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Toms Neck Preserve Edgartown, MA

Chappaquiddick Island

Management Plan

November 12, 2015

Approved by the Edgartown Town Advisory Board () Approved by the Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank Commission () Approved by the Secretary of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs () Julie Russell – Ecologist Matthew Dix – Property Foreman Maureen Hill – Administrative Assistant Kelsey Flowers and Matthew Miners – Ecology Interns

Executive Summary

Toms Neck Preserve is 31 acres of what was once a contiguous 200-acre farm from the early eighteenth century to the late 20

th century, located in the eastern portion of

Chappaquiddick Island off Dike Road. The land was farmed for nearly two centuries, give or take a few decades in the later years during World War II. The preserve is named for the neck of land upon which it sits. The name Toms Neck dates as far back as 1722 when the name first appears in a deed recorded at the Dukes County registry of deeds between the sachem, Jacob Seiknout and an Indian man, Joel Joell. The name likely preceeded the time of deed recording and might be a reference to Tom pais Toxad (also known as Tompais Toxad or Tompaitoxady) or his son Thomas Toxad (also known as Thomas Tuxett), both Indians of the eastern side of Chappaquiddick. The preserve includes a ridge of mixed-deciduous woodland interspersed with patches of pitch pine; swales of dense shrub swamp thickets and mesic woodlands; grasslands transitioning into successional old field woodland; and a salt marsh on the edge of a large, shallow, brackish pond called Pease Pond or Patience Pond. Vegetation and wildlife inventories on the preserve revealed seven commonwealth-listed wildlife species: imperial moth (Eacles imperialis), unexpected cycnia (Cycnia inopinatus), spartina borer (Spartiniphaga inops), coastal heathland cutworm (Abagrotis nefascia), water-willow stem borer (Papaipema sulphurata), dune noctuid moth (Sympistris riparia) and common tern (Sterna hirundo); plus one commonwealth-listed plant species, bushy rockrose (Crocanthemum dumosum). This management plan proposes to create approximately 1.2 miles of new trails including 1136 feet of permanent boardwalk and 260 feet of temporary boardwalk; restore approximately 5 acres of old successional field-woodland to grassland and manage the grassland habitats for rare sandplain species through annual mowing and possibly other management tools; maintain limited views of the salt marsh and Cape Poge Pond from the trail network and sweeping views of the salt marsh, Pease Pond and Cape Poge Pond from the overlook on the east side of the preserve; remove and control invasive species; and connect the trail system to other conservation areas. All planning goals, objectives and strategies are outlined in detail in the final section of this management plan. To be implemented, this plan must be presented at a public hearing and approved by the land bank’s Edgartown town advisory board, the Martha’s Vineyard land bank commission and the secretary of the Massachusetts executive office of energy and environmental affairs (EOEEA). A notice of intent and Massachusetts endangered species act (MESA) review has been filed with the Edgartown conservation commission and Massachusetts natural heritage and endangered species program (MA-NHESP) for activity proposed in estimated and priority habitat for rare species and activities proposed in and around wetland resource areas. Both the NOI and MESA filings were approved in November of 2014.

About the authors Julie Russell is the primary author and has been the land bank ecologist since August 1999. She is certified as a Wildlife Biologist by the Wildlife Society and holds a Master of Science in zoology from the Cooperative Wildlife Research Lab at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, and a Bachelor of Science in wildlife biology from the School of Natural Resources at the University of Vermont. Property Foreman Matthew Dix has worked on land bank properties since 1990. He attended the School of Natural Resources at the University of Vermont and has extensive knowledge of the region’s agriculture, natural history and local geography. Maureen McManus-Hill has been the administrative assistant since July of 2006; she has a Bachelor of Arts in economics from Lafayette College. Kelsey Flowers was an ecology intern for the 2014 summer field season and graduated from Hiram College in 2014 with a degree in biology and environmental studies; Matthew Miners was an ecology intern for the 2015 summer field season and is a student at SUNY Cobleskill studying for a bachelor’s degree in wildlife management.

Aquinnah Headlands Preserve, Aquinnah, MA

North Head Site Management Map

TOMS NECK PRESERVE MANAGEMENT PLAN

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Table of Contents I. Natural Resource Inventory ........................................................................................................ 3

A. Physical Characteristics ......................................................................................................... 3 1. Locus ................................................................................................................................... 3 2. Survey Maps, Deeds and Preliminary Management Plan Goals ........................................ 3 3. Geology and Soils ............................................................................................................... 3 4. Topography ......................................................................................................................... 3 5. Hydrology ............................................................................................................................. 4 6. Ecological Processes .......................................................................................................... 4

B. Biological Characteristics ....................................................................................................... 7 1. Vegetation ........................................................................................................................... 7 2. Wildlife Habitat .................................................................................................................... 7

C. Cultural Characteristics ........................................................................................................ 10 1. Land History ...................................................................................................................... 10 2. Planning Concerns ............................................................................................................ 22 3. Abutters ............................................................................................................................. 23 4. Existing Use and Infrastructure ......................................................................................... 23

II. Inventory Analysis ..................................................................................................................... 23 A. Constraints & Issues ............................................................................................................ 23

1. Ecological Context ............................................................................................................. 23 2. Natural and Cultural Resource Concerns ......................................................................... 23 3. Sociological Context .......................................................................................................... 25 4. Neighborhood Concerns ................................................................................................... 25

B. Addressing Problems and Opportunities ............................................................................. 26 1. Land Bank Mandate .......................................................................................................... 26 2. Goals at Purchase ............................................................................................................. 26 3. Opportunities ..................................................................................................................... 26 4. Universal Access (UA) ...................................................................................................... 27

III. Land Management Planning .................................................................................................... 27 A. Nature Conservation ............................................................................................................ 28 B. Recreation and Aesthetics ................................................................................................... 30 C. Natural Products .................................................................................................................. 33 E. Land Administration ............................................................................................................. 34

IV. Literature Cited ........................................................................................................................ 36 Appendix A. Property Maps .......................................................................................................... 39 Appendix B. Surveys, Deeds and Preliminary Management Plan Goals ..................................... 43 Appendix C. Soils Maps and Descriptions .................................................................................... 61 Appendix D: Vegetation ................................................................................................................ 65 Appendix E. Wildlife ...................................................................................................................... 74 Appendix F. Avian Checklist and Seasonal Tables ..................................................................... 84 Appendix G. Endangered Species ............................................................................................... 89 Appendix H. Abutters .................................................................................................................... 91 Appendix I. Existing Use Map ....................................................................................................... 94 Appendix J. Universal Access ...................................................................................................... 95


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I. Natural Resource Inventory

A. Physical Characteristics

1. Locus

Toms Neck Preserve is located at roughly 4122' 47'' N latitude and 7027' 35'' W longitude. The property consists of 31 acres, excluding the acreage in Pease Pond, located on Toms Neck off Dike Road in Edgartown on Chappaquiddick Island. The preserve is shown on Edgartown tax map 32 as parcels 1.63 (portion), 1.121, 1.122, 1.123, and 1.124. A Locus Map (USGS Topo 1973 1:25,000) follows as Appendix A.

2. Survey Maps, Deeds and Preliminary Management Plan Goals

Larger copies of all surveys are on file at the land bank office and are available for inspection by appointment. Deeds, preliminary management plan goals, covenants, restrictions, easements and reduced copies of surveys are included in Appendix B.

3. Geology and Soils

The General Soils Map (Appendix C) depicts soils classes across Martha’s Vineyard. Toms Neck Preserve occurs in the “Outwash atop Martha’s Vineyard Moraine” geologic deposits (Soil Conservation Service (SCS) 1986). The “Outwash atop Martha’s Vineyard Moraine” consists mainly of sand and gravel (SCS 1986). The layered deposits result from the moraine of the late Wisconsinan period being formed first as the Buzzards Bay lobe advanced and the outwash plain being formed later by meltwater from the Cape Cod Bay lobe as the glacier began to retreat (Oldale 1992). Toms Neck Preserve contains six general soil series: Carver loamy coarse sand with 3 to 8 percent slopes (CeB), 15 to 25 percent slopes (CeD); Eastchop loamy sand with 15 to 35 percent (EcD); Berryland loamy sand with 0 to 2 percent slopes (BeA); Freetown and Swansea mucks with 0 to 1 percent slopes (FsA); Pawcatuck and Matunuck mucky peats with 0 to 1 percent slopes (PaA); and Udipsamments with a rolling slope (UaC). The majority of the upland portion of the preserve is in Eastchop loamy sand running through the center of the preserve north-south. The largest area of the lowland on the preserve is in Pawcatuck and Matunuck mucky peats along the shore of Pease Pond.

4. Topography

The elevation at Toms Neck Preserve ranges up to a maximum of 30 feet


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above sea level and has a slope differential of 0 - 35 %, with most of the elevation difference occurring around Pease Pond. A prominent ridge creates a crescent of high ground around Pease Pond with swales that contain potholes of dense wet thickets on either side of the ridge. The contours of the property are illustrated in a portion of the USGS map (Topography Map, Appendix A).

5. Hydrology

Toms Neck Preserve is located in the Cape Poge Pond watershed, which comprises 2,331.5 acres (Wetland Map, Appendix A).

The preserve borders the 6 acres of Pease Pond but does not extend out to Cape Poge Pond. The preserve contains several isolated shrub swamps in low-lying areas. Some are ringed with a high dense shrub system and are open in the center and dominated by water-willow. Others are a more solid system of shrubs without an open center.

Cape Poge Pond has historically provided sizeable amounts of finfish and shellfish. Notably, it serves as a nursery for bay scallops (Vineyard Gazette 2010). Ocean currents give the area highly oxygen-rich water that attracts striped bass, bluefish, and other populations (The Trustees of Reservations 2014).

Due to the low topography of the preserve and its proximity to sea level, approximately 17 acres of the preserve are subject to the 100-year flood zone as depicted by FEMA. Nearly the entire preserve is within the 200-foot buffer zone from bordering vegetated wetlands (Appendix A, Wetlands Map).

6. Ecological Processes

Ecological processes are the “dynamic biogeochemical interactions that occur among and between biotic and abiotic components of the biosphere” as described by the USGS (2012). There are six major ecological processes – disturbance, structural complexity, hydrological patterns, nutrient cycling, biotic interactions and population dynamics – occurring on the preserve.

Disturbance –

The natural disturbance regime for northeastern deciduous woodlands typically includes fire, wind and insect damage. Fire is a less frequent means of natural disturbance, as fire suppression is an active part of forest management. Wind remains an active force of nature, especially along the coast-facing northeast as is the case for the portion of the preserve along Cape Poge Pond. Recent insect damage in various forms has initiated an alteration in the woodlands of various areas of Martha’s Vineyard.


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However, the woodland on the preserve has minimal damage as a result of this occurrence. Mowing and controlled fire in the grassland are human-induced disturbances that can be used to mimic evolved disturbance regimes. How often, long and intense an ecosystem is disturbed are factors that are considered in management actions in order to best protect the dynamic nature of natural communities (EPA 1999). The preserve was historically used as pasture that over time has succeeded into woodland. The narrow band of salt marsh along the shore of Pease Pond is maintained through natural disturbance regimes. A band of grassland along the old road that borders the southern side of the preserve has been maintained through mowing in recent decades. The shoreline dune experiences persistent disturbance from wind and salt spray and as a result is sparsely vegetated and in constant motion.

Structural complexity – The preserve has a complex structure of plant species ranging from low-growing grassland plants to taller woodland trees that allows the preserve to accommodate more species by providing a more diverse array of habitats for species to survive in. The woodland has the greatest structural complexity on the preserve and includes ground-cover vegetation such as dewberry and mosses; low-growing shrubs and herbs such as low-bush blueberry and goldenrods; taller shrubs such as highbush blueberry, hazelnut and arrowwood; and various oak tree species including snags that, when leaning or fallen, add to the structural complexity of the woodland. The grassland has modest spatial heterogeneity and structural diversity due to the presence of herbaceous and woody plants with variable seasonal flowering patterns. The salt marsh and maritime shrubland are the least spatially diverse habitats and consist of low-growing salt marsh grass or shrubs with little to no understory. Allowing dead trees to exist; creating uneven patterns of mowing; and cutting of vegetation all contribute to spatial complexity (EPA 1999).

Hydrological patterns – It is important to consider the impact of the vegetation communities on the water cycle in an ecosystem. Vegetation layers help catch water and aid in soil infiltration whereas larger- scale cleared woodlands and various heterogeneous agricultural practices can result in increased overland flow, channel incision and fragmentation of wetland habitats (EPA 1999). Promoting shrubland/herbaceous-graminoid vegetative buffers around the wetland habitats on the preserve – such as the shrub swamp


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along the coastal pond – and maintaining a diverse structural ecosystem will help protect the hydrological patterns of the ecosystem.

Nutrient cycling – Important elements such as nitrogen, phosphorous and carbon naturally travel through ecosystems and when combined with water and sunlight determine the productivity of an ecosystem (EPA 1999). Activities that increase (use of fertilizers) or decrease (erosion) nutrients can alter the nutrient cycle and change the ecological integrity of the ecosystem. Protecting soils from erosion and keeping snags and downed logs helps maintain the nutrient richness in the ecosystem. Additionally, human-enhancing and -depleting nutrient practices each lead to increased colonization by opportunistic non-native plants that have different nutrient cycling characteristics which in turn alters the nutrient cycling of the invaded ecosystem (EPA 1999). In prior ownership, the agricultural grassland was used to pasture livestock resulting in natural nutrient additions through animal waste. It has been many decades since livestock was intensely pastured on the preserve and as a result, the grassland has a stable native plant-base of species that typically grow in sandy nutrient-depleted soil and are typical of sandplain grasslands.

Biotic interactions – The distribution and abundance of species is heavily dependent on the interactions among organisms such as competition for resources, predation, parasitism and mutualism (EPA 1999). Disturbances such as introduction of exotic species; over-collection of a species; and disease not only affect the “target species” but have a trickle-down effect that depends on the nature and strength of interactions that the “target species” had within its community (EPA 1999). Pollinators and exotic plants play both positive and negative roles, respectively, in biotic interactions of an ecosystem. Spraying pesticides and introducing exotic pollinators can impact other non-target pollinators, sometimes resulting in a major decrease in species diversity of plants that are reproductively dependent on native pollinators. Protecting species with high community importance values such as the oaks; removing exotic species such as invasive exotic honeysuckle, oriental bittersweet and autumn olive before they have aggressively invaded; and implementing


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elastic management strategies that are modified in response to monitoring are all strategies that can reduce effects on biotic interactions.

Population dynamics – The loss of a species can have many unseen effects on a community, depending on the interactions that the species had in its environment. Species dispersion, recruitment, fertility and mortality compose a species’ population dynamics and, along with genetic diversity, play an important role in the success of a species (EPA 1999). Small populations isolated by reduced habitat or habitat fragmentation are vulnerable to extinction, locally and globally. Other species are more widespread but occur in few numbers and are vulnerable due to low genetic diversity. Ecosystems are not static and species require genetic diversity in order to adapt to their ever-changing world or risk extinction. Special care must be taken to consider the effects that management actions may have on the rare moth and plant species known to occur on the preserve.

