South Amherst Conservation Association

P.O. Box 326, Amherst, MA 01004-0326

Contents

Conservation Issues

View of field through trees from bike trail

Development Issues

Rock Farm Conservation Issues

Conservation Value of the Rock Farm

The quality of the land itself makes it valuable for conservation:
  • This area contains wetlands, including a certified vernal pool. A vernal pool is a body of water entitled to special protection under state and local law since it is home to certain species that can only survive in the fragile vernal pool ecosystem. Numerous wood frogs, painted turtles, and spotted turtles have been spotted in this vernal pool, the latter being a species that was, until recently, listed as a species of Special Concern by the Natural Heritage and Endangered Species.
  • This region is a considered a destination point for birders. Many species have been spotted at or around this land, including red-tailed hawks, cardinals, mocking birds, meadowlarks, Carolina wrens, bar owl, bobolinks, rose-breasted grosbeaks, Baltimore orioles, and hooded mergersers.
  • Wildlife spotted on this parcel of land include milkweed snake, coyotes, voles (which are the staple food of red-tailed hawks, bobcat and coyotes), and short-tailed weasel. A moose and wildcat were also seen near this area at the Hop Brook.
  • This parcel of land has beautiful views of the Holyoke Range.
  • There is an old dirt road on this land, labeled the Old Farm Road on older maps, which leads from South East Street to the Brickyard Conservation area on the other side of the Rail Trail, directly across from this parcel of land. That road has been used for decades by Amherst residents (-- hikers, skiers, dog-walkers, hunters, and children running to put pennies on the old railroad tracks). This road would be eliminated if the 25 condo unit complex were built. This road is also the only visible access (and the only road) leading to the Brickyard Conservation area, which the town went to great lengths to acquire as conservation land more than a decade ago.
  • If the Town acquired this parcel, it could be leased for haying or other farming purposes. (For many years, this parcel of land was a working dairy farm.)
  • This 6.69 acres of land appears to be the only land bordering the Rail Trail from Route 116 to the Belchertown Road that is still unprotected.
  • The Brickyard Conservation area, directly across from this parcel of land, is a hub for many trails which span out from the Brickyard field. It would be a significant loss for this network of trails if the primary access (and only visible access) from the South East Street were eliminated.

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