Few of us that love nature would argue that we should be conserving land to protect vital biological communities and especially rare species. Others believe that land should be protected so that humans can enjoy it for recreational purposes. No matter what the reasons, there are a variety of mechanisms today for protecting land from development currently and in the future.
The question is, “What should we do with the land once it is conserved?” How should a conservation property be stewarded or managed? What are the conservation goals for the property? What species are present, and are there any in need of protection because they are rare? And what uses should humans be allowed on conserved land?
SSNSC is facing these questions right now. Outside of the Science Center property on Jacobs Lane, we own and are responsible for several parcels of conservation land that have either been donated or are under a conservation restriction. With the help of Prof. Jonathan Twining and his students from Eastern Nazarene College, SSNSC will be looking at two of these properties this fall to determine how they can be used to fit the stated purposes of the Science Center.
Prof. Twining and his students will be completing a Baseline Documentation Report for each property to document the current conditions, with a basic list of species present, threats to the property or the species that live there, and the conservation values of each property. They will also make recommendations for how the properties could be managed.
Stay tuned for more information about this exciting project partnership between South Shore Natural Science Center and Eastern Nazarene College