B. Biological Characteristics

1. Vegetation

Toms Neck Preserve comprises four general habitat communities: coastal wetlands; inland wetlands; woodlands; and grassland. They are described in

detail and shown on the Ecological Communities Maps in Appendix D. The preserve is dominated by woodlands followed by grasslands, coastal wetlands and lastly inland wetlands. A total of 151 plant species is known to occur on Toms Neck Preserve. The shrub swamp and grassland each contribute the greatest to the floristic richness of plants occurring on the preserve (Table 1, Appendix D). Species richness is the number of species present in a community (Begon et al. 1990). The grassland is habitat to the commonwealth-listed bushy rockrose, unexpected cycnia and coastal heathland cutworm; the shrub swamp is habitat to the commonwealth-listed water-willow stem borer; the woodland is habitat for the commonwealth-listed imperial moth; and the coastal wetlands are habitat for the dune noctuid moth, spartina borer moth and common tern.

2. Wildlife Habitat

Quality of wildlife habitat on Toms Neck Preserve depends on the characteristics


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of the vegetation communities. Formal avian and invertebrate surveys were the primary tools used for analysis of wildlife habitat. Additional direct observations of wildlife occurrences and signs throughout the year contribute to the understanding of habitat value at Toms Neck Preserve. Seven Massachusetts- listed wildlife species – imperial moth, dune noctuid moth, coastal heathland cutworm, spartina borer, water-willow stem borer, unexpected cycnia, and common tern – occur on the preserve.

(a) Invertebrates

A total of 262 moth species representing 11 families was identified from nocturnal black-light traps set in the shrubland in June, July and September 2014 (Appendix E). The shrub swamps, grassland, and woodland habitats are a draw to various moth species as these habitats provide forage, breeding habitat, and cover. Additionally, seven butterfly species were observed during the spring and summer (Appendix E).

Aside from moths and butterflies, a total of eight species of invertebrates is known to occur in wetlands of the preserve. These species include bees, ticks, flies and mosquitoes.

(b) Amphibians, Reptiles and Fish

Two frog species are known to occur on the preserve (Appendix C.). Choruses of spring peppers mixed with the banjo-pluck of the green frog were heard in the wetlands during the spring surveys. No reptiles or fish were noted in surveys.

(c) Birds

A total of 56 bird species was observed at Toms Neck Preserve during the fall, winter, spring and breeding seasons (Appendix F). The wetland habitats support greater diversities of birds than the grassland and woodland habitats on the preserve. Overall bird diversity is greatest in the salt marsh area during the summer. The shallow brackish pond and dense shrubs surrounding the marsh provide nesting habitat, cover, and food for foraging birds during the summer. During the spring migration the grassland and shrub swamp offered forage and cover to the greatest variety of birds. In all seasons the woodland habitats provided for the least diverse array of birds.


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(d) Mammals

Evidence of five mammal species – eastern chipmunk, striped skunk, river otter, white-footed mouse and white-tailed deer – was observed at the Toms Neck Preserve (Appendix E). The woodlands provide good forage and breeding habitat for nut-eating eastern chipmunks and striped skunk. Both the eastern chipmunk and striped skunk live in burrows. The wetlands provide winter cover for white-tailed deer and year-round forage and cover for river otter. The grassland provides forage and cover for white-footed mice. Wildlife species were identified either by sight, tracks, scat, or scent.

(d) Rare and Endangered Species

The Massachusetts natural heritage and endangered species program (MA NHESP) designates a portion of the Toms Neck Preserve to be located within Estimated Habitats of Rare Wildlife. Details about the various species identified since the creation of the NHESP Habitat maps of 2008 and a copy of the Endangered Species Map are located in Appendix G.


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C. Cultural Characteristics

1. Land History

PreContact Period There is evidence of Native Americans inhabiting Martha’s Vineyard as far back as the Early Archaic Period (10,000-7500 B.P.). The Massachusetts Historical Society has records of evidence dating Native American activities on the west side of Chappaquiddick and across the harbor in Edgartown to the Middle Archaic, Late Archaic and Woodland Periods (7500-450 B.P) (Bouck et al. 1983, MacPherson J and Cherau S. 2002). Archaeological studies of Toms Neck Farm indicate the east side of Chappaquiddick also supported intense use from PaeoIndian through the Late Woodland periods. Lithic chips, pottery shards, shell middens and projectile points are concentrated on the terrace overlooking Cape Poge Pond and the swale to the south. The archeological evidence suggests a cultural community of individuals may have utilized this areas as well as the reservation land to the west for resource collection, processing and disposal. On the farm, the wetland ecozone provides a good source for food, the terraces and wetland margins are good locations for resource processing and temporary camps and the higher knolls provide a good location for base camps (Macpherson and Cherau 2002).

During the Contact Period (A.D. 1500-1620) Chappaquiddick was its own sachemship under the jurisdiction of Pahkehpunnassoo, Sagamore of

Chappaquiddick. Following in the Plantation Period (1620-1675) the first English settlement occurred at “Great Harbor” in Edgartown under the purchase of the island by Thomas Mayhew in 1641. This area fell within the boundaries of Nunnepog and was governed by the sagamore Tewanquatick. The early settlers divided the land first into the original “home lots” in 1646 and then into the “town lands” which included Chappaquiddick and land on the south side of Edgartown (1646-1652). There were initially 18 proprietors but that number increased to 25 by 1654. The Indian “rights” to the soil of Chappaquiddick Island were bought by Thomas Mayhew in 1653, a form of quit-rent (Banks Vol. II, [1911] 1966). There were approximately 360 natives on the island of Chappaquiddick in 1674 (Banks Vol. II, [1911] 1966). The value of Chappaquiddick at that time was linked to its fruitful grazing lands where fences were not necessary due to the fact that it was an island. Further divisions happened in Edgartown including the “Lots on the Line” in 1659, division of the “Necks” from 1660-1670, the “New Purchase” from 1653-1673, the “Plain Lots” in 1676 and the “Woodland Lots” in 1684. A recorded list of proprietors of Chappaquiddick describing the division of common land and the neck is located


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in Proprietor Book 1, page 210, 1699 at the Dukes County Registry of Deeds (Dukes Deeds)) and includes Matthew Mayhew, Capt. John Butler, Capt. John Gardner, James Pease, Samuel and Jacob Norton, Isaac Norton, Thomas Trapp, Thomas Pease, Thomas Harlock and John Harlock and Samuel Sarson. This was one of several attempts to describe the division of Chappaquiddick. Defining boundaries of the particular ownerships of the meadows of Chappaquiddick was much debated and not easily agreed upon. An area of herbage land was reserved to the natives and in general consisted of land on the north side of Chappaquiddick Road from Collops Pond to the borders of Toms Neck. According to Banks (vol. II [1911] 1966) there were approximately 250 cattle including cows, oxen, horses and sheep recorded to those who had grazing rights on Chappaquiddick in 1703. Those cattle were not contained very well and wandered into the lands reserved to the natives. The next sachem of Chappaquiddick, Joshua Seeknout, and later his son, Jacob Seeknout, brought the trespass matter to court and the case was settled in and around 1718 (Banks Vol. II, [1911] 1966).

Colonial Period 1675-1775

In 1765, during the Colonial Period (1675-1775), the first-ever census of the people of the Massachusetts Bay area was conducted. Farming and animal husbandry were the most important economic activities during this period,


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although whaling was gaining in importance. The population in the town of Edgartown had grown to between 945 and 1030 people with 128 homes. Chappaquiddick’s native population had suffered a decline: only 86 natives were living on the island in 1765 (Benton 1923). Opportunity and desire for settlement of Chappaquiddick occurred. According to the earliest deeds recorded at the Dukes County Registry of Deeds the sachem, Jacob Seiknout, began granting lands to other natives and English settlers. On January 16

th, 1722, Jacob

Seiknout granted to Joel Joell, an Indian, “a certain tract and parcel of land situated lying and being on the easterly side or end of the above Island Chobaquidick at a place called Toms Neck” (Dukes Deeds III 516). The parcel is further described as bounded “beginning at the southeast or southern corner at the mouth of the crick that runoth up through marsh unto the rood swamp and so to run through so swamp unto the northerly end there of and from thense to run northwest unto a slow swamp with stepping stones on it and from so stepping stones so run northeast and by north in to Natick Pond and so ….pases by to pond unto the first northern corner”. This is possibly the earliest recorded that mentions the name Toms Neck in a deed. It is unlikely the neck was named for Thomas Arey, as was suggested in historical accounts of Chappaquiddick. Thomas Arey was only six years old and was being raised in Truro, Massachusetts at the time of the first mention of Toms Neck in a deed. Another Thomas was living just south of the land sold by Jacob Seiknout to Joel Joell. He was Tompais Toxad. He had two sons, Jacob and Thomas, and a daughter Bethiah. There is also a field near Toms Neck named Tompaitoxody Field (also known as Tom Patoxads Field) (Dukes Deed IV, 70). Thomas Toxad lived near an English built house called Mikis House that burned down in 1732, approximately (Dukes Deed V, 434). Perhaps the neck was named after either Tompais or Thomas Toxad. The Toms Neck parcel does not stay in Joel Joell’s possession for long. On January 28, 1722 Joel Joell granted land at Toms Neck to Joel Toxad (Dukes Deed III, 518). On that same day Joel Toxad sold, for the sum of 42 pounds, the land at Toms Neck to Simeon Butler (Dukes Deed III, 538). Simeon Butler was the son of John Butler, a gentleman and captain who lived on Great Neck. Simeon was the sixth son of John, born in 1685. He lived at Farm Neck and worked as a tanner. Simeon Butler later granted the land at Toms Neck to his older brother John Jr. on January 10, 1723 (Dukes Deed V, 311). John Jr. was born in 1674 and was a farmer in Edgartown until he moved to Watcha Neck in 1738. Simeon also granted land and a house at Washqua to his oldest brother Henry, a yeoman, in 1727 (Dukes Deed V, 292). Eleven years passed and John Butler Jr. granted, in 1734, the land at Toms Neck to his younger brother Nicholas, a farmer in Edgartown. During this time of early purchases and settlement another English settler,


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Nathaniel Worth, purchased from Thomas Lothrop in 1742, a square of land totaling 20 acres south of Toms Neck at Momachegins Neck (Mumcheag’s Neck) and bounded by Simeon Butler, “Tom Patoxads Field” and Poucha Pond (Dukes Deeds VII, 22, 23). Nathaniel Worth, mariner and farmer, died a few years later and left in his will on Chappaquiddick 20 acres and a dwelling house and some boards to finish it to his widow Jane and 7 children (Dukes Probate Nathaniel Worth Will. 220-199). Soon after Nathaniel Worth died the notable Thomas Arey, son of Richard Arey (third), began to purchase land on Chappaquiddick. Thomas was born in 1716 and grew up in Truro, Massachusetts. He was a master mariner and married Beulah Trapp in 1740 at which time he moved to Edgartown (Banks Vol. II, [1911] 1966). His first purchase on Chappaquiddick was from Mary Pease in 1748 for certain shares of upland and meadow land throughout the island of Chappaquiddick (Dukes Deeds Vii, 527). In 1751, Arey went on to purchase 30 acres from Elias Wapsha along the harbor near Chappaquiddick Neck (Dukes Deed VIII, 158) and 7 acres near the land formerly owned by Elias Wapsha from Joel and Elizabeth Joell (Dukes Deed VIII, 159). He purchased 20 acres from Simon Trapp in 1752 near the Elias Wapsha land (Dukes Deed VIII, 189); 5 acres from Sarah Moses in 1754 near Menechew Neck (Dukes Deed VIII, 351); 15 acres from Bethiah Wapsha, widow, in 1757 by the harbor (Dukes Deed VIII, 453); and land and a dwelling house in 1758 from Thomas Pease who bought the land and house a few years earlier from Sarah Moses in 1754 (Dukes Deed VIII, 554). Thomas Arey continued to purchase land on Chappaquiddick for the next 37 years until two years before his death in 1787. He was considered a prominent land owner on Chappaquiddick and among the first English men to settle on Chappaquiddick (Banks Vol. II, [1911] 1966). Toms Neck Farm remained in the Butler family for several generations. In 1763, Nicholas Butler granted to his son Matthew Butler all of his estate both real and personal (Dukes Deed IX, 180). In 1767, Thomas Arey purchased from Seth Dunham, a fourteenth part of a certain dwelling house that Jane, the widow of Nathaniel Worth, had life rights to live in (Dukes Deed IX, 581). The dwelling house is described in the deed as occurring at Toms Neck. However, the Worth house was earlier described in several deeds as being located south of Toms Neck. In 1771, Nicholas Butler again granted to his son Matthew Butler all his land or estate (Dukes Deed IX, 771).

Federal Period (1775-1830) The land at Toms Neck was likely used by the Butlers for seasonal grazing purposes. John and Nicholas are listed as farmers residing in Edgartown, Matthew is listed as a mariner/farmer residing in Edgartown and Simeon is listed as a tanner also residing in Edgartown (Banks Vol. II and III. [1911] 1966). None


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of the above mentioned Butlers is listed as living on Chappaquiddick at that time. There is no mention of a dwelling house in any of the deeds being passed down by the Butler family until 1812 when the land transferred from the Butler to the Jernegan family. During the Federal Period farming is surpassed by whaling as the most economically viable activity (MacPherson and Cheraus 2002). However, it appears as if Matthew Butler and later his son Darius bridged the gap between mariner and farmer out at Toms Neck.

