Transcript Mashpee Land Stewards Program

Mashpee Land Stewards
Program
Goals of the Mashpee
Conservation Department
• To protect our water resources, plant and wildlife
habitat and to preserve some of the Cape’s natural
beauty
• To protect and maintain lands set aside for the
public’s enjoyment and recreation
• To increase public support for conservation lands
• To maintain, upgrade and/or construct conservation
land appurtenances (steps, walkways, signage,
trails, etc)
Goals of the Stewardship
Program
• Assess current conditions of Mashpee
Conservation Lands & Open Space
Parcels
• Increase and/or implement signage
where needed
• Organize Community Clean-up days
• Improve Trails, create new trails and
associated maps
Issues and Concerns
ILLEGAL DUMPING
ATV/ORV USAGE
ENCROACHMENT
VANDALISM
EROSION ISSUES
Illegal Dumping
John’s Pond CA
ATVs
ATV wetland damage
Motor cross biking
Vandalism
Land Steward Coordinator’s Role
• Maintain Steward vs. assigned area list
• Facilitate steward activities and
recognition
• Interface between stewards and
property owners
• Coordinate with agencies providing
volunteers
• Document program status annually
• Assist in organizing annual clean-ups
Monitoring Guidelines
• Walk parcels at least 4 X per year
• Note how property is being used
• Document any erosion problems
• Check for encroachment
• Maintain Trails
Monitoring Guidelines (con’t):
• Hand-prune vegetation encroaching trails
• Keep signs visible and make note of any
vandalism
• Pick up small size/volume litter
• Note location of any invasive plant species
• Be sure to take all proper precautions when
walking through the woods (ticks, bees,
poison ivy, etc)
What NOT to do
• Perform maintenance using power tools
• Construct new trails without Conservation
Dept. approval
• Enter into confrontational situations with
others harming the property and/or
performing illegal activities
• Introduce new plantings without
Conservation Dept. approval
• Introduce new signage without Conservation
Dept. approval
Procedures for reporting illegal
activities
ILLEGAL DUMPING
Items such as mattresses, car parts, furniture and
large piles of trash that cannot be removed by
the steward should be reported to the
Conservation Dept for follow up.
If a party is caught in the act, give a description of
the vehicle and the person or persons dumping
the trash to the Conservation Dept and/or
Mashpee Police
Reporting ATV usage
• All Terrain Vehicles are prohibited on town land.
Experience has shown that gates/boulders are
not effective in keeping ATVs out of open space
lands.
• The stewards should document, as accurately
as possible, locations of physical damage, if the
incursions appear to be continuous and any
other info that could lead to the identification of
the operators).
Land Evaluations/Criterion
• On foot inspection of the property and
boundaries
• Set up evaluation form online for easy
download.
• Maintain excel database for tracking
conservation land needs
What to Look for and Record
• Clues that suggest change (e.g. new roads,
worn tire paths, piles of brush, etc)
• Ask questions about changes from
neighbors or walkers you meet
• Walk boundaries to check for encroachment
• Look for special features, invasive species,
evidence of wildlife & terrain changes
• Observe trail usage and conditions
• Observe signage, especially along
boundaries
Liability
• All land Steward activities are
considered individual “Volunteerism”
and no liability insurance exists for
participants in the program. All
individuals are expected to exercise
reasonable care and take precautions
to protect themselves from harmful
events.
Consistency
• Please be consistent with parcel name and
address you give to Conservation Agent,
Mashpee Police and/or EPOs. If the name
and address are consistent, the police can
better track areas where illegal activities are
concentrated.
• Accurate records can help to produce year
end statistics on problem areas. This will
help direct management priorities on town
conservation lands and open space parcels
THANK YOU!
• With your help, we can address issues
in our conservation and open space
parcels with greater efficiency,
effectiveness and organization
• By creating a presence out there, we
hope to curb and/or eliminate many of
the problems that currently plague our
open space parcels
• Spread the word!!