Forest Initiatives: Introduction
“Though parts of Dogtown lie just beyond backyard swing sets and raised garden beds where bees cling to bright flowers, the rest of Cape Ann feels far away. The region may fill the geographical center of the island, but it is cut off from Gloucester and Rockport. Its elevation and awkward and sometimes impassable terrain add to its aura of remove, but the region’s colonial ruins easily give one the impression that Dogtown is separated from society by time as well as geography.”
— Elyssa East, 2009, Author of Dogtown: Death and Enchantment in a New England Ghost Town1
This analysis explores a variety of solutions to challenges experienced in Dogtown Common as a case study of Cape Ann's Forest Landscapes.
Each of the potential initiatives proposed in relation to Dogtown Common's Habitats has been organized into four scenarios:
SCENARIO 0: Imagines a future scenario in which Cape Ann's stakeholders continue acting as they currently do, and no specific interventions are pursued to support ecological health.
SCENARIO 1: Imagines a future scenario in which Cape Ann's stakeholders continue acting as they currently do, but several conventional interventions are utilized to support ecological health.
SCENARIO 2: Imagines a future scenario in which Cape Ann's stakeholders collaborate to pursue progressive interventions to support ecological restoration.
Restoration: Guide Change
Intervening in landscapes to repair human-caused damage while respecting other species' autonomy
SCENARIO 3: Imagines a future scenario in which Cape Ann's stakeholders undertake systemic chance to pursue innovative interventions towards ecological adaptation.
Adaptation: Meet Change
Landscapes are on a trajectory to meet changes in conditions with human management and monitoring.
Scenarios
“This reservoir, watershed and reservation are for the people of Gloucester; the land having been given in memory of my father and grandfather who roamed over these rocky hills. They had the vision that someday it should be conserved for the uses of the city and as an inspiration to all lovers of god and nature.”
— Roger W. Babson, 1927, Columnist and philanthropist who donated 1,150 acres of land to Gloucester to protect Cape Ann's watersheds2
The landscape initiatives proposed require the support and collaboration of various stakeholder groups. Decisions toward collective and individual action are nuanced. As a result, the collection of landscape initiatives is not prescriptive, but rather, provides a menu of potential actions. The research serves as a catalyst for continued discussion and debate.
Each infrastructure scenario is explored through case studies, technical details, and additional resources.
Click the links below to access the research documents.
Thicket of multiflora rose and oriental bittersweet at the entrance to the compost heap at Gronblad's pit. Photo: OFU Team, 2023.
Ecological Infrastructure: Forest Management
SCENARIO 0
business as usual
no interventions
Disease and invasive species cause mass
tree mortality leading
to species loss, soil erosion, and an
increase in wildfire risk.
SCENARIO 1
business as usual
conventional interventions
MITIGATE: Volunteer groups are organized
with a reporting network. Spot treatment is utilized to remove invasive species and diseased trees
slowing their spread.
SCENARIO 2
stakeholder collaboration
progressive collaboration
MANAGE: Dogtown
Site Plan creates an active forest management plan. Maintenance staff are organized to enact interventions regularly. Tree species are
increased. Controlled burns are utilized as maintenance tool to
reduce fuel for wildfires.
SCENARIO 3
systemic change
innovative interventions
REGENERATE:
Dedicated staff plans potential projects and funding. Future species
are planted in anticipation of rising temperatures. Innovative forestry mechanisms are explored including the seed pool model, density grading, and understory layering.
Vernal pool on Cape Ann. Photo: Cape Ann Vernal Pool Team, 2022.
Ecological Infrastructure: Wetlands and Fens
SCENARIO 0
business as usual
no interventions
Vernal pools and fens
are lost. Swamp species are stressed by drought.
SCENARIO 1
business as usual
conventional interventions
PRESERVE: Vernal
pools are certified.
SCENARIO 2
stakeholder collaboration
progressive collaboration
RESTORE: Vivian's Fen
is restored. Species are seeded throughout
swamp habitats.
SCENARIO 3
systemic change
innovative interventions
ENHANCE: Wetlands
are seeded with native species and vernal pools are protected spatially.
Eastern red cedar and Norway maples encroaching on grassland. Photo: OFU Team, 2023.
Ecological Infrastructure: Grasslands and Healthlands
SCENARIO 0
business as usual
no interventions
Grasslands will continue
to convert into forests, further limiting flora and fauna diversity.
SCENARIO 1
business as usual
conventional interventions
MAINTAIN:
Existing grasslands
are preserved by
mowing annually
reducing succession
and scrub growth.
SCENARIO 2
stakeholder collaboration
progressive collaboration
MITIGATE: Shrubby species and select trees are removed by annual hand-cutting to allow grassland species to
thrive. Bird houses are
built and monitored to
host diversity of species.
