Author: savethecountywoodlot

Yikes

Traildrop

So the meeting on March 21st didn’t go so great. The turnout was less than the November meeting, two people on the board couldn’t even make it. The petition had no standing, And the committee board shut down and belittled questions from the public. It was proclaimed that Kingstown has only excavated about half the amount they are permitted for.  So double the images below.

Desolate

Holeintheground.jpg

(Those 12 foot tall machines sure do look tiny from the top of their pit).

Next steps? Time to reach outside of Plymouth. I’ll be contacting state legislators this week and reaching out to Massachusetts Fisheries and Wildlife to see if we can get an environmental assessment done on this parcel. A board member commented after the meeting that there where absolutely “no endangered animals in the area”. However, there was no assessment or survey done. Please reach out to me, if you have any ideas for our next plan of action. You can directly message me at bruneau1995@gmail.com

Your neighbor,

Alyse Bruneau

Area 3: Plymouth Aquifer Protection Map

Labledwater

The Woodlot is listed as area 3 on the Plymouth Aquifer Protection Map.

A sole source aquifer (SSA) is one that provides at least 50% of the drinking water for its service area and there are no other available drinking water sources should the aquifer become contaminated (EPA, 2019). The Plymouth Carver Sole Source Aquifer is Plymouths only source of fresh clean drinking water.

The most prominent issue is the danger the excavation places on Plymouth’s clean drinking water. The activity is taking place over the Plymouth Carver Sole Source Aquifer. Endangerments to clean water needs to be of top priority when discussing the fate of any development or excavations in Plymouth.

This activity is happening because of closed door deals made between Kingstown Corporation and the County officials who have hidden public records and avoided transparency.

Hope to see you this Thursday 530 pm at 44 Obery street as the future of the Woodlot is discussed.

References:

EPA. (2019). Overview of the drinking water sole source aquifer program. Retrieved from https://www.epa.gov/dwssa/overview-drinking-water-sole-source-aquifer-program#What_Is_SSA_Program

 

Winter Wonderland at the Woodlot

Kiki&Tigs

Hello neighbors,

Here is a photo of Tigger and one of his best friends, Kiki, on a winter walk at the Wood Lot!

With spring right around the corner, we find ourselves experiencing the first snow storms of the year. It was as beautiful as it was short. To some this is a great thing, less shoveling and more time at work. However, it sends a blunt note about the seasonal shifts that infamously support climate change.

Did you know, that forests are our ally in combating climate change. Forests mitigate climate change in large part because of carbon sequestration. This is a process where carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere and is absorbed by the components of the forest. Carbon sequestration by forests saves us money. If we had to invest in an artificial carbon sink it would need an economic subsidy worth billions of tax payer dollars (Canadell & Raupach, 2008).

Please stay involved as we fight to protect our natural communities, our clean drinking water, and our carbon future.

– Alyse

 

References:

Canadell, J. & Raupach, M. (2008). Science. Managing Forests for Climate Change Mitigation. Retrieved 3/5/19 from http://science.sciencemag.org/content/320/5882/1456

What is at Stake?

googleearth

Above is a google Earth image of the Wood Lot. It spans from Tall Pines Road all the way to the solar panels off Camelot Dr.

Corehabitat

This photo was taken using OLIVER MassGIS. Which is an online data viewer with layered maps of ecological data. Please check out the facts for yourself: http://maps.massgis.state.ma.us/map_ol/oliver.php

CORE HABITAT: Species of conservation concern

Many species in MA that are under conservation concern face threats that are from habitat loss and climate change factors. This map targets conservation needs of individual species, particularly uncommon and potentially threatened species. There are 435 native plant and animal species listed under the Massachusetts Endangered Species Act (MESA).

critical landscape

Critical Natural Landscapes:

The dynamic nature of intact landscapes provides an array of habitat types and patches that support an immense diversity of species. Conservation of landscapes is crucial to ensuring the long-term persistence of rare and native species and their habitats.

Landscapes and core habitat are complementary each represents biodiversity in MA. However, they each focus on different criteria.

ConservationConcern

Species of Conservation Concern:

Species of conservation concern include species that meet the criteria for listing under the Massachusetts Endangered Species Act, in addition to some that are considered a special concern. A species must meet strict criteria including rarity, population trends, and threats to survival.