Issuu

F inding C ommon G round

Prepared for Columbia Land Conservancy Za Drumm & Anna Goff The Conway School Spring 2026

I ntegrating C onservation , A ffordable H ousing and C ommunity A ccess A t T he B ells P ond S ite

3571 US-9, Hudson, NY 12534

Finding Common Ground

Index of Sheets

Project Overview............................................................................1 Project Goals and Existing Conditions......................................2 Regional Context...........................................................................3 Site History.....................................................................................4 Ecological Value............................................................................5 Existing Vegetation.......................................................................6 Soils and Surficial Geology.........................................................7 Slopes and Drainage......................................................................8 Regional Hydrology.....................................................................9 Trails Views and Destinations.....................................................10 Design Alternatives.....................................................................11 Final Design Overview.................................................................12 Final Design Features..................................................................13 Vegetation Zones..........................................................................14 Meadow Palette............................................................................15 Shrubland Palette........................................................................16 Upland Forest Palette.................................................................17 Floodplain Forest........................................................................18 Trails and Design Features.........................................................19 Trail Network Accessibility......................................................20 Boardwalks, Bridges and Observations Deck..........................21 Bird and Wildlife Blinds...........................................................22 Vegetative Screens.......................................................................23 Vegetated Berm.............................................................................24 Trillium Barn................................................................................25 Trillium Neighborhood Concept...............................................26 Good Neighbor Palette...............................................................27 Good Neighbor Planting Guide.................................................28 Citations by Section.....................................................................29 Photo Citations............................................................................30

88 Village Hill Rd.Northampton, MA 01060 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu

Index of Sheets

Columbia-Greene Habitat for Humanity Part of the Bell’s Pond Site’s desirability is its proximity to Habitat’s existing Hudson Restore and organizational headquarters which abut the property. Columbia-Greene Habitat has built or refurbished twenty-seven homes since becoming established in 1993. Its housing target of building twenty-six homes on its portion of the Bell’s Pond Site would nearly double its past contributions to the regional housing market.

Drone image of the Bell's Pond Site, looking north (credit: Columbia Greene Northern Dutchess MLS)

Aligning Affordable Housing and Conservation Goals

In 2022, based on the understanding that affordable housing and conservation initiatives depend upon the same landbase and might best further their goals through collaborative efforts, CLC and Habitat joined eleven other organizations to form the Hudson Valley Alliance for Housing and Conservation. This partnership was a response to the impact of real estate trends, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the Hudson Valley’s proximity to New York City, on conservation and affordable housing opportunities in the region. Sprawling real estate development is threatening open lands and the associated ecological services that all life depends upon. At the same time, low-income individuals and families are being displaced from the region due to increasing housing costs and shrinking rental opportunities. Trillium joined the alliance in 2025. The Bell’s Pond collaboration is one of a number of pioneering projects, rooted in this Alliance, which strive to “better serve Hudson Valley residents and communities by meeting the need for affordable housing, conserving important lands for human and ecological benefit, and adapting to and mitigating the effects of climate change” (Alliance). Scenic Hudson, another member of the Hudson Valley Alliance, is supporting the Bell’s Pond project as a significant fiscal contributor and partner.

Rendering by Holesum Studio for Habitat's housing (Dimitri Brand)

Habitat is working with Holesum Studios and Proper and O'Leary Engineering to design a site plan for a neighborhood of low-carbon, sustainable "Rural Starter Homes". The houses were designed by Holesum Studios to minimize construction costs and to fit Habitat’s model of builds that supported by volunteer labor. The site has an existing septic system, installed in 2011, which spans the Bell’s Pond Site and Habitat’s current property and should have adequate capacity for Habitat’s housing goals based on the system's design specifications. Though parcel sizes and shapes are not yet finalized, the area of the site subdivided for Habitat will be adjacent to its current property located southeast of the site.

Trillium Community Land Trust Trillium Community Land Trust began in 2022 as a working group of concerned citizens and housing professionals and incorporated as a nonprofit in 2024. Since then it has established a growing board of directors and acquired a home to renovate as affordable housing. Trillium hopes to build between sixteen and twenty-five units on its parcel. Trillium is early in its conceptual planning process, but is interested in pocket neighborhoods that incorporate sustainable building practices. Trillium will acquire the existing buildings located in the northeast corner of the site.

Rendering of Trillium's preliminary housing concept (Lead Architect: Linda Gatter AIA; Design Team and Rendering: Alexa Dannis)

88 Village Hill Rd.Northampton, MA 01060 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu

Since its founding in 1986, the Columbia Land Conservancy has conserved over 30,000 acres of land within Columbia County, including eleven properties that are open daily for the public to enjoy. To help the organization plot a course forward that is aligned with both their mission and community input, CLC developed “The Plan to Conserve Columbia County”, finalized October 2025. This Plan calls for CLC and conservation partners to conserve 35% of what it identifies as “critical” or “high priority” landscape by 2035. Though categorized as “medium” overall priority by the metrics used in this Plan, CLC recognized a valuable opportunity at the Bell’s Pond Site for modelling conservation efforts that support socioeconomic equity and sustainable housing development.

3571 US-9, Hudson, NY 12534

The different models of ownership translate to different spatial layouts in the residential developments. Habitat homes will be sold on onethird to half-acre properties and homeowners will be responsible for managing the land as they choose. Trillium homes will likely be sited closer together and there may be formal agreements that they adhere to around landscape and vegetation standards of the leased land.

Columbia Land Conservancy

Finding Common Ground

Columbia-Greene Habitat for Humanity and Trillium Community Land Trust (CLT) share the goal of creating affordable housing opportunities in the region, but differ in their approach, history, and scope. Both organizations strive for their residents to build equity through their homes, while limiting resale value to ensure that the housing remains affordable. Habitat will sell homes and lots with deed restrictions regarding resale. As a community land trust, Trillium will sell homes with an agreement that limits resale value through a 99-year ground lease with Trillium. Retaining ownership of the land helps community land trusts ensure that the housing will remain affordable for future generations.

Project Clients

The Columbia Land Conservancy (CLC) is currently under contract to purchase a 143-acre parcel located on NY State Route 9, straddling the Greenport/Livingston town line. The property is being referred to as the Bell’s Pond Community Space (or Site in this document) due to its proximity to Bell’s Pond. The Bell’s Pond Site differs from CLC’s standard acquisitions both in its ecological character, which is shaped by recent anthropogenic disturbance, and intended use of furthering regional housing and conservation goals simultaneously. To do this, CLC plans to gift two subdivided parcels, approximately 15 acres each, to Columbia-Greene Habitat for Humanity (Habitat) and the Trillium Community Land Trust (Trillium) to develop affordable housing on their respective parcels. CLC will retain and manage the remaining acreage as public conservation lands. This project explores how housing, conservation, and public access can coexist on a shared landscape.

Two Nonprofits, Two Approaches to Housing

Plan Overview

Project Overview

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C Fallow Fields

Barn

Shop

Agricultural Fields

Circulation Recommendations for human and vehicular circulation, including siting trails and paths, public parking on the conservation lands, and parking on the Trillium parcel, prioritizing universal access wherever possible. Stormwater A design that improves stormwater management across the site.

ame Unn

One of many mown paths

Example of stormwater infrastructure

The Mud Creek, looking west

Old barn with Alliance Truck Centers beyond, looking north from the gravel drive

Old farmhouse, looking north from the gravel drive

Humanity Restore

eek d Cr

2025 Satellite (credit: Google Earth) with the property boundary

Habitat For

H E

Unnamed creek, looking east

Topsoil pile from 2011 site work, looking south

Renovated barn and gravel drive, looking east towards Route 9

Finding Common Ground

Residential Greenspace Recommendations for low-maintenance, native vegetation and other design elements for shared greenspace within the residential housing developments.

Ranch House

Much of the site consists of active agricultural fields and fallow fields that are returning to scrubland and young forest. More mature forest borders the creeks and the wetland swales that feed the creeks. The site contains both New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and Army Corps of Engineers designated wetlands. There are mown paths and access roads crisscrossing the site, leading to hunting infrastructure such as blinds and deer stands. Trails also lead to portions of the septic and stormwater infrastructure installed on the site in 2011 to facilitate a baseball training facility which never came to fruition. There are several large piles of topsoil, left over from the 2011 infrastructure installation and regrading, remaining in the northeast corner of the site.

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Allegiance Truck Center

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Ecological Restoration A restoration and management plan for the CLC property that increases biodiversity, addresses invasive species pressure, and facilitates educational and community stewardship opportunities.

reek

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Drone image of the ranch and renovated barn, looking west (credit: Columbia Greene Northern Dutchess MLS)

Mud C

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Private vs. Public Space A landscape design that defines the relationship between private residential space and public conservation lands, as well as abutting properties and roadways, using vegetative buffers and other design elements.

The 143-acre Bell’s Pond Site spans the Livingston/Greenport town line, with 61 acres to the north of the line in Greenport and 82 acres to the south in Livingston. The site is bordered by a two-lane portion of NY State Route 9 to the east, an unnamed creek to the south, and the Mud Creek to the west and north. The site abuts farmland across the creeks to the south and west, Habitat for Humanity's Restore and offices to the south on Route 9, and Allegiance Truck Centers to the north on Route 9. Three driveways enter the site from Route 9, providing access to the buildings on the northeastern corner of the site. These buildings include a small shop, currently rented to a local contractor, a modern ranch house, a large renovated barn, a smaller deteriorating barn, and an old house in an advanced state of disrepair.

Project Goals & Existing Condtions

Columbia Land Conservancy, Columbia-Greene Habitat for Humanity, and Trillium Community Land Trust collaborated on the following list of shared and organization specific landscape design goals based on a shared vision for the future of the site. •

88 Village Hill Rd.Northampton, MA 01060 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu

Existing Site Conditions

3571 US-9, Hudson, NY 12534

Project Goals

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88 Village Hill Rd.Northampton, MA 01060 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu

Regional Context The Bell's Pond Site is located within the Hudson River Valley of Columbia County, New York, where broad agricultural floodplains transition into the foothills of the Taconic and Catskill Mountains. Situated approximately four miles east of the Hudson River, ten and a half miles west of the Taconic Mountains, and twelve miles east of the Catskill Mountains, the site occupies a position within a regional landscape shaped by geology, hydrology, and centuries of agricultural land use.

The half of the site that is in the town of Greenport falls within the Hudson school district, creating opportunities for Hudson families to relocate to one of the future affordable housing developments while remaining in the school district. Because Greenport has minimal zoning restrictions and well developed infrastructure, the town has become a default place for development in the region. The Bell’s Pond Site could set an important precedent for housing development with ecological integrity. Greenport and Hudson are currently designated as Disadvantaged Communities based on criteria developed by New York State’s Climate Justice Working Group (New York State Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act), stressing the importance of this project which addresses regional environmental and socioeconomic needs simultaneously. The site is located across Route 9 from Galvan’s Civic Motel which provides emergency housing to individuals and families in need and just up the road from the Bell’s Pond Community Mobile Home Park, meaning that the publicly accessible trails on the Bell’s Pond Site could benefit these communities in addition to those on the site.

Implications

Foothills of the Catskill Mountains

The regional history, ecological significance, and existing landscape character of Bell's Pond provide a strong foundation for achieving the project's goals of conservation, ecological restoration, public access, and community development. By protecting wetlands, floodplains, and wildlife corridors while expanding native habitats, the site can increase biodiversity on the site and within the region's broader ecological network. Carefully planned development areas for the Columbia-Greene Habitat for Humanity and Trillium Community Land Trust neighborhoods would allow housing needs to be addressed while minimizing ecological disturbance, creating a model for integrating affordable housing with long-term land conservation.

3571 US-9, Hudson, NY 12534

Looking west over Bell's Pond's existing agricultural fields toward the Catskill Mountains, a defining regional landmark that shapes the scenic identity and sense of place within the Hudson Valley.

Finding Common Ground

The site's position creates opportunities to support biodiversity while providing community access and housing, in an already beautiful and sought after location. From 2019 to 2025 the median sale price of a home in Columbia County increased from $257,500 to $527,450, the second most dramatic percentage increase of the nine counties in the Hudson Valley Region (Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress). As a result, many residents are being priced out of the area despite an increase in residential development (Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress).

Regional Context

The Hudson Valley has long been a center for agriculture, transportation, and industry. Forests were cleared for farming, while river commerce, railroads, mills, brick manufacturing, and mining transformed the region and established many of the agricultural and settlement patterns that continue to define Columbia County today. This combination of ecological richness, cultural history, scenic character, and accessibility contributes to the area's significance for conservation, recreation, and thoughtfully planned rural development (CLC, 2026).

Bell's Pond lies within an ecological transition zone where floodplains, wetlands, agricultural lands, and upland forests converge. This intersection of landforms creates a diverse landscape characterized by fertile soils, interconnected waterways, varied topography, and important wildlife corridors. The surrounding mountain ranges contribute forested watersheds and the scenic character which helps define the region (Columbia Land Conservancy, 2026).

A publicly accessible trail system would reconnect people to the landscape through opportunities for recreation, education, and stewardship, potentially furthering ecological goals throughout the region by helping to build ecological awareness.

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The region around the Bell's Pond Site was part of a broader Hudson Valley landscape composed of floodplains, meadows, shrublands, open woodlands, forests, and wetlands, rather than a uniformly forested landscape. These environments were influenced by Indigenous stewardship practices, including selective harvesting, cultivation, and low-intensity fire. These management techniques promoted a diversity of successional stages and encouraged species such as white oak, hickory, blueberry, huckleberry, blackberry, hazelnut, and hawthorn while supporting wildlife habitat and biodiversity. (Wexler, 2024)

Hudson Park Baseball Training Facility Plan

Shrubland

Agricultural Field

Upland Forest

Shrubland

Floodplain Forest

Colonial Agricultural Transition Following European settlement, the Bell's Pond Site became part of Livingston Manor, a 160,000-acre estate established in 1686. The manor laid the foundation for settlement patterns, agricultural development, and land ownership across much of present-day Columbia County (Pope, 1886). Under the Livingston Manor system, large portions of the region were cleared for agriculture, grazing, timber harvest, and settlement. This shift in land use coincided with the displacement of Mohican communities through disease, colonial expansion, violence, and land dispossession, resulting in the decline of Indigenous stewardship practices. By the nineteenth century, much of Columbia County had been transformed into a landscape dominated by fields, pastures, orchards, and managed woodlots. These land uses introduced new disturbance regimes and altered the trajectory of ecological succession throughout the region. (Edinger et al.; Wexler, 2024)

88 Village Hill Rd.Northampton, MA 01060 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu

In 2011, a previous owner of the property planned the Hudson Park Baseball Training Facility. An extensive septic system was installed across the site, new wells were drilled in the south of the site, and preliminary grading work resulted in the flattening of areas of the site and several large mounds of topsoil. Portions of a stormwater management system were installed, including drainage piping, sub-drainage systems, erosion and sediment controls, and a constructed wetland mitigation area designed to manage runoff and offset wetland impacts associated with the proposed development. Although the baseball complex was never completed, these improvements and preliminary grading work remain on the site, continuing to influence drainage patterns, hydrology, soil conditions and development potential.

