Digitized by the Internet Archive 2013 in http://archive.org/details/stateforestsparOOmass ^&aJ&4& Guidelines for Operations A And Land Stewardship MAI 1 ! ] STATE FORESTS & PARKS IN THE NORTHEASTERN CONNECTICUT VALLEY REGION DRAFT DRAFT Massachusetts Department of Environmental Management December, 1996 LEGEND PicnicArea, Fireplaces&Tables Betti House Woods Roads Gravel Road Main Highway Forest Boundary TO SOUTH ROYALSTON STATE FORESTS & PARKS IN THE NORTHEASTERN CONNECTICUT VALLEY REGION Massachusetts Department of Environmental Management TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY iii INTRODUCTION Mission 1 Management Planning Objectives 1 Regional Context 2 Overview of State Forests & Parks 4 Recent Acquisition in Warwick 8 NATURAL RESOURCES Forestry & Wildlife Management 11 Fisheries 14 Rare Species & Priority Habitat Areas 15 Land Stewardship Zoning 15 Zoning Map 21 Carrying Capacity 24 Regional Open Space Conservation 2 8 LAKES & PONDS Background 31 Existing Conditions 31 Analysis 32 Lake & Pond Locus Map 33 . Lake & Pond Descriptions and Recommendations 3 7 Beaman Pond 3 7 Lake Dennison 3 9 Dunn Pond 4 Laurel Lake 42 Sheomet Lake 44 Ruggles Pond 45 Wickett Pond 46 Regional Recommendations 47 Swimming Suitability Assessment 47 Richards Reservoir & Riceville Pond 48 RECREATION Background 4 9 Existing Opportunities 50 GOALS Visitor Surveys 51 Sandler Associates Survey 52 Visitor Attendance 53 Attendance Graphs 54 SCORP 5 6 Management Goals & Objectives 56 Recommendations 5 7 Maps: Erving Campground & Wendell Cabins 58 TRAILS Background 63 Management Goals & Objectives 63 Recommendations 64 Long-Distance Trail Map 69 Bed & Breakfast List 71 STAFF ORGANIZATION Current (FY 96) Staffing 73 Recommended Organization with Current Staffing Level 74 Enhanced Staffing Organization 75 Park Rangers 76 CAPITAL REHABILITATION & IMPROVEMENTS BY PARK Vehicles & Equipment 77 Otter River 77 Lake Dennison 78 Birch Hill 79 Federated 79 Ware River Rail Trail 79 Gardner Heritage V.C. 79 Dunn Pond 79 Erving 79 Mt Grace 80 Warwick 80 Wendell 80 M&M Trail 80 Potential Long-range Recreation Improvements 81 CAPITAL REHAB & IMPROVEMENTS BY TYPE OF PROJECT 82 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 87 REFERENCES & SOURCES FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION 89 APPENDICES A Mass. State Forest Road Classification System 93 B Fisheries Supplemental Information 97 C Carrying Capacity 99 D Gap Analysis Explanation 109 E Park Visitor Survey Results 111 F Millers River Recreation 113 G Massachusetts Heritage Discovery Network 117 H Greenway & Trails - 1996 DEM Grants Recipients 122 I Dam Descriptions & Recommendations 123 il