Land Conservation in the Great Marsh David Santomenna

Director of Land Conservation, Essex County Greenbelt November 13, 2014

Presentation Overview

• Current Conservation Status

• Survey of Land

Conservation Activity In the Great Marsh

• Implications of Sea Level Rise & Climate Change

• The Great Marsh in a Broader Conservation Context

Great Marsh Land Conservation Status

• Great Marsh ACEC—25,500 acres

• 12,000 acres protected (47%)

• Compare to Essex County as a whole (25% protected)

Land Conservation in the Great Marsh: The Kingdom Era

• Parker River NWR • 4,700 acres (3,000 saltmarsh) • Acquired via eminent domain

TTOR: Castle Hill, Cranes Beach, Crane Wildlife Refuge

• Acquired by donation • 2100 acres • Acquired between 1945 & 1974

Conservation in the Great Marsh: The Partnership Era

• Emphasis on federal, state, municipal, NGO partnerships

• Driven by

increases in land value & project complexity

• Emphasis

on buffers and bordering upland

Partnership Projects: Soginese Creek, Essex

• 177 acres

• Bargain Sale

CR purchase

• Funding from National Coastal Wetlands grant program

• Partners:

Greenbelt, USFWS, MA DCR

Partnership Projects: Storey CR/APR, Essex

• 121 acres

• Bargain Sale CR/APR purchase

• Funding: National Coastal Wetlands grant, state APR program

• Partners: Greenbelt, MA DCR, MA APR

Partnership Projects: Raymond Fields, Ipswich

• 250 acres

• Bargain Sale

CR/APR purchase

• Funding: Town of Ipswich, MA DCR, MA APR, private fundraising

• Partners: Ipswich, MA DCR, MA APR, Greenbelt, TPL, ECTA

Partnership Projects: Rough Meadows, Rowley

• 265 acres • Fair market value purchase of fee interest • Funding: NAWCA, Town of Rowley, MA DCR, private fundraising • Partners: MAS, MA DCR, Greenbelt

Engagement & Interpretation Opportunities: Rough Meadows, Rowley

Engagement & Interpretation Opportunities: Sally Weatherall Reservation, Ipswich

Engagement & Interpretation Opportunities: Smith Saltmarsh, Gloucester

Engagement & Interpretation Opportunities: Greenbelt’s Osprey Program

• 29 Nesting Pairs

• 75,000

unique website visitors

• 700 nest

monitor reports submitted

New Tools for Land Conservation

• BioMap2 Coastal Adaptation Layer

• 15,500 acres

• 9,400 acres

protected (60%)

The Great Marsh in a Broader Conservation Context

• Two state, 33 partner planning process

• Study area: 2.1 million acres

• Tier 1: 250,000 acres

• Tier 2: 443,000 acres

• Tier 2: 441,000

The Great Marsh in a Broader Conservation Context

• Tier 1: 48,000 acres

• Tier 2: 45,000 acres

• Tier 2: 48,000 acres

Thank you! Questions?