Des Barres Map of Martha’s Vineyard and Muskeget Shoal 1776 Matthew Butler, born in 1736, is as of 1771 the owner of Toms Neck. He was first married to Elizabeth Osborn who died in 1772 and then later married Jane Vincent. Matthew had eleven children, 6 by his first wife Elizabeth Osborn and 5 by his second wife Jane. He died in a wreck off of Gay Head in 1782 (Banks Vol I, [1911] 1966). When he died his second wife Jane (Vincent) married Timothy Butler, Matthew’s cousin (Banks Vol. III, [1911] 1966). The land was divided among his second wife Jane and their children. The farm at this time did not include the salt and fresh meadow lands on Cape Poge Pond. The salt and fresh meadow lands at Toms Neck were owned under


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title separate from that of the Butlers and the division of such is mentioned in a deed between Enoch Coffin, William Jernegan and Benjamin Pease dated 1790 (Dukes Deed XII 427). These rights were gathered slowly over time and incorporated into the Toms Neck farm holdings. Darius (born in 1773) was the eldest son by Matthew’s second wife and was living as a yeoman (Banks Vol. III, [1911] 1966). He was deeded the portion of the fresh and salt meadow land at Toms Neck owned by Enoch Coffin in 1793 while he was still a minor. Martin Pease traded his inherited rights in the fresh and salt meadow at Toms Neck to Thomas Jernegan in 1799 (Dukes Deed XIV, 46). At this time the fresh and salt marsh are owned ¼ by Darius Butler and ¾ by the Jernegans. In 1803, Sara and Jane Butler, Darius’ sisters, granted their inheritance from their father Matthew to their brother Darius (Dukes Deed XIV, 445). Darius was living in a dwelling house owned by Thomas Jernegan on Chappaquiddick in 1806. He purchased the said dwelling house for eleven dollars (Dukes Deed XVII, 341) and in 1808 sold it along with 15 acres for 350 dollars to James Coffin. It is believed that the small cottage at the head of Morse Street in Edgartown was originally a house built by Darius Butler on Chappaquiddick in the late 18

th century; not

necessarily the house owned by Thomas Jernegan but likely another owned by Thomas’ brother William. According to Eleanor Mayhew, the cottage built by Darius was moved to West Tisbury Road by Nathan Jernegan. It was the childhood home of Nathan, William and Jared, the three eldest sons of William Jernegan, Thomas Jernegan’s younger brother. It was later moved to Morse Street in 1854 and purchased by William Wood (Mayhew 1956). In 1812, Darius and his mother Jane sold for 1,610 dollars to David Jernegan, Thomas Jernegan’s son, “all the land and meadow lands, house, barn and outhouses together with the sheep, Cattle, horse, and swine, also my ear mark, a fork in the right ear and a half penny under the left ear, and the farming utensils situated in town of Edgartown on the Island of Chappaquiddick at a place called Toms Neck” (Dukes Deed XVII, 416). This deed would date the farm house and buildings or portions thereof to sometime between 1771 and 1812. Soon after Darius moved to Ohio with his wife Polly (Mary) Ross (Banks Vol. III, [1911] 1966). Later in the end of the Federal Period, in 1828, the common land of the natives of Chappaquiddick was subdivided among 14 individual families with lots set off for a meeting house and to support the poor (Travers 1960:57). The whaling industry suffered a decline due to the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812 both affecting foreign exports.


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Early Industrial Period (1830-1870) Map from Dukes County Historical Society 1830 and Walling Map of 1858

The new owner of Toms Neck Farm, David Jernegan, was an Edgartown farmer. He was 40 when he purchased the farm. He was married to Armillous Merchant (1796) and they had 6 children. They owned the farm for only two years before they moved, in 1814, to Amelia, Ohio and settled on a 200-acre plot known as the “Yankee

Settlement” with five other Massachusetts families including Martin Pease (Banks Vol. III, [1911] 1966). The Toms Neck farm was sold 18 years later, the year before David Jernegan’s death in 1833, to Tisdale Smith (Dukes Deed XXIV, 250). It is not clear what happened on the farm for the 18 years between the time David left Martha’s Vineyard for Ohio and the time he sold the farm. His brother Leonard was a whaler and died at

sea in 1820. His other brother Thomas Jr. married Mary Thaxter, the eldest daughter of the well known Reverend Joseph Thaxter of Edgartown; his occupation is not listed in Banks (Banks Vol. III, [1911] 1966). The farm up to this point – with the exception of the fresh and salt marshes being added – has retained its approximate original shape as described in 1722 and depicted on the 1934 Plan of Chappaquiddick to the right. Tisdale Smith expanded the farm and bought additional acreage abutting to the


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south from Ben Pease (Dukes Deed XXVIII, 39) as well as elsewhere on Chappaquiddick. Tisdale Smith comes from a line of Edgartown farmers. He was born to John and Caroline Smith in 1791. He was one of eight children. His father was a husbandman (Woods 1906). He married Jedidah Stewart in 1824 and, as stated above, purchased Toms Neck Farm in 1832 for 2,500 dollars. Tisdale and Jedidah had one child, a daughter, named Parnell Cathcart Smith born in 1832. She married Charles Wesley Pease in 1852 once he returned from the gold rush in California (Banks Vol. III, [1911] 1966). They had ten children between 1853 and 1874 – Mary Wesley, Parnell C., Tisdale S., Eliza, Charles M., David B. Benjamin W., Sara, Christine and Stewart (Bart, R. history.vineyard.net/pease.htm). All the winter babies were born in the house in Edgartown and the summer babies were born at Toms Neck (Vineyard Gazette, “Miss Pease Lived Almost a Century” January 11, 1957). Tisdale died in 1858 and left his estate to his wife, Jedidah Smith. Included in his estate is land in Edgartown, the homestead on Chappaquiddick at Toms Neck totaling about 100 acres and other land on Chappaquiddick including land at Wasque, land at Cape Poge Pond, land on Mill Neck and wood and brush lots (Dukes Probate Tisdale Smith). His personal estate included a pair of oxen, a pair of steer, four cows, 5 two-year-old “creatures” and 4 one-year old “creatures”, a 22-year-old horse, 68 sheep and 20 lambs, three hogs and two pigs and hay. The oxen suggest land was cleared and possibly plowed for planting as oxen were used to pull stumps and to pull the plow. The time when sheep would shape the landscape was once again upon Toms Neck. Whaling was at an all time high during the middle of the early Industrial Period and then declined with each decade due to the discovery of petroleum, the American Civil War, decline of the whales and the inability to compete with Norwegian whaling technology (Whalingmuseum.org). With the decline of whaling came the rise of sheep herding and other farming endeavors.


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Late Industrial Period (1870-1915)

During the Late Industrial Period the first attempts at tourism began and cod and other fisheries became important (MacPherson and Cheraus 2002). Charles W. Pease died of a stomach ulcer in 1876 (Bart, R. history.vineyard.net/pease.htm). He left in his estate to his wife, Parnell, a pair of steer and cows, a wagon, 80 sheep, a mowing machine and a sheep shelter (Dukes Probate Charles W. Pease). Parnell was 44 years old when Charles died. She

livedlived on the farm with her children and her mother, Jedidah, who owned the farm. Parnell worked the farm with two of her sons, Charles and David (1880 census). In addition to her children helping her, Parnell also took in individuals who had nowhere else to go, plus the men worked the farm and the women took care of the babies and the aged. The farm produced fruit, vegetables, butter, cheese, smoked meat and fish and wool (Potter 2008). Parnell’s mother Jedidah died in 1881 at 87 years old and Parnell inherited the farm. Parnell died on the farm in 1893 at age 61 and passed it, along with her other real estate holdings, onto her children. The portion of her estate on Chappaquiddick included the farm house and its belongings, 7 cows valued at $25 each, 157 sheep valued at $8 each and an ox cart, land at Mill Neck, wood lots, 200 acres of pasture and woodland at Washqua and a few other land holdings around Chappaquiddick (Dukes Probate, Parnell C. Pease).

USGS 1894

1891 Map


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Charles M. was the first son to be in charge of the farm after his father died. He was well liked and died by his own hand in 1904 (Vineyard Gazette, “Tom’s Neck Farm in Memory, an Idyll of Chappaquiddick” Reid, G.P. May 3, 1968). At this time Tisdale, the whaling son, came home from the sea and took over operations at the farm. He sold the stock, except for the old horse, and the farm came to a slow stop (Vineyard Gazette Reid, G.P. May 3, 1968). Since the farm was making no income, Tisdale bought out his siblings’ shares (Vineyard Gazette Reid, G.P. May 3, 1968). In 1908, Tisdale bought a much smaller farm of his own called Tisdale Farm and began selling his other holdings. In 1909, Tisdale and his siblings sold the Washqua land to Maude Ayer who was the developer behind Chappaquiddick-By-The-Sea (Dukes Deed 122,318). By now Benjamin W. Pease, the fourth son of Parnell, married Anne Baird Currier, in 1890. Anne was the first female typesetter for the Cottage City “Star”. Benjamin and Anne settled in Oak Bluffs where he was a carpenter but moved to Edgartown in 1904 and built a house which they moved into in 1908 (Vineyard Gazette Reid, G.P. May 3, 1968). They had two children, Gladys born in 1891 and Elva born in 1892. Tisdale offered to sell the farm to his niece Gladys but she was not able to afford it and so Elva, who was now married to Roger Sherman Hoar, purchased the farm in 1915 (Dukes Deed CXXXV, 400). Elva lived in Concord but her parents Benjamin and Anne managed the farm, moving there for the summer and back to Summer Street for the winter starting in 1915 (Vineyard Gazette Reid, G.P. May 3, 1968). At that time they had Guernsey milking cows and 100 sheep that summered at Cape Poge Pond in addition to growing asparagus, the cash crop at the time (Vineyard Gazette Reid, G.P. May 3, 1968).

Eldridge Map (original from 1913)


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Modern Period (1915-present) Shoreline estate building began on Chappaquiddick and a herring fishery was a prominent industry in early 1900’s. The farm land south of the Chappaquiddick Road was established into farmsteads by white settlers. Land north of the road lacked good soil and the primary source of fuel was peat, as the major woodlands were located near Sampsons Hill at the center of the island (MacPhearson and Cheraus 2002). Toms Neck Farm remained under the management of Benjamin and Anne Pease from 1915 to 1938. Benjamin and Anne stayed on the farm through the winter of 1917-1918 trying to can as much food as possible. Tisdale and his siblings sold several parcels of Chappaquiddick properties to Roger and Elva Hoar. Tisdale S. Pease graned to Roger Sherman Hoar in 1916 the woodlot on Sampsons Hill and Indian Lots 5,7 and 17 (Dukes Deed 142,493). David B. Pease granted to Elva a 1/8

th interest of

Toms Neck Farm in 1917 (Dukes Deed 146/17). Parnell S. Fisher and Christine Pease granted to Roger Sherman Hoar all their rights and title and interest in

lands on Chappaquiddick in 1917 (Dukes Deed 146/154). Benjamin took advantage of the herring industry and built and ran the herring run at the Dike (Potter 2008 pg. 11). The herring were used for codfish bait (Potter 2008, pg 204). Roger and Elva move from Concord to Wisconsin after WWI.


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Later during the Great Depression Benjamin cut wood to pay the taxes and sold off some of the stock, keeping enough milk cows to sell milk in the summer. During the winters they were very generous with their milk, helping out those large families in need (Vineyard Gazette Reid, G.P. May 3, 1968). In 1933 there is a report in the paper of the first native sweet corn of the year being picked at Toms Neck Farm on July 31 (Vineyard Gazette August 1, 1933). When Benjamin Pease died in 1938 he left his lands on Chappaquiddick to Anne who upon her death in 1940 granted her Chappaquiddick lands to Elva and the lands in Edgartown to Gladys (Vineyard Gazette B.W. Pease Will October 17, 1938). Benjamin was the last true farmer at Toms Neck and a true gentlemen (Vineyard Gazette February 4, 1938). Once Benjamin and Anne were gone the farm began to turn wild from lack of use. According to Ruth Welch, during World War II troops would come over from Camp Edwards and land on the beach near the Dike and conduct maneuvers and dig foxholes on Toms Neck Farm (Potter 2008, pg 216.). Russell Stearn rented the farm from Elva in 1937 for the summer for $300. The house did not have a bathroom and there were several buildings and a large barn. He put a bathroom in the house and negotiated a 10-year lease at $500 per year. When the lease was up in 1947 he tried to buy the farm from Elva but she would not sell (Potter 2008, pg 252).

Roger Sherman Hoar died in 1963, leaving his Chappaquiddick holdings to Elva and their children (Dukes Probate). When Elva died in 1967 the farm went into a trust, the Tom’s Neck Farm Trust, to be held by their three children – Caroline Hoar Baker, Sherman Hoar and Benjamin Stuart Hoarn – and upon their deaths by their children – Ann B. Floyd, Roger Sherman Hoar II, John Roger Hoarn, Margaret Hoarn, Geroge Baker, John Baker, David Baker, Stuart Hoarn,


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Margaret Hoarn – or their successors (Dukes Probate Elva Hoar). The homestead is approximately 166 acres. Sherman Hoar attempted to reclaim the overgrown farm in 1976 by leasing it to game bird hunters who cleared 50 acres, planted millet, rye, buckwheat and oats and released several hundred birds (Vineyard Gazette Adams, G.W. January 16, 1976). The farm and its borders have stood the test of time: it was not until 1996 that a large chunk of the farm was chiseled off (Dukes Deed 685,193). For nearly 275 years Ridge Hill, Pease (Patience) Pond, the meadows, marshes and the swampy swales have stood together as one unified farm.

2. Planning Concerns

(a) Massachusetts Endangered Species Act:

All management activities proposed in this management plan are subject to review by MA-NHESP due to the mapping of priority and estimated habitat for rare species within the boundaries of the preserve (NHESP Map, Appendix G). A filing was submitted to MA-NHESP and all of the proposed management activities in this plan were approved on November 14, 2014 (MA-NHESP tracking number 14-33690).

(b) Wetland Protection Act: Cape Poge Pond, the shrub swamp, the emergent marsh in isolated land subject to flooding and the tidal salt marsh are the “wetland resource area” under the Massachusetts wetlands protection act. A 200-foot buffer zone around the wetland resource areas and bordering vegetated wetland, which encompasses nearly the entire preserve, is subject to the jurisdiction of the Edgartown conservation commission. All activities proposed in the management plan are within the following: the resource area, the 200’ buffer zone of the wetland resource areas, and within the 100’ buffer zone around the 100 year flood zone. The land bank filled a notice of intent for all the proposed activities in the management plan and was granted approval on December 3, 2014.

(c) Regional and Local Planning Bylaws: Approximately 74-77 percent of the preserve is located within the boundaries of the Island’s Coastal District DCPC and Edgartown Coastal District Overlay. All activities proposed in the management plan are within the permitted uses of these zones.

(d) Deed and Conservation Restrictions: All management actions proposed by this management plan comport with the existing conservation restriction over a portion of the preserve (Dukes


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County Registry of Deeds: Book1046/pages 89-105) and all easements and deed restrictions that are germane to Toms Neck Preserve.

3. Abutters

A list of those owning land abutting or within 200 feet of the Toms Neck Preserve appears in Appendix H, as does the Edgartown Assessors Map 32.

4. Existing Use and Infrastructure

The following are existing uses (Appendix I, Existing Use Map):

A. Transformer: Unused utilities for a former contemplated development project are located off the old road that runs through the preserve.

B. Old Road: There are 1200’ of an existing old road on the preserve.

II. Inventory Analysis

In this section, problems and opportunities that may arise in the management of

Toms Neck Preserve are analyzed.

A. Constraints & Issues

1. Ecological Context

Toms Neck Preserve is a part of Toms Neck, a bulge of land with Cape Poge Pond on the north side and the Lagoon on the east side. It is located on the eastern side of Chappaquiddick. It was not included in the Wampanoag reservation as the fence-line for the reservation is the western boundary according to later maps of the set-off lots. Archaeological evidence indicates it was traditionally used by Wampanoag Indians for hunting, gathering and processing of food and by English settlers as grazing land for livestock.

