for low-income housing in many communities often takes a back seat to creating new parks, protecting forests and preserving wildlife habitat.

Christian M. Wade covers the Massachusetts Statehouse for North of Boston Media Group’s newspapers and websites. Email him at cwade@cnhinews.com.

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By Christian M. Wade | Statehouse Reporter

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September 28, 2024
Salem State to plant more trees at Harrington Campus thanks to Gateway City funding

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SALEM — New tree plantings are coming to Salem State University to help provide shade to Harrington Campus, after recent efforts to plant trees have been celebrated at other parts of SSU.

The Healey-Driscoll Administration announced recently that it’s investing more than $1 million in grants to support tree plantings and expand urban tree canopies in gateway cities, such as Salem and Lynn. The two neighboring cities combined for a $310,931 from the Greening the Gateway Cities (GGCP) implementation grant program.

Salem State’s share of the grant, worth $31,950, will bring 36 new trees to the Harrington Campus, while $120,000 goes to the city of Salem to plant 100 trees along entry routes, $123,981 to Lynn to plant 110 new public trees and prepare 80 new tree pits, and $35,000 to local nonprofit Salem Sound Coastwatch to help recruit residential properties into the program and find other high-priority planting spots in the area.

Salem State recently partnered with the Department of Conservation and Recreation through the GGCP to plant 50 trees of diverse species on North Campus, at the O’Keefe Complex, Stanley Building, and along the bike path, with more trees to come this fall. The new grant funding allows the university to plant trees on the Harrington Campus, where students have specifically requested more trees. The Harrington Campus was previously ineligible for the GGCP, as it’s not within an environmental justice area.

Bringing trees to campus “is transforming the landscape of Salem State for the future and is an important part of Salem State’s climate resiliency strategy,” said Tara Gallagher, sustainability coordinator in the university’s facilities department. “They say the best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago, and the second-best time is today. So, it’s never too late.”

The program strives not just to plant trees, but to make sure those that are planted receive initial watering and treatment support, and that species planted are also diverse. Plantings last year brought Honeylocusts, Basswoods, Red Maples, and others in the areas around the Canal Street parking lots and the multi-use path that runs through the area.

“Planting trees in urban areas helps neighborhoods that lack tree canopy and suffer from the urban heat island effect of being hotter than surrounding areas in the summer,” Gallagher said. “Tree planting also brings stormwater management, wildlife habitat and other benefits, as well as beautifying our campus.”

Rebecca Tepper, secretary to the state’s Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, said expanding the state’s forest canopy “is one piece of the larger puzzle to combatting climate change in Massachusetts.”

“With continuous heat waves leading to higher energy bills and greater greenhouse gas emissions, our Greening the Gateway Cities Program leverages our state resources and engages residents to help plant trees and enhance public health,” Tepper said. “Reducing the urban heat island effect is a top priority, and our non-profit partnerships through the GGCP will help cool our neighborhoods, towns and cities.”

As part of its efforts to advance and educate on sustainability, Salem State also held three events earlier this month to talk about low mow zones, the importance of trees in urban areas, and learn about pollinator habitats.

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By News Staff

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August 31, 2024
Ecological study to focus on stream crossings

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Two North Shore road stream crossings, including one in West Newbury, have been selected by the state Department of Fish and Game’s Division of Ecological Restoration for future ecological restoration studies.

The culvert replacement sites – one on River Road in West Newbury and the other on Concord Street in Gloucester – were selected due to their vulnerability to coastal erosion, flooding and future sea-level rise, agency said.

Although the culverts are crossing freshwater streams, the division says they are expected to become tidal as sea levels rise, a transition presenting significant challenges for road infrastructure, DER officials said.

The Division of Ecological Restoration announced it is funding and managing future studies at the sites to help the communities, nearby landowners and partners overcome technical challenges and plan for ecological restoration and climate adaptation.

“Ecological restoration provides innumerable benefits,” Fish and Game Commissioner Tom O’Shea said in a prepared statement. “Projects like this will improve public safety, build resilience to sea-level rise, coastal erosion, and mitigate flooding, and restore water quality and wildlife habitat.

“By supporting municipalities and partners, we can scale our efforts to steward a biodiverse and climate ready future.”

“DER looks forward to helping these two communities evaluate and plan for sea-level rise while building resilient, fish-friendly road stream crossings,” Division of Ecological Restoration Director Beth Lambert said in a prepared statement. “Culvert upgrades and other nature-based solutions can be technically challenging and costly for our municipalities to pursue alone. State-municipal partnerships like this are key to successful implementation of ecological restoration and climate adaptation projects.”

In West Newbury, the River Road culvert is on an unnamed stream of the Merrimack River. The crossing faces challenges due to flooding and erosion, and has the potential to be heavily influenced by increased storms and sea level rise.

Conducting models of the way water moves at the culvert site and investigating potential ecological improvements through restoration would enable a systematic approach to improving infrastructure and natural resource resiliency, the state said.

In Gloucester, the Concord Street culvert is along a tributary of Walker Creek.

The DER indicated the culvert is affected by coastal storms and is at an increased risk for erosion and flooding. The replacement of the culvert with a structure of resilient design would address flood water retention and bank stabilization and sedimentation; improve fish passage and wildlife habitat; and increase climate resilience by preparing for sea level rise, storm surge, and coastal marsh mitigation.

A 2019 technical report called “Great Marsh Barrier Mitigation: A comprehensive program to mitigate aquatic barriers in the Great Marsh Area of Critical Environmental Concern region” by the Ipswich River Watershed Association looked at the single culvert on Concord Street, among many other “priority barriers” in the region.

“The site has been identified as a site that has experienced flooding and ranked as having poor aquatic organism passage in the (North Atlantic Aquatic Connectivity Collaboration) Tidal Crossing Assessment,” the report said. It singled out the culvert as having “no passage due to rock piles/undersized structures.”

Ethan Forman may be contacted at 978-675-2714, or at eforman@northofboston.com.

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By Ethan Forman | Staff Writer

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May 21, 2024