Natural Resource Inventory and Assessment - Town of Guilford

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4 Mission Statement The Natural Resource Inventory and Assessment (NRIA) Committee Mission Statement Charge to the Natural Resource Inventory Committee from the Conservation Commission: July 2002 To create a comprehensive Natural Resource Inventory for the Town and to present such document in draft form to the Conservation Commission for approval, with amendments if needed, and subsequent dissemination to the Planning and Zoning Commission, other Town Commissions and other interested organizations and individuals. The Natural Resource Inventory will be formatted to make it informative and practical for Town Commissions and land-use agencies, and other potential users. Purpose of the Guilford Natural Resource Inventory A primary purpose of the Natural Resource Inventory is to establish an information baseline that can enable Guilford’s decision makers and land use agencies to make informed decisions regarding development, conservation, and natural resource management issues. This will be accomplished by producing a document that describes qualitatively, and to the extent possible, quantitatively, the diverse natural resources of the Town of Guilford. The Natural Resource Inventory will document the geographical location of these resources, the importance of these resources to the citizens of the Town, the threats to the health and integrity of these resources, and discuss the various strategies that can be used to protect these resources. Plan of Action and Methodology 1. Assemble a work group (Conservation Commission’s NRIA Committee and Advisory Group) 2. Determine the study area (NRIA Committee) 3. Form work teams (to research and assemble information on components of NRIA) 4. Assemble and review existing documents 5. Assemble existing maps related to NRIA components 6. Publicize the NRIA effort and solicit information and needs 7. Compile work team reports and maps and create draft NRIA document 8. Editing team formats and edits draft for approval by Committee 9. Print, publicize, and disseminate final NRIA document Natural Resource Inventory and Assessment Town of Guilford, CT
Introduction What are natural resources? If we define natural resources in terms of values, in one sense they are the basic components of the environment that sustain the life and health of all creatures. In another, they are the riches of the natural world that sustain human economies and quality of life. Natural resources are the aquifers that provide our families safe drinking water. They are the hilltops, boulder-strewn woods, and tidal marshes where children first learn to explore the great outdoors, and where adults seek renewal and recreation. They are the open spaces and rocky ridges that shape our community’s unique character and sense of place, while enhancing property values. Natural resources are fundamental to Guilford’s heritage and quality of life. What is a Natural Resource Inventory and Assessment? A Natural Resource Inventory and Assessment (NRIA) is a compilation of data, descriptions, and maps to document the natural resources of a given geographic area. An information baseline is established and built upon by continued observation and research. Key functions of the NRIA are: • documentation of the geographical location of resources • display and summaries of existing data • assessment of natural resource functions, health, and their relative importance • analysis of the inter-relationships between natural resources • identification of the stresses and threats to their health and integrity • provision of benchmarks against which future change can be measured • identification of additional areas for further study • incorporation of new or revised information. An NRIA provides an indication of what resources are likely to exist on a particular site, how sensitive they are, and whether or not closer examination is needed. This NRIA can also guide landowners to a fuller understanding of the resources over which they have stewardship. Why does Guilford need a Natural Resource Inventory? According to Guilford’s 2002 Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD), the Town is committed to managing its natural resources and protecting them from harm. In order to do so there must be a detailed understanding of what resources exist, where they can be found, and how they relate to one another. An NRIA is a tool to bring about such understanding. Used properly it can enable land use decision makers to protect the integrity of natural resources while providing for compatible residential and commercial growth. The NRIA could also be used to enhance residents’ understanding about the environment in which they live. While the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) continues to be an indispensable source of natural resource information, this data is often lacking in detail useful at a local scale. An NRIA can fill this gap by focusing on the unique array of resources that characterizes Guilford. For the first time, the Town will have data from DEP and many other sources assembled in a single document, so that it can be easily cross-referenced and analyzed. With this information, our land use agencies can make decisions with greater wisdom and accuracy. The Town will also be able to more effectively refine its Plan of Conservation and Development. What are the goals of the NRIA? This NRIA has been developed in order to: • disseminate accurate and practical knowledge of our environment to both town officials and the public • promote conservation of the Town’s native plants, animals, and ecosystems Natural Resource Inventory and Assessment Town of Guilford, CT 5 Introduction