2. Natural and Cultural Resource Concerns

There are three main areas of concern at Toms Neck Preserve, each briefly addressed below and then addressed in more detail in the land management section of the plan:

(a) Commonwealth/Federal-listed species

Plants: Bushy rockrose (Crocanthemum dumosum) is a commonwealth-listed


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species of special concern. It is a perennial wildflower in the rockrose and pinweed family. It prefers sandy soils in heathlands and early successional grasslands. Managing the grassland so that it does not become dominated by woody vegetation or become excessively nutrient-rich will help protect the bushy rockrose (NHESP 2010). Papillose Nut-sedge (Scleria pauciflora) is a commonwealth-listed endangered species. It is a sedge of coastal grasslands and pine oak barrens (NHESP 2012). It was first observed near the preserve approximately 20 years ago. Several surveys have been conducted for this species on the preserve during the last decade. However, no plants have been observed. Annual surveys for this species should continue to be conducted as it may establish in the grassland in the future.

Wildlife: The imperial moth (Eacles imperialis), a moth of upland deciduous woodlands, was observed on the preserve in the woodland and successional old field traps. The dune noctuid moth (Sympistris riparia), a moth of dunes, grassland and heathlands, was observed in the successional old field trap on the preserve near the shore of Cape Poge Pond. The coastal heathland cutworm (Abagrostis nefascia), a moth of dry open maritime vegetation communities, was observed in the successional old field trap on the preserve near the shore of Cape Poge Pond. The unexpected cycnia (Cycnia inopinatus) is a moth of sandplain grasslands and heathlands. It was observed in both the woodland and successional old field traps set on the preserve.

The spartina borer (Photedes inops) is a moth of salt marshes and margins of coastal salt ponds. Larvae bore into and feed on prairie cord-grass (Spartina pectinata) in the spring and pupate by early summer (NHESP 2012). The spartina borer moth was observed in the woodland trap that was set not far from the upper reaches of the salt marsh that borders Pease Pond.

The water-willow stem borer (Papaipema sulphurata) is a moth of freshwater wetlands that contain water-willow (Decodon verticillatus). Evidence of larval boring into the water-willow was observed in one of the shrub swamp on the Preserve in the late summer of 2015.


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The common tern (Sterna hirundo) is a seabird that nests in coastal marshes and beaches. It drinks only saltwater while flying and eats small fish and invertebrates by plunging into water and grabbing its prey. The common tern was observed flying over the property and was not observed on the preserve. The terns were observed on the beach that abuts the preserve.

(b) Succession

Succession is a natural process. Without the use of some form of human-influenced management such as agriculture, mechanical mowing, and fire, woody vegetation will grow in the grassland and reduce the size of this important habitat on the preserve.

(c) Invasive Species

Several invasive plant species occur on the preserve and are more prevalent in the successional old field where unmanaged open habitat was available for invasion. The invasive plants on the preserve can be controlled through annual mowing, manual uprooting and, if necessary, herbicide treatment. Annual monitoring and quick control and removal of invasive species are important to maintain an ecological balance and the integrity of habitats on the preserve.

3. Sociological Context

Toms Neck Preserve is located on Toms Neck in Edgartown on Chappaquiddick. It will be connected via trail easements to an off-premises trailhead as well as to the Three Ponds and Cove Meadow trail systems to the west. The Sheriff’s Meadow Foundation holds a conservation restriction over a portion of the preserve.

4. Neighborhood Concerns

The land bank considers the concerns of neighbors as part of the planning process. All abutting property owners and the local conservation commission are sent written notice of a public hearing on the draft plan. All neighbors -- and all members of the public -- are invited to review the draft plan, attend the public hearing and make written or oral comments. The land bank's Edgartown town advisory board and the Martha’s Vineyard land bank commission review all comments and can change the draft plan if desired. Anyone may also express concerns at any public meeting of the Martha’s Vineyard land bank commission and Edgartown town advisory board, or may


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simply contact land bank staff. Planning concerns that already have been brought to the attention of the land bank by neighbors include:

Public vehicular use of the driveway along the west border of the preserve that connects Dike Road to access to Cape Poge Pond.

B. Addressing Problems and Opportunities

1. Land Bank Mandate

In 1986, the voters of Martha’s Vineyard created the land bank to acquire, hold, and manage land in a predominantly natural, scenic, or open condition. The land bank keeps open space open and allows modest public use. Its “shared-use” policy strives to provide a range of public benefits, from low-impact recreation and aesthetics to wildlife conservation and watershed protection. Protection of natural resources is the land bank’s highest priority, yet “shared-use” demands balancing the public use of natural resources with protection of the same.

2. Goals at Purchase

Toms Neck Preserve contains seven of the nine types of land eligible, under the land bank law, for protection: forest land; fresh and salt water marshes and other wetlands; wildlife habitats; easements for trails and for publically owned lands; scenic vistas; ocean and pond frontage; and sites for passive recreation. Preliminary management plans were adopted by the land bank commission and Edgartown advisory board and are attached as Appendix B.

3. Opportunities

a.) Access: The proposed vehicular access to Toms Neck Preserve is through an off-premises trailhead on the Trustees of Reservations’ land off Dike Road.

b.) Trails: Approximately 600’ of existing old road and 0.6 miles of

proposed trails will provide a loop trail; an out-and-back trail to the overlook and its sweeping views of Pease Pond and Cape Poge Pond; and connector trails to easements that connect the preserve to properties to the west. The trail is proposed for passive recreational uses such as but not limited to hiking, non-motorized biking and horseback riding.


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c.) Boardwalks: A series of raised and ground-level boardwalks will

provide intimate access to the edge of the far reaches of the salt marsh and provide an off-season (September 14-June 15) access to a small portion of the beach along Cape Poge Pond.

d.) Views: The preserve offers, at the overlook and on the beach,

expansive views of Cape Poge Pond and the sweeping landscape that is Toms Neck Preserve plus, in various locations, intimate and long-distance views of Pease Pond.

e.) Grassland: The grassland provides open land and has been grazed in

the past. Restoring the successional old field to grassland and using prescribed burning, limited grazing and mowing of the grasslands annually outside the growing season are possible methods the land bank could use to protect the open quality of the grassland.

f.) Archaeology: The preserve is located in an area with close proximity to fresh water with evidence for historic native American occupation or use. Educating the public through signs that create awareness regarding the importance of leaving artifacts where they are found; covering trails with woodchips; and reporting any illegal digging will help protect the archaeological artifacts that may exist on the preserve.

g.) Hunting: The preserve was once leased to hunters for upland game bird hunting in the mid 20

th century. The preserve is suitable for

archery and muzzleloader deer hunting as well as hunting for upland gamebirds, waterfowl, turkey, raccoon and rabbit.

4. Universal Access (UA)

Toms Neck Preserve is not suited for universal accessibility. The trailhead distance to the major amenities on the preserve is too great. The preserve’s ROS (‘Recreation Opportunities Spectrum’) classification is “less-developed.” Further details are included in Appendix J.

III. Land Management Planning

This final section of the management plan states goals for Toms Neck Preserve and outlines strategies for achieving them. These goals and strategies are designed to fit within the social and ecological constraints defined previously. The plan addresses five


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areas of planning concern: nature conservation; recreation and aesthetics; natural products; community interaction; and land administration.

A. Nature Conservation

Provide long-term protection for plants, animals and natural processes

occurring on Toms Neck Preserve. Objective 1: Protect and encourage rare and endangered species on the preserve. Strategies:

a. Monitor the property for rare plants and animals during regular property checks and survey existing populations on a regular schedule.

b. Develop and implement a strategy to protect any additional rare species observed on the property.

c. Report new observations of rare and endangered species to the proper commonwealth authority.

d. Manage existing upland and wetland communities on the preserve and allow them to thrive.

i. remove invasive plants; ii. utilize existing trails as much as possible on the preserve; iii. manage views and site new trails in such as way as to

minimize cutting trees; iv. use an array of management tools including mowing, fire and

herbicides to maintain the grassland in an open and diverse state with limited woody vegetation; where necessary, remove invading evergreens and early successional trees from the grasslands except in designated and rotating patches of early successional woodland.

e. Reroute or close trails in the event that the recreational use interferes

with a rare species’ ability to forage and reproduce.

f. Adjust the shoreline access prior to June 15 if shorebird activity is detected during the time that the off-season trail is slated to be open.

Objective 2: Reduce and control erosion of trails, grassland and shoreline bank. Strategies:

a. Reroute or temporarily close any trail where necessary.

b. Cover trails with woodchips as needed to prevent surface soil erosion.

c. Prohibit use of motorized vehicles such as dirt bikes and all-terrain


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vehicles on the trail system.

d. Prohibit use of horseback-riding along the out-and-back trail to the overlook, as it utilizes boardwalks to traverse the edge of the salt marsh and the mesic woodland.

e. Protect the vegetated buffer around the salt marsh and other wetlands on

the preserve by minimizing erosion from abutting open landscapes.

Objective 3: Protect the value of the preserve as migratory and breeding habitat for avian and other wildlife species. Strategies:

a. Retain snags in woodland where these trees do not pose unacceptable safety or fire hazard.

b. Monitor changes in vegetation cover during regular property checks and by updating ecological inventory in 2025.

c. Promote a mosaic of native berry-/fruit-producing shrubs to grow in and

around the grassland and elsewhere on the preserve; mow beach plum shrubs at least twice a decade.

d. Mow grassland areas at least annually, outside of the growing season, to

maintain grassland habitat for hunting and nesting birds.

e. Retain patches of early successional woodland for American woodcock breeding habitat.

Objective 4: Monitor for and control the spread of invasive species. Strategies:

a. Cut or uproot invasive species as they are observed. b. Monitor for re-growth and continue to manage invasive plants.

c. Explore other control methods and implement if physical control methods

fail. Objective 5: Reduce forest fire danger on the preserve. Strategies:

a. Prohibit open flame fires on the preserve.

b. Prohibit storage of brush piles on the preserve.


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Objective 6: Restore 5.03 acres of successional old field to grassland in order to provide additional habitat for unique, rare and endangered species on the preserve and maintain resulting entire 8.5-acre grassland in an open and diverse state. Strategies:

a. Remove and manage exotic invasive plant species using mechanical and, if necessary, chemical means.

b. Flush cut and stump/grind trees.

c. Highlight specimen trees.

d. Use an array of management tools to maintain grassland in an open state with limited woody vegetation that include implementing annual mowing, herbicide use, and exploring the use of goats and sheep for woody vegetation control during the growing season.

e. Where necessary, remove invading pitch pine and early successional trees from the grasslands with the exception of rotating patches of early successional woodland managed for breeding woodcock habitat.

Objective 7: Protect river otter and American woodcock habitat on the preserve. Strategies:

a. Require dogs be leashed by owners during March-June to protect otters during the otter whelping season (March-April) and to protect ground nesting woodcocks during their nesting season (March-June).

b. Monitor otter and woodcock activity on the preserve.

c. Minimize negative human-otter interactions if necessary by relocating trails, temporarily limiting recreational uses and temporarily closing trails.

B. Recreation and Aesthetics

Allow limited, low-impact recreational use of the area for hiking, bicycling,

horseback-riding and picnicking; and maintain attractive views and landscapes

provided that these uses do not preclude attainment of nature conservation

objectives. Objective 1: Open the property for low-impact recreation. Strategies:

a. Open the property for hiking, non-motorized biking, horseback-riding and other passive uses, except that use of the boardwalk trail to the overlook to be limited to foot traffic only.


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b. Utilize existing trails and install new trail(s) where appropriate (see Site

Management Map).

c. Monitor impact of passive recreational use on the preserve annually and manage accordingly.

d. Allow night-time fishing access to Cape Poge Pond from the shoreline during the winter season when the off-season trail is open (September 14-June 15).

Objective 2: Designate the proposed trailhead off-premises on Trustees of Reservations

land as the primary access to the preserve. Strategies:

a. Connect the trailhead to the preserve using trail easements/agreements or on conservation land.

b. Update the existing sign stations to include new maps of the preserve plus information that outlines the appropriate uses and rules of the preserve.

c. Install sign stations for visitors entering the preserve from the west and the south.

Objective 4: Create trail system as shown on the Proposed Project Map. Strategies:

a. Create trail network as shown on the Proposed Project Map: i. create 1.25 miles of new trail with trail corridors six to eight

feet wide and eight feet tall when possible; ii. free trails of rocks, roots and other obstacles where

practical; iii. install erosion control measures where needed; iv. install and maintain 781’ of 3’-wide permanent raised

boardwalk in the shorter Distichilis grass in the salt marsh edge;

v. install and maintain 35’ of 3’-wide temporary (September 14 to June 15 only) raised boardwalk in the salt marsh on the trail to the beach;

vi. install and maintain 355’ of 2’-wide permanent ground-level boardwalk in the wooded swamp;

vii. install 225’ of 2’-wide temporary (September 14-June 15 only) ground-level boardwalk along the dune;

viii. mark trails with markers or directional signs if needed;


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ix. site trails so that they are as unobtrusive as possible to nearby homes and sensitive wildlife habitat;

x. site trails so that they connect to other conservation land, ancient ways and trail easements.

xi. close the off-season access trail to the beach from June 15-September 14.

b. Screen views of houses as necessary from trails and view-points using native vegetation.

c. Allow land bank staff discretion to close or relocate trails or add new trails, such as spur trails for off-property trail connections.

d. Prohibit visitors’ use of motorized vehicles, such as but not limited to dirt bikes and all-terrain vehicles.

e. Check and maintain trails monthly.

f. Site trails in salt marsh so as to avoid Spartina pectinata. Objective 5: Expand and maintain the views of Cape Poge Pond and salt marsh from the trail. Strategies:

a. Trim shrubs and prune trees as necessary to maintain existing limited views of Cape Poge Pond and the salt marsh from the trail system.

b. Trim shrubs and prune trees as necessary to maintain existing sweeping views of Cape Poge Pond and Pease Pond from the overlook.

Objective 6: Entertain possibilities for other trail links.

Strategies: a. Use existing trails on the preserve where possible and create new trails

as necessary to connect the preserve to future conservation land and trail easements.

b. Maintain existing links to other conserved properties.

c. Create links to other conserved land and easements.

Objective 7: Require that dog owners follow the Edgartown town bylaw for dogs such that “all dogs owned or kept within the limits of the town shall be restrained from running at large or shall be kept within the immediate control of their owners or keepers” except require leashing during March- June when river otters are whelping and woodcock are nesting. Strategies:


33

a. Encourage visitors to clean up after their pets.

b. Require dogs be leashed from March through June.

c. Post the dog policy at the various sign stations and property entrances and in the land bank map.

d. Impose a stricter dog policy as necessary if negative interactions that involve dogs occur on the preserve.

Objective 8: Remove the transformer and any other utility visible above ground on the preserve. Strategies:

a. Limit ground disturbance as much as possible during removal.

C. Natural Products

Allow hunting and gathering and prohibit camping. Objective 1: Allow hunting of the preserve to include deer hunting by archery and muzzleloader only and allow the hunting of ducks, geese, pheasant, raccoon, turkey and rabbit according with the commonwealth hunting season regulations. Strategies:

a. Notify the public of the hunting policy on the preserve, in the land bank hunting policy and on the land bank website.

b. Prohibit the hunting method of “driving” deer on the preserve. Objective 2: Prohibit camping. Strategies:

a. Prohibit camping on the preserve unless special permission is granted by the land bank commission for scouting and like groups and it is in compliance with appropriate Edgartown town bylaws.

b. Monitor the preserve for squatters and remove unauthorized campers promptly.

