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_{BNAS PROPERTY CONVEYANCE PROPOSAL}

Date:   February 1, 2007  

To:      Brunswick Town Council  

From: Brunswick Conservation Commission  

Re:      NASB Property Conveyance Proposal

____________________________________________________________________  

The Conservation Commission has reviewed the lands potentially available for public conveyance from the Naval Air Station, Brunswick (NASB). The Commission developed criteria for reviewing the parts of the base for ecological, scenic and recreational values (see attachment 7). Based on these criteria, the Commission identified four parcels of NASB land, totaling 1047 acres, that are recommended for Town acquisition for purposes of conservation.  These parcels are mapped in attachments 1 and 2.  

The Commission also began drafting the required Federal Lands to Parks application (see attachment 5), which describes in detail the justification for requesting this land for public benefit conveyance.  Below is a summary description of each of the four requested parcels.  

Parcel 1A, Northern NASB  

Parcel 1A in the northwest corner of NASB, totals approximately 251 acres, though the effective acreage conserved will be greater than this, through an anticipated agreement with Bowdoin College for Parcels 1B and 1C.    

The pri mary reason for conservation is the presence of two rare ecological communities and rare species associated with these communities.  Both the Pitch Pine Heath Barren and the Little Bluestem – Blueberry Sandplain Grassland communities are considered to be Critically Imperiled (S1) in the state of Maine , and of highest priority for conservation. See attachment 8. The presence of breeding populations of both Grasshopper sparrows (State Endangered) and Upland Sandpipers (State Threatened) (see attachment 9), as well as the presence of two Critically Imperiled (S1) sedges (see attachment 10) also make the conservation of these lands a highest priority to the town.  Other rare species are likely present, but complete biological inventory will have to await greater access to the site.  

This area will serve a recreational function of particular interest by providing walking and biking trails, as this area abuts residential neighborhoods which currently lack access to green space within ¼ mile of their neighborhoods (see attachment 11).  

In addition, this area overlies a considerable portion zoned Aquifer Protection Zone 2, and so will serve to protect drinking water quality for the town.  

The proposed conveyance to the Town of Parcel 1A would conserve the most critical areas of the two rare ecological communities, however the Town should also make every effort to offer protection to remnants of these communities as they occur on other sections of the base.  The Commission entered into a dialogue with Bowdoin College regarding parcel 1C, 152 acres just south of Area 1A, where the Pitch Pine -Heath Barren community extends in patches.  Our understanding is that Bowdoin College would like to do limited development on this parcel, restricting building to areas not occupied by this community, and offering formal protection to the ecologically sensitive acreage.   Our recommendation to the Town is that in the forthcoming BLRA planning process the sensitivity of the remaining Little Bluestem-Blueberry Sandplain Grassland surrounding the runway and remnant patches of Pitch Pine - Heath Barren, as well as any occurrences of rare plant and animal species identified in future survey, will be given due protection. We are requesting that Bowdoin College provide a trail connection between the Town Commons and Parcel 1A, to which the college has provisionally agreed.  

Parcel 2, Southern NASB  

Parcel 2 consists of approximately 559 acres (634 acres including Federal conveyances) at the southern end of the base, and is also of highest priority for conservation.  

The conveyance would preserve a remarkably large piece of unfragmented coastal habitat, including more than 100 acres of high quality salt marsh and more than 450 acres of unfragmented coastal forest, and the longest stretch of undeveloped shoreline in Brunswick . The conservation importance of this block includes its suitability as breeding habitat for a number of declining bird species, including the Salt marsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow, Black-billed Cuckoo, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, and Scarlet Tanager, as well as the known presence of a state endangered plant, Mountain Honeysuckle (Lonicera dioica) (see attachment 10). The forest block serves as potential habitat for many other species that rely on large unfragmented forest blocks, and is a vital biological link between forests in East and West Brunswick , crucial for wildlife dispersal and foraging.   The parcel also serves an important role in protecting the rich mud flats of Harpswell Cove, some of the most significant commercial shellfish harvesting areas in the region.  

This area has important passive recreational potential, and will provide fine hiking and cross-country skiing opportunities; this includes walking public access to waterfront on Harpswell Cove. The Commission recommends that a trail corridor for non-motorized uses be maintained between the Towns Commons trail head and this area. Bowdoin College has expressed interest in the western portion of the base, and it has provisionally agreed to maintain this connection if it becomes owner of this property.  