Map showing the distribution of the successional stages present on the site in 2025

The vegetation patterns and species composition of the habitat types present today at the Bell's Pond Site reflect the cumulative history of these different periods of land-use. Almost the entire site was in cultivation as recently as 2006. Currently, there are active agricultural fields and previously cultivated areas in various stages of regrowth. Old fields have grown into shrublands, an early successional stage. The forests on the site, which represent a later successional stage, are a mix of upland forests and floodplain forest. Numerous apple trees can be found in the wooded edges of the site, an remnant from past orchards. The regrowth on the site is a mix of native species, naturalized European species, common to old farmsteads, and more newly introduced invasive species.

Implications •

Areas of former agricultural production and orchard management may exhibit soil compaction, altered nutrient levels, and residual contaminants, such as the arsenic identified in the 2011 SEQR Environmental Assessment. Further soil testing could be used to advise restoration efforts, and remediation if needed.

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The location of existing infrastructure associated with 2011 site work for the baseball camp should be incorporated into site planning to avoid spatial conflicts and to allow for the potential utilization of these infrastructural resources.

3571 US-9, Hudson, NY 12534

For thousands of years, Indigenous peoples, including the Mohican people, used the Hudson River and its tributaries as transportation corridors connecting villages, agricultural areas, and regional trade networks (CLC, 2026). A 2011 Phase IB Cultural Resource Survey identified locations on the Bell's Pond Site containing Native American cultural materials that were interpreted as "waste products associated with processing glacially deposited chert [stone] as an early stage of stone tool production (SEQR)." These findings provide possible evidence of Indigenous use of the property.

Finding Common Ground

Baseball Camp Site Work

Pre-Colonial: Archaeological Findings

Land Use & Succession

Site History

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Shrubland Habitat

The existing fallow and cultivated agricultural fields represent significant ecological restoration opportunities at Bell's Pond. Conversion to native habitat would dramatically increase plant and wildlife diversity. Maintaing early successional meadow, grassland, shrubland, and young forest would be of particular value, as they have become increasingly uncommon throughout the Northeast as abandoned agricultural lands mature into closed-canopy forest (NYSDEC, 2015). In New York, abandoned fields can mature from fields to closed canopy forests in as little as twenty-five to thirty years (NYFOA).

Invasive species pressure can be high in early successional and edge habitats. In the emerging shrublands on the site honeysuckle, autumn olive, buckthorn, bittersweet and multiflora rose are all present and spreading. These opportunistic species can outcompete native plant vegetation, decreasing biodiversity. The displacement of native species which have coevolved to support the lifecycle of specialized native pollinators is of particular concern. Invasive plant species do provide wildlife services, such as cover, forage, and nesting sites. Ideally, when removing invasive or opportunistic species, care would be taken to replace any ecological services lost using native plants.

Cultivated Field 1st Year Fallow Field

Grassland and Meadow Habitat

Old Field, Shrubland

Grassland and meadow habitats are dominated by grasses and flowering forbs. Grassland bird habitat has a higher proportion of grasses and sedges, with forbs ideally occupying no more than 25% of the grassland area, and almost no woody vegetation (NYSDEC, 2022). Meadows typically have a higher proportion of flowering forbs, ranging from 20-50%, and may have more woody vegetation and canopy cover than grasslands.

Forest

Wetland & Floodplain Habitats

Native meadows support bees, butterflies, skippers, moths, and other beneficial insects while providing nesting cover and forage for species such as American goldfinch, field sparrow, and eastern bluebird (Xerces Society, 2024; NYSDEC, 2015). Grasslands that are greater than twenty acres, free of trees and shrubs in which predators could roost or take cover, with minimal forest edge are of the greatest value for grassland birds. Some less sensitive grassland bird species, such as bobolink and eastern meadowlark, may utilize smaller areas of grassland, but in the Hudson Valley region of New York, smaller fields, especially those surrounded by forest, may be of greater value to wildlife as shrubland (NYFOA).

Autumn Olive with emerging berries on site, June 2026

Young red maple stands emerging on the site, June 2026

Healthy wetland and floodplain habitats provide flood storage, groundwater recharge, water filtration, and habitat for amphibians, birds, mammals, and aquatic organisms (Edinger et al., 2014). Approximately 68 acres of the 143-acre Bell's Pond site are wetlands or within the 100 foot wetland buffers, making these systems a dominant feature of the landscape (Columbia County Environmental Management Council, n.d.). Much of the wetland on the site has been recently disturbed resulting in low diversity wand reduced ecological and hydrologic value. Wetlands and their associated buffers are protected under New York State and federal regulations, with exemptions for agricultural activities. (NYDEC, n.d.).

Young Forest Habitat

Implications

Like shrubland, the dense vegetation of young forest can provide habitat for nesting birds and helps support the New England Cottontail by providing forage and cover. There are young forests of different ages and species composition emerging on the site.

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Promoting diverse native vegetation within wetland buffers, drainage swales, and floodplain forests would improve these habitat’s ecosystem functions to benefit the hydrology and ecology of the site and the region.

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Maintaining a mix of successional habitat types while managing for invasive species could increase biodiversity across the site. Trails navigating these different habitats could provide varied recreational and educational experiences for residents and visitors.

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The size, shape, species composition of different habitat types, as well as their poximity and connectivity to other habitats on the site, will influence which wildlife species they best support.

Mature Forest

Evidence of wild turkey and coyote on the site, June 2026

Wetland Boundary (2011 Delineation)

There are some stands of mature forest on the site. Mature forests provide important wildlife corridors, year-round forage, and nesting sites for forest birds. Mature forest near riparian areas, like those at the Bell's Pond Site, can help stabilize soils, maintain cooler soil, groundwater, and stream temperatures, and improve hydrologic and ecological function. Large tracts of contiguous forest are of the greatest ecologic value.

Finding Common Ground

Cultivated and Fallow Fields

Shrublands provide some of the benefits of meadows due to their matrix of forbs, grasses and woody shrubs. The shrubs provide additional cover, forage, and nesting sites for wildlife. Selective shrubland management, through periodic mowing or burning, can help retain habitat conditions that are increasingly scarce within the regional landscape. Shrubland habitat that is two to five acres or more and at least twenty feet in width provides superior habitat to more fragmented patches. Wider areas of shrubland offer better protection to nesting birds (NYFOA).

The Bell's Pond Site contains a diverse network of ecological communities representing multiple stages of succession, including wetlands, floodplain forests, meadows, shrublands, regenerating forests, and mature upland forests. Together, these habitats support wildlife, improve water quality, and contribute to ecological resilience across the property (Edinger et al., 2014).

Bells Pond Site

Habitat Diversity

Evidence of a ground nesting bird on the site, June 2026

88 Village Hill Rd.Northampton, MA 01060 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu

Successional & Wetland Habitat Map

3571 US-9, Hudson, NY 12534

Ecological Value of Existing Habitats

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Deciduous Forest

This vegetation map was created by correlating observations and GPS points recorded at the site with Google satellite imagery from fall of 2024. The map is not exhaustive, but gives an idea of species composition across the site, with a focus on which trees predominate areas of the canopy. Likewise, the below descriptions are not complete species inventories, but are rather meant to give an idea of the current character of the site. The existing conditions described will advise ecological restoration and design recommendations.

Black Locust

Oldfield/Scrubland Black Willow

Pine & Ash Cedar Forest Poplars

Lawn

Boundary Tree Recruitment (Upland Forest)

Cultivated Fields

Oldfield/Scrubland as s Pine & Cedar Forest

Fallow Fields

Pine & Cedar Forest

Ash

Gr as s

Reed Canary Grass

a n a ry

Oldfield/Scrubland

Young cedar, autumn olive, buckthorn and honeysuckle are the most prominent species in the dry shrublands. There are some areas of sumac, arrowwood viburnum, nannyberry, brambles, and sapling trees. Milkweed, goldenrod, penstemon, wolfbane, poison ivy, native columbine and other grasses and forbs are present as well. There is a mix of native species, naturalized European species, (such as mustards, Dianthus armeria, bedstraws, and wild daisies) and plants broadly recognized as invasive.

R eed C

Oldfields (Emerging Shrubland and Meadow)

Pine & Cedar Forest

Poplars Black Willow Oldfield/Scrubland

Lawn

Black Locust

Deciduous Forest Deciduous Forest

Deciduous Forest

Creekside (Floodplain Forest) There are wide expanses of skunk cabbage along the creek, flanked by stands of green ash and other hardwood trees. Multiflora rose and bittersweet are also present along the edges between the trees and skunk cabbage.

Wetland & Buffers There are thick stands of young red maple and grey dogwood emerging in the wet areas of the site. Many of the wetland zones that lack canopy are monocultures of reed canary grass. Pampas plume grass is also present. On slightly drier ground the vegetation becomes more diverse with different types of ferns and forbs. Mature black willows, pussy willows and other species of shrub willows are also present in and around the wetlands.

Primarily Deciduous Forest

Black Willow

Pine & Cedar Forest

Poplar

Oldfield/Scrubland

Hickory, Oak, Hophornbeam, Maple

First-year Fallow Fields

Green Ash

Cultivated Fields

Black Locust

Mown Lawn (along road)

Skunk Cabbage (along creek) Reed Canary Grass & Pampas Plume Grass)

3571 US-9, Hudson, NY 12534

Finding Common Ground

R ee

ry a na

Ash

Cultivated Fields

Existing Vegetation

Deciduous Forest

The more mature trees are mostly confined to the perimeter of the site near the creeks and house sites. Shagbark hickory, bitternut hickory, red oak, American hornbeam (in the south), green ash, sweet birch, quaking aspen, apple trees, and black locust (in the north) are all present along the boundaries of the site and other historically uncultivated areas of the site, such as the slopes around the wetlands. Hardwood saplings of the same species as nearby boundary trees can be seen spreading into the interior of the site in areas where cultivation and mowing have not occurred for a few years or more. The southern portion of the western boundary has a thick stand of cedar and pine between the hardwoods along the creek and the shrublands and fields to the east. In the deciduous forest there were extensive patches of trout lilies, some nice patches of ramps, and other native spring ephemerals..

Lawn

Black Locust

Oldfield/Scrubland

Ash

88 Village Hill Rd.Northampton, MA 01060 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu

Existing Vegetation

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88 Village Hill Rd.Northampton, MA 01060 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu

Soils & Surficial Geology NYS Geological Survey Data for Surficial Geology

Soil Groups The soils types at the Bell's Pond Site can be categorized as wetland soils, transitional valley soils, and upland soils. Together, these soil groups create a gradient from saturated floodplain environments to well-drained upland landscapes, supporting a diversity of ecological communities across the site.

Alluvial Fan

Wetland soils occupy the lowest portions of the property, including floodplains, wetlands, and stream corridors. These soils are poorly drained and frequently saturated, supporting floodplain forests, wet meadows, shrub wetlands, and other hydric habitats. Their ability to store water and support wetland processes makes them critical for flood mitigation, water quality, and wildlife habitat.

Upland soils are found on the site's higher elevations. These well-drained soils provide greater stability, faster rates of infiltration, and suitable growing conditions for upland forests and meadow communities. Their drainage characteristics make them generally more suitable for development. The cluster of buildings in the northeast of the property were built on upland soils.

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An ongoing history of agricultural activity has likely resulted in a loss of soil structure, soil biota, and certain nutrients.

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The 2011 construction included site work and excavation. The heavy machinery used likely resulted in soil compaction in addition to that caused by agricultural cultivation involving regular tillage. Such compaction could compound the slow stormwater infiltration rates of the less well-drained soils on the site.

Natural Resources Conservation Service Soil Classification Data •

Upland

During this construction, large quantities of soil were scraped off the surface of the site for grading purposes and deposited to form the mounds in the northeast of the property. Areas where topsoil was removed may be less fertile.

Surficial Geology The Bell's Pond Site is shaped by two primary surficial geologic deposits: lacustrine sediments and alluvial fan deposits. The primary deposit across the site is lacustrine silt and clay, formed in glacial lakes that occupied the Hudson Valley following the retreat of the Laurentide Ice Sheet, about fifteen thousand years ago. These fine-textured sediments create poorly drained conditions and influence much of the site's hydrology. The site's alluvial fan deposits are part of a broader pattern of glacial and postglacial sedimentation that characterizes the Hudson River Valley. Along the edges of the valley, alluvial fan deposits occur where streams emerging from higher elevations slowed and spread across flatter terrain, depositing layers of sand, gravel, and silt in fan-shaped landforms. More recent alluvial deposits are found along active stream corridors and floodplain areas, where water continues to transport and deposit sediment during flood events. Alluvial deposits are generally better drained and more stable than the surrounding glacial lake sediments. Similar coarse-textured deposits throughout the region have historically served as important sources of sand and gravel, reflecting the powerful influence of glacial meltwater and stream processes on the modern landscape.

Implications •

Restoration efforts would be best served by protecting floodplain soils by limiting circulation and development in areas where they are present.

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Infrastructure like boadwalks and bridges could help protect the softer and more saturated soils in the wetland areas, helping to preserve the soil structure, and related hydrology and habitat.

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Revegetation efforts such as the establishment of meadows and forest can help remediate compaction as they form deep root systems. In doing so, they will also improve infiltration and filtration of water on the site. Conversely, existing soil compaction may make it more difficult for some species to thrive.

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Chosing native species that have evolved on these soil types and surficial geology deposits will reduce the need for soil ammendments.

Transitional Valley

Wet/ Flood plain

3571 US-9, Hudson, NY 12534

Site Soil History

Finding Common Ground

Alluvium

Soils & Surficial Geology

Lacustrine Silt

Transitional valley soils occur across the broad central portions of the site where drainage conditions are more moderate. These soils serve as a bridge between the wetter floodplain environments and the drier uplands, supporting a mix of early successional and forest communities. Historically, these areas have often been favored for agriculture due to their relatively fertile and workable conditions. The borders of the existing cultivated fields largely match the extent of these soil types.

Knickerbocker, Blasdell

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Wetland

The culvert under Route 82 that connects Bell’s Pond to the site is rated as a “moderate barrier” with the maximum passable storm event being a 100-year storm. There are at least two other unassessed culverts between Bell’s Pond and the site (NYSDEC). The culvert that allows the unnamed order one creek to the east of the site to pass under Route 9 is classified as a moderate barrier, with its current passable storm event modeled as a ten-year storm. This may result in the stream jumping the road in a more significant storm event, but the low order of the stream makes this potential less of a concern (NYSDEC). An inundation flood risk map from Redfin is shown inset in the red box on top of a map from the Hudson Valley Natural Resource Mapper showing culvert status.

