Buzzards Bay National Estuary Program

Home    BBNEP Info    Town Information    Pollution    Living Resources    Watershed Info    Enjoy Buzzards Bay    Technical Info    Special Topics

Home  >   Management Solutions  >   New Management Plan   >   Open Space Action Plan

Action Plan 12:
Protecting Open Space

October 17, 2011 draft final

About the new Buzzards Bay CCMP Action Plans
The Buzzards Bay NEP is now updating our 1991 landmark Buzzards Bay Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP) to reflect the great progress achieved since that plan was finalized. It will include new or updated goals, objectives, and management solutions to meet the environmental needs for Buzzards Bay and its surrounding watershed throughout the next decade.

On this page is a draft action plan from the updated Buzzards Bay Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan. The text on this page is a public draft provided to invite comment and discussion of the subject by residents and stakeholders. It may contain goals and recommendations that have not yet been endorsed or approved by the Buzzards Bay Steering Committee. The views or information contained here do not necessarily reflect the views of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts or the US Environmental Protection Agency.

We want your feedback on this action plan. First, please read the entire action plan Protecting Open Space. Then at the bottom of this page click the "Rate the Goals and Objectives now" button to provide comments on each goal, objective and defined management approach contained in this Action Plan. Based on your feedback, we will update and revise all the action plans in the new CCMP.

Protecting Open Space

Problem

There are many different land uses within the Buz-zards Bay watershed, but much of the watershed remains undeveloped. However, undeveloped land has been disappearing at a rapid rate. In 1971, 64.5% of the watershed consisted of forest (upland and wetland) and only 13.5% was developed . By 1999, forested lands decreased to 56.5% of the watershed and 19.8% was developed These trends have been continuing today, especially in the more rapidly growing communities.

There are both ecological, cultural, and aesthetic reasons to protect open space. Naturally vegetated land-scapes control flooding, can protect water supplies, reduce erosion, reduce pollutants from watersheds, and provide upland and wetland habitat. Despite these and other benefits, protection of open space and habitat is a financial and political challenge for most municipalities, several communities in the Buzzards Bay still have not identified protection needs through open space and master plan development and updates. Some municipalities have considerable amounts of open space, some have modest amounts of open space.

Goal

Goal 12.1. Preserve the ecological integrity of Buzzards Bay and its watershed by increasing the amount of permanently protected open space.

Objectives

Objective 12.1. Improve and protect coastal and inland surface water quality through land protection.

Objective 12.2. Protect biodiversity in the watershed.

Objective 12.3. Protect the region's groundwater water supplies.

Objective 12.4. Improve the land conservation community's ability to protect open space.

Solutions

Meeting the goals of this action requires that towns and land trusts acquire properties for conservation purposes, or property owners agree to permanently protect their properties for conservation purposes, or in the case of farm lands and surrounding habitat, for farming purposes. Because the acquisition of open space can be expensive, even for properties mostly wet, the use of conservation restrictions and agricultural preservation restrictions are important tools to encourage private open space protection. These private land protection strategies are driven by financial and tax benefit incentives offered by government.

Because the purchase of open space can be costly, and state and local governments typical have limited funds for these purchases, it is important that municipalities develop broad strategies and goals for open space protection. These can be articulated in municipal open space plans. These plans must be updated every seven years to remain valid and ensure that the municipality is eligible to receive state grants for open space protection.

Another mechanism to generate local funds is for municipalities to adopt the Community Preservation Act. By adopting this legislation, municipalities can levy a tax fee on property transfer, and some of this revenue is matched by a state fund.

Finally, open space can be protected at no cost to government by allowing cluster development and transfer of development rights. These innovative approaches re-quire approval by the municipal legislative body and planning boards.

Costs and Financing

Development and update of open space plans can be done in-house by municipalities with assistance from the BBNEP or land trusts, or completed by a contractor to the municipality (perhaps a $20,000 expenditure). Raising money for land acquisitions can be met by donations, municipal appropriations, or by grants. Local adoption of the Community Preservation Act is the best approach to ensure a local revenue stream. Often land acquisitions are complex and may involve funding from multiple sources.

Measuring Success

Ultimately, the number of acres of wetlands and ha-bitat protected (by communities and in the watershed) is the principal mechanism of tracking the success of this action plan. Programmatic tracking of municipal actions, like the approval of open space plans, adopting the Community Preservation Act, and tracking the number of towns without valid open space plans may also be used.

To fully understand the basis of these goals and objectives, and possible management approaches, please read the complete Protecting Open Space Action Plan (October 17, 2011 draft final, pdf file).

Feedback Form

---