Forest Landscapes Introduction

Ecosystem Value

Cape Ann’s upland forests are the region’s largest ecosystem by land area. Forest Landscapes include deciduous, broadleaf, coniferous, and maritime temperate forest ecosystems, which often have palustrine wetlands interspersed among the forest mosaic.

Cape Ann supports critical ecosystems within Forest Landscapes, including several areas identified as Core Forests and Critical Natural Landscapes.¹ These forested landscapes are dominated by second-growth species, logged in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, and regrown when pastureland and developed areas were abandoned. Major forested areas include Dogtown Common, Ravenswood Park, and the Manchester-Essex Woods. Cape Ann’s forests support the preservation of publicly-available open space. Hikers, bikers, birdwatchers, and several other outdoor recreational communities utilize the region’s terrestrial ecosystem.

The tree species across Cape Ann serve the region through carbon sequestration, providing shade and other ecosystem services. They include several community subsets, with major plant associations of Oak-hickory, White pine-oak, and White pine-hemlock. The typical forest community is mixed oak, maple, and beech. ²

Cape Ann’s freshwater system is reliant upon forest landscapes. Each municipality’s water source has a watershed containing predominantly forested areas, such as Gloucester’s Babson and Goose Cove Reservoirs, and Rockport’s Cape Pond among others.³ The health of these forested watersheds is critical to maintaining Cape Ann’s water supply. Cape Ann’s forests also contain and protect a diverse array of other habitats including palustrine wetlands. Additionally, the majority of Cape Ann’s registered vernal pools are located within forested areas. Vernal pools are seasonal ponds that emerge in the spring during periods of snowmelt and heavy rain. They serve as a critical habitat for many species that cannot breed or survive without their existence, such as the Blue-spotted salamander (Ambystoma laterale), Wood frog (Lithobates sylvaticus), and Fairy shrimp (Anostraca).

Cape Ann’s forests are often overlooked in relation to its coastal identity. Yet, they are inextricably linked to their other ecosystems as the groundwater movement imitates the overlying topography, flowing from the inland high ground of the forests through the marsh to the coast.

Cape Ann’s forests are in the process of recovery from decades of intense agricultural and logging activity. While the immediate effects of climate change within beach and marsh landscapes is direct and perceptible, such as sea-level rise, forests are effected less directly and less visibly.

Current Challenges

In Cape Ann’s forest landscapes, climate change contributes to invasive species dominance, disease spread, and ongoing human activity.⁴

Invasive species and diseases threaten the ecological health of Cape Ann’s forests and have transformed the composition and function of these ecosystems. Beech Leaf Disease (BLD), caused by the nematode Litylenchus crenatae, shows dark striping and leaf withering and has impacted Cape Ann since 2020. It now affects eighty-three Massachusetts communities, threatening beech trees’ health and causing mortality within one to five years. Managing BLD involves fungicides and insecticides, which are more suitable for urban trees, but challenging to manage at the scale of a forest. Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (HWA) also impacts Cape Ann’s hemlocks, threatening shifts in local species and ecosystems. Additionally, invasive species like Oriental bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus) and honeysuckle (Lonicera periclymenum) exploit BLD and HWA damage, threatening native flora in Dogtown and the region. Left unaddressed, the combination of invasive species and disease has the potential to negatively transform the region’s forests in the next five years.⁵

Stewardship across Cape Ann’s forests involves the management of incompatible uses and trail management. The proliferation of unauthorized trails made by hikers and mountain bikers fragment the forest and create new edges, allowing greater proliferation of invasive species. Addressing unauthorized trails requires community engagement, compromise, and establishing allowable trail systems.⁶

“The proliferation of invasive species, both plants and insects, are transforming the forest composition and function and are poised to transform the upland ecosystems. Impacts from these invasive species will be the most significant driver of forest change in the coming decade... I observed dark striping and withering of beech leaves that is characteristic of BLD on many trees in Dogtown and throughout Cape Ann, suggesting that BLD is well established throughout the region.” —Dr. Jonathan Thompson, Harvard Forest⁷