Wetland

NY Route 9 Drainage, looking northwest

% Slope

Percent Slope

88 Village Hill Rd.Northampton, MA 01060 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu

The earthen dam, located approximately three quarters of a mile from the site, that retains water in Bell’s Pond was rated as a “low hazard” risk, meaning a breach is unlikely to cause significant environmental damage, significant economic loss, interruption of important utilities, or personal injury and loss of life (NYSDEC). It was last inspected in 1998 (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers). Nonetheless, maintaining an awareness of the dam’s status may be prudent given the site’s location below Bell’s Pond.

Drainage & 100' Wetland Buffer Wetland Buffer

Water from the surface of NY Route 9 sheds off the road and directly onto the Bell's Pond Site. There are no drainage features or curbs to slow or direct the water.

NY Ro ut e9

Implications •

The site's gentle topography creates opportunities for accessible circulation and flexible land use, while highlighting the importance of drainage patterns and soil conditions as primary organizing features of the landscape.

•

Trails near the creekside borders of the property would navigate more elevation changes compared with those sited on the flatter interior of the site.

•

Trails and infrastructure near the creeks and associated steeper grades are more likely to face erosion or inundation flooding and should be designed accordingly.

•

Wetland and floodplain restoration can help decrease flood risk on the site and downstream.

3571 US-9, Hudson, NY 12534

As some of the most ecologically significant and hydrologically sensitive areas on the property, wetlands and their associated buffers present important considerations for future planning and stewardship. Any trails, access roads, or infrastructure crossing wetlands or regulated buffer areas would require permitting and careful design to minimize impacts. Understanding these drainage patterns helps identify opportunities for conservation, restoration, access, and community use while maintaining the site's hydrologic and ecologic functions.

Flood Risk and Offsite Infrastructure

Finding Common Ground

Numerous low-gradient swales, many of which are wetlands, run from the interior of the property into the bordering creeks. Steeper slopes are generally confined to these streambanks and drainage features. This relatively gentle topography contributes to slower surface runoff, increased water retention, and the formation of extensive wetland and floodplain systems.

The inundation flood risk, as mapped by Redfin, is confined to the floodplains and swales on and around the property. Inundation of up to three feet is possible in these areas.

The Bell's Pond Site is a predominantly flat to gently rolling landscape, with most of the site exhibiting slopes below five percent. Surface water generally flows from the slightly elevated eastern portions of the Bell’s Pond Site toward lower elevations along the western, southern, and northern edges of the property, where extensive wetlands and stream systems occur. Water runs off of Route 9 along this eastern edge and onto the property.

Inundation Flood Risk & Road-Stream Crossing Status

Inundation Flood Risk

Slopes & Drainage

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Stockport CreekTinderhook Creek Watershed

Bell's Pond Site Drainage from Site to the Hudson River

g Ta

2 mi

Tracing Drainage to and from the Bell's Pond Site Ta g

hk an

Bell's Pond Site

Unnamed Creeks

2 te 8 Rou

Direction of flow to and from the Bell's Pond Site

Cr ee

9 te

Mu d

u Ro

Cre ek

Bell's Pond

Bell’s Pond, for which the site and nearby hamlet are named for, sits approximately a mile down Route 9 (and Route 82) from the site. Water flows from Bell’s Pond, a 15-acre dammed lake with a maximum and normal storage of 120 acre-feet of water, into an unnamed creek that joins with the unnamed creek to the south of the site through a culvert about halfway across the site’s southern boundary. The creek along the southern boundary originates about 850 feet across Route 9 from the site and flows through the fire pond created on the current Habitat for Humanity Restore Parcel. The portion of this stream that defines the western section of the property’s southern boundary appears to have been straightened in the past. Near the southwest corner of the property, this creek joins the Mud Creek, which flows north, defining the northern half of the property’s western boundary The Mud Creek flows into the Taghkanic Creek. The Taghkanic Creek flows into the Claverack Creek, leaving the Loomis Creek-Taghkanic Creek Watershed and (HU-12) entering the Mud Creek-Claverack Creek watershed (HU-12). The Claverack Creek flows north into the Stockport Creek, where the drainage from the Bell’s Pond Site cuts west across the southern finger of the Stockport Creek-Kinderhook Creek Watershed (HU12) before flowing into the Hudson River.

Implications •

Revegetation of the site and ecologically informed stormwater management would help cool runoff from the site so that it does not contribute to the warming or pollution of the creeks downstream which are part of the ecological significant Lower Hudson watershed (HU-6).

•

There may be a possibility for recreational trout fishing on the site.

•

There is a citizen science opportunity for water quality monitoring on the site.

Finding Common Ground

Loomis CreekTaghkanic Creek Watershed

ive

Hu ds on R

Riv er ds on

0 mi

Mud CreekClaverack Creek Watershed

Regional Hydrology

The creeks that border the site and connect to Bell’s Pond are classified as “known trout streams” by the NY Department of Environmental Conservation. All the streams in the Taghkanic Creek-Loomis Creek watershed are listed as "needs verification" in the priority water bodies list, so it is unknown whether their current water quality supports trout (NYSDEC).

Murder CreekHudson River Watershed

Stormwater from the Bell’s Pond Site travels north through a series of connected streams before flowing east into the Hudson River (as described to the left). The Bell’s Pond site is located towards the headwaters of the Loomis-Taghkanic Creek HU-12 watershed and the HU-10 Claverack Creek watershed, which share a boundary to the south. The small tributaries that make up the headwaters above the site to the south are all identified as “known important coldwater stream habitat.” This status ends at the southwestern corner of the site where two unnamed creeks flowing from the south and east merge. The Taghkanic Creek and all the streams downstream towards the Hudson are identified as “known important areas for migratory fish.”

ree

C ic

an hk

The Hudson River Estuary provides some of the most critical fish spawning habitat along the eastern seaboard (CLC, 2026). Key migratory species supported by the Hudson River include perch, herring, shad, striped bass, eels, and the endangered Atlantic sturgeon (NYSDEC).

88 Village Hill Rd.Northampton, MA 01060 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu

HU-12 Watershed Boundary

Regional Stream Ecology

Drainage Through HU-12 Watersheds

3571 US-9, Hudson, NY 12534

Regional Hydrology

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Trails, Views & Destinations

88 Village Hill Rd.Northampton, MA 01060 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu

Circulation & Views Key Existing Trail Large Oak

Trails and Succession

Eyesore

Trucking Center

Trail Obstacle

Stormwater Infrastructure

Undesirable View Desirable View

Old Deer Blind

Destination

Poplar Grove

Mountain Views

ute 9

Meadow View

Mountain Views

Spring View of Hills

Mountain Views Wet Spots on Septic Line

Deer Path Maze

Existing mown paths through grassland, looking west on southern trail

View of View of Boundary Trees Barn

Mown path through young maple Path through dense cedars on grove, southeast corner of the property the western boundary

Rubble Pile

Habitat Restore

Dead Vines Poofy Pines

Undesirable Views Views of Route 9 and the Allegiance Trucking Center have been identified by the clients as undesirable. Most of the stormwater and septic infrastructure on site is small relative to the expanse of the landscape, and therefore not an eyesore. There are some areas in the southwest of the property where tangles of vines, or deceased conifers in denser forest, create unattractive brown tangles.

Desirable Views

Dead Cedars

Pine Arch Pleasant Spot

Creek Views

Grand Oak

Creek View

Cultivated Field 1st Year Fallow Field Old Field, Shrubland Forest

Creek Views

There is a nice view over the property towards the mountains on the western horizon from the back patio of the renovated barn. Trillium would like to protect or enhance this view, as the space will likely be used for gatherings and programming.

Implications Creation of new trails and repositioning of trails will become more labor intensive and disruptive as succession progresses and more woody plants grow up.

Parts of the Catskill Range are visible from much of the high eastern side of the site and other high points, such as the tops of the rolling hills in the south of the site. Traveling west the views are hidden as one descends into swales and then revealed at higher elevations. Likewise, thicker vegetation and curves in the trails limit views temporarily, providing a sense of intrigue as the views are revealed.

Siting of trails and the siting and composition of vegetative screens around residential developments should respond to how the views, hydrology, wind, and other climatic conditions change throughout the year. Boardwalks or small bridges may be needed to span wet spots and swales, especially for a creekside loop. Adding this infrastructure through wetlands would provide a more pleasant and accessible user experience. Boardwalks help limit ecological and hydrologic disturbance, after the initial disturbance of installation, by lifting the trail off of the soil surface.

The successional vegetation (including the invasive species that proliferate along habitat edges) screens some western views in the summer, hiding potential sightlines to the creeks and hills beyond. Seasonal changes in the vegetation also impact views. For example, long views to the west are open from high points on the generally lower west side of the site after leaf drop, but are obscured after the trees along the western property line leaf out Wolf trees provide a good destination, changing one’s sense of scale as they approach them. These larger trees are mostly found along the margins of the property and at the interior of wetlands and swales where there has been less disturbance. A few particularly attractive sizable oaks have been identified on the property.

Succession Key

Messy area, represented by one of the red Xs in the southwest corner of the above map marking an undesirable view.

Clearing thicker vegetation in strategic locations could create windows from trails or residences to the views beyond. The ecological and hydrologic impact of such clearing should be considered as well. For example, clearing trees in wetlands and riparian areas might enhance views but detrimentally affect ecosystem functions. Removing some of the invasive vegetation along the creeks and property edges would be ecologically beneficial and would create longer sightlines.

Finding Common Ground

Septic Outlet

Pooling Water

Barn

Rubble Pile

Large Oak

Many of the mown paths and roads that cross the site are maintained and utilized by hunters to access the blinds and deer stands around the perimeter of the property. There are substantial areas of regrowth where deer trails, some of which may have been mown trails, appear and disappear in the brush.

3571 US-9, Hudson, NY 12534

Pleasant Spot

Trails, Views & Destinations

Existing paths through meadow, grasslands, fallow fields and younger shrubland could be easily relocated by mowing or brush hogging a different route. Portions of trail that pass through forest or more mature shrublands, would require more disturbance, such as logging or clearing, to reroute. The existing paths along the perimeter of the property cross multiple sections of wetland. Standing water was observed in these areas this past spring.

Trail-like Path

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88 Village Hill Rd.Northampton, MA 01060 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu

Design Alternatives Design 2: Community Commons

Design 3: Environmental Education

This design features denser housing development sited along Route 9, bringing the two housing nonprofits into closer proximity and relationship with one another. In this design there is more physical space for and focus on the conservation lands, which serve as the larger community commons.

In this design the two housing communities orient towards a formal shared commons which serves as the public’s entry point into the conservation lands, as CLC’s parking area is sited next to Trillium’s Barn. This central commons bridges the public and private spaces on the property and focuses on access and recreation for all people of all ages.

In this design the two housing developments are more self-contained, with vegetation providing privacy from the many trails, educational, and recreational features sited across the conservation lands to invite the public and residents into the shared space.

Design Intent and Features

•

Denser residential development reduces infrastructure costs and the extent of impermeable services needed for circulation. Some people may prefer to have more space between themselves and their neighbors, while others may enjoy the feel of a well designed neighborhood adjacent to open lands. Stormwater management in denser developments may need to be more strategic.

•

A more modest accessible trail system with fewer educational gathering spaces on the conservation land reduces the site disturbance and expense associated with accessible trail and infrastructure construction.

The common area that serves as a central use area shared between the residential developments and the public incorporates playgrounds, a pavilion, community gardens, sensory gardens and edible plantings, facilitating interactions between residents and the public. The gathering spaces and cultivated gardens within this shared common would require an initial investment and ongoing maintenance, which could require ongoing coordination between the CLC, Habitat, and Trillium.

The respective residential developments are more self-contained, separated from the conservation land and from one another by substantial vegetative screens. Each contains a simple, private common shared by the residents of the development. Multistory screening around the Trillium Barn defines an additional private outdoor gathering space. The houses are oriented towards the conservation land with private trails connecting the residences to the public trail system.

•

A looser vegetative buffer between the residential land and conservation land invites residents out into the landscape. This buffer incorporates informal, scattered tree nurseries to facilitate flood forest restoration and hedgerows that include native edible plants species.

Vegetative screening between the residential areas and the central public commons give the residents a sense of privacy outside of this shared space. Both residential developments feature green common areas within these private spaces to help foster a sense of community amongst the residents.

•

The conservation lands include an extensive accessible trail system, in keeping with this design alternatives focus on community access for all.

The siting of the public CLC parking is set back from Route 9, west of the housing developments. The trail that the public uses to access the conservation area goes through a native plant nursery to a nearby pavilion that can be used for educational or recreational purposes. Education is forward facing throughout the site, modeling ecological stewardship and best practices, such as prominent stormwater management features.

•

Beyond the more cultivated community commons and residential areas, the landscape gradually transitions to more naturalized openlands. Ease of landscape maintenance is prioritized in the conservation area, with a larger extent of mowable meadow and shrublands. Lower investment revegetation methods, such as livestaking around drainage areas help offset the investment in accessible trails and other recreational infrastructure.

•

The trail system navigates different ecotones and leads to a number of education-oriented features such as wildlife blinds, citizen science areas, and intensively managed, restoration demonstration areas. These educational restoration nodes sited in the different ecotones serve as nuclei for biodiversity. There is a mix of accessible and not universally accessible trails leading to these destinations. This design involves a greater investment of time and money and more disturbance on the conservation land.

•

In addition to a focus on flood forest restoration, there is an emphasis on incorporating native species that can be wild-harvested for human use into the conservation landscape. The intent is to promote a relationship of mutual benefit and stewardship between the housing communities and conservation lands, showing that conservation landscapes can be supported by an active human presence.

3571 US-9, Hudson, NY 12534

Finding Common Ground

Design Alternatives

Design 1: Centering Conservation

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88 Village Hill Rd.Northampton, MA 01060 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu

Final Design Overview Housing Developments The areas identified for the Trillium and Habitat for Humanity developments respond to site analysis. They are sited along Route 9, on flatter ground, near infrastructure, and outside of wetland buffers. They are bordered by vegetated buffers designed to insulate them from the road and neighboring properties. Trail connections from the developments provide access to the public conservation land. An accessible trail connecting the Trillium housing to the adjacent trail can be sited in response to Trillium's future residential site plan.

= Meadow & Grassland = Shrubland

Future Grand Oak bridge & Observation Deck

Plant Communities & Trail Network

Poplar Alley

Boardwalk & Bird Blind

Barn Parking

Pavilion

Play Area

Differentiating Space

Public Restrooms

CLC Parking

Habitat Residential Development

Poplar Alley

Gazebo

Pine Arch

N Grand Old Oak

Perched Bird Blind

cc ot A

essib

3571 US-9, Hudson, NY 12534

Habitat ReStore

Finding Common Ground

The siting of the CLC parking between the two residential developments provides easy access for residents as well as a degree of privacy and seperation. The parking area includes public bathrooms and aligns with a central use area extending west which includes a play area and classroom-sized covered pavilion. The vegetative screening that separates the residential developments from the conservation land forms wooded corridors across the eastern side of the site, creating shelter for wildlife and residents.

