HomeMy WebLinkAboutMonitoring report 10.31.2022
Talbot Ecological Land Care
Certified Consulting Arborists, Horticulturists and Restoration Ecologists
Natural Landscape Design, Conservation Permitting and Restoration
Consultation, Education, Design, Installation and Management
P.O. Box 187, Mashpee, MA 02649 www.ELCNewEngland.com Office: 508-539-1912 Email: info@talbotecolandcare.com www.TalbotEcoLandCare.com Fax: 508-546-0088
October 31, 2022
To: Brittany DiRienzo, Conservation Administrator
Town of Yarmouth Conservation Commission
1146 Route 28
South Yarmouth, MA 02664
From: Michael Talbot, CERP, MCH, ISA, ASCA, Principal Consultant
Certified Ecological Restoration Practitioner #0142, Society of Ecological Restoration
Certified Arborist and Tree Risk Assessment Qualified, International Society of Arboriculture
UMass Certificates: Invasive Plant Management and Woody Plant Management
Massachusetts Certified Horticulturist and Landscape Designer
Former Director, American Society of Consulting Arborists
Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions
Ecological Landscape Alliance
Cc: Howard and Maryjo Safford
Transmitted by email to bdirienzo@yarmouth.ma.us
Re: 2022 Conservation Assessment Report for SE 083-2291 at 310 South Shore Drive, South
Yarmouth, MA
Dear Brittany and Commissioners,
On July 26, 2021, the Yarmouth
Conservation Commission (the
Commission) issued an Order of
Conditions (OOC) to Howard and
MaryJo Safford for 310 South
Shore Drive, South Yarmouth for
management of invasive species
as part of an Enforcement Order.
As part of the required
mitigation, Talbot Ecological
Land Care (TELC) submitted an
approved revegetation plan with
a native plant list. Special
Condition #15 of the OOC
requires TELC to submit a
Conservation Assessment
2022 Conservation Mitigation Report - SE83-2291 Talbot Ecological Land Care
October 31, 2022 Page 2
Report (the “Report”) by each October 31st for three years regarding the conservation mitigation work
and progress for that year. This 2022 Report is the second of the three required reports.
The photo on the previous page shows a portion of the property behind the house at 310 South Shore
Drive, South Yarmouth on the west side of the property. This photo shows the area once dominated by
Japanese knotweed (Reynoutria japonica). The knotweed is no longer evident; it was controlled by a
combination of chemical management by TELC and mechanical control by Maryjo Safford.
The American beachgrass (Ammophila breviligulata) was planted by Maryjo and has naturalized quite
well in the sand fill (seen in the photo). To save expense, Maryjo purchased plants from our native plant
list on the approved Plan,
installed them, and managed
weeds and invasives herself.
The photo on the right shows
the shrubs, trees, and
herbaceous plants that she
installed in the knotweed area
herself. Also visible are the
temporary hoses and sprinklers
that Maryjo used to keep the
plants alive during the severe
drought. I recommended one
more year of temporary
irrigation and weed/invasive
management in this area.
Also visible in this photo is the
excellent recovery of the cut,
native, wrinkle-leaved goldenrod
(Solidago rugosa) that led to the
Enforcement Order and the
Notice of Intent for management
of invasives and the mitigation
plan. The goldenrod is visible on
the right and spread into the bare
area on the Plan visible in the
photo to the left.
The photo shows grasses that
were already there. I
recommended that Maryjo plant
switchgrass and other herbaceous
native plants (from my list) in any remaining bare areas here next year.
2022 Conservation Mitigation Report - SE83-2291 Talbot Ecological Land Care
October 31, 2022 Page 3
Also visible in this photo in the background is the dead phragmites (Phragmites australis) that was
encroaching onto their property from the conservation land around Crowell Pond. We decided to wait
till next fall to treat any encroaching phragmites, as the management from last fall had been successful.
We will continue to monitor for invasives and treat them as needed. Otherwise, mitigation is proceeding
very well and should be completed next year. This completes our 2022 site assessment. Contact us if
you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Michael Talbot
Michael Talbot, CERP, MCH, ISA, ASCA, Principal Conservation Consultant
Certified Ecological Restoration Practitioner #0142, Society of Ecological Restoration