Greenfield Reconnaissance Report - MA Heritage Landscapes ...

Council for conservation purposes and is under the direct control of the ConservationCommission. No management activities have been undertaken.It was noted in the local identification meeting when identifying heritage landscapes inGreenfield that Rocky Mountain Ridge is considered an “Important Bird Area” under the MassAudubon Important Bird Areas (IBA) Program. This program is an inventory of sites in theCommonwealth that provide essential habitat to one or more species of breeding or nonbreedingbirds.Highland Park (29 acres) is located south of Rocky Mountain Park and includes Temple Woods,the spring-fed Highland Pond, and the Bear's Den/Sachem Head area where the Rocky MountainRidge line terminates, offering a view of the western hills and the Deerfield meadows.Recreational activities at the park include tennis courts and a hiking trail network which isheavily used due to its close proximity to downtown and residential areas. The pond wasformerly a popular site for ice skating for over 75 years, with a warming hut staffed byvolunteers on winter weekends. Included within this landscape are eighty-five acres ofpermanently protected forest and farm land owned by the Department of Conservation andRecreation located on the southeastern side of Rocky Mountain ridge, which includes forestedland and farm fields leased to a local farmer for the production of hay and vegetables, and SmeadIsland. 18Opportunities:• The Department of Public Works (DPW) has plans for dredging Highland Pond toaddress the eutrophication of the pond and also to improve the recreational capacities forice skating.• Multiple recreational and natural areas are located adjacent to one another, offering thetown recreational and wildlife habitat benefits, as well as the opportunity to manage andpromote appropriate use of these areas in a holistic manner.Issues:• The banks of Highland Pond are overgrown and there is currently no ice skatingpermitted, which was a popular recreational use of the area for approximately 75 years.• The protection status of some of the parcels in the Rocky Mountain area is unclear andneeds researching to determine if there is a need for protection for any parcels within thisarea.• Stewardship and maintenance are needed at Poet Seat’s Tower and surrounding area toprevent overuse and inappropriate activities.• The old municipal golf course is overgrown and not being utilized.18 Greenfield Open Space and Recreation Plan, 2006Massachusetts Heritage Landscape Inventory Program 23Greenfield Reconnaissance Report