Bells Pond Site

This design proposes using different management strategies to promote and maintain varied emerging plant communities. Different mowing frequencies and selective removal and addition of species aims to increase biodiversity while preserving a range of successional stages. This benefits wildlife and creates variation for trail users. An accessible trail network with numerous loops navigates much of the site, with a short stretch of not accessible trail in the south offering a hillier route. This trail layout allows users to choose different experiences and to customize how far they'd like to travel on the trails.

Trillium Residential Development

= Forest & Hedgerows

12/30

Bridge & Observation Deck To the north of the Pavilion a trail leads to an accessible bridge and observation deck spanning a swale filled with existing lovely old oaks. The observation deck includes fixed bench seating and spaces for mobility devices. It is scaled to facilitate small classsizes, while allowing room for accessible circulation.

Trillium Housing

A public restroom facility is sited on CLC land to the southwest of the parking area. The restroom footprint is sized for two rooms, each with multiple stalls, and an additional accessible family bathroom. This could be a plumbed restroom with a septic system or composting toilets and hand washing sinks with UV treated rainwater catchment from the roof.

CLC Parking Lot The public parking area is bordered by trees for screening and shade. The lot is oriented east-west to maximize the number of spaces that are shaded by the trees to the south. The accessible parking spaces are located on this shady southern side near the trail head and restrooms. Between the parking lot and the trail head there is an informal gathering area with shaded seating to facilitate comfortable transitions to and from the parking.

Pavilion

A covered 25 x 25 foot pavilion with movable bench seating and tables accomodates outdoor gatherings and educational programming. A mown area maintained around the pavilion provides additional gathering space. Rainwater from the roof is directed into vegetated swales.

Bird Blind & Boardwalk

An accessible bird blind sits in the floodplain forest just outside the wetland, providing views of the floodplain to the west. The blind is accessed via boardwalks that cross the wetland swale to the south.

Perched Bird Blind A boardwalk extends from the top of the southern slope above the creek to an accessible elevated bird blind overlooking the creek and expanse of skunk cabbage below to the south. Visitors enjoy a treehouse like experience in the canopy of the remnant floodplain forest.

Habitat Housing

Gazebo & Water Station A small covered seating area and drinking fountain take advantage of the existing well in the southeast corner of CLC’s property. A solar powered pump is installed at the well to serve the water fountain and irrigation needs for newly planted vegetation. This gazebo provides an opportunity for rest after a walk through the sunny meadow which is left open aside from a patch of new poplars midway along the trail. It is also a point of connection from the Habitat property to the CLC trail system.

Trails All the trails onsite are graded for accessibility, with slopes under five percent, except for the alternate southern hilly route between the gazebo and the perched bird blind. To achieve this with minimal disturbance, trails meander based on the existing topography, with the gentle turns adding experiential interest as new views are revealed beyond the turns. Though wetlands are mostly avoided in the siting of the trails to minimize disturbance, boardwalks allow the trails to cross wetlands and wetter areas in a few locations. Benches and shade trees are added in key locations to improve the comfort and experience of trail users.

88 Village Hill Rd.Northampton, MA 01060 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu

Public Restrooms

Trillium Greenspace & Parking A gravel parking area is added to the east of the renovated barn. Paths from the parking lead to the barn and the mown outdoor gathering space defined by a multistory planting and vegetative screen to the west of the barn. Rain gardens, shade tree plantings, and ornamental shrubs and flowers add ecological, visual, and functional value to the residential spaces.

Vegetated Berm Fill and soil are added to create a vegetated raised berm and flanking swales along Route 9. Deciduous and coniferous trees and shrubs are incorporated into this multi-story vegetative buffer for year round visual screening and noise reduction.

Vegetative Screens Multistory hedgerows around the housing developments and parking areas screen views, creating a sense of privacy and defining the three organizations' parcels. Coniferous species are integrated where year round screening is desired, including on the northwest sides to block winter winds. Conifers are excluded from portions of the buffer where winter views would enhance the experience for residents. Native blooming and fruiting species are selected for the hedgerows closer to the residences, parking areas, and the multistory vegetation that defines the gathering area behind Trillium's Barn.

3571 US-9, Hudson, NY 12534

K Conventional playground structures and natural play structures are sited near the parking lot and bathrooms adjacent to the trail leading to the pavilion. Shade trees are planted on the south side of the parking lot and kid-friendly plant species are integrated into the play area, creating a comfortable environment and vegetative pockets for play that encourage nature connection. Benches and picnic tables situated on the south side under the shade trees provide seating with views of the play space and the meadow beyond. There is a mown area maintained around the play area.

Finding Common Ground

Natural Play Area

This design proposes using different management strategies for the different emerging plant communities on the site. Different mowing frequencies and selective removal and addition of species aims to increase biodiversity while preserving a range of successional stages. This benefits wildlife and creates variation for trail users. Areas of shrubland are maintained in and around the grassland and meadow. The forested areas around the creeks are expanded to occupy over half of the site, restoring the ecological and hydrologic benefits of floodplain forest past.

Final Design Features

13/30

In the design a majority of the site is restored as forest, expanding the existing treelines, floodplain forest, earlier successional coniferous forest, and young deciduous forest and allowing the forested areas to reach maturity. In the plant palettes on the following pages, the forest is discussed as floodplain forest and upland forest, though there is not a clear delineation between these two habitat types.

Wet Shrubland

Vegetated Berm

Meadow

Residential

Wet Meadow

Vegetative Screens

Vegetated Berm The earthen berm and layered native vegetation interrupt the line of sight between road traffic and the residences and conservation land and reduce roadway noise. A vegetated swale at the base of the berm captures, and filters stormwater runoff before it travels across the site to the wetlands. The design emphasizes salt-tolerant species near the roadway, with dense evergreen and deciduous shrubs and canopy trees providing year-round screening, habitat, and interest. The vegetated berm plant palette could be used interchangably with any vegetative screening, especially where more noise, road salt, or undesirable views are a concern. (Page 24)

The floodplain forest system can be understood as three interconnected zones that respond differently to flooding and soil conditions. The active floodplain occupies the lowest elevations and experiences frequent inundation, making it essential for flood storage, sediment deposition, water filtration, and habitat for wetland-dependent species. Slightly higher in elevation, the floodplain terrace supports diverse floodplain forest communities on fertile alluvial soils and serves as a critical corridor between wetlands, meadows, and upland habitats. Along the edges of the system, the floodplain–upland transition creates a highly diverse ecotone shaped by occasional flooding and better drained soils.

Meadow

The Upland Forest occupies higher, more quickly draining areas. Some of the forest in the design is wetland forest located above the floodplain. Though it lacks the well draining soils that define upland forests, recommendations for these areas are included on the Upland Forest plant palette page. Areas of upland black locust and American hornbeam may persist as young forest depending on how much is harvested for constructing boardwalks and other structures on the site. Young forest can benefit species such as the New England Cottontail (NYFOA). In the design, most forest edges are bordered by shrubland. Certain areas transition directly to meadow to provide a varied aesthetic experience for trail users. There are a few non-contiguous areas of forest surrounded by meadow or shrubland. These are sited to provide shade and to screen views along trails and near the playground and pavilion. (Pages 17 and 18)

Shrubland

Dry, Mesic

Wet

Dry, Mesic

Wet

The meadow and grassland restoration areas are the most open landscape specified in the site design. They will be referred to as meadow, though depending on the species composition that evolves, in response to existing conditions and management practices, some areas may be more accurately described as grassland. These habitats surround many of the trails and other educational and recreational features. The design features a sinuous meadow landscape, punctuated by areas of forest and shrubland. Due to the likelihood of domestic cats and dogs being present on the property, and the goals of stormwater management and increased biodiversity, a mosaic style meadow landscape, with ample biodiverse edge habitats, may make more sense than the larger uninterrupted expanses of grassland preferred by some ground nesting birds. “Wet meadow” occupies areas where water naturally collects and soils remain seasonally saturated. Having different soil conditions across the meadow can contribute to greater species diversity, and thus visual interest. (Page 15)

3571 US-9, Hudson, NY 12534

Shrubland

Upland & Floodplain

The species recommended and the concepts described on pages 26 and 27 provide inspiration and guidance for adding vegetation to the residential developments. Species from any of the palettes that match the site conditions could be integrated into the residential landscape. The species highlighted on the pages mentioned are charismatic species that are often integrated into more cultivated reidential garden spaces.

Finding Common Ground

Forest

Siting native species within the residential landscape is in keeping with the ethos of this project, showing how thoughtful housing developments can support ecological and conservation goals. Native residential plantings can facilitate opportunities to view birds and pollinators from the comfort and privacy of home.

Multistory hedgerows around the housing developments and parking areas screen views, creating a sense of privacy and defining the three organizations' parcels. Coniferous species can be integrated where year round screening is desired, including on the northwest sides to block winter winds. Conifers can be excluded from portions of the screens where winter views would enhance the experience for residents. Native blooming and fruiting species are selected for the hedgerows closer to the residences, parking areas, and the multistory vegetation that defines the gathering area behind Trillium's Barn.

Vegetation Zones

Forest

Residential

Vegetative Screens

The map on this page shows the different vegetation zones in the final design. The plant palettes on the following pages reccommend plant species that could be included in the different vegetation zones. Many of the plant species included in the conservation land palettes were selected from the New York Natural Heritage Program ecological communities that best matched existing vegetation and site conditions. The species indicated for identified communities were screened by native status, habitat preferences, and regional suitability using the Native Plant Trust Garden Plant Finder. Wildlife benefits and host plant value were informed by the National Wildlife Federation Native Plant Finder, which is based on the research of Douglas Tallamy and colleagues documenting native plant relationships with Lepidoptera and other wildlife.

88 Village Hill Rd.Northampton, MA 01060 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu

Vegetation Zones design intent & plant palette key

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88 Village Hill Rd.Northampton, MA 01060 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu

Meadow Plant Palettes & Design Details Botanical Name

Common Name

Growth Habit

Bloom Height Time

Pollinator Wildlife Bloom Color Soil Value Value

Lespedeza capitata

Bush clover

Forb

3-4'

Jul-Sep

Cream

Lespedeza hirta

Hairy bush clover

Forb

2-4'

Jul-Sep

White

Desmodium canadense

Showy tick trefoil

Forb

3-5'

Jul-Sep

Purple

D-M H

Monarda fistulosa

Wild bergamot

Forb

2-4'

Jul-Aug

Lavender

D-M VH

Rudbeckia hirta

Black-eyed Susan

Forb

2-3'

Jun-Sep Yellow

D-M H

Solidago nemoralis

Gray goldenrod

Forb

1-3'

Aug-Oct Yellow

D-M H

Solidago juncea

Early goldenrod

Forb

2-4'

Jul-Sep

Yellow

D-M H

Pycnanthemum muticum

Mountain mint

Forb

2-3'

Jul-Sep

White

D-M VH

Solidago rugosa

Rough goldenrod

Forb

3-5'

Aug-Oct Yellow

D-M VH

Schizachyrium scoparium

Little bluestem

Grass

2-4'

Aug-Oct Tan

D-M L

Elymus virginicus

Virginia wild rye

Grass

2-4'

Jun-Jul

D-M L

Design Intent and Management

Panicum virgatum

Switchgrass

Grass

3-6'

Aug-Oct Tan

D-M L

Asclepias syriaca

Common milkweed Forb

3-5'

Jun-Aug Pink

Coreopsis tripteris

Tall coreopsis

Forb

4-7'

Jul-Sep

Yellow

Symphyotrichum novaeangliae

New England aster Forb

3-6'

Aug-Oct Purple

Symphyotrichum lateriflorum

Calico aster

Forb

2-4'

Sep-Oct White

Fragaria virginiana

Wild strawberry

G.Cover 4-8"

Apr-May White

The areas of meadow in the design are currently cultivated agricultural fields in the north and old field or emerging shrubland in the south. Different approaches will be required to convert these existing land covers to meadow. It is possible that the agricultural fields can be seeded with little additional preparation, depending on how past management practices have impacted the seedbank in these areas. Repeat tilling, flame weeding with a tractor mounted flame weeder, or cover cropping could help prepare the cultivated fields for meadow establishment.

Rubus flagellaris

Northern dewberry

G.Cover 6-12"

May-Jun White

Andropogon gerardii

Big bluestem

Grass

4-7'

Aug-Oct Tan

Sorghastrum nutans

Indian grass

Grass

4-6'

Aug-Oct Gold

Asclepias incarnata

Swamp milkweed

Forb

3-5'

Jul-Aug

Pink

Chelone glabra

White turtlehead

Forb

2-4'

Aug-Oct White

Eupatorium perfoliatum

Boneset

Forb

3-5'

Jul-Sep

White

Lobelia siphilitica

Great blue lobelia

Forb

2-4'

Aug-Sep Blue

Purple-stemmed Symphyotrichum puniceum aster

Forb

3-6'

Aug-Oct Purple

Forb

3-5'

Jul-Sep

Blue

Juncus effusus

Soft rush

Rush

2-4'

Jun-Aug Brown

Carex stricta

Tussock sedge

Sedge

2-3'

Apr-May Brown

Carex vulpinoidea

Fox sedge

Sedge

2-3'

May-Jun Brown

Showy Northeast Native Wildflower & Grass Seed Mix

Grasses and Seed Mix - Ernst wildflower mix for dry Conservation upland areas.

D-M

Low-Growing Wildflower & Grass Mix

Tolerant of annual Seed Mix - Ernst mowing, for along Conservation constant paths.

D-M

OBL-FACW Perennial Food & Cover Wetland Seed Mix

Seed Mix - Ernst Wetland restoration Conservation and mitigation mix.

Edible fruit, may need to be cooked for human consumption Appropriate for wet soil conditions

White Turtlehead

Long-term management, including rotational mowing and invasive species monitoring and intervention, will be necessary to maintain this early successional meadow habitat. Without regular mowing, the meadows will transition to shrubland or young forest. Especially in the wet meadow, mowing when the ground is frozen would help protect the sensitive soils and reduce risk of compaction.

New England Aster

Soil Moisture

Pollinator & Wildlife Value

W = Wet

L= Low

H = High

M = Mesic

M = Medium

VH = Very High

D = Dry

The planting palettes are not intended to represent exhaustive species lists for each ecological community or the full diversity that could potentially occur on the site. Rather, they present a curated selection of species chosen for their ecological suitability, compatibility with one another, establishment potential, and aesthetic qualities.

The plant species and seed mixes indicated for mesic or dry soils are appropriate for the drier portions of the meadow (shown on the map as yellow) while species and seed mixes indicated for wet soils are best suited to wetter portions of the meadow (shown on the map in yellow-green.) In areas where soil moisture may be variable, such as wetland buffers, a mix of species preferring wet, mesic, and dry soils can be used.

Many of the wetter areas of existing meadow, old field, and shrubland are currently colonized by reed canary grass and Phragmites, both of which are capable of outcompeting other species to form monocultures. In the design, most of the wetter areas on the site are converted to shrubland or forest, as these habitat types require less disturbance for maintenance and are more likely to outcompete the existing reed canary grass. Elimination of existing patches of reed canary grass and phragmites from the area specified as meadow in the design, and careful monitoring and early intervention to prevent new establishment of these competitive species, will be crucial components to stewarding diverse wet meadows.