Pollution within Cape Ann’s forests is also of great concern. Roads, development, and waste disposal sites alter and contaminate drainage patterns. Stormwater runoff with chemicals, pesticides, and other pollutants, is transported into the water supply. Inefficient wastewater systems are also a source of pollution for Cape Ann’s forests and watersheds. Individual wastewater systems, such as septic tanks and leach fields, are particularly vulnerable due to shallow bedrock, which can limit their effectiveness after several years. Pollution in Cape Ann’s forests greatly affects the water supply, marsh, and coastal systems into which its watersheds drain. Cape Ann’s drinking water is also being threatened due to increased turbidity (cloudy matter) and evaporation due to vegetation loss over watersheds. More extended periods of drought are anticipated in Cape Ann’s future, prohibiting reservoirs from recharging as fast or at the same volume as they currently do.

“Our greatest asset as a City is our bountiful water supply. Without water, there is no life. Without water, there is no Gloucester.” —Joe Orange, Gloucester Water Commissioner⁸

Soil erosion is an issue across Cape Ann. Excavation for development has historically not included adequate measures to prevent soil erosion and runoff from construction sites. Soil instability is induced by removal of vegetation on upland slopes. This can increase the amount of surface water runoff to areas below, which may already be flooded.⁹

Wildfires have become more prevalent in recent years in Rockport and Gloucester.¹⁰ These are generally brushfires in areas that have not been managed. These are exacerbated by vegetation growth over former access roads to inland deciduous and coniferous forests in areas including Dogtown Common. To date, there has been little study on the threats of wildfire throughout Cape Ann, leaving the area particularly unprepared for future threats as droughts and higher temperatures become more prevalent due to climate change.

Cape Ann’s forests are typically at a high elevation, located inland, and do not face coastal flooding challenges. As sea levels rise and increasing storm events make living along the coast more dangerous and expensive, forested areas throughout the region may experience development pressures. Land uses, such as emergency evacuation roads, housing, and solar production will be considered at the expense of forest ecosystems. A lack of planning and sustainable development that anticipates demand and protects forest ecologies could further threaten Cape Ann’s ecosystems.

“Sea-level rise will also restrict the amount of developable land, exacerbating existing user conflicts and, unsurprisingly, have the largest impact on the most vulnerable populations.” —Dr. Catherine Matassa, University of Connecticut¹¹

Future Opportunities

Despite these ongoing challenges, there are multiple opportunities for ecological regeneration through a variety of plans, interventions, and projects. There are a variety of interest groups throughout Cape Ann who are committed to the management of the region’s forests.

Ecological interventions involving active forest management have the potential to mitigate invasive species, watershed contamination, soil erosion, and wildfire.

“Restoring and maintaining rare ecological habitats (within Cape Ann’s Forest ecosystems) will require active management.” —Dr. Jonathan Thompson, Harvard Forest¹²

Cape Ann contains a large percentage of open space that is largely forested. In 2019, each municipality in Cape Ann had between 34 to 41% of its land protected from development through public or NGO ownership and conservation easements.¹³ This is a favorable comparison to the overall state of Massachusetts, where only 28% of the land is protected. The state government has set a goal to protect 40% of Massachusetts by 2030, and they are actively investing in various conservation finance programs. Cape Ann has an opportunity to benefit from these initiatives. By actively involving local communities and tapping into their existing passion for nature, Cape Ann can ensure the long-term health and resilience of its beloved natural areas.

“Much of Dogtown has reverted to forest, which is wonderful, but it would also be fantastic to restore some of the fields. Field habitats support both birds and butterflies, species that are increasingly at risk due to loss of habitat.” —Kim Smith, Kim Smith Designs¹⁴

For additional information regarding Cape Ann’s Forest Landscapes, see the Dogtown Common Case Study Dossier.