Page 1 and 2: TOWN OF GUILFORD, CONNECTICUT Natur
Page 3 and 4: TOWN OF GUILFORD Natural Resource I
Page 5: Acknowledgments The Conservation Co
Page 9 and 10: INTRODUCTION 1 Orthophoto 2 Land Us
Page 11 and 12: ACRONYMS Acronyms used in this docu
Page 13 and 14: Section A. GEOLOGY A.1 Introduction
Page 15 and 16: of us give much thought. The reason
Page 17 and 18: former river delta. This material,
Page 19 and 20: A.9 Summary Guilford’s geological
Page 21 and 22: Section B. COAST B.1 Introduction S
Page 23 and 24: oysters and clams are raised in upw
Page 25 and 26: Mammals: Mink, deer, raccoon, otter
Page 27 and 28: Habitat destruction Before passage
Page 29 and 30: Section C. FRESHWATER C.1 Introduct
Page 31 and 32: Fishes: largemouth bass (non-native
Page 33 and 34: Floodplains are low-lying areas tha
Page 35 and 36: evaluation of current designated ar
Page 37 and 38: Section D. Uplands D.1 Definition a
Page 39 and 40: Black oak, red oak, and white oak d
Page 41 and 42: Traprock Ridges This ecosystem is r
Page 43 and 44: Invasive plants in Guilford’s upl
Page 45 and 46: Section E. AGRICULTURE E.1 Introduc
Page 47 and 48: E.5 Marketable Resources: Products
Page 49 and 50: Timberlands The approximately 600-a
Page 51 and 52: Endnotes 1 For statutory definition
Page 53 and 54: Section F THE DARK NIGHT SKY F.1 In
Page 55 and 56: Section G NATURAL SCENIC RESOURCES
Page 57 and 58:
PUBLIC VANTAGE POINT SCENIC VIEW Sc
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G.4 Summary Guilford’s scenic res
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Section H OPEN SPACE H.1 Introducti
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the Scenic Roads Advisory Committee
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• State of Connecticut’s Guilfo
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Town of Guilford, Planning and Zoni
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Section I NATURAL RESOURCE-BASED RE
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particularly in North Guilford, are
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I.6 Threats and Concerns: the Futur
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References Demrow, C. and D. Salisb
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Section J SIGNIFICANT NATURAL RESOU
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J.4 Location and Ecological Content
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GAPS Areas for Future Study and Con
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Afterword Future Considerations As
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TOWN OF GUILFORD Natural Resource I
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APPENDIX B-1 Guilford Coastal Data
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APPENDIX B-2 Natural Resource Inven
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Natural Resource Inventory and Asse
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APPENDIX B-4 Quick Facts About Long
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APPENDIX C-1 Listing of Guilford’
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• Unnamed stream - flows under Ro
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APPENDIX C-2 Wetland Soil Categorie
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APPENDIX C-3 Water Protection Agenc
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APPENDIX D-1 Birds of Guilford, Con
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Page 3 - Birds of Guilford, Connect
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Appendix D-2 Natural Resource Inven
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APPENDIX E-1 Agricultural Products
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Dairy There are no longer any opera
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F-1 NEW YORK METROPOLITAN AREA AT N
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APPENDIX G-1 Natural Scenic Resourc
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NRIA’s Listing of Scenic Views Fr
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GPA’s Favorite Scenes and Places
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APPENDIX G-2 a Natural Resource Inv
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APPENDIX G-2b Natural Resource Inve
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APPENDIX G-3 Guilford’s Town Owne
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APPENDIX G-4 Guilford’s Notable T
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APPENDIX H-1 A Compilation of Guilf
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APPENDIX H-2a Metacomet Ridge Conse
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APPENDIX H-3 Public Act 490 Prefere
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APPENDIX I-1 Recreational Facilitie
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APPENDIX J-1 Benefits of Buffer by
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Natural Resource Inventory and Assessment - Town of Guilford

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