Objective 3: Allow gathering of natural products by the public according to the land bank’s Harvesting and Gathering of Natural Products Policy. Strategies:

a. Prohibit gathering of commonwealth- and federally-listed rare plant and wildlife species as well as locally rare plant and wildlife species on the preserve.

b. Prohibit gathering of invasive plants for personal use in order to minimize


34

the spread of seeds elsewhere.

D. Community Interaction

Provide helpful and interesting information about the property for visitors; promote

cultural resource conservation; and allow educational use of the property. Objective 1: Help people find the property and avoid trespassing. Strategies

a. Mark the property on land bank website (www.mvlandbank.com) and map and provide directions.

b. Install “end of land bank property” signs where appropriate.

c. Install land bank logo markers on property.

d. Limit trespassing by closing existing trails not intended for use.

e. Install gates or fencing as needed.

f. Inform visitors, in the land bank map, how to access the preserve’s trailhead and its intended use.

g. Post on sign station and website map of property and trails as well as an aerial overview of the connecting conservation lands and trails; keep updated.

h. Plant vegetation where residential dwellings are visible from the trail, as necessary and if allowed, that blends in with the natural context of its environs in order to define and screen the boundaries.

Objective 2: Present useful and interesting information about Toms Neck Preserve to the

public. Strategies:

a. Provide the Edgartown public library and conservation commission with copies of this management plan if so desired.

b. Make a copy of this plan available at the land bank office and, when file size is not restrictive, on the land bank website.

c. Post information about the cultural and natural history of the preserve at the trailheads.

E. Land Administration

Oversee and police Toms Neck Preserve on a regular basis and develop good

neighborhood relations.

http://www.mvlandbank.com/


35

Objective 1: Maintain good relations with abutters and neighbors. Strategies:

a. Establish contact and working relations with neighbors.

b. Maintain contact and working relations with the Edgartown conservation commission; send a draft copy of the plan to the Edgartown conservation commission prior to the public hearing.

c. Post the activities allowed and prohibited on the preserve.

Objective 2: Keep preserve well-maintained. Strategies:

a. Inspect property at least monthly.

b. Clean up any litter and junk which may occur.

c. Promptly respond to problems.

d. Employ adequate staff to effectively implement land management goals.

Objective 3: Maintain set hours for use of the preserve. Strategies:

a. Open property every day of the year from sunrise to sunset.

b. Prohibit nighttime use unless special permission is granted by the land bank commission.

c. Post “closed at dark” signs on the sign station with the exception of night-time fishing along the shoreline of Cape Poge Pond during the off-season.

Objective 4: Keep well-maintained boundaries of the preserve. Strategies:

a. Locate and GPS corners.

b. Walk boundaries annually.

c. Post boundary flags where appropriate.

d. Correct encroachments as they occur.

Objective 5: Keep good records of all land management activities and natural events on the preserve. Strategies:

a. Record all significant events, natural or otherwise.

b. Continue to update plant and wildlife inventories.


36

c. Maintain photographic record of landscape appearance.

Objective 6: Comply with all applicable regulations and agreements that pertain to the preserve. Strategies:

a. Comply with Massachusetts endangered species act.

b. Comply with wetlands protection act and Edgartown town wetland and planning by-laws.

c. Comply with all conservation restrictions, deed restrictions and deeded easements that pertain to the preserve.

d. Request recommendations from the Massachusetts historical commission regarding the proposed activities in the plan.

IV. Literature Cited

Avery, T. and H. Burkhart. 2002. Forest Measurements. McGraw-Hill,. Boston, MA. 456 pp. Banks, C. E. 1966. The History of Martha’s Vineyard Dukes County Massachusetts. Volume I, II, III. The Dukes County Historical Society, Edgartown, MA 565pp. Benton J. 1923. Early Census Making. Massachusetts 1643-1765 with a reproduction of lost census of 1765. Charles E. Goodspeed, Boston. Bouck, J., R. Burt and J. Richardson III. 1983. Prehistoric Cultural Resources and Site Locations, Martha’s Vineyard. MA Historic Commission, Office of Secretary of State, Boston. Begon, M., J.L. Harper and C.R. Townsend. 1990. Ecology: individuals, Populations and Communities. Blackwell scientific Publications. Boston, MA 945pp. Cornell Ornithology Laboratory. 2009. All About Birds. http://www.allaboutbirds.org. Dunwiddie, P.W. 1986. Holocene Vegetation history of Nantucket Island, Massachusetts. IV international Congress of Ecology Abstracts. 138 p. Environmental Protection Agency. 1999. Considering Ecological Processes in Environmental Impact Assessments. http://www.epa.gov/compliance/resources/ policies/nepa/ecological-processes-eia-pg.pdf

http://www.epa.gov/compliance/resources/


37

Felix Neck. 1992. Checklist of Martha’s Vineyard Birds. Felix Neck Wildlife Trust, Vineyard Haven, MA.3pp. Haines, A. 2011. Flora Novae Angliae. Yale University Press. New Haven, CT. 973pp.

Oldale, R. 1992. Cape Cod and The Islands: The Geologic Story. Parnassus Imprints. New Orleans, MA.

Potter, J. 1997. Universal Access Plan. Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank Commission publication. 53 pp. Potter, Hatsy. 2008. Chappaquiddick: that sometimes separate but never equaled island, second edition. Chappaquiddick Island Association, Edgartown, MA. 347pp. MacPherson J. and Cheraus S. 2002. Intense (Locational) Archaelogical Survey Tom’s Neck Farm Subdivision and Archaeological Site Examination Lots 1,2,3,4 and 5 Driveway. PAL Report No 1073.01. Mayhew, E. 1956. Martha’s Vineyard: A Short History. Dukes County Historical Society, Inc. Edgartown, MA 160pp. Newcombs, L. 1977. Newcomb;s Wildflower Guide. Little, Brown and Company, New York, NY. 490pp. Soil Conservation Service. 1986. Soil Survey of Dukes County, Massachusetts. United States Department of Agriculture. 144 pp.

Swanson, D.L. and C. Knapp. 1999. The Flora of Martha’s Vineyard. Martha’s Vineyard

Sandplain Restoration Project. 129 pp. The Trustees of Reservations. 2014. About Cape Poge Wildlife Refuge. http://www.thetrustees.org/places-to-visit/cape-cod-islands/cape-pogue.html . Accessed 6/13/14. Travers, M. 1960, The Wampanoag Indian Tribute tribes of Martha’s Vineyard. Reynolds Printing, Inc. New Bedford, MA

USGS. 2012. Science Topics: Biological and Physical Processes. http://www.usgs.gov/science/science.php?term=310

Vineyard Gazette, Lovewell, M. August 23, 2010. Biologists Monitor Heavy Scallops Set in Cape Pogue Bay.

http://www.thetrustees.org/places-to-visit/cape-cod-islands/cape-pogue.html


38

Vineyard Gazette, Adams, G. January 16, 1976. At Tom’s Neck Farm an Amalgam of Interest looks after the Land. Vineyard Gazette, Reid, G. May 3, 1968. Tom’s Neck Farm in Memory an Idyll of Chappaquiddick. Vineyard Gazette, Litchfield, E. February 4, 1928. Letters to the Editor, The First Gentleman of Chappaquiddick Dies. Vineyard Gazette. Unknown. August 1, 1933. No Title. Woods, H.E. 1906. Vital Records of Edgartown, MA to the Year of 1850. New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, MA. 276pp.


39

Appendix A. Property Maps


40


41


42


43

Appendix B. Surveys, Deeds and Preliminary Management Plan Goals

Deeds and larger copies of the surveys are on file at the land bank office. They include the following:


44


45


46


47


48


49


50


51


52


53


54


55


56


57


58


59


60


61

Appendix C. Soils Maps and Descriptions


62


63

The soils on the preserve are from the Carver, Eastchop, Pawcatuck and Matunuck,

Berryland, Freetown and Udipsamments series. The following soil descriptions are derived from the SCS (1986) Dukes County Soil Surveys.

a. Carver loamy coarse sand, 3 to 8 percent (CeB) CeB- Deep soil that is heavily sloping and excessively drained. The soil is poor for cultivated crops because of low water capacity. It is mostly found in woodlands, yet it does not provide high woodland productivity (SCS 1986).

b. Carver loamy coarse sand, 15 to 25 percent slopes (CeD) CeD- A very deep and moderately steep soil that is excessively drained. This is usually found on the hills and ridges on moraines and side slopes of swales on outwash plains. This soil is poorly suited to cultivated crops, hay, pasture and woodland productivity. If used for building, land shaping is generally needed.


64

c. Eastchop loamy sand, 15 to 35 percent slopes (EcD)

EcD- A very deep, strong sloping, and excessively drained soil. The soil is highly permeable with low water capacity. It is poor for cultivated crops, hay, or pasture. These areas are typically wooded, but poor for woodland productivity. Heavy slopes in these sites limit building, and land shaping is usually required.

d. Pawcatuck and Matunuck mucky peats, 0 to 1 percent slopes (PaA)

PaA- A very deep, level, poorly drained soil in tidal areas that is subject to daily flooding. Many areas in this soil have salt tolerant grasses.

e. Freetown and Swansea mucks, 0 to 1 percent slopes (FsA)

FsA- Primarily the low lying shrub swamps are designated as Freetown and Swansea mucks. They are very poorly drained soils of depressions and areas near streams and open water. They are limited due to the seasonally high water table unless the cultivated crop is cranberries.

f. Berryland loamy sand, 0 to 2 percent slopes (BeA)

BeA – The low lying area along the road to Cape Poge Pond situated between two major wetland networks is designated as Berryland loamy sand. It is a poorly drained soil typically found in swales and low areas bordering swamps. The soil is limited by a seasonally high water table.

g. Udipsamments, rolling (UaC) UaC- The dune along Pease Pond is designated as Udipsamments. These are well drained sandy soils with variable slope.

h. Water (W)

W – A small portion of the preserve is designated as water. At times this area may be flooded by the rising pond levels prior to an opening of the pond, especially in the spring.


65

Appendix D: Vegetation

Vegetation inventories and surveys of Toms Neck Preserve were conducted in 1993, 2014 and 2015. The point sampling method as described by Avery and Burkhart (1994) was used to inventory the trees in the woodlands. A total of 5 points was inventoried in each of the successional old field woodland, mixed-deciduous woodland and pine woodland for a total of 15 points. Circular plots (3-meter

2) were used to inventory the understory at each

woodland point. Species diversity, density and percent cover of understory vegetation were recorded for all plots following methods described by Dunwiddie (1986). The grassland was inventoried following methods described by Dunwiddie (1986). Species diversity and density were recorded within 1-m

2 circular plots in the grassland. Thirty plots

were randomly located along seven transects in the grassland on the preserve. Rare plant species were surveyed for on the preserve during ongoing plant inventories conducted by land bank staff from April – October during 2014. Flora at Toms Neck Preserve are listed in Table 1 with proper nomenclature according to Flora Novae Angliae (Haines (2011). A description of each cover type and quantitative summary of surveys follows:

Table 1. Flora of Toms Neck Preserve based on vegetation inventories and surveys from 1993, 2014 and 2015