To convert areas of old field or shrubland to meadow, existing buckthorn, autumn olive, honeysuckle, and other shrubs should be removed through mechanical or targeted chemical management practices. Meadow can be established through plowing and tilling to establish a seed bed or through less intensive methods, such as seed drilling or mowing and flame weeding areas to be planted with plugs or overseeded. A mixture of methods can be employed, guided by site conditions and by how much disturbance seems feasible and ecologically appropriate.

3571 US-9, Hudson, NY 12534

Blue vervain

Wild Strawberry

Wet

Finding Common Ground

Verbena hastata

Dry, Mesic

Meadow

Green

Little Bluestem

15/30

Bloom Time

Bloom Soil Color

Pollinator Wildlife Value Value

Rhus glabra

Smooth sumac

Shrub

8-15'

Jun-Jul

Yellow D

Corylus americana

American hazelnut

Shrub

8–15'

Mar–Apr Yellow D–M

Rhus typhina

Staghorn sumac

Shrub

10-20' Jun-Jul

D-M

Rubus flagellaris

Northern dewberry

G.Cover 6-12"

May-Jun White D-M

Vaccinium angustifolium

Lowbush blueberry

Shrub

1-2'

May-Jun White D-M

Allium cernuum

Nodding onion

Forb

1-2'

Jul-Aug

Pink

D-M

Linum medium var. texanum

Texas wild flax

Forb

1-2'

Jun-Jul

Blue

D-M

Solidago rigida var. rigida

Stiff goldenrod

Forb

3-5'

Aug-Oct

Yellow D-M

Aronia melanocarpa

Black chokeberry

Shrub

3-6'

Apr-May White D-M-W H

Pycnanthemum muticum

Mountain mint

Forb

2-3'

Jul-Sep

Rubus allegheniensis

Common blackberry Shrub

4-8'

May-Jun White M

Rubus idaeus var. strigosus

Wild red raspberry

Shrub

3-6'

May-Jun White M

Rubus occidentalis

Black raspberry

Shrub

3-6'

Apr-May White M

Agrimonia rostellata

Woodland agrimony Forb

2-4'

Jul-Sep

Yellow M

Frasera caroliniensis

Green gentian

Forb

4-8'

Jul-Aug

Green M

Monarda clinopodia

Basil balm

Forb

2-4'

Jul-Aug

White M

Sabatia angularis

Rose pink

Forb

1-3'

Jul-Sep

Pink

Sisyrinchium mucronatum

Blue-eyed grass

Forb

1-2'

May-Jun Blue

Cornus racemosa

Gray dogwood

Shrub

6-15'

May-Jun White M

Shrub

6-10'

May-Jun White M

Viburnum dentatum var. lucidum Smooth arrowwood

Red

White D-M-W VH

Viburnum lentago

Nannyberry

Shrub

10-18' May-Jun White M

Cornus amomum

Silky dogwood

Shrub

6-12'

May-Jun White W

Cornus sericea

Red-osier dogwood

Shrub

6-10'

May-Jun White W

Salix candida

Sageleaf Willow

Shrub

Apr-May White W

Salix exigua

Narrow Leaf Willow

Shrub

55'

Mar-Jun

White W

Salix petiolaris

Meadow Willow

Shrub

20'

Apr-Jun

Purple W

Sambucus canadensis

American elderberry Shrub

6-12'

Jun-Jul

White W-M

Vaccinium corymbosum

Highbush blueberry

6-10'

May-Jun White W-M

Staghorn Sumac

Shrub

Edible fruit, may need to be cooked for human consumption

Soil

Pollinator & Wildlife Value

W = Wet

L= Low

H = High

Appropriate for wet soil conditions

M = Mesic

M = Medium

VH = Very High

Blueberry

Dry, Mesic

Design Intent and Management

Blackberry

Mountain Mint

D = Dry

American Hazelnut

Red-Osier Dogwood

Wet

Nannyberry

The shrubland serves as transitional habitat between the open grassland & meadow systems and the surrounding forested communities. Shrublands provide wildlife cover, forage, and nesting sites. Shrublands support species that benefit from or depend on dense, early-successional vegetation, including birds, pollinators, and small mammals like the New England cottontail. In this design, most of the transitional shrubland buffers are at least twenty feet in width, as recommended by the New York Forest Owner’s Association. The placement of the shrubland is also intended to preserve, screen, or frame open views from the trails for a varied user experience. There are some wider areas of shrubland in the design that extend beyond transitional edge zones, such as the patch of wet shrubland in the south of the meadow. Shrublands with wetter soil are of particular value as their dense vegetation provides thicker cover which benefits certain species, like the declining American Woodcock. The planting palette emphasizes native mowable, thicket-forming shrubs, berry-producing species, and herbaceous plants to provide structural diversity, varied forage, and seasonal interest. The herbaceous plants recommended in the palette are listed as rare species in the New York Natural Heritage Program’s Successional Shrubland Guide. The seed mixes and plant species recommended on the Meadow/Grassland Planting Palette (page 15) can also be incorporated into the shrublands during earlier stages of succession from existing cultivated or old fields. Edible berry-producing shrubs may be concentrated near trail intersections, educational areas, and gathering spaces to encourage human engagement with the landscape while also supporting wildlife. Active management will be necessary to maintain this habitat over time. Without periodic disturbance, successional shrublands naturally transition into young forests and eventually mature forests. Mowing on a three to five year cycle with a brush hog or forestry mulcher is a good option for maintaining shrublands. To preserve the ecological value of this habitat system, management should occur outside of peak bird breeding and nesting periods and should promote patches of varying ages and densities across the landscape through rotational management. Winter mowing once the ground is frozen can help prevent soil compaction, especially on wetter soils which are more prone to compaction.

3571 US-9, Hudson, NY 12534

Height

Finding Common Ground

Growth Habit

Common Name

Shrubland

Botanical Name

88 Village Hill Rd.Northampton, MA 01060 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu

Shrubland Plant Palettes & Design Details

16/30

88 Village Hill Rd.Northampton, MA 01060 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu

Upland Forest Plant Palettes & Design Details Canopy Pollinator Wildlife Value Value

Soil

Acer rubrum

Red Maple

Tree, large

40-70'

M-M H

Acer saccharum

Sugar Maple

Tree, large

60-80'

Betula alleghaniensis Yellow Birch

Tree, large

50-75'

M-W L

Paper Birch

Tree, large

50-70'

Betula papyrifera

High

Carya cordiformis

Bitternut Hickory

Tree, large

50-80'

M-M L

Carya glabra

Pignut Hickory

Tree, large

50-80'

D-M L

Carya ovata

Shagbark Hickory

Tree, large

60-80'

Pinus strobus

Eastern White Pine Tree, large

80-150'

D-M L

Prunus serotina

Black Cherry

Tree, large

50-80'

Quercus alba

White Oak

Tree, large

60-100'

D-M M

Yellow Birch Soil Moisture W = Wet

Quercus velutina

Black Oak

Tree, large

50-80'

D-M M

M = Mesic

Acer pensylvanicum

Striped Maple

Tree, small

15-25'

Tree, small

15-20'

D = Dry Pollinator & Wildlife Value

Tree, small

25-40'

D-M L

Hamamelis virginiana Witch Hazel Ostrya virginiana

Hophornbeam

Winterberry

Upland & Floodplain

L= Low

H = High

M = Medium

VH = Very High

Shrubs and Understory

Canopy

Botanical Name

Common Name

Bloom Growth Habit Height Time

Alnus incana ssp. rugosa

Speckled Alder

Shrub, large

10-20'

Bloom Color

Mar-Apr Brown

Soil

Pollinator Value

Wildlife Value

Lindera benzoin

Spicebush

Shrub

6-12'

Mar-Apr Yellow

M-W H

Viburnum nudum var. cassinoides

Wild Raisin

Shrub

6-12'

May-Jun White

Vaccinium corymbosum

Highbush Blueberry

Shrub

6-12'

May

White

Ilex verticillata

Winterberry Holly

Shrub

6-12'

May-Jun White

Thalictrum pubescens

Tall Meadow Rue

Forb

3-6'

Jun-Jul

White

Solidago caesia

Blue-stem Goldenrod

Forb

1-3'

Aug-Oct Yellow

D-M VH

Solidago bicolor

Silverrod

Forb

1-3'

Aug-Oct White

D-M VH

Apr–May Maroon

Trillium erectum

Red Trillium

Forb

8–18"

M-W M

Podophyllum peltatum

Mayapple

Forb

12-18" Apr-May White

Maianthemum racemosum

False Solomon's Seal

Forb

18-36" May-Jun White

Hepatica americana

Round-lobed Hepatica

Forb

4-8"

Mar-Apr Lavender M

Geum canadense

White Avens

Forb

2-4'

Jun-Aug White

Circaea canadensis

Enchanter's Nightshade Forb

12-24" Jul-Aug

White

Aralia nudicaulis

Wild Sarsaparilla

Forb

12-24" May-Jun White

Actaea racemosa

Black Cohosh

Forb

4-6'

Jul-Aug

White

Actaea pachypoda

White Baneberry

Forb

18-30" Apr-May White

Osmundastrum cinnamomeum

Cinnamon Fern

Fern

2-5'

N/A

Osmunda regalis var. spectabilis

Royal Fern

Fern

2-5'

N/A

Onoclea sensibilis

Sensitive Fern

Fern

1-3'

N/A

Carex stricta

Tussock Sedge

Sedge

2-3'

May-Jun Brown

Carex radiata

Eastern Star Sedge

Sedge

12-18" May

Carex pensylvanica

Pennsylvania Sedge

Sedge

6-12"

Apr-May Green

Green

D-M L

Carex albicans

White-tinged Sedge

Sedge

8-18"

Apr-May Green

D-M L

Mitchella repens

Partridge Berry

G.Cover

2-4"

May-Jul

White

Maianthemum canadense

Canada Mayflower

G.Cover

4-8"

May-Jun White

Gaultheria procumbens

Wintergreen

G.Cover

4-6"

Jul-Aug

D-M M

White

Edible fruit, may need to be cooked for human consumption Appropriate for wet soil conditions

Botanical Name

Common Name Intent Growth Height Soil Design andHabit Management

Acer rubrum

Red Maple

Quercus alba

White Oak

Pollinator Wildlife Value Value

Tree, large 40-70' M-M H H The plant palettes for the upland forest restoration areas are informed Acer saccharum Sugar Maple Tree, large 60-80' M M High selected based by three native New York State ecological communities Black Cheryy Betula alleghaniensis Yellow on Birch Tree, large on the 50-75' L H existing vegetation site andM-W regional vegetation patterns: Red Maple–Hardwood Swamp, Successional Pine–Northern Hardwood Forest, Betula papyrifera Paper Birch Tree, large 50-70' M L H and Appalachian Forest. Carya cordiformis Bitternut Hickory Tree, Oak–Hickory–Hophornbeam large 50-80' M-M L VH Species should be sited based on existing conditions and emerging plant Carya glabra Pignut Hickory Tree, large 50-80' D-M L VH communities which can serve as indicators of existing conditions. The palette is organized by Carya ovata Shagbark Hickory Tree, large 60-80' M L VH soil moisture and forest structure. Ideally, canopy trees, understory trees, Pinus strobus Eastern White Pine Tree, large 80-150' D-M L VH shrubs, and forbs, ferns, or other ground cover are all present in all areas of Prunus serotina Black Cherry Tree, large 50-80' M H VH upland forest. Tree, large

60-100'

D-M M

In upland old fields and shrublands currently with growing populations of Quercus velutina Black Oak Tree, large this50-80' D-M M an opportunity VH invasive shrub species, palette provides to transition Acer pensylvanicum Stripedlow-diversity Maple Tree, small into 15-25' M Mand structurally M shrublands more resilient diverse native Hamamelis virginiana Witch Hazel Tree, small 15-20' willMgradually VH shade H out and suppress forests. Expanding canopy cover some invasive shrub populations. Monitoring and management for invasive Ostrya virginiana Hophornbeam Tree, small 25-40' D-M L H species will still be necessary, especially in and along forest edges and gaps. Sugar Maple There are forest species from the plant palette naturally germinating and growing (volunteering) in existing old fields and shrublands that will be converted into meadow in the design. These young trees represent hyperlocal ecotypes that are likely well-adapted to conditions on the site. There is ecological and economic value in allowing volunteer seed-grown trees to mature in place. Young stands of trees can be selectively thinned to speed the maturation of remaining saplings.

Royal Fern

Invasive species pressure in these emerging young forests is also high. Managing invasives without disturbing newly established, desired species would be labor intensive. This approach, which would require meticulous management, may be more feasible if isolated to priority areas identified based on location, the emerging plant species, and the level of invasive species pressure. Saplings and other desired plant species could also be relocated to a nursery and then returned to the site, allowing the plants to mature while invasive species pressure is reduced.