SCENARIO 3
systemic change
innovative interventions
REINTRODUCE: Controlled burns
are utilized to restore historic grasslands.
Native species are
seeded throughout
the habitat.
Alewife Brook flowing into Babson Reservoir. Photo: OFU Team, 2024.
Ecological Infrastructure: Streams
SCENARIO 0
business as usual
no interventions
Runoff pollution further degrades Alewife Brook, which flows into Babson Reservoir. Streams are segmented.
SCENARIO 1
business as usual
conventional interventions
MAINTAIN: Pollution is removed from Dogtown's streams annually.
SCENARIO 2
stakeholder collaboration
progressive collaboration
RESTORE: Alewife Creek is restored to a perennial stream to recreate the surface recharge area.
SCENARIO 3
systemic change
innovative interventions
RECONNECT: Hydrology is restored as a network throughout Dogtown.
Goose Cove Reservoir Dam Structure. Photo: OFU Team, 2023.
Ecological Infrastructure: Reservoirs and Watersheds
SCENARIO 0
business as usual
no interventions
Drinking water volume
is limited due to rising groundwater table, increased evaporation,
and watershed pollution. Municipalities begin to seek alternative water sources.
SCENARIO 1
business as usual
conventional interventions
MONITOR: Monitor pollution and volume
levels to determine the level of urgency.
SCENARIO 2
stakeholder collaboration
progressive collaboration
PROTECT: Update Watershed Ordinance. Plant and vegetative buffers to regulate water quality and increase
water supply.
SCENARIO 3
systemic change
innovative interventions
RESTORE: Watersheds are managed across municipal boundaries. Recharge efforts increase the water supply. Floating solar panel arrays generate energy and reduce evaporation.
The compost pile at Gronblad's Pit along Dogtown Road. Photo: OFU Team, 2023.
Waste Infrastructure: Compost Pile
SCENARIO 0
business as usual
no interventions
Compost pile continues
to pollute the drinking water and introduce invasive species into Dogtown Common.
SCENARIO 1
business as usual
conventional interventions
REMOVE: Compost pile
is removed and the site is remediated. A less ecologically sensitive alternative site facilitates local compost needs.
SCENARIO 2
stakeholder collaboration
progressive collaboration
RECONCEPTUALIZE: Compost is re-conceptualized regionally and utilized for fertilizer alternatives.
SCENARIO 3
systemic change
innovative interventions
UTILIZE: The site is considered a potential location for the Interpretation Center. Grassland habitats are restored.
The area of Dogtown around the Rockport Commuter Rail Station is likely to face development pressure. Photo: OFU Team, 2024
Habitation Infrastructure: Private Structures
SCENARIO 0
business as usual
no interventions
As sea-levels rise and housing inequity continues, the forests
and upland areas face increasing development pressure and the
resulting ecological loss.
SCENARIO 1
business as usual
conventional interventions
CONSERVE: Parcels subdivided for development are addressed. Additional parcels are preserved
as Open Space.
SCENARIO 2
stakeholder collaboration
progressive collaboration
CONSOLIDATE: Development is
contained at the
periphery of Dogtown through preservation efforts such as cluster development.
SCENARIO 3
systemic change
innovative interventions
FACILITATE:
Development is strategically planned
in specific zones that prioritize ecological
health and accommodate coastal retreat.
Authorized trail in Dogtown. The small blue sign is typical of the trail's current wayfinding. Photo: OFU Team, 2023.
Transportation Infrastructure: Trails and Roads
SCENARIO 0
business as usual
no interventions
Due to the lack of connectivity, habitats continue to be segmented by informal trails that cut through the landscape. Lack of road access reduces ability
to manage wildfire risk.
SCENARIO 1
business as usual
conventional interventions
MAINTAIN: Existing
trails are maintained
and trail heads are
made more visible to increase accessibility.
SCENARIO 2
stakeholder collaboration
progressive collaboration
REDESIGN: Parking
and points of access are redesigned to increase accessibility and mitigate fire risk. Impervious surfaces are removed to improve drainage.
SCENARIO 3
systemic change
innovative interventions
EXPAND: The trail
system is extended to connect with existing transportation networks for multi-modal circulation, optimizing fire risk mitigation. Tourism interest is utilized while ecological health is prioritized.
Signage marking cultural sites have degraded throughout Dogtown. Photo: OFU Team, 2023.
Cultural Infrastructure: Public Access
SCENARIO 0
business as usual
no interventions
Public awareness of
forest risk stagnates.
Less people advocate
for forest landscapes. Cultural sites degrade
due to lack of maintenance.
SCENARIO 1
business as usual
conventional interventions
MAINTAIN: Signage and wayfinding are utilized to acknowledge ingenious and colonial histories and to improve user navigation.