Scientific name Common name

Ra

nk

Morphology

gra

ssla

nd

successio

nal old

fie

ld w

oodla

nd

Mix

ed-d

ecid

uous w

oodla

nd

pin

e w

oodla

nd

shru

bla

nd

shru

b s

wam

p

tidal salt m

ars

h/d

une

mesic

woodla

nd

Non-vascular plants

Lichen

1 Usnea strigosus old mans beard N lichen X

Moss

2 Sphagnum sp sphagnum moss N moss X X

GRAMINOID

Cyperaceae

3 Carex pensylvanica pennsylvania sedge AN graminoid X X X

4 Carex scoparia broom sedge UN graminoid

5 Rynchospora alba White beacksedge UN graminoid

X

6 Scirpus pingens Chairmaker’s rush FN graminoid

X

Juncaceae

7 Juncus effusus soft rush AN graminoid X X

Juncus greenei Greene’s Rush FN graminoid X


66

8 Juncus tenuis path rush AN graminoid X

Poaceae

9 Agrostis sp. agrostis UI graminoid X

10 Ammophila breviligulata American beach grass AN graminoid

X

11 Anthoxanthum odoratum sweet vernal grass FI graminoid X X X

12 Eragrostis spectabilis purple lovegrass FN graminoid X

13 Festuca cf. rubra red fescue FN graminoid X

14 Festuca filiformes hair fescue UI graminoid X

15 Festuca ovina sheep fescue FI graminoid

16 Holcus lanatus velvet grass AI graminoid X X X

17 Leersia oryzoides rice cut grass RN graminoid X

18 Panicum lanuginosum panic grass UN graminoid

19 Panicum virgatum switchgrass FN graminoid X X X X

20 Schizachyrium scoparium little bluestem FN graminoid X X

21 Spartina alterniflora smooth cordgrass AN graminoid

22 Spartina patens saltmeadow cordgrass AN graminoid

23 Spartina pectinata freshwater cordgrass AN graminoid

24 Phragmites australis phragmites AI graminoid X

FERN

Aspleniaceae

25 Dryopteris carthusiana spinulose woodfern RN fern X

Blechnaceae

26 Woodwardia areolata netted chainfern FN fern X

Dennstaedtiaceae

27 Pteridium aquilinum bracken fern AN fern X X X X

Onocleaceae

28 Onoclea sensibilis sensitive fern AN fern X X X

Osmundaceae

29 Osmunda cinnamomea cinnamon fern AN fern X X X X

Thelypteridaceae

30 Thelypteris palustris marsh fern AN fern X

31 Thelypteris noveboracensis New York fern FN fern X X X

32 Thelypteris simulata Massachusetts fern O/FN fern X X

HERB

Anacardiaceae

33 Toxicodendron radicans poison ivy AN herb X X X X X X

Apiaceae

34 Daucus carota Queen Anne's Lace FI herb

Asclepiadaceae


67

35 Asclepias syriaca common milkweed AN herb X

36 Asclepias tuberosa butterfly-weed FN herb X

Asteraceae

37 Achillea millefolium yarrow AI herb X X X

38 lonactis linarifolius stiff aster AN herb X

39 Baccharis halimifolia groundsel tree FN herb X

40 Leucanthemum vulgare oxeye daisy AI herb X

41 Cirsium horridulum yellow thistle FN herb X

42 Erigeron glaucus seaside aster N herb X

43 Eupatorium album boneset 44 Euthamia graminifolia lance-leaf goldenrod AN herb X X X X

45 Euthamia tenuifolia slender-leaved goldenrod AN herb X X X

46 Eupatorium perfoliatum boneset ON herb

X

47 Hieracium pilosella mouse-ear hawkweed UI herb X

48 Pluchea oderata salt marsh fleabane FN herb X

49 Hypochaeris radicata cat's ear FI herb X

50 Iva frutescens high tide bush FN herb X

51 Lactucaserriola prickly lettuce UI herb

X

52

Sericocarpus asteroides

toothed white topped aster ON herb X

53 Solidago elliottii Elliott's goldenrod FN herb X X

54 Solidago altissima tall goldenrod FN herb X X

55 Solidago odora sweet goldenrod AN herb X

56 Solidago rugosa rough-stemmed goldenrod AN herb X X X

57 Solidago puberula downy goldenrod AN herb X

58 Solidago juncea early goldenrod ON herb X

59 Symnphyotrichum subulatum large saltmarsh aster ON herb

X

60

Symphyotrichum undulatum wavyleaf aster FN herb

X

61 Prenanthes racemosa tall rattlesnake root ON herb X

Caryophyllaceae

62 Tellaria gramineai lesser stitchwort UI herb X

Chenopodiaceae

63 Salicornia bigelovii dwarf glasswort UN herb

X

64 Salicornia depressa compound glasswort FN herb

X

Clusiaceae

65 Hypericum perforatum common St. Johnswort FI herb X

66 Triadenum virginicum marsh St. Johnswort FN herb X

Ericaceae

67 Chimaphila maculata spotted wintergreen FN herb X

Fabaceae

68 Baptisia tinctoria wild indigo FN herb X


68

69 Vicia sativa common vetch N herb X

Gentianaceae

70 Bartonia virginica screwstem RN herb X

Geraniaceae

71 Geranium maculatum wild geranium ON herb

Iridaceae

72 Iris prismatica slender blue flag iris FN herb X

73 Iris versicolor larger blue flag iris AN herb X X

Lamiaceae

74 Lycopus uniflorus northern bugleweed UN herb X

75 Teucrium canadensis American germander FN herb

Liliaceae

76 Lilium philadelphicum wood lily FN herb X

Oxalidaceae

77 Oxalis L. wood sorrel N herb X

78 Maianthemum canadense Canada mayflower AN herb X X X

Lythraceae

79 Decodon verticillatus swamp loosestrife FN herb

Plantaginaceae

80 Plantago lanceolata english plantain AI herb X

Plumbaginaceae

81 Limonium carolinianum sea lavender FN herb

Polygonaceae

82 Polygonum pensylvanicum smartweed FN herb

X

83 Rumex acetosella field sorrel AI herb X

Primulaceae

84 Lysimachia arvensis

OI herb

X

85 Lysimachia quadrifolia whorled loosestrife

O/FN herb X X X X

86 Trientalis borealis Raf. starflower FN herb X X X X

Rosaceae

87 Agrimonia gryposepala common agrimony ON herb X X

88 Fragaria virginiana wild strawberry ON herb X X

89 Potentilla canadensis dwarf cinquefoil FN herb X X X

90 Potentilla simplex common cinquefoil FN herb X

Ranunculaceae

91 Actaea pachypoda white baneberry RN herb X X

92 Anemone quinquefolia wood anemone FN herb X

93 Thalictrum pubescens tall meadow rue ON herb X X

Rubiaceae

94 Galium asprellum rough bed straw UN herb


69

95 Galium trifidum L. small bed straw UN herb X

Scrophulariaceae

96 Agalinis maritima seaside gerardia ON herb

X

97 Scrophularia lanceolata lance-leaved figwort ?N herb

X

98 Verbascum thapsus common mullein FI herb X

Typhaceae

99 Typha latifolia narrow-leaved cattail ON herb X

Verbenaceae

100 Verbena hastat blue verbena RN herb X

Violaceae

101 Viola lanceolata lanceleaf violet FN herb

SHRUB

Anacardiaceae

102 Rhus copallinum shining sumac FN shrub X X

103 Rhus typhina staghorn sumac FN shrub

Aquifoliaceae

104 Ilex opaca American holly FN shrub X

105 Ilex verticillata winterberry FN shrub X

Caprifoliaceae

106 Viburnum dentatum arrowwood UN shrub X X X X X

Betulaceae

107 Corylus americana American Hazelnut FN shrub X X X X

Buxaceae

108 Buxus sp. boxwood I shrub X

Clethraceae

109 Clethra alnifolia sweet pepperbush AN shrub X X X X

Elaeagnaceae

110 Elaeagnus umbellata autumn olive UI shrub X X X

Ericaceae

111 Gaultheria procumbens wintergreen AN shrub X

112 Gaylussacia baccata black huckleberry AN shrub X X X X

113 Gaylussacia frondosa dangleberry F/UN shrub X

114 Lyonia ligustrina maleberry FN shrub X X X

115 Rhododendron viscosum swamp azalea FN shrub X X X

116 Vaccinium corymbosum highbush blueberry FN shrub X X X X

117 Vaccinium angustifolium early lowbush blueberry FN shrub

118 Vaccinium pallidum late lowbush blueberry FN shrub X

Lauraceae

119 Sassafras albidum sassafras F/AN shrub X X X X X

Myricaceae


70

120 Myrica pensylvanica bayberry AN shrub X X X

Rosaceae

121 Aronia melanocarpa black chokeberry ON shrub X

122 Cephalanthus occidentalis buttonbush UN shrub X

123 Prunus maritima beach plum F/AN shrub X

124 Prunus serotina black cherry AN shrub X X X X X

125 Rosa carolina pasture rose FN shrub X X

126 Rosa virginiana Virginia rose FN shrub X X

Scrophulariaceae

127 Buddleja davidii butterfly bush I shrub X X

TREE

Aceraceae

128 Acer rubrum red maple AN tree X X

Cornaceae

129 Nyssa sylvatica Marsh. beetlebung AN tree X X X

Cupressaceae

130 Juniperus virginiana eastern red cedar AN tree X X X X X

Fabaceae

131 Robinia pseudoacacia black locust FI tree X X X

Fagaceae

132 Fagus grandifolia Ehrh. American Beech FN tree X X

133 Quercus alba white oak AN tree X X X X X

134 Quercus coccinea scarlet oak AN tree X

135 Quercus ilicifolia scrub oak AN tree X X X

136 Quercus stellata post oak AN tree X

137 Quercus velutina black oak AN tree X X X X

Juglandaceae

138 Carya ovalis Pignut hickory ON tree

X

Pinaceae

139 Pinus rigida pitch pine AN tree X X X X

Salicaceae

140 Justicia americana Water-willow FN tree X

VINE

Caprifoliaceae

141 Lonicera morrowii Morrow honeysuckle AI vine/shrub X X X X X

142 Lonicera japonica Japanese honeysuckle AI vine X X X X

Celastraceae

143 Celastrus orbiculatus oriental bittersweet AI vine X X X X X X

Fabaceae

144 Apios americana groundnut ON vine X

Rosaceae


71

145 Rubus allegheniensis common blackberry FN vine X X X

146 Rubus flagellaris prickly dewberry FN vine X X X X X

147 Rubus hispidus bristly dewberry AN vine X X X X

Smilacaceae

148 Smilax glauca greenbrier O/FN vine X X X X X

Smilax rotundifolia common greenbrier AN vine X X

Vitaceae

149 Parthenocissus quinquefolia Virginia creeper AN vine X X X X X X

150 Visits aestivalis summer grape FN vine X X X X

151 Vitis labrusca red fox grape ON vine X X

Total 72

14

33

35

0

79

6

13

aRarity of plants on Martha’s Vineyard: U= unknown, A=abundant (almost always occur in typical habitat), F = frequent

(often occur in typical habitat), O = occasional (occur in more than 10 sites but are not expected to occur in typical habitat ), R = rare (occur in 10 or fewer sites, H = historic (recorded but not sighted in past 40 years), N = native, I = introduced, WL = watch listed by MA, SC = special concern by MA, E = endangered, T = threatened. b

Survey results: A = abundant (percent occurrence > 50%), C = common (percent occurrence >21% and <50%), U = uncommon (percent occurrence <20%), X = present on the Preserve but not detected during survey;

Sources: Haines 2011, Swanson and Knapp 1999, Newcomb 1977.


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Habitat Description

a. Grassland (4.5 acres) and Successional old field woodland (4.52 acres) The grasslands cover 36% of the preserve and provide habitat for 53% of plants known to occur on the preserve. The preserve was historically used for pasturing, until 1938. The overgrown land was cleared for upland gamebird hunting in the mid-1960’s. A portion of the grassland on the west side of the ridge leading to Cape Poge Pond was allowed to grow in and is in an early successional woodland state. The grassland along the southern border of the preserve has been maintained by mowing over the past few decades. This grassland supports a diverse mixture of sandplain grassland species with limited cultural grassland species such as fescue and velvet grass. The grassland is primarily dominated by little bluestem and Pennsylvania sedge, with importance values of 90.4 and 10.8, respectively. Importance values are the sum of relative dominance, relative density and relative frequency of occurrence. By early fall it is apparent by the blaze of yellow in the grassland that tall goldenrod and rough-stemmed goldenrod follow in dominance with importance values of 5.9 and 5.4 and frequency of occurrence of 30 and 40 percent, respectively. The rare bushy rockrose occurs in isolated areas of heathland where ground cover is sparse and bare ground is present. The successional old field woodland is a grassland in transition into woodland. It is dominated by red cedar, black cherry and specimen black oaks from the days of pasturing. It has a basal area per acre of 98 square feet. The average diameter at breast height (dbh) of trees is 9.8 and the average height is 40 feet. There are an estimated 42 trees per acre in the dbh class of 10 inches and greater. The dominant understory species in the successional old field woodland are Virginia creeper, prickly dewberry and poison ivy with importance values of 40, 17, and 17, respectively. Invasive species such as oriental bittersweet, honeysuckles and autumn olive are common in the understory and are most prevalent in this habitat on the preserve. Another small area consisting of 0.22 acres is located within the successional old field woodland. It is dominated by arrowwood and American hazelnut.

b. Maritime Communities (7.51 acres)

Dune (0.25 acres) Pease Pond is bordered on the north by a narrow stretch of approximately 1000’ of dune that transitions into beach and then the shore of Cape Poge Pond. The dune is dominated by American beach grass. A few stunted red cedars occur in the dune and small plants such as scarlet pimpernel add splatters of color to the sandy landscape.


73

Maritime shrubland (0.16 acres) The maritime shrubland extends around the tidal salt marsh of Pease Pond. It is a relatively narrow band of shrubs dominated by Corylus Americana, Baccharis halimifolia and Vitis sp. Other species include Morella caroliniensis, Iva frutescens and Rosa virginiana. Salt marsh (7.1 acres) The salt marsh is an expansive sea of grass surrounding Pease Pond that is connected to Cape Poge Pond by a narrow outlet. Spartina patens is the dominant grass close to the maritime shrubland and spartina alterniflora is the dominant grass closer to the water of Pease Pond. Spartina pectinata is most prevalent along the northern shore of Pease Pond closer to the dune. Other grasses mixed in with Spartina are Distichilis spicata and Panicum virgatum. There are few herbs visible upon closer inspection. Salicornia europaea occurs, although in small numbers, throughout much of the salt marsh. Erigeron glaucus, Aliginis maritime, Pulchea oderata, and Limonium carolinianum add a splash of color to the vibrant green of the salt marsh grasses.

c. Woodlands (10.9 acres) Mixed-deciduous woodland (4.46 acres) The mixed-oak woodland covers 17% of the preserve and supports habitat for 24% of plants known to occur on the preserve. Trees in the woodland are, on average, 40 feet high and are dominated by spreading black and white oak trees mixed with beetlbung and small groves of American beech. The average dbh is 9.7 inches and the basal area is 150 square feet per acre. There are an estimated 62 trees per acre in the dbh class of 10 inches and greater. The woodland has a dense understory of arrowwood, greenbrier, grape and American hazelnut with a dominant ground cover of poison ivy. In low-lying areas near small pothole depressions is an assortment of unique understory plants that are relatively uncommon to the woodlands of Martha’s Vineyard. They are Agrimonia gryposepala, Actaea pachypoda, and Thalictrum pubescens. Mesic woodland (1.69 acres) The mixed-deciduous woodland covers 6% of the preserve and supports habitat for 9% of plants known to occur on the preserve. The mesic woodland is a narrow section of trees that abuts the shrub layer around Pease Pond. The dominant trees are beetlebung and red maple. The understory is an impermeable thicket of Vaccinium corymbosum, Rhododendron viscosum and Clethera alnifolia. Pitch pine woodland (4.75 acres)


74

The pitch pine woodland covers 19% of the preserve and supports habitat for 25% of plants known to occur on the preserve. Trees in the woodland are, on average, 43 feet high and 9.5 inches in diameter at breast height. The estimated basal area per acre is 132 square feet for the entire woodland. There are an estimated 81 trees per acre in the dbh class of 10 inches and greater. The canopy of the woodland is dominated by pitch pine with black cherry, white oak and black oak as understory trees. The canopy cover in the woodland is moderately closed and has an average cover of 79%. Understory vegetation in the woodland is sparse and dominated by poison ivy and Pennsylvania sedge.

d. Freshwater Wetlands (5.01 acres)

Shrub swamp (2.49 acres) There are six areas on the preserve ranging from 1.3 to 0.07 acres of low-lying flat ground where the water table is at or above ground level. The shrub swamp vegetation community occurs in all of these areas. The woodland shrub swamps are dominated by Vaccinium corymbosum and Ilex verticillata around the perimeter and ferns and grasses in the center. The two shrub swamps in the successional old field woodland are dominated by a thick ring of Cephalanthus occidentalis and Vaccinium corymbosum around the perimeter and Decodon verticillatus in the center. The shrub swamp in the grassland has more herbaceous plants dominating it such as ferns, iris and sedges while whorled loosestrife and marsh st. john’s dot the perimeter near the grassland edge.

Appendix E. Wildlife

Wildlife species were observed on the preserve through general property surveys, UV black-light surveys and diurnal Odonata and Lepidoptera surveys (Appendix A, Survey Points Map). Wildlife species seen or heard and evidence of wildlife species such as tracks and scat were recorded during general observations, vegetation surveys and avian bird counts in 2014 and 2015. Nocturnal moth species were surveyed using a stainless steel rigid vein 18-24 inch “leptrap” with a 32-40 Watt quantum black light. Traps were set using a photoelectric switch from dusk to dawn on seven trap nights in June, July, and September of 2014. Species were collected, packaged and sent to Mark Mello, a local entomologist with the Lloyd Center for the Environment, in Dartmouth, MA, for positive identification. The upland vegetation community of Toms Neck Preserve has a closed canopy in the mixed-oak and pitch pine woodlands; a mosaic of open/closed canopy in successional old field woodland; and an open canopy in the grassland and shrubland. Berry-producing shrubs in the understory of the mixed-oak woodland and shrubland provide forage for wildlife. Dense understory vegetation of the woodland


75

provides cover and nesting material for birds and small mammals. There are tall trees for nesting, roosting, and foraging wildlife species; mast-bearing oak trees for fall foraging; fruiting shrubs and vines (e.g., huckleberry, shadbush, blueberry, greenbrier, and bayberry) for summer and fall foraging; and understory cover for foraging and ground-nesting insects (e.g., beetles, ants and spiders), amphibians (e.g., red-backed salamander), reptiles (e.g., snakes and turtles), birds (e.g., towhee) and mammals (e.g., mice, shrews, raccoons and skunks). The nectar-producing flowing plants, beach plums and cedar trees growing in and around the grassland are a superb food source for invertebrates, namely, species in the Lepidoptera order. Predatory birds hunt the grasslands for small mammals and birds. The wetland vegetation community of Toms Neck Preserve is a mixture of wooded swamp with a closed canopy of red maples and beetlebung and a dense understory of berry-producing shrubs; shrub swamp with a dense cover of berry-producing shrubs; a very narrow stretch dune dominated by American beach grass and Spartina that merges into the mucky edges of the saltmarsh; saltmarsh dominated by Spartina sp.; and freshwater shrub swamps dominated by water-willow, button bush and highbush blueberry. The berry-producing shrubs provide forage and cover for wildlife species. Herbaceous vegetation in the shrub swamp and pond shoreline provides forage and breeding cover for invertebrates, waterfowl and other wildlife species. Wetlands also provide excellent forage during the summer and fall migration for birds. Various waterfowl species and birds of prey hunt in the open pond for fish, crabs etc.