3571 US-9, Hudson, NY 12534

Height

Finding Common Ground

Growth Habit

Common Name

Upland Forest

Botanical Name

17/30

Black walnut

Tree, large 50-75'

Spread Light

Soil

Bloom Time

Bloom Color

Seasonal Interest of Wildlife Value of Note Note

50-75'

Sun

May

Green

Edible nuts

Jun

Yellow

Tilia americana

American basswood

Tree, large 60-80'

40-60'

PSh

Carya cordiformis

Bitternut hickory

Tree, large 50-80'

35-50'

Sun/PSh M

Birds, mammals

Fragrant flowers

Pollinators

Apr-May Green

Golden buds

Wildlife

Purple fruits

Celtis occidentalis

Hackberry

Tree, med. 40-60'

40-60'

Sun/PSh M

Apr-May Green

Carpinus caroliniana

American hornbeam

Tree, small 20-35'

20-30'

PSh/Sh

Apr-May Discrete Muscular bark

Birds, butterflies Birds

Ostrya virginiana

Hophornbeam

Tree, small 25-40'

20-30'

PSh

Apr-May Discrete Hop-like fruit

Birds

Cornus racemosa

Gray dogwood

Shrub

8-15'

8-12'

Sun/PSh M

May-Jun White

White berries

Birds

Carex blanda

Woodland sedge

Sedge

1-2'

PSh/Sh

Apr-May Brown

Fine texture

Birds

Ageratina altissima

White snakeroot

Forb

2-5'

2-3'

PSh/Sh

Aug-Oct White

Late nectar

Pollinators

Polygonatum biflorum

Solomon's seal

Forb

1-3'

1-2'

PSh/Sh

Apr-May White

Blue-black berries

Pollinators

Impatiens capensis

Jewelweed

Forb

2-5'

2-3'

PSh

Jul-Sep

Seed dispersal

Hummingbirds

Orange

Symphyotrichum novaeangliae New England aster

Forb

3-6'

2-3'

Sun

Aug-Oct Purple

Late season bloom

Pollinators

Matteuccia struthiopteris Ostrich fern

Fern

3-5'

3-4'

PSh/Sh

None

Architectural form

Birds

None

Ulmus americana

American elm

Tree, large 60-80'

50-70'

Sun/PSh M-W Mar-Apr Discrete Vase form

Acer negundo

Boxelder

Tree, med. 30-60'

30-50'

Sun/PSh M-W Mar-Apr Discrete Early nectar source Pollinators

Lindera benzoin

Spicebush

Shrub

6-12'

PSh

6-12'

M-W Apr

Yellow White

Red berries

Birds

Upland & Floodplain

Birds, swallowtails

Sambucus canadensis

American elderberry

Shrub

5-12'

5-10'

Sun/PSh M-W Jun-Jul

Purple berries

Birds, humans

Sambucus racemosa

Red Elderberry

Shrub

6–12'

6–10'

Sun/PSh M-W Apr–May White

Red berries

Pollinators, birds

Blue fruits

Birds

Discrete Winter seed heads

Birds

Viburnum dentatum

Arrowwood viburnum Shrub

6-10'

PSh/Sun M-W May-Jun White

Elymus riparius

Riverbank wild rye

Grass

3-5'

2-3'

Sun/PSh M-W Jul-Aug

Arisaema triphyllum

Jack-in-the-pulpit

Forb

1-3'

1-2'

PSh/Sh

M-W Apr-May Green

Red berries

Birds

Mertensia virginica

Virginia bluebells

Forb

1-2'

PSh

M-W Apr-May Blue

Spring ephemeral

Pollinators

3-5'

Solidago rugosa

Rough goldenrod

Forb

Acer saccharinum

Silver maple

Tree, large 60-90'

2-3'

Sun/PSh M-W Aug-Oct Yellow

50-70'

Sun/PSh W

Winter seed heads

Mar-Apr Discrete Yellow fall color

Design Intent and Management

Pollinators, birds Birds, pollinators

Platanus occidentalis

American sycamore

Tree, large 75-100' 60-80'

Sun

Apr-May Discrete Exfoliating bark

Birds, pollinators

Populus deltoides

Eastern cottonwood

Tree, large 70-100' 50-70'

Sun

Mar-Apr Discrete Fast-growing

Birds, mammals

Fraxinus pennsylvanica

Green ash

Tree, med. 50-70'

35-45'

Sun/PSh W

Apr-May Discrete Yellow fall color

Birds

M = Mesic

Cornus amomum

Silky dogwood

Shrub

6-12'

6-10'

PSh/Sun W

May-Jun White

Blue fruits

Birds, pollinators

D = Dry

Ilex verticillata

Winterberry

Shrub

6-10'

Sun/PSh W

May-Jun White

Red winter berries

Birds

Carex stricta

Tussock sedge

Sedge

2-3'

Sun/PSh W

Apr-May Brown

Winter structure

Birds, amphibians

Pollinator & Wildlife Value

Asclepias incarnata

Swamp milkweed

Forb

3-5'

2-3'

Sun

Jul-Aug

Pink

Seed pods

Pollinators

Eupatorium perfoliatum

Boneset

Forb

3-5'

2-3'

Sun/PSh W

Jul-Sep

White

Winter seed heads

Pollinators, birds

Onoclea sensibilis

Sensitive fern

Fern

2-4'

2-3'

PSh/Sh

None

Winter fertile fronds Birds

Soil Moisture W = Wet

L= Low M = Medium H = High VH = Very High

Edible fruit, may need to be cooked for human consumption Appropriate for wet soil conditions

At Bell's Pond, the floodplain forest can function as both a protected ecological reserve and a connective landscape that strengthens ecosystem resilience across the site. Restoration efforts prioritizing native vegetation communities, habitat connectivity, and natural stormwater processes while carefully balancing opportunities for public access and environmental education will benefit the sites diversity. Low-impact trails, boardwalks, and designated observation areas can provide meaningful experiences within the landscape while protecting sensitive ecological resources. These are explored in the Trail Features page 19.The floodplain system can be understood as three interconnected zones that respond differently to flooding and soil conditions. The active floodplain occupies the lowest elevations and experiences frequent inundation, making it essential for flood storage, sediment deposition, water filtration, and habitat for wetland-dependent species. Slightly higher in elevation, the floodplain terrace supports diverse floodplain forest communities on fertile alluvial soils and serves as a critical corridor between wetlands, meadows, and upland habitats. Along the edges of the system, the floodplain–upland transition creates a highly diverse ecotone where occasional flooding and well-drained soils support pollinators, wildlife movement, and resilient habitat connections throughout the property. Adopting a long term stewardship focusing plan maintaining natural hydrologic processes, controlling invasive species, enhancing native vegetation structure, directing public use to designated pathways, and increasing climate resilience across the landscape can have a significant impact on the sites diversity and flood resilience. These management strategies work together to strengthen ecological function while supporting Columbia Land Conservancy's goals of increasing biodiversity, conserving ecological resources, improving climate resilience, and creating meaningful opportunities for public engagement with the landscape.

American Basswood

American Sycamore

Boneset

Swamp Milkweed

3571 US-9, Hudson, NY 12534

Juglans nigra

Height

Finding Common Ground

Growth Habit

Common Name

Floodplain Forest

Botanical Name

88 Village Hill Rd.Northampton, MA 01060 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu

Floodplain Forest Plant Palettes & Design Details

18/30

88 Village Hill Rd.Northampton, MA 01060 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu

Trails and Design Elements

Thresholds & Frames

A single landscape or design feature can create an experience that resonates with someone enough to call them back to a place again and again. For Marissa, Columbia Land Conservancy’s Special Projects Advisor and a primary client for this project, and other visitors to the site the big old oak along the creek in the southwest corner of the Bell’s Pond Site had this effect. The Bell’s Pond Site is a beautiful place, but it is less majestic than some nearby public conservation areas which boast waterfalls, expansive river views, and more prominent and consistent mountain views. Some simple design decisions can help create user experiences that spark a sense of wonder and curiosity, making it an even more appealing destination.

Intentional thresholds have been used by cultures around the world from ancient to modern times. These thresholds can be an arboreal archway, like the pine arch existing on the southernmost trail at Bell’s Pond, stones set alongside a path, or an artistically crafted gateway or arbor. Such thresholds add visual interest and a reminder to appreciate the experiences facilitated by the space they help define. Similarly, frames that draw attention to a certain element in the landscape or view can be intentionally planted or constructed.

View of the proposed pavilion, field grown oak, and meadow as one enters the conservation land from the parking area

Reveal & Approach Views that are obscured and then revealed can pique people’s interest by creating a sense of intrigue and surprise. This can be achieved through views that are revealed around a bend, at the top of a slope, or through a break in vegetation. The trails in this design follow the gently curving contours of the site to maintain accessible grade and to facilitate these moments of reveal. In several stretches of trail in the Bell’s Pond Site design, views are revealed and then obscured repeatedly along the trail from different angles and distances. Sightlines to destinations on the trail or attractive features along the trail provide a sense of shifting scale and allow users to orient themselves while anticipating an arrival or approach to a pleasant sight. Curving edges of habitat types interact with the trails to create varied visibility, such as where views of the poofy & stately fieldgrown pine in the northern scrubland appear and disappear behind the vegetation creating a game of hide and seek. When entering the site from the parking area, both the field grown pine at the center of the heart and the pavilion are visible (as shown top, center), giving cues to trail users about what lies ahead on different trails before they return into thicker vegetation.

Existing Pine Threshold on Southern Trail, looking west

Surprise, Play & Art Though not specified in the design, artistic touches to functional features and land based sculpture can inspire trail goers, creating a sense of creative human connection within a naturalized landscape. A stone throne overlooking the creek might convince a child to make a long trek through nature that they might otherwise resist. Such design features can give the imagination a place to land and can amplify the sense of wonder and appreciation that people feel when exploring different ecological habitats.

View from the existing southern trail of the Poofy Pine and prospect to the north

Sculptural Stone Throne in Rockport Maine provides a places for contemplation, observation, or play

3571 US-9, Hudson, NY 12534

A view of the southern existing trail

Finding Common Ground

The existing Grand Oak along the western creek

In addition to views and sightlines, the degree of enclosure created by topography or vegetation impacts people’s instinctive sense of well-being in a space. Being too closed in or too exposed can make people feel ill-at ease. The design strives to find a balance by creating spaces that are backed by vegetation on one side and open on another. These aesthetic and experiential considerations should be tempered with an ecological understanding. For example, vegetation may need to be denser for the sake of ecologic and hydrologic functioning, resulting in a more enclosed trail experience in hydrologically sensitive areas like the swales on the site.

Trails and Design Elements

Prospect & Refuge

19/30

All trails in the design except for a short southern section between the gazebo and the pine arch are sited so that grade doesn't exceed five percent in keeping with FSTAG standards. To achieve this the trail follow the natural contours of the site and incorporates one section of switch backs in the south on the accessible loop to the Grand Old Oak.

Building and site code compliance

Environmental review and Subject to NYS wetland permitting may apply permitting requirements

Surface Requirements

Firm, stable, and slipresistant

Firm and stable

Stabilized crushed stone, boardwalks, ramps

36 in minimum

36 in minimum; 60 in preferred

5 ft preferred accessible trail width

5% preferred; 8.33% maximum for ramps

5% unlimited; up to 12% for short segments

Primary accessible routes maintained at ≤5%

2% maximum

5% maximum on natural surfaces; 2% on paved/elevated surfaces

≤2% preferred throughout

Ramps at structures

Required where grades exceed 5%

Located at key destinations and gathering areas

Trail Width Running Slope Cross Slope Rest Areas Passing Spaces

Required every 1,000 ft Required where routes when width is less than 60 Incorporated along are constrained in accessible routes

Environmental Flexibility

Allows documented exceptions to protect resources

Minimal flexibility

ADA Compliant Design Details The Americans with Disabilties Act (ADA) focuses on standards that support accessibility in the built environement. This includes areas associated with buildings, sidewalks, and restrooms. The final design includes ADA compliant parking lots, restrooms, pavilions, and programming spaces. Trillium has expressed interest in using the renovated barn for gathering and events. An accessibility ramp is in the design detail of the Trillium barn on page 25, located on the side of the barn adjacent to the parking lot. Installing an ADA accessible restroom in the barn would support a higher standard of accessibility for this space. In the design concepts for Trilliums's residential landscape shown on page 26, ADA pedestrian paths are the primary way of navigating the neighborhood.

Natural areas are preserved with FSTAG

All-Person's Accessible Trail Standards: FSTAG

Category

Cornus × "Constellation"

Constellation Dogwood

Feature Tree

Ostrya virginiana

American Hophornbeam Feature Tree

Feature Tree

American Plum

Fruit Tree

Grove At Driveway Edge

Grass/Sedge

Foundation Bed Foundation Bed

Bee Balm

Perennial

Spring flowers, fall Protected accent near ramp Parking Lot Path 18-25 18-25 Sun/PSh color and parking lot entrance

25-40 20-30 Sun/PSh Durable structure

Buffer and as feature tree. Nice rounded form.

10-20 10-20 Sun

Flowers, edible fruit

Seperates gathering area from driveway. Can form thicket. Edible.

2-4

1.5-2 Sun

Winter texture

Pollinator gardens

3-4

2-3

Sun/PSh Summer flowers Long bloom season

Pollinator gardens

Echinacea purpurea

Purple Coneflower

Perennial

Foundation Bed

2-4

1.5-2 Sun

Pycnanthemum muticum

Mountain Mint

Perennial

Foundation Bed

2-3

Sun/PSh Pollinator support

Pollinator gardens

Symphyotrichum laeve

Smooth Aster

Perennial

Foundation Bed

2-4

2-3

Sun

Pollinator gardens Feature in buffers.

Viburnum opulus var. Wentworth American americanum "Wentworth" Cranberrybush

Late blooms

Pollinator gardens

Shrub

Buffer Edge

8-12

Flowers, fruit, fall 8-12 Sun/PSh color

4-6

Sun/PSh Fruit and fall color

Edge of patio. Edible berries.

3-5

PSh/FSh Summer blooms

Near herb raised beds and along patio

5–8

White flowers; Sun/PSh exfoliating bark

Shrub meadow, sunny edges.

Aronia melanocarpa

Black Chokeberry

Shrub

Edge of Patio, Herb Garden

Hydrangea arborescens

Smooth Hydrangea

Shrub

Edge of Patio. West Stairs.

Physocarpus opulifolius

Ninebark

Shrub

Shrub Meadow Phy. Coppice

2–4

3–5

Shrub Meadow Coppice

3–5

Shrub Meadow Hyp. Coppice

3–4

Ceanothus americanus

New Jersey Tea

Shrub

Shrub Meadow Cea. Coppice

Spiraea alba

Meadowsweet

Shrub

Sp.

Hypericum prolificum

Shrubby St. John's Wort Shrub

Sunny meadow edges, dry slopes

3–5

Sun

White summer flowers

Shrub meadow, can take wetter conditions.

3–4

Sun

Bright yellow midsummer flowers

Shrub meadow, sunny edges. Scent and blooms. Pollinator bed at barn foundation, shrub meadow. Foundation masses. Small snow break.

Shrub Meadow Coppice and Foundation Bed

3–5

3–6

Fragrant white flowers; excellent Sun/PSh fall color

5-8

Evergreen FSh/PSh structure

Itea virginica

Virginia Sweetspire

Shrub

Ilex glabra

Inkberry Holly

Evergreen

Not Placed

5-8

Picea glauca

White Spruce

Evergreen

Not Placed

30-60 15-25 FSh

Not Placed

Evergreen 25-40 10-15 FSh/PSh screening

Property edges Groundcover for shaded areas. Pollinator gardens.

Thuja occidentalis

Eastern Arborvitae

Evergreen

It.

Sun

Late spring white flowers; seed for wildlife

PS-S

Evergreen structure

Groundcover

Building anchors

Carex pensylvanica

Pennsylvania Sedge

Grass/Sedge

Not Placed

0.5-1

1-2

Viburnum dentatum

Arrowwood Viburnum

Shrub

Not Placed

6-10

Flowers and 6-10 FSh/PSh berries

Transition areas

Clethra alnifolia

Summersweet

Shrub

Not Placed

4-8

FSh/PSh Fragrant flowers

Gathering spaces

Diervilla lonicera

Bush Honeysuckle

Shrub

Not Placed

2–4

3–5

Yellow flowers; red Shrub meadow, sunny Sun-PSh fall color edges.

Fothergilla gardenii

Dwarf Fothergilla

Shrub

Not Placed

2-3

3-4

Flowers and fall Sun-PSh color

Trillium Barn

Accent locations

Perspective Looking South West From Barn Patio

View A

Design Intent The Trillium Barn landscape is designed as a welcoming and accessible community destination that supports education and gathering. Accessible paths, a 24' ramp, with DGA path and reinforced turf parking provide access while accommodating occasional overflow parking and service vehicles without compromising the site's natural character. Layered native plantings, flowering trees, meadows, and vegetated buffers frame outdoor gathering spaces, community gardens, and flexible lawn areas. An American plum grove screens the Trillium driveway, providing blooms and edible plums. The east side of the barn features a colorful native planting bed designed to be low maintenance and showcase the versatility and beauty of native plants in a more formal setting. An herb garden and small cut-flower and snacking garden flank the existing patio. New stairs on west provide better access.

