On Thursday evening, the Newton Conservation Commission met to discuss a Notice of Intent for the removal of invasive species and the possibility for plant diversification at Lasell Village, an active senior living community located at 120 Seminary Ave. in Newton.
The area consists of a pond and extensive nature trails through the surrounding meadow. The project’s Notice of Intent includes a plan to enhance the existing trail and bench system, manage stormwater drainage, diversify native plant species, and continue management of invasive plants.
Jennifer Steel, chief environmental planner for the City of Newton, discussed that the subject parcel was subject to an Order of Conditions several years prior.
According to Massachusetts’ Wetlands Protection Act, an Order of Conditions is a permit required for any work that could affect wetlands, floodplains, or areas near water bodies.
“It was subject to an order of conditions years ago and a conservation restriction,” said Steel. “But the invasives got the better of the site, and so there has been a really concerted effort to develop a very comprehensive restoration plan involving the removal of invasives and the installation of natives.”
A conservation restriction is a voluntary legal agreement that permanently limits development and other uses of a property.
Steel continued, explaining that the commission recently received a request to determine whether Lasell Village was eligible for a conservation restriction and allowed for the initial removal of some of the invasives.
“This Notice of Intent takes that the next step with some ongoing, continued invasive removal, and then the planting of natives,” said Steele.
According to Steele, many goals are associated with the subject parcel’s Notice of Intent.
“One is eradicating invasive trees and shrubs, which are, as you all know, aggressive self-perpetrators,” said Steele. “Also managing herbaceous plants, a number of invasives, but also just some very, very aggressive natives that have precluded the active use of this site in certain ways.”
This eradication will allow the commission to restore and maintain some of the view sheds that have been a part of the campus that are currently relatively inaccessible, according to Steele.
Steele explained that they will treat current bank erosion with log anchoring, as well as expand the diversity of the current meadow areas, primarily through plantings of native species.
“And then significant plantings with 32 native trees on the woodland slope, 54 shrubs scattered predominantly around the edges of the pathway, and then live stakes of native shrubs all around the pond edge, in addition to then the seeding of the meadow areas,” said Steele.
The renovations will further consist of eliminating current vegetation through spot treatment, primarily the invasive species, said Steele.
“It’s laid out on a six-year time frame, indicating the reduced mowing and treatment and chemical treatment frequencies,” said Steele.
Lasell Village is a retirement community located at Lasell University. Sharing the campus, the village was created to be a place where lifelong learning is central to the lifestyle of its residents.
Miles Connors, director of Parterre Ecological Services, spoke on the impact this sort of project could have on residents at Lasell. Parterre Ecological is an ecological team that works to promote and restore native plant communities.
“This is part of Lasell Village, so it’s an open space and accessible area for the residents,” said Connors. “It’s frequently used, and we’ve had community group meetings with the residents to really kind of direct our restoration measures here.”
Connors explained that he’s been involved with Lasell for 15 years and that the community has an active “Green Team” supporting the restoration project.
“They’re going to really do some educational work around this piece too, so people can really understand the benefit of native plants in, you know, wetland ecosystems,” said Connors. “Part of the way you live in the village is to do hours of educational work every year in order to live in the village.”
Connors believes the restoration will benefit residents, and he’s excited to be part of the project.
“I’m looking forward to creating a more natural and native, you know, playing community around Lasell,” said Connors.
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