Table 2. Wildlife at Toms Neck Preserve, Edgartown, MA

Scientific name

Common name

Season

founda

Kingdom Metazoa (Animalia)

Phylum Arthropoda

Subphylum Crustacea

Class Insecta

Order Diptera (true flies)

Family Tabanidae: Tabanus nigrovittatus

greenhead fly S

Family Culicidae: species unknown

mosquitoes S, F

Order Hymenoptera (sawflies, ants,

wasps, and bees)

Family Apidae: Bombus pennsylvanicus bumble bee Sp, S

Family Sphecidae: Ammophila sp. Thread-waisted wasp

S Order Lepidoptera (butterflies and

moths)b

Family Lycaenidae: Celastrina argiolus

spring azure Sp

Family Lycaenidae: Lycaena phlaeas

American copper S


76

Family Nymphalidae: Danaus plexippus monarch S

Family Nymphalidae: Phoebis sennae cloudless sulfur S

Family Nymphalidae: Nymphalis antiopa

mourning cloak Sp, S

Family Nymphalidae: Cercyonis pegala

common wood- nymph

S

Family Papilionidae: Papilio troilus

Spicebush swallowtail duskywing

S Order Odonata (damselflies and

dragonflies)

Family Aeschnidae: Anax junius

common green darner

S

Class Arachnida

Order Araneae

Family Araneidae: Argiope catenulata

orb-weaver spider S

Order Acarina

Family Ixididae: Dermacentor variabilis dog tick Sp, S, F

Family Ixididae: Ixodes scapularis

deer tick Sp, S, F

Phylum Chordata

Subphylum Vertebrata

Class Mammalia

Order Rodentia

Family Sciuridae: Tamias striatus

eastern chipmunk Sp, S, F

Family Cricetidae: Peromyscus leucopus

white-footed mouse Sp, S, F

Order Carnivora

Family Mustelidae: Mephitis mephitis

striped skunk Sp, S, F

Family Mustelidae: Lontra canadensis river otter Sp. S. F

Order Artiodactyla

Family Cervidae: Odocoileus virginianus

white-tailed deer Sp, S, F

Order Anura

Family Hylidae: Pseudocaris crucifer

spring peeper Sp

Family Ranidae: Lithobates clamitans

green frog Sp

aSeason: SP = spring, S = summer, F = fall, W = winter.

b complete list of moth species known to occur on the property is included in Table 3.


77

Table. 3. List of macrolepidoptera by month collected by Martha's Vineyard land bank staff on Toms Neck Preserve, Edgartown, MA during 2014.

MONA ZOOK. station TF42 TF43

# # method uv uv

Mixed-

Oak

Woodland

Successional

Old Field

DREPANIDAE

Oretinae

6255 Oreta rosea 1

GEOMETRIDAE

Ennominae

6272 Eumacaria madopata (='latiferrugata”) 1

6273 Speranza (=”Itame”) pustularia 1

6282 Speranza (“Itame”) argillacearia 1 1

6326 Macaria aemulitaria 2

6339 Macaria transitaria 2 3

6341 Macaria bicolorata 1

6342 Macaria bisignata 1

6352 Macaria granitata 4 4

6353 Macaria multilineata 3 3

6362 Digrammia continuata 3 4

6449 Glena cribrataria 3 3

6582 Iridopsis vellivolata 3

6590 Anavitrinelia pampinaria 1

6597 Ectropis crepuscularia 1 2

6598 Protoboarmia porcelaria 2

6620 Melanolophia canadaria 2 2

6621 Melanolophia signataria 1

6654 Hypagyrtis unipunctata 3

6655 Hypagyrtis esther 1

6667 Lomographa vestaliata 2 1

6720 Lytrosis unitaria 1

6724 Euchlaena serrata 1 1

6725 Euchlaena muzaria 2 1

6739 Euchlaena irraria 1

6753 Pero honestaria 1 1

6754 Pero ancetaria (="hubneraria") 1 2

6755 Pero morrisonaria 3 3

6763 Phaeoura quernaria 2 3

6796 Campaea perlata 3 1

6822 Metarranthis duaria 1 2

6823 Metarranthis angularia 1

6826 Metarranthis hypochraria 3

6837 Probole alienaria (in this complex) 2 1

6843 Plagodis fervidaria 4 2

6844 Plagodis alcoolaria 1

6864.1 Caripeta sp. nr.piniata 2


78

6884 Besma endropiaria 1

6885 Besma quercivoraria 2

6892 Lambdina pellucidaria 1 1

6941 Eusarca confusaria 3 6

6963 Tetracis crocallata 4 4

6964 Tetracis cachexiata 2 2

6966 Eutrapela clemataria 2 4

6974 Patalene olyzonaria puber 3 3

6982 Prochoerodes lineola (=transversata) 1 2

6987 Antepione thiosaria 1 2

7009 Nematocampa resistaria 1 4

Geometrinae

7046 Nemoria bistriaria 3 1

7053 Dichorda iridaria 1

Sterrhinae

7114 Idaea demissaria 1

7126 Idaea dimidiata 1

7136 Cyclophora packardi 2 2

7139 Cyclophora pendulinaria 4 4

7159 Scopula limboundata 1

Larentiinae

7196 Eulithis diversilineata 2 3

7390 Xanthorhoe lacustrata 1 1

7399 Euphya unangulata 1

7414 Orthonama obstipata 1

7416 Costaconvexa centrostrigaria 1 1

7433 Epirrita autumnata 1

Eupithecia spp. 2

7625 (name

change) Pasiphila rectangulata 1

7648 Dyspteris abortivaria 1

MIMALLONIDAE

7659 Lacosoma chiridota 1 1

LASIOCAMPIDAE

Macromphalinae

7663 Apatelodes torrefacta 1

7687 Phyllodesma americana 1

7701 Malacosoma americanum 1 1

SATURNIIDAE

Ceratocampinae

7704 Eacles imperialis 10 1

7715 Dryocampa rubicunda 1

7716 Anisota stigma 5 2

7723 Anisota virginiensis 1

Hemileucinae

7746 Automeris io 2 2

Saturniinae

7758 Actias luna 1


79

SPHINGIDAE

Sphinginae

7784 Dolba hyloeus 1

7810 Sphinx gordius/poecilla 1

7816 Lapara coniferarum 2

Smerinthinae

7824 Paonias excaecatus 3 2

7825 Paonias myops 1 1

7826 Paonias astylus 1

Macroglossinae

7885 Darapsa myron 2 1

7886 Darapsa choerilus 1 1

NOTODONTIDAE

Notodontinae

7917 930010 Hyperaeschra georgica 2 4

Phalerinae

7902 930033 Datana ministra 4 2

7904 930035 Datana drexelii 3 3

7906 930037 Datana contracta 3

7915 930046 Nadata gibbosa 2 6

7920 930049 Peridea angulosa 4 3

Heterocampinae

7975 930067 Macruocampa marthesia 3 3

7983 930075 Heterocampa obliqua 3 3

7990 930082 Heterocampa umbrata 6 5

7994 930086 Heterocampa guttivitta 3 1

7995 930087 Heterocampa biundata 1 1

7998 930090 Lochmaeus manteo 1

8005 930098 Schizura ipomoeae 2 1

8006 930099 Schizura badia 2 1

8007 930100 Schizura unicornis 1 1

8011 93104 Schizura leptinoides 1

8012 930105 Oligocentria semirufescens 1

8017 930110 Oligocentria lignicolor 3 2

Nystaleinae

7951 930127 Symmerista albifrons 3 1

EREBIDAE

Lymantriinae

8318 930141 Lymantria dispar 1 1

8302 930154 Dasyshira obliquata 2

Arctiinae

8045.1 930219 Crambidia pallida 1 1

8196 930246 Grammia parthenice 1 1

8169 930278 Apantesis phalerata 3 2

8171 930280 Apantesis nais 1 2

8118 930297 Virbia (=”Holomelina”) opella 3 3

8121 930299 Virbia aurantiaca 2 2

8134 930309 Spilosoma congrua 6 3


80

8140 930319 Hyphantria cunea 1 1

8146 930323 Hypercompe (=”Ecpantheria”) scribonia 1

8129 930335 Pyrrharctia isabella 1 3

8107 930341 Haploa clymene 1

8203 930360 Halysidota tessellaris 4 3

8211 930370 Lophocampa caryae 2 1

8228 930401 Cycnia inopinatus 3 1

8230 930404 Cycnia tenera 1 1

Herminiinae

8323 930471 Idia aemula 2 1

8326 930474 Idia rotundalis 3 2

8328 930476 Idia julia 1

8329 930477 Idia diminuendis 2

8334 930482 Idia lubricalis 1

8340 930489 Zanclognatha literalis 1 1

8341 930490 Zanclognatha theralis 2 5

8345 930492 Zanclognatha laevigata 1

8349 930496 Zanclognatha protumnusalis 2

8352 930499 Zanclognatha marcidilinea 1 1

8353 930500 Zanclognatha jacchusalis (“orchreipennis”) 2 3

8355 930502 Chytolita morbidalis 2 1

8356 930503 Chytolita petrealis 3

8360 930511 Macrochilo orciferalis 2 2

8370 930520 Bleptina caradrinalis 4 4

8379 930530 Renia factiosalis 1 3

8381 930532 Renia discoloralis 1

8384.1 930536 Renia flavipunctalis 2 3

8386 930538 Renia "adspergillus" (small, plain) 1

8387 930539 Renia sobrialis 2 2

8393 930547 Lascoria ambigualis 1

8398 930552 Palthis asopialis 1

Pangraptinae

8490 930559 Pangrapta decoralis 2 1

8491 930560 Ledaea perditalis 1 1

Hypeninae

8442 930562 Hypena baltimoralis 1

8444 930565 Hypena palparia 2

8465 930588 Hypena scabra 1

Scolecocampinae

8514 930637 Scolecocampa liburna 2

8522 930643 Gabara subnivosella 2 2

Hypenodinae

8427 930670 Dyspyralis puncticosta 1

Phytometrinae

9038 930730 Hyperstrotia villificans 1 1

9039 930731 Hyperstrotia flaviguttata 1

Erebinae


81

8801 930792 Catocala ilia 1

8847 930833 Catocala gracilis 2 2

8849 930835 Catocala andromedae 1

8857 930841 Catocala ultronia 1 1

8865 930847 Catocala praeclara 3 2

8873 930855 Catocala similis 1 1

8618 930891 Drasteria graphica 1

8738 930923 Caenurgina crassiuscula 1 1

8766 930926 Doryodes grandipennis 1 2

8745 930944 Mocis texana 4 2

8764 930956 Argyrostrotis anilis 1 2

8727 930961 Parallelia bistriaris 1

8721 930962 Allotria elonympha 4 5

8697 931032 Zale minerea 1 1

8699 931034 Zale obliqua 3 1

8707 931042 Zale metatoides 2 1

8709 931044 Zale curema 1 1

8717 931053 Zale horrida 1

9821 931063 Amolita roseola 1

Eulepidotinae

8573 931075 Metallata absumens 1

8587 931089 Panopoda rufimargo 4 4

8588 931090 Panopoda carneicosta 1

EUTELIIDAE

8957 931106 Paectes oculatrix 2 1

NOLIDAE

Nolinae

8983 931121 Meganola minuscula 1

8983.1 931122 Meganola phylla 1 1

8989 931129 Nola pustulata 1

8996 931136 Nola clethrae 3

NOCTUIDAE

Bagisarinae

9169 931241 Bagisara rectifascia 6

Eustrotiinae

9046 931289 Deltote bellicula 1

9047 931290 Lithacodia muscosula 2

9049 931295 Maliattha synochitis 2

Pantheinae

9182 931396 Panthea furcilla 2

Balsinae

9664 931419 Balsa labecula 2 1

Acronictinae

9228 931445 Acronicta hasta 1

9237 931454 Acronicta interrupta 1

9238 931455 Acronicta lobeliae 2 2

9243 931463 Acronicta ovata 1 1

9244 931465 Acronicta modica 4 3


82

9245 931466 Acronicta haesitata 4 2

9249 931467 Acronicta increta (+"inclara") 3 2

9247 931469 Acronicta tristis 2 1

9254 931471 Acronicta afflicta 3 3

9257 931474 Acronicta impleta 1

9259 931476 Acronicta noctivaga 1

9264 931478 Acronicta longa 1 2

9266 931480 Acronicta lithospila 2 3

9272 931485 Acronicta oblinita 1

9281 931494 Agriopodes fallax 4 2

9285 931497 Polygrammate hebraeicum 5 5

8104 931499 Comachara cadburyi 2 1

9062 931501 Cerma cerintha 1

Amphipyrinae

9638 931544 Amphipyra pyramidoides 1

Oncocnemidinae

10135 931875 Sympistis riparia 3

Agaristinae

9299 931964 Eudryas unio 1

9301 931966 Eudryas grata 1 4

Condicinae

9690 931989 Condica videns 2 1

9065 932025 Leuconycta diphtheroides 1

Eriopinae

9631 932192 Callopistria mollissima 1

Noctuinae

9053 932205 Pseudeustrotia carneola 1

9618 932208 Phosphila turbulenta 4 2

9619 932209 Phosphila miseloides 3 2

9647 932266 Proxenus miranda 1

9650 932269 Athetis tarda 2 1

9545 932290 Euplexia benesimilis 1

9546 932291 Phlogophora iris 1

9393 932369 “Resapamea” stipata 2

9415.1 932375 Oligia strigilis 2 1

9404 932378 “Oligia” modica 2

9415 932382 “Oligia” bridghamii 2

9435 932419 Photedes (=”Spartiniphaga”) inops 1

9456 932446 Amphipoea interoceanica 3

9525 932517 Bellura obliqua 1

9815 932672 Cosmia calami 1

9556 932713 Chytonix palliatricula 3 2

10517 932799 Egira alternans 1

10520 932802 Morrisonia evicta 1 1

10521 932803 Morrisonia confusa 1

10291 932805 Morrisonia latex 1

10524 932810 Nephelodes minians 1 1

10300 932882 Lacanobia grandis 1 2


83

10268 932908 Sideridis maryx 1

10436 932933 Mythimna oxygala 1

10438 932935 Mythimna unipuncta 1 2

10440 932938 Leucania linita 1

10444 932943 Leucania phragmatidicola 4 3

10445 932944 Leucania linda 3

10447 932947 Leucania commoides 1

10461 932965 Leucania ursula 1

10462 932966 Leucania pseudargyria 1

10372 933019 Lacinipolia anguina 1

10397 933044 Lacinipolia renigera 2 1

10405 933052 Lacinipolia lorea 1

10532.1 933089 Homorthodes lindseyi 1

10563 933113 Protorthodes oviduca 1

10585 933136 Orthodes majuscula (“crenulata”) 2 1

10587 933138 Orthodes cynica 3 3

10288 933146 “Polia” detracta 2 1

10627 933193 Tricholita signata 1

10903 933216 Anicla illapsa 2

10870 933232 Dichagyris acclivis 1

10680 933495 Feltia geniculata 1

10676 933503 Feltia herilis 1

10663 933528 Agrotis ipsilon 1

10891 933529 Ochropleura implecta 3 2

11010 933547 Lycophotia phyllophora 3

11012.2 933551 Noctua pronuba 3 2

10944 933572 Xestia smithii 1

10942 933588 Xestia c-nigrum 1 1

10950 933629 Pseudohermonassa bicarnea 1

11006 933649 Protolampra brunneicollis 2 4

11031 933663 Abagrotis nefascia 2

11029 933680 Abagrotis alternata 1

Yellow highlight depicts commonwealth-listed species Species reflect the Zookeys 40:1-239, 2010, nomenclature catalog numbers although MONA numbers are included. Names changes made after 2010 are also reflected for Zanclognatha jacchusalis which is now Z. ochreipennis; Z. jacchusalis is now Z. marcidilnea; Zale lunifera or Zale sp 1.which is now Z. intenta; and Genus Itame is now Speranza and Anagoga occiduaria is now Plagodis pulveraria.