Finding Common Ground

Monarda didyma

Recommended Location (Not all featured in plan)

Schizachyrium scoparium Little Bluestem

Height Width Sun (ft) (ft) Exposure Seasonal Interest

Planting Plan for Barn Entry

3571 US-9, Hudson, NY 12534

Common Name

Prunus americana

View A

Map Key Design Zone

Botanical Name

88 Village Hill Rd.Northampton, MA 01060 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu

Trillium Barn Plant Palettes & Design Details

25/30

88 Village Hill Rd.Northampton, MA 01060 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu

Trillium Neighborhood Concept Rather than dispersing homes across the landscape, the Trillium neighborhood clusters residences around a shared common, preserving larger contiguous open spaces while creating opportunities for daily interaction among residents. Careful planning is needed to make sure house siting, stormwater management, circulation routes, and vegetation work in concert to create a functional, beautiful, and environmentally sound residential space.

Solar Orientation & Site Planning Homes are positioned to maximize passive solar performance by orienting primary living spaces and windows toward the south. This orientation increases winter solar gain, improves daylighting, and creates sunny locations for edible gardens and outdoor living while reducing heating demands. Deciduous shade trees and thoughtfully placed vegetation help moderate summer temperatures without limiting winter sunlight.

Visible stormwater infrastructure, such as dry rivers, rain gardens, vegetated swales, can add interest to the residential landscape. Runoff from roofs, pavement, and other impervious surfaces is directed into planted systems that slow, filter, and infiltrate rainfall before it reaches adjacent wetlands. Concentrating treatment near its source improves water quality, reduces runoff volume, supports groundwater recharge, and allows runoff to cool before it reaches nearby waterways. Additonally, there is opportunity for wildlife watering areas within the network of rain gardens. Catchment areas can pool water for amphibians and birds, while allowing ample overflow into the system during storm events.

Incorporating native shade trees to the south and west of paved surfaces and parking areas helps to create a more comfortable environment and reduce deleterious ecological effects of hot pavement and runoff.

Bioswales, tree islands, and landscaped infiltration areas are incorporated throughout parking areas to capture, redirect, and treat runoff.

Stormwater Management

Accessible pedestrian pathways connect every home to shared amenities, including parking, gardens, and adjacent trail systems. Gentle grades, firm and stable walking surfaces, and accessible crossings over bioswales allow comfortable movement for residents of all ages and abilities. Prioritizing pedestrian circulation over vehicles creates a safer, healthier, and more socially connected neighborhood.

Permeable pavement may be appropriate in select locations where soils and long-term maintenance support its performance. However, conventional paving combined with well-designed green infrastructure and stormwater management is often more reliable, low maintenance, and cost-effective.

Vegetation Attractive, native trees, shrubs, grasses, and flowering perennials provide fourseason interest. Layered plantings soften the structures, break up the denser housing layout with green space, and help define private and shared recreational space, as well as transitions between the houses. The use of native plants in the landscape contributes to a connected habitat that extends from the conservation lands into the residential neighborhood, supporting pollinators, birds, and other wildlife just outside the home. The plant palette on page 27 and 28 provide suggestions for native plant species that are well-suited to compact residential neighborhoods.

3571 US-9, Hudson, NY 12534

Walkability & Accessibility

Covered Parking can keep cars and pavement cooler. If it is oriented so that the western winds are blocked by a wall, less snow and leaves will blow into the parking bays.

Finding Common Ground

Denser accessible housing usually equates to an overall reduction of impervious surfaces across the landscape, however there may be a greater concentration of impervious surfaces within the residential development. Concentrated parking areas help to reduce the overall footprint of paved surfaces while simplifying snow removal, maintenance, and infrastructure.

Trillium Neighborhood Concept

Parking & Drainage Considerations

26/30

Tree, small Tree, medium

Flowering Raspberry

8-12'

8-15'

PSh/Sun W/M/D Spring Sun PSh PSh/Sh

W/M/D May-June W/M M

May-June June-July

Pink White

Fragrant white fringe flowers; blue-black fruit on female plants; yellow fall color

Pollinators, caterpillars, birds

White

White spring flowers; red fruit; orange-red fall color

Pollinators, birds, humans (plant medicine)

White

Fragrant white flowers; red seed cones; semievergreen foliage in mild winters

Pollinators, caterpillars, birds

White

Large white flower panicles; yellow fall color; winter structure

Pollinators, hummingbirds

Fragrant midsummer flowers; golden fall color; persistent seed capsules

Pollinators, birds

White

White spring flowers; white berries; red winter stems

Caterpillars, birds

Pollinators, humans (edible flowers)

3-8'

4-6'

PSh/Sun W/M

July-August White

Red osier dogwood

6-10'

7-10'

PSh/Sun W/M

Spring

Fothergilla gardenii

Dwarf fothergilla

Shrub, suckering

2-3'

2-4'

PSh/Sun M/W

April-May

White

White bottlebrush flowers; blue-green foliage; brilliant Pollinators, caterpillars, birds, small orange-red fall color mammals

Hypericum prolificum

Shrubby St. John's wort

Shrub

3-5'

Sun/PSh D/M

July-Aug

Yellow

Long yellow summer bloom; attractive seed capsules; yellow fall color

Pollinators, birds

Ilex glabra

Inkberry

Shrub

5-8'

PSh/Sun W/M

May-June

Discrete

Evergreen foliage; black berries on female plants

Birds, small mammals

Ilex verticillata

Winterberry

Shrub

4-10'

PSh/Sun W/M

Spring

Discreet

Red berries through winter; yellow fall foliage

Pollinators, caterpillars, birds

Mountain laurel

Shrub, suckering

5-15'

4-8'

Sh/PSh/S un W/M/D May-June

Pink/white

Evergreen foliage; showy late-spring flower clusters

Pollinators, caterpillars

Rhododendron viscosum

Swamp azalea

Shrub, suckering

3-5'

PSh/Sun M/W

White

Fragrant white summer flowers; red-orange fall color

Pollinators, caterpillars

Rubus idaeus var. strigosa

American red raspberry

Shrub, suckering

White/pink

White spring flowers; red summer berries; cane structure

Humans (berries)

Rubus odoratus

Purple-flowering raspberry

Shrub, suckering

4-6'

4-8'

PSh/Sun M

June-Aug

Pink-purple

Large pink flowers; maple-like foliage; ornamental fruit; yellow fall color

Pollinators, birds, humans (edible fruit)

Syringa meyeri 'Palabin'

Dwarf Korean lilac

Shrub

4-5'

5-7'

Sun

M/D

April-May

Pink/lilac

Fragrant pink-lilac spring flowers; compact shrub form

Pollinators

Actaea racemosa

Black cohosh

Forb

4-6'

2-4'

Sh/PSh

W/M

July

White

Tall white flower wands; dark seed pods; bold woodland foliage

Pollinators Pollinators, humans (cut flowers, herbal tea)

3-6'

PSh/Sun M

May-July April-May

Agastache foeniculum

Anise hyssop

Forb

2-4'

1-3'

PSh/Sun M/D

June-Sept

Lavender

Long summer bloom; aromatic foliage; persistent seed heads

Amsonia hubrichtii

Blue star

Forb

2-3'

PSh/Sun M/D

April-May

Light blue

Soft blue spring flowers; fine-textured foliage; golden fall color

Pollinators, humans (cut flowers)

Summer flowers; winter seed cones; strong pollinator and bird value

Pollinators, birds, humans (cut flowers, plant medicine) Pollinators, humans (cut flowers)

Echinacea purpurea

Purple coneflower

Forb

2-4'

1.5-2'

PSh/Sun M/D

July-Aug

Purplish pink

Echinops ritro

Globe thistle

Forb

2.5-4'

1.5-2.5' PSh/Sun M/D

July-Sept

Blue

Globe-shaped blue flowers; architectural seed heads

Pollinators, caterpillars

Iris versicolor

Blue flag iris

Forb

2-2.5'

Liatris spicata

Blazing Star

Forb

2-4'

.75-1.5' Sun

Lobelia siphilitica

Blue cardinal flower

Forb

2-3'

1-1.5'

Monarda spp.

Beebalm

Forb

2–4'

1.5–3'

Penstemon hirsutus

Hairy beardtongue

Forb

1.5-2'

1-2'

PSh/Sun W/M M

PSh/Sun W/M

May-June

Violet

Violet spring flowers; sword-like foliage; winter seed pods

Aug

Red-Purple

Vertical purple flower spikes; winter seed heads

Pollinators, birds, humans (cut flowers)

July-Sept

Blue

Late blue flowers; upright winter stems

Pollinators

Showy summer blooms, colorful bracts (some species), Many pollinators, humans (herbal tea, aromatic foliage, persistent seed heads culinary and medicinal uses, cut flowers)

PSh/Sun D/M/W June–August Many PSh/Sun W/M/D May-June Lavender

Lavender spring flowers; winter seed heads

Pollinators, humans (cut flowers)

Polygonatum biflorum

Solomon's seal

Forb

1-3'

1-1.5'

PSh/Sun W/M

April-May

Yellow

Arching stems; spring flowers; dark blue berries; yellow fall color Pollinators, humans (cut flowers)

Pycnanthemum muticum

Mountain mint

Forb

1-3'

PSh/Sun W/M

July-Sept

White/pink

Silver-blue bracts; aromatic foliage; late-summer bloom

Pollinators, birds, humans (cut flowers, herbal tea)

Rudbeckia triloba

Brown-eyed Susan

Forb

2-3'

1-1.5'

PSh/Sun M

July-Oct

Yellow

Abundant yellow flowers; winter seed heads

Pollinators, birds, humans (cut flowers)

Late blue-violet flowers; seed heads; soft gray-green foliage Small blue spring flowers; grass-like texture

Pollinators, especially native bees Pollinators, humans (cut flowers) Amphibians, reptiles

Scutellaria incana Sisyrinchium angustifolium

Hoary skullcap Blue-eyed grass

Forb Forb

2-3' 1-1.5'

1.5-2' .5-1'

PSh/Sun M/D PSh/Sun M

July-Sept May-June

Blue-violet Blue

Onoclea sensibilis

Sensitive fern

Fern

3-4'

PSh/Sun W/M

None

Bold green foliage; persistent bead-like fertile fronds

Osmunda claytoniana

Interrupted fern

Fern

2-3'

PSh/Sun W/M

None

Bold vase-shaped foliage; distinctive interrupted fertile fronds; golden fall color Small mammals, amphibians, insects

Osmundastrum cinnamomeum

Cinnamon fern

Fern

2-3'

Sh/PSh

None

Cinnamon-colored fertile fronds; bold wetland texture; Small animals, humans (edible golden fall color fiddleheads)

Anemone canadensis

Canadian anemone

Forb, groundcover

1-2'

2-5'

PSh/Sun W/M

April-June

White

White spring flowers; spreading groundcover; seed heads

Pollinators, humans

Wild strawberry

Forb, groundcover

.25-. 75'

spreadi ng PSh/Sun M/D

April-May

White

White spring flowers; red fruit; red fall foliage

Humans (berries)

Cranesbill geranium

Forb, groundcover

1.5-2'

1-1.5'

April-May

Pink

Pink spring flowers; mounded foliage; fall color

Pollinators, birds

Heal-all

Forb, groundcover

May-Oct

Purple

Low purple flowers; long bloom; spreading groundcover

Pollinators, humans (plant medicine)

Aug-Feb

Blue-green summer blades; copper-orange fall color; Purplish-red winter seed heads

Fragaria virginiana Geranium maculatum Prunella vulgaris ssp. lanceolata

Hoary Skullcap

10-35' 10-35'

May

Shrub

Kalmia latifolia

Beebalm

Bottlebrush buckeye Shrub

20-35' 20-35'

M/D

Shrub, suckering

Cornus sericea

Shrubby St. Johns Wort

Tree, small

12-20' 12-20'

PSh

Primary Creatures Supported

Pink spring flowers on bare branches; heart-shaped foliage; seed pods

Sweet pepperbush

Clethra alnifolia

Mountain Laurel

Sweetbay magnolia

20'

Bloom Time Bloom Color Seasonal Interest of Note

.5-1'

1-3'

W/M

PSh/Sun M PSh/Sun M/D

Purple Cone Flower Schizachyrium scoparium

Little bluestem

Grass

2-4'

1.5-2'

Sun

M/D

88 Village Hill Rd.Northampton, MA 01060 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu

Fringe tree Thornless cockspur hawthorn

20'

Soil

Birds

3571 US-9, Hudson, NY 12534

Chionanthus virginicus

Aesculus parviflora

Fringe Tree

Tree, small

Crataegus crus-galli var. inermis Magnolia virginiana

Sweetbay Magnolia

Redbud

Growth Habit Height Spread Light

Finding Common Ground

Cercis canadensis

Common Name

Recommended Species for Around Residences

Botanical Name

Good Nighbor Palette

Good Neighbor Palette

27/30

Informed homeowners can find a comfortable balance between choosing plants for ecological benefit and for other desired qualities. Cultivating noninvasive, immigrant plant species based on a personal sense of aesthetic, biographical, or culinary connection, can enrich one’s relationship with the landscape.

Common Name

Ecological Concern

Native Alternative

Alternative Common Name

Acer platanoides

Norway maple

Suppresses native regeneration

Acer rubrum

Red maple

Anemone hupehensis

Japanese anemone

Spreads aggressively

Anemone virginiana

Tall thimbleweed

Berberis thunbergii

Japanese barberry

Invades forests; increases tick habitat

Aronia melanocarpa

Black chokeberry

Buddleja davidii

Butterfly bush

Self-seeds readily

Cephalanthus occidentalis

Buttonbush

Clematis terniflora

Sweet autumn clematis Overwhelms native vegetation

Clematis virginiana

Virgin's bower

Convallaria majalis

Lily-of-the-valley

Forms dense colonies

Convallaria majuscula

American Lily of the Valley

Euonymus alatus

Burning bush

Escapes cultivation into forests

Vaccinium corymbosum

Highbush blueberry

Hedera helix

English ivy

Smothers woodland understories

Parthenocissus quinquefolia Virginia creeper

Invades woodlands

Tiarella cordifolia

Foamflower

Lamiastrum galeobdolon Yellow archangel Lonicera spp.

Bush honeysuckles

Displace native shrubs

Viburnum dentatum

Arrowwood viburnum

Mentha spp.

Mint

Aggressively spreads by rhizomes

Pycnanthemum muticum

Blunt mountain mint

Miscanthus sinensis

Maiden grass

Escapes into meadows and roadsides

Schizachyrium scoparium

Little bluestem

Pachysandra terminalis

Japanese pachysandra Escapes into forests

Asarum canadense

Wild ginger

Phyllostachys spp.

Running bamboo

Aggressive rhizomatous spread

Salix discolor

Pussy willow

Pyrus calleryana

Callery pear

Escapes into fields and roadsides

Amelanchier canadensis

Serviceberry

Vinca minor

Periwinkle

Forms dense mats

Packera aurea

Golden ragwort

Wisteria floribunda

Japanese wisteria

Invades forests and woodland edges

Campsis radicans

Trumpet vine

*Wisteria This list in not comprehensive. It is always good wisteria practice to do researchAggressive or ask a knowledgeable plant enthusiast trees to see if a given plant is considered invasive before purchasing it or planting it on a site. sinensis Chinese vine that smothers Lonicera sempervirens Coral honeysuckle

Invasive

Wisteria Invasive

Vinca

Native

Trumpet Vine Native

Golden Ragwort

Invasive

Japanese Anemone Invasive

Burning Bush

Native

Thimbleweed Native

Blueberry

3571 US-9, Hudson, NY 12534

Native, seed grown, straight species or wild-type plants are of greater ecological value than native clones or cultivars because they often provide more ecological services and contribute to the genetic diversity, and thus adaptability, of a given species. Selecting local ecotypes, plants from populations that have adapted to the local environmental conditions, can result in healthier plants and can further enhance ecological resilience. In the face of climate change, assisted migration, the practice of selecting native ecotypes, or even species, from just south of one’s local region, or from a slightly lower elevation, can help build local populations adapted to warmer conditions.

Botanical Name (Avoid)

Finding Common Ground

The plant lists on this page are intended to help homeowners identify some of the plant species that would help diversify and otherwise benefit local ecological communities versus those that have the potential to reduce biodiversity and ecological services. Some non-native plant species are well-behaved, but may lack some of the ecological benefits, such as supporting a diversity of pollinators, that native plants provide. Likewise, horticultural varieties of otherwise ecologically beneficial species may have been selected for certain aesthetic characteristics at the expense of other ecologically beneficial characteristics.

Plant Species to Avoid and Native Alternatives

Because every garden and property is a seed bank that may spread into the surrounding landscape, homeowners can help habitat restoration efforts by selecting native plants adapted to Hudson Valley ecosystems and avoiding opportunistic ornamental species known to escape cultivation. Native species selected based on local soils, hydrology, and climate conditions can require less watering and fertilizer. These practices can reduce the need for pesticides, herbicides, and other interventions that may negatively impact adjacent conservation lands, waterways, and sensitive habitats.

“Our gardens have become important parts of the conservation puzzle because they are now essential habitats for wildlife.” — Douglas W. Tallamy

Good Neighbor Planting Guide

Residents of the Habitat and Trillium neighborhoods occupy a unique position within the Bell's Pond conservation landscape. As homeowners and land stewards, they can contribute to the health and resilience of surrounding wetlands, meadows, forests, and wildlife corridors through the choices they make within their own yards. Individual properties function as part of a broader ecological network, and collectively small stewardship actions can have meaningful impacts on biodiversity, habitat connectivity, and ecosystem health (Tallamy 2007; Homegrown National Park n.d.).

88 Village Hill Rd.Northampton, MA 01060 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu

Good Neighbor Planting Guide

28/30

Regional Context City of Hudson. Affordable Housing Development Plan. November 2021, https://cms3.revize.com/revize/hudsonnynew/Hudson%20Draft%20 Report%20FINAL%20November%202021.pdf. Accessed 16 June 2026. Columbia Land Conservancy. Technical Report. Columbia Land Conservancy, 2026, https://columbialand.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/ CLC-Technical-Report_Final_reduced.pdf. Accessed 16 June 2026. Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress. Hudson Valley Regional Housing Market Report: Q4 and Annual 2025. Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress, Jan. 2026, https://www.pattern-for-progress.org/wp-content/ uploads/2026/01/2025-Q4-Annual-Housing-Report-.pdf. Accessed 9 July 2026. New York State Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. Disadvantaged Communities Criteria. New York State, https://climate.ny.gov/ Resources/Disadvantaged-Communities-Criteria. Accessed 16 June 2026. Pattern for Progress. 2025 Q4 Annual Housing Report. Pattern for Progress, 2026, https://www.pattern-for-progress.org/wp-content/ uploads/2026/01/2025-Q4-Annual-Housing-Report-.pdf. Accessed 16 June 2026.

Site History Edinger, G.J., D.J. Evans, S. Gebauer, T.G. Howard, D.M. Hunt, and A.M. Olivero (eds.). Ecological Communities of New York State, Second Edition. New York Natural Heritage Program, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, 2014. Pope, Franklin Leonard. The Western Boundary of Massachusetts: A Study of Indian and Colonial History. Pittsfield, MA: Privately Printed, 1886. Wexler, J. 2024. Columbia Land Conservancy's Conservation Lands: A Journey into the Precolonial Era. Wild Hudson Valley LLC. Prepared for Columbia Land Conservancy.

Ecological Value Columbia County Environmental Management Council. “Natural Resource Inventory (NRI).” Columbia County Environmental Management Council, https://sites.google.com/columbiacountyny.com/emc/natural-resourceinventory-nri. Accessed 14 June 2026. Edinger, G.J., D.J. Evans, S. Gebauer, T.G. Howard, D.M. Hunt, and A.M. Olivero (eds.). Ecological Communities of New York State, Second Edition. New York Natural Heritage Program, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, 2014.

New York Forest Owners Association. Shrublands. New York Forest Owners Association, July 2024, https://nyfoa.org/wp-content/ uploads/2024/07/NYFOASWGShrublandsBrochure.pdf. Accessed 10 July 2026.

Regional Hydrology

New York Natural Heritage Program. Floodplain Forest. New York Natural Heritage Program, https://guides.nynhp.org/floodplain-forest/. Accessed 16 June 2026.

Soils and Surficial Geology

New York Natural Heritage Program. Successional Old Field. New York Natural Heritage Program, https://guides.nynhp.org/successional-old-field/. Accessed 16 June 2026. New York Natural Heritage Program. Red Maple–Hardwood Swamp. New York Natural Heritage Program, https://guides.nynhp.org/red-maplehardwood-swamp/. Accessed 16 June 2026. New York Natural Heritage Program. Successional Shrubland. New York Natural Heritage Program, https://guides.nynhp.org/successional-shrubland/. Accessed 16 June 2026. Native Plant Trust. Garden Plant Finder. Native Plant Trust, https:// plantfinder.nativeplanttrust.org/. Accessed 14 July 2026. Kiviat, Erik, and Gretchen Stevens. Biodiversity Assessment Manual for the Hudson River Estuary Corridor. Hudson River Estuary Program, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, 2001. New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. New York State Wildlife Action Plan. New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, 2015. New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. “Freshwater Wetlands Program.” New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, https://dec.ny.gov/nature/waterbodies/wetlands/freshwaterwetlands-program. Accessed 14 June 2026. Wexler, Justin. Columbia Land Conservancy's Conservation Lands: A Journey into the Precolonial Era. Columbia Land Conservancy, 2024.

Slopes and Drainage Hudson River Foundation. “Restoring Signature Fisheries.” Hudson River Foundation, https://hudsonriver.org/article/restoring-signature-fisheries/. Accessed 9 July 2026. New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Hudson Valley Natural Resource Mapper. Hudson River Estuary Program, https:// gisservices.dec.ny.gov/gis/hvnrm/. Accessed 9 July 2026. New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Division of Water. DOW TOGS 3.1.5: Guidance for Dam Hazard Classification. Program Policy, issued by Mark Klotz, prepared by Alon Dominitz, Dam Safety Section, https://extapps.dec.ny.gov/docs/water_pdf/togs315.pdf. Accessed 9 July 2026.

88 Village Hill Rd.Northampton, MA 01060 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. National Inventory of Dams. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, https://nid.sec.usace.army.mil/nid/. Accessed 16 June 2026. New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Hudson Valley Natural Resource Mapper. Hudson River Estuary Program, https:// gisservices.dec.ny.gov/gis/hvnrm/. Accessed 9 July 2026. New York State Museum, New York State Geological Survey. Surficial Geology of New York State. New York State Museum, https://gisdata.ny.gov/ GISData/State/NYSSED/Metadata/nysed.nyssurf.html. Accessed 9 July 2026. United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service. Soil Survey Geographic Database (SSURGO). USDA NRCS, https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/resources/data-and-reports/soil-surveygeographic-database-ssurgo. Accessed 9 July 2026.

Plant Palettes New York Natural Heritage Program. Ecological Communities of New York State. New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, https:// gisservices.dec.ny.gov/gis/erm/naturalHeritageCommunities.html. Accessed 14 June 2026. Native Plant Trust. Garden Plant Finder. Native Plant Trust, https:// plantfinder.nativeplanttrust.org/. Accessed 14 June 2026. National Wildlife Federation. Native Plant Finder. National Wildlife Federation, https://nativeplantfinder.nwf.org/. Accessed 14 June 2026.

Trails and Accessibility United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service. (2013). Forest Service Trail Accessibility Guidelines (FSTAG): Scoping requirements, technical provisions, and appendices. U.S. Department of Agriculture. United States Department of Justice. (2010). 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design. U.S. Department of Justice.

Vegetated Berm Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). (n.d.). Highway Traffic Noise Barriers at a Glance (Keeping the Noise Down). U.S. Department of Transportation. Available at: FHWA Highway Traffic Noise Barriers at a Glance

3571 US-9, Hudson, NY 12534

Regional Plan Association. Hudson Valley Affordable Housing Conservation Strategy. Regional Plan Association, https://rpa.org/hudson-valleyaffordable-housing-conservation-strategy#shared-purpose-statement. Accessed 16 June 2026.

New York Forest Owners Association. Grasslands. New York Forest Owners Association, July 2024, https://nyfoa.org/wp-content/ uploads/2024/07/NYFOASWGGrasslands.pdf. Accessed 10 July 2026.

Turrin, Margie, and Marisa Annunziato. “Join Us on May 30 to Celebrate Hudson River World Fish Migration Day.” Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia Climate School, 27 May 2026, https://lamont. columbia.edu/news/join-us-may-30-celebrate-hudson-river-world-fishmigration-day. Accessed 9 July 2026.

Finding Common Ground

Columbia Land Conservancy. Technical Report. Columbia Land Conservancy, 2026, https://columbialand.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/ CLC-Technical-Report_Final_reduced.pdf. Accessed 16 June 2026.

New York Natural Heritage Program. Appalachian Oak–Hickory Forest. New York Natural Heritage Program, https://guides.nynhp.org/appalachian-oakhickory-forest/. Accessed 16 June 2026.

Project Overview

Citations By Section

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Woolman, Brian. "Chelone glabra (White Turtlehead) Native North American Wetland Wildflower." Adobe Stock, https://stock.adobe.com/ images/chelone-glabra-white-turtlehead-native-north-american-wetlandwildflower/952657196. Accessed 6 July 2026.

Shrubland Palette and Design Details Cilicia. "Lush Hazelnut (Corylus avellana) Orchard in Giresun, Turkey. MultiStemmed Trees Thrive in the Black Sea Climate and Are Carefully Pruned for Productive Growth." Adobe Stock, https://stock.adobe.com/images/lushhazelnut-corylus-avellana-orchard-in-giresun-turkey-multi-stemmed-treesthrive-in-the-black-sea-climate-and-are-carefully-pruned-for-productivegrowth/2047555363. Accessed 6 July 2026. Marchek, Oleh. "Cornus sanguinea Is a Perennial Plant of the Dogwood Family. A Tall Shrub with Small Flowers and Black Inedible Berries." Adobe Stock, https://stock.adobe.com/images/cornus-sanguinea-is-a-perennialplant-of-the-sod-family-a-tall-shrub-with-small-flowers-and-black-inedibleberries-turf-well-is-grown-as-an-ornamental-plant/1956995621. Accessed 6 July 2026. Skymoon13. "Rusty Blackhaw Viburnum White Flowers on Green Shrub." Adobe Stock, https://stock.adobe.com/images/rusty-blackhaw-viburnumwhite-flowers-on-green-shrub/212854553. Accessed 6 July 2026.

Trails and Accessibility dbvirago. “ADA Ramp.” Adobe Stock, https://stock.adobe.com/ images/330060748. Accessed 10 July 2026. milantefotolia. “Meadow Path.” Adobe Stock, https://stock.adobe.com/ images/120204963. Accessed 10 July 2026.

Good Neighbor Planting Guide Conrad,Reiner/Wirestock. “Thimbleweed (Anemone virginiana).” Adobe Stock, https://stock.adobe.com/images/445126612. Accessed 10 July iryna_l. “Burning Bush in Fall.” Adobe Stock, https://stock.adobe.com/ images/417674278. Accessed 10 July 2026. kellyvandellen. “Packera aurea (Golden Ragwort).” Adobe Stock, https:// stock.adobe.com/images/1636300417. Accessed 10 July 2026.

Meadow Plant Palette and Design Details

88 Village Hill Rd.Northampton, MA 01060 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu

Photo Citations

Upland Forest Palette and Design Details

Florin. "Massive Wood Beams Roof Structure with S Curved Shaped and Covered with Transparent Polycarbonate Sheet." Adobe Stock, https://stock. adobe.com/images/massive-wood-beams-roof-structure-with-s-curvedshaped-and-covered-with-transparent-polycarbonate-sheet/212871297. Accessed 8 July 2026. MichaelVi. "Wooden Picnic Shelter with Metal Roof in a Green Park." Adobe Stock, https://stock.adobe.com/images/wooden-picnic-shelter-with-metalroof-in-a-green-park/1930207838. Accessed 8 July 2026.

3571 US-9, Hudson, NY 12534

FineShine. "Congaree National Park, South Carolina: Boardwalk Loop, an Elevated Walkway Through the Old-Growth Bottomland Hardwood Forest and Swampy Environment That Protects Delicate Fungi and Plant Life." Adobe Stock, https://stock.adobe.com/images/congaree-national-parksouth-carolina-boardwalk-loop-an-elevated-walkway-through-the-old-growthbottomland-hardwood-forest-and-swampy-environment-that-protectsdelicate-fungi-and-plant-life/610106485. Accessed 8 July 2026.

Finding Common Ground

Bird and Wildlife Blinds

Citations By Section

Wolterke. "Autumnal Sugar Maple Tree at Willow River State Park." Adobe Stock, https://stock.adobe.com/images/autumnal-sugar-maple-tree-at-willowriver-state-park/536104776. Accessed 6 July 2026.

van Blerk, Jaco. "Wooden Bird Hide (Blind) Wall and Accessible Boardwalk with Covered Feeding Station." Adobe Stock, https://stock.adobe.com/ images/wooden-bird-hide-blind-wall-and-accessible-boardwalk-with-coveredfeeding-station/973398426. Accessed 8 July 2026.

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Finding Common Ground: Integrating Conservation, Affordable Housing, and Community Access at the Bel