Parcel 3, Eastern NASB  

This parcel is 171 acres of forest block bisected by Mare Brook, separating the main developed part of the base from the Wildwood neighborhood.   

The forest would serve the dual purpose of providing passive recreation opportunities for people living in surrounding neighborhoods, and providing habitat and landscape linkage for wildlife.  While it is of a lower priority than the other three parcels from a strictly biological perspective, the Commission feels that the benefits to both the public and the town’s biota warrant its conveyance. It contains a deer wintering area, is linked to the unfragmented block of Parcel 2 and provides landscape linkage for wildlife movement, provides important buffer to Mare Brook and its salt marsh, and contains geologic conditions that give rise to locally uncommon plant species.  

Parcel 4, Old Bath Road  

The Conservation Commission joins with the Recreation Commission in urging the Town Council to request with high priority conveyance of 66 acres off Old Bath Road (the old Radar site).  

Representatives of both groups have met to discuss how future Town uses for the property can best be accommodated. Both groups have somewhat conflicting objectives, but are hopeful that these can be worked out agreeably.  

Little Bluestem-Blueberry Sandplain Grassland community, which predominates at the site, and the Pitch Pine – Heath Barren, which occupies smaller areas there, are both listed as Critically Imperiled (S1) ecological communities with the State. The Conservation Commission would prefer to see the site fully protected.  The size of the site is already at the smaller end of what may be acceptable breeding area for some grassland nesting birds, and any reduction in this area will only lower its ecological value.  

The Recreation Commission would like to develop up to 1/4 of the site for a consolidated complex of athletic fields, parking, and restroom facilities (up to 15 acres). The Recreation Commission believes that this will address the current and dire need for additional field space which is particularly lacking in East Brunswick . The Conservation Commission is concerned that reducing the area by a quarter would compromise the biological function of these natural communities. The Conservation Commission believes that playing fields and parking lots, which do not rely on the specific properties of the site, are not sufficiently compelling to warrant the loss of this rare and sensitive habitat. However, the Commission does believe that a bike path could compatibly cross the site without unduly compromising biological value, if the Androscoggin River bike path is extended to Bath .   

Both the Conservation Commission and Recreation Commission agree that upon acquisition, a natural resource field survey should be conducted immediately and that this should precede any master planning. A master plan for the site should take results of the natural resource survey into account and be completed. Any recreation development, if the Council decides that development should occur at this site, should be located and designed so as to avoid, if possible, and minimize impacts on the existing natural resources. If development is the case, a compact, peripheral development not to exceed 15 acres is preferable to both parties. In conclusion, acquisition of parcel 4 by the Town at this time is absolutely essential.  

The Commission hopes to finalize a draft agreement with Bowdoin College shortly, so it can become part of the Federal Lands to Parks application.

Attachments:   

1.     Conservation Commission Proposal Parcels 1, 2 and 3 Map.  Depending on your printer configuration you may or may not be able to print this map)

2.      Conservation Commission Proposal Parcel 4 Map (Depending on your printer configuration you may or may not be able to print this map)

3.     Mapped Natural Resources NASB.  (Depending on your printer configuration you may or may not be able to print this map)

4.      Summary Chart of Conservation Commission Proposal

5.      Draft Federal Lands to Parks Application

6.      Letters of Support and USFWS map

7.      Criteria Used by Conservation Commission in Selecting Sites

8.      Community descriptions of Little Bluestem – Blueberry Sandplain Grassland and Pitch Pine – Heath Barren

9.      Species descriptions of Grasshopper Sparrow and Upland Sandpiper 

10.  Plant species descriptions of Dry Land Sedge, Clothed Sedge, and Mountain Honeysuckle

11.  Growth Zone Neighborhood Open Space Accessibility Map (Depending on your printer configuration you may or may not be able to print this map)

12.  Maine Natural Areas Program information on state rarity ranks

13.  Maine Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy, Key Habitat Types and Maine Wildlife Action Plan, Species of Greatest Conservation Need by Key Habitat Type

14. Memorandum of Agreement between the Town of Brunswick and Bowdoin College, March 21, 2007

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