84

Appendix F. Avian Checklist and Seasonal Tables

Land bank staff conducted 5-minute point count surveys of birds at Toms Neck Preserve for June, July, August 2014 and May, June, July, September 2015. Data from the Christmas Bird Count of 2014 at Toms Neck Farm were used to assess winter species on the preserve. The presence of occasional migrant and resident birds throughout the fall migration, spring migration and breeding season was recorded during a total of 13 visits. Birds were sampled from six survey locations – grassland, successional old field woodland, pine-oak deciduous woodland, salt marsh, shrub swamp and dune/pond (Appendix A, Survey Points Map). All birds seen or heard during a five-minute period including birds flying overhead were recorded. Birds seen or heard by land bank staff outside of the count period were noted as present on the property but were not included in quantitative analyses. Bird species in the various habitats are seasonally-dependent. Some bird species occur in more than one habitat type and during more than one season. Total species counts do not include multiple sightings of an individual species. Most of the birds that occur on the preserve during the breeding season are tree/shrub nesters compared to ground and cavity nesters (Table 6). The variety of habitats on this property provides habitat for all 3 types of nesters. The most common birds observed throughout the summer surveys on the preserve are the black-capped chickadee, American crow, eastern towhee, and grey catbird, (Table 6). The only listed bird species observed during the avian surveys was the common tern. It was only observed flying overhead and has extremely limited nesting habitat in the narrow stretch of dunes on the preserve. Observations of behaviors associated with nesting or rearing of young such as adults carrying nesting material or food to a nest, carrying fecal sacs from a nest or attending hatch-year birds can confirm that a species is breeding on the property, as can locating an active nest. A species is probably breeding if singing territorial males are present on the property on two occasions at least a week apart. A species is possibly breeding if it is detected in suitable breeding habitat during the breeding season. Of the 40 bird species observed on the preserve during the summer breeding season, nine are probable breeders; twenty-six are possible breeders (Table 6).


85

Table 6. Avian species observed during the summer breeding season on Toms Neck Preserve Edgartown, MA following 5-minute point count surveys during 2014 (n=7) and 2015 (n=2).

Summer

Nest Type a

Habitat c

Gro

und

Rais

ed in tre

e/s

hru

b

Cavity o

r burr

ow

Sta

tus b

Gra

ssla

nd

n=

9

Pin

eO

ak W

oodla

nd

n=

9

Salt M

ars

h

n=

9

Beach/ P

ond

n=

9

Shru

b S

wam

p

n=

9

Successio

n o

ld fie

ld

n=

9

Species

Year-Round

Residents

American crow X PR C C O O O C

American goldfinch X PO O

American robin X PO U O U U C

American Woodcock

X PO P

Black-capped chickadee

X PR O C O C

Blue jay X PO U U

Canada Goose X PO U P P

Carolina Wren X PO U U U

Double Crested Cormorant

X PR P O C U

Downy woodpecker X PO U

Field Sparrow X PO U

Gray catbird X PR U C C C C

Herring Gull X PO U O U

Mallard X PO U

Mourning Dove X PO U

Northern cardinal X PO O O U U

Red-tailed Hawk X PO P

Red-winged Blackbird

X PO U U U

Rock Pigeon X PO U

Song sparrow X PO O U C

Swamp Sparrow X PO U

Tufted titmouse X PO U U U

White-breasted nuthatch

X PO U

Summer Breeders

American Oystercatcher

X NB U

Bank Swallow X NB U O

Barn Swallow X PO C U


86

Black-Backed Gull

OH

X NB P U U P

Common Tern

X NB U O U

Common yellowthroat

X PR U O O O C

Eastern phoebe X PO U

Eastern towhee X PR C C C O C C

Great Egret X PO O U

Osprey X PO U U C O U P

Ovenbird X PO U

Pine warbler X PR O O

Red-Breasted Nuthatch

X PO U

Ruby-Throated Hummingbird

X PO U

Tree swallow X PR O O

Turkey vulture X NB U

Yellow Warbler X PR U O U a seasonal and nest type data from Cornell ornithology lab range and species information data (www.allaboutbirds.org) and

the Felix Neck Field Checklist of Martha’s Vineyard Birds, December 1992; * = breeding in, under or on buildings b Breeding status: NB= observed during spring or summer but breeding habitat does not occur on the property, NB-P=

observed during the spring or summer but not in breeding habitat although breeding habitat exists on the property; PO= possible breeding (species detected in suitable breeding habitat during breeding period), PR=probable breeding (species heard singing on two occasions over one week apart in suitable breeding habitat during breeding period). CO=confirmed breeding (species carrying food, CF; feeding young, FY; with begging hatch-year fledglings, HY; or a located nest, N), OS= observed out of breeding season and without suitable habitat on the property, OS-H= observed out of breeding season but with suitable habitat on the property. c frequency values used to determine common, occasional or uncommon frequency are based on the number of visits present

for the combined total visits in 2014 (n=7) and 2015 (n=2). d C= common (birds were detected in more than 50% of the survey visits); O= occasional (birds were detected in 26-

50% of the survey visits); U= uncommon (birds were detected in 25% and fewer of the survey visits); P= present (birds were not detected during a survey period but were observed on the property) Highlighted species are state-listed

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/


87

Table 7. Avian species observed during the Spring on Toms Neck Preserve, Edgartown, MA following 5-minute point count surveys during 2015.

Spring

Species a Gra

ssla

nd

b

n=

3

Pin

e/O

ak

Woodla

nd

n=

3

Salt M

ars

h

n=

3

Beach/P

ond

n=

3

Shru

b S

wam

p

n=

3

Successio

n o

ld

field

n=

3

Year-Round Residents

American crow C O C C C

American robin O O

American Woodcock O

Black-capped chickadee O C C O

Blue jay O O O

Canada Goose O O O

Carolina Wren O

Downy woodpecker O O

Gray catbird C O C C

Herring Gull O

Northern cardinal C O O C O

Northern Flicker O

Red-tailed Hawk O

Red-winged Blackbird O O

Song sparrow O

Summer

Breeders/Migrants

Black-Backed Gull O O

Brown-headed cowbird O O

Chipping sparrow O

Common Tern

O

Common yellowthroat O O O

Eastern towhee C C C C

Great Egret C C

Great-crested flycatcher O

Mallard O

Osprey C

Pine warbler O

Snowy egret O

Tree swallow O O

Yellow warbler O C O a seasonal and nest type data from Cornell ornithology lab range and species information data

(www.allaboutbirds.org) and the Felix Neck Field Checklist of Martha’s Vineyard Birds, December 1992 b C= common (birds were detected in more than 50% of the survey visits); O= occasional (birds were

detected in 26-50% of the survey visits); U= uncommon (birds were detected in 25% and fewer of the survey visits); P= present (birds were not detected during a survey period but were observed on the property).



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Table 8. Avian species observed during the Winter and Fall on Toms Neck Preserve Edgartown following one 5-minute point count in the fall of 2015 and the Christmas Bird Count in 2014.

Winter Fall

Species a

Gra

ssla

nd

b

Pin

e/O

ak W

oo

dla

nd

Sa

lt M

ars

h

Be

ach

/ P

on

d

Sh

rub

sw

am

p

Su

cce

ssio

n o

ld fie

ld

Gra

ssla

nd

b

Pin

e/O

ak W

oo

dla

nd

Sa

lt M

ars

h

Be

ach

/ P

on

d

Sh

rub

sw

am

p

Su

cce

ssio

n o

ld fie

ld

Year-Round Residents P P P P P

American black duck P

American crow P

American goldfinch P

American robin P

Black-capped chickadee P P P

Blue jay P P P

Cedar waxwing P

Downy woodpecker P

Eastern bluebird P

European starling P

Gray catbird P P

Herring Gull P P P

Hooded merganser P

Northern cardinal P

House finch P

Song sparrow P

Swamp Sparrow P

Tufted titmouse P

White-throated sparrow P

Summer

Breeders/Migrants

American oystercatcher P

Double-crested cormorant P

Eastern towhee P P P

Great Egret P

Mallard P

Snowy egret P

White-crowned sparrow P

Winter migrant

Bufflehead P

Red-breasted merganser P a seasonal and nest type data from Cornell ornithology lab range and species information data

(www.allaboutbirds.org) and the Felix Neck Field Checklist of Martha’s Vineyard Birds, December 1992 b P= present (birds were not detected during a survey period but were observed on the property)



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Appendix G. Endangered Species The commonwealth has designated portions of the preserve as possible habitat for rare species. Inventories of the preserve resulted in observations of eight commonwealth-listed species for the preserve (Table 9). Suitable breeding and/or foraging habitat exists for all listed species observed on the preserve. Impact to these commonwealth-listed species may be avoided through management actions that minimize tree cutting in the woodland; restore the successional old field woodland to grassland; minimize disturbance to nesting wildlife in the wetlands; maintain open habitats; and control invasive species. Table 9. Commonwealth-listed rare species known to occur in priority and estimated habitat on or near Toms Neck Preserve, Edgartown, MA.

Common Name Latin Name Habitat Requirement

Hab

itat

Stat

us

a

Po

pu

lati

on

Stat

us

b

Dat

e(s

)

Ob

serv

ed

Imperial moth Eacles imperialis pitch pine/ oak barrens and woodlands √ T

July 1, 17, 24, 30, 2014

Coastal heathland cutworm Abagrostis nefascia

coastal grasslands, heathlands, and shrublands √ SC July 17, 2014

Dune noctuid moth Sympistis riparia coastal dunes, grasslands, and heathlands √ SC

June 18, 2014 July 17, 2014

Unexpected cycnia Cynia inopinatus old fields with butterfly weed √ T

June 18, 2014 July 17 and

30, 2014

Spartina borer Photedes inops coastal marsh with Spartina pectinata √ SC

September 3, 2014

Water-willow stem borer

Papaipema sulphurata

marshes, wetlands near streams with Decodon verticillatus √ T

September 2015

Common tern Sterna hirundo sandy beach, coastal marsh None SC

Summer 2014 Spring 2015

Bushy rockrose Crocanthemum dumosum

sandy grasslands, heathlands, and barrens √ SC

August 8, 2014

a X=required habitat not present on the property, species not likely to occur on the property, √ = required habitat available on the property, species may occur on the property b E=endangered, T=Threatened, SC=Special concern sources: MA NHESP fact sheets, www.allaboutbirds.org



90


91

Appendix H. Abutters Table 7. Abutters within 200 feet of Toms Neck Preserve as recorded in the 2015 Edgartown assessors’ book.

Ann Floyd et al

Tom’s Neck Farm

PO Box 1620

Edgartown, MA 02539

Fain S. Hackney, Trustee

Dike Bridge Road Lot A Real

Estate

c/o RRK &H, LLC

PO Box 2540

Edgartown, MA 02539


Dike Bridge Road Lot B Real

Estate

c/o RRK &H, LLC

PO Box 2540

Edgartown, MA 02539

Theodore Roosevelt, IV, Trustee

1 Pierrepont Street

Brooklyn, NY 11201

Alvin Wiederspahn & First

Financial Services, Trustees

c/o Theodore Roosevelt

62 Beach Street

New York, NY 10003


Dike Bridge Road Lot C Real

Estate

c/o RRK &H, LLC

PO Box 2540

Edgartown, MA 02539

Christopher & Barbara Cole

266 Hopewell Amwell Road

Hopewell, NJ 08525


92


93


94

Appendix I. Existing Use Map


95

Appendix J. Universal Access The Recreational Opportunities Spectrum (ROS) classification for Toms Neck Preserve is “less developed”. The ROS is a model designed and used by the U.S.D.A. Forest Service to categorize conservation areas or universal access planning. The land bank framework for describing the accessibility of its properties is applied to Toms Neck Preserve as follows.

Property Name: Toms Neck Preserve

Size: 31 acres

Primary Activities: birding, hiking, hunting and picnicking

Primary Elements: two sign stations, two benches

Primary Spaces: views of Cape Poge Pond, conserved shoreline vistas on Cape Poge Pond and of the salt marsh and Pease Pond

Obstacles that Limit Accessibility: distance

Existing or Potential Alternatives: Poucha Pond Reservation, Cove Meadow Preserve

Proposed ROS Classification: less-developed

Proposed Expectation of Accessibility: not-possible For all less-developed land bank conservation areas, the Universal Access Plan states the following (Potter 1997):

Use outdoor recreation access routes to link primary elements and primary spaces within one-quarter mile of a trailhead or drop-off and use accessible recreation trails to connect other primary elements and primary spaces on all less-developed land bank conservation areas.

Universal access on this preserve is not possible due to the distance from the trailhead to the major amenities.

Documents

Edgartown, MA Chappaquiddick Island Management Plan ST …mvlandbank.com/documents/TomsNeckPreaerveMgtPlanforpublichearing2015.pdfwoodlands typically includes fire, wind and insect