SCENARIO 2
stakeholder collaboration
progressive collaboration
CREATE: Formal trails
are designed and created to accommodate multiple users, including hikers, birders, and mountain bikers, reducing demand for informal trails.
SCENARIO 3
systemic change
innovative interventions
INVITE: Interpretation center serves as a headquarters for staff
and inter-organization collaboration as well as a site entrance for education and tourism groups.
Example
“The top of Dogtown puts one up into the sky as freely as it is possible, the extent of clear space and air, and the bowl of the light equaling, without at all that other, false experience of mountain climbed, heaven...”
— Charles Olson, 1968, Poet3
Civil society will decide which initiatives are pursued across Cape Ann's Forest Landscapes and Dogtown Common. This research includes a spatial example based on a series of probable decisions. The following drawings are not prescriptive but rather provide a visual reference for future conversation.
Phasing
“The fear of development and state overreach cannot be the sole motivation to get involved. With a solid plan in place, Gloucester can implement new and brave solutions to some of the challenges we face as a community. Let's work together and find some (Dogtown) common ground.”
— Heidi Wakeman, 2022, Chairperson of the Gloucester Open Space and Recreation Committee4
There are several ways that the initiatives can be prioritized and pursued. The phasing outline serves as an initial guide.
While each infrastructure type was studied separately, they are interrelated. Some decisions are connected and would benefit from being made together. For example, having a collective plan that outlines the regeneration of wetlands, grasslands, and streams ensures efforts to benefit one will not harm another.
When pursuing several innovative projects at a large scale, it is important to plan an "early win" to build trust with the community and investors. In Dogtown Common, the removal of the compost pile would create momentum that can be built on.
Additionally, interventions that are relatively new to the area or the community has expressed concern about could benefit from a pilot project that serves as a proof of concept. Designating a specific area of Dogtown that can serve as a Forest Management Pilot Project in a less culturally significant zone of the park has the potential to demonstrate the effectiveness of more innovative interventions.
The most innovative interventions, largely outlined in Scenario 3, should not be viewed as a final phase. Decisions to work towards initiatives such as creating a site management plan, installing floating solar, or managing invasive species need to be addressed sooner rather than later, or they will no longer be sufficient solutions to meet existing challenges.
Region
“One problem emphasized by this initial working group was the threat of development in the heart of Dogtown... Development on this scale would threaten the Babson and Goose Cove watersheds.”
— Dogtown Steering Committee, 1985, Excerpt from Developing a Management Program for Dogtown5
While this study focused on Dogtown Common and potential projects throughout its ecosystem, many initiatives proposed are applicable to forest landscapes throughout Cape Ann.
The following maps illustrate where some of the projects proposed are relevant.
Greenlinks and Fire Management Access
Reserviors and Drinking Water Preservation
Wooded Wetlands Restoration
Vernal Pool Preservation
CONCLUSION
If Cape Ann’s ecosystems are simply preserved or left alone, the region will experience marine decline, beach erosion, marsh loss, forest degradation, destroyed infrastructure, and increasing inequity.
Conservation efforts on Cape Ann have focused on place-based species methods. Stakeholders and active management groups on Cape Ann are complex. Each has its own relationship with the landscape, with unique interests, priorities, and agency to act. As a result, ecological intervention throughout the region has been segmented.
Moving forward, efforts to support Regenerative Landscapes must move beyond conservation to adaptation. Deliberate planning, design, and management of landscapes is required to address climate change challenges and ecological degradation. While the initiatives described here imply transformations in the built environment, there are also several shifts in governance required.
Continuing to segment ecosystems by municipality and pursuing one project at a time is not feasible to keep pace with existing degradation due to a lack of resource optimization, counteracting efforts, and unforeseen effects. Yet, creating and implementing a single comprehensive ecological restoration plan for the region is also not plausible due to funding availability and time constraints.
Future actions must balance singular, actionable projects with larger studies and planning efforts to utilize disparate actors’ capacity while fostering collective action.
This research has analyzed Cape Ann's existing landscapes, the challenges they face, and a menu of solutions that aim to
preserve and enhance the region for the existing community and future generations.
Elyssa East, Dogtown: Death and Enchantment in a New England Ghost Town (New York: Free Press, 2009), 17. ↩
Roger. W. Babson, Babson Deed, October 26, 1927. ↩
Charles Olson, Maximus Poems IV, V, VI (London: Cape Goliard Press, 1968). ↩
Heidi Wakeman, "Planning for Dogtown's Future," Gloucester Daily Times, February 3, 2022. ↩
Eric Hutchins, Coastal Local Expert Meeting, Manchester-by-the-Sea, February 15, 2023. ↩