Spring Pond Woods: Silent alert: expanded threat on wildlife corridor

To the west of Spring Pond, across Lynn Street in Peabody is a connecting area of pristine woods with several unstudied potential vernal pools (purple dots in map), and an area of surface water protection zones extended from Spring Pond. In this area, Solomine is proposing to construct 110 home sites, breaking ground within days. What is worrisome is that potential vernal pools have not been studied, the loss of natural area near Spring Pond and the realm that this is an important regional wildlife corridor (as also stated in the City of Peabody Open Space Plan) and may be forever gone. Along with the threat of the proposed Solomine subdivision in Peabody with a few homes in Lynn, is also the Dibiasi Subdivision, the dreamed Walmart & retail center expansion in Salem, and other subdivision proposals in Swampscott, together may also indefinitely cut off and isolate wildlife areas near the coast. It appears permitting has been issued for the Solomine project. What can be done now to save this area?... Write to City of Peabody officials stating your concern. It may be late to study vernal pools this season until next year, but there is a chance still to walk the site and look for and report rare species.

Background map data from Mass GIS

'Peabody Open Space Plan 2006': this area "may be considered as part of a larger wildlife corridor system, allowing pathways for animal migration. As the observations of bird life in Peabody suggest, the large tract of public and private land in South Peabody serves as a route for over 144 species of migrating birds.... This area, along with open areas in the neighboring cities of Lynn and Salem, is a significant regional resource that supports a great variety of wildlife.

Background map data from Mass GIS

Background map data from Google Earth

Copy from City of Peabody Open Space Plan:

Silent alert: expanded threat on wildlife corridor

3 comments: