01/30/2021
Below is the environmental assessment of Great Pond Wetlands and Dunes from 2004 generously provided by Eric Lamont. He sites thoroughly researched scientific reasons for what we are still fighting for today. With it, our civic association and the Peconic Land Trust were able to purchase and preserve the corner property of Lake Drive and West Drive. It was named the Harper Preserve after the owner who realized the importance of their property and wanted it preserved forever.
Botanical Report
Preliminary Environmental Assessment
of the "Great Pond Wetlands & Dunes", Southold Township, Suffolk County, New York
PREPARED FOR:
KENNY BEACH CIVIC ASSOCIATION SOUTHOLD TOWNSHIP
SUFFOLK COUNTY, NEW YORK
PREPARED BY:
ERIC LAMONT, PH.D. BOTANICAL CONSULTANT
717 SOUND SHORE ROAD RIVERHEAD, NEW YORK 11901
AUGUST 2004
Summary
1. The Great Pond wetland and dune system is composed of two State-rare ecological communities, with one of them currently listed as globally rare. The region is not only rare in New York State, it is rare on Earth.
2. These two ecological communities are intricately connected together and
if one community is altered or disturbed, the other community will be negatively impacted.
3. The low, gently undulating dunes north of Lake Drive are classic examples of a "maritime dune" community, listed as rare by New York Natural
Heritage Program (NYNHP).
4. In low areas of the maritime dune community where the land surface intersects the water table, small "cranberry bogs" occur as small, green islands among the white sand. These circular islands offer suitable habitat for native cranberries and carnivorous plants called sundews.
5. The extensive "maritime freshwater interdunal swales" located north of Lake Drive are listed as rare by NYNHP.
6. These freshwater wetlands support a high diversity of plant species, including at least one rare plant, slender blue flag (Iris prismatica).
7. Another noteworthy feature of this site is its connection to Great Pond and the interdunal wetland system at nearby Peconic Dunes County Park.
8. The strictest environmental laws and codes should be enforced to preserve the integrity of these delicate and sensitive ecological communities.
9. Fragmentation of this unique maritime ecosystem will result in negative environmental impacts.
10. The Great Pond wetlands and dunes are significant and unique elements of Southold's rich natural heritage that should be preserved for future generations.
Introduction
At the invitation of the Kenny Beach Civic Association (KBCA), I conducted an on-site preliminary environmental assessment (on 8 August 2004) of an approximately 10-acre parcel of land located north of Lake Drive in Southold Township. The area is locally known as the "Great Pond Wetlands & Dunes".
KBCA arranged for permission from some residents for me to walk certain properties. Further access was obtained from a Suffolk County parcel and a
Southold Township parcel. Final observations were made from adjacent roadsides. A high quality aerial map (on a scale of one inch = 100 feet) of the 10-acre parcel also was provided by KBCA.
The Great Pond wetland and dune system is dominated by two ecological communities: 1) maritime dunes, and 2) maritime freshwater interdunal swales. Both of these community types are listed as rare in New York by the New York Natural Heritage Program (NYNHP), and the maritime freshwater interdunal swale community is currently listed as globally rare (although NYNHP indicates that the global rank may change in the future).
Before continuing with this report, the significance of the previous paragraph must be emphasized. First, NYNHP is the New York State government
agency responsible for documenting and tracking rare plants, animals, and ecological communities across New York. The Heritage staff is comprised of
highly trained scientists often with advanced degrees, who are experts in studying New York's biodiversity. Second, it is extremely significant, from an environmental point of view, that a relatively small, 10-acre site be composed of two State-rare ecological communities, with one of them currently listed as globally rare. This statement cannot be overstated. We are not talking about the presence of one rare plant or animal species, we are talking about an entire ecological community being rare. Additionally, a large portion of this site is "globally" rare. That means that the region
is not only rare in New York State, it is rare on Earth.
These two maritime communities are closely and inseparably intertwined with each other. They are connected together by an intricate and delicate balance between macro- and microscopic organisms and abiotic (non- living) factors of the environment such as hydrology, soil characteristics, and micro-habitats created by blow-outs in the undulating system of dunes. The environmental features occurring at the Great Pond wetlands and dunes
comprise a unique aspect of the natural history of Southold Township, because maritime dunes and interdunal swales usually occur on the south shore of Long Island, not on the north shore. For example, these two maritime communities usually occur on Fire Island where dunes are protected
and signs warn people to stay off. Long Island's north shore is characterized by tall bluffs directly bordering Long Island Sound. The area between Goldsmith's Inlet and Horton Point, however, is geologically unique.
Instead of 100 foot bluffs towering above L.I. Sound, this area supports a unique system of low, undulating dunes and swales, interspersed with a mosaic of extensive wetlands. I cannot think of another location on the north shore of eastern Long Island that supports such a unique and rare system of ecological communities.
Another noteworthy feature of this 10-acre site is its connection to Great Pond and the interdunal wetland system at nearby Peconic Dunes County Park.
This connection is most evident at low-lying points along Lake Drive that frequently flood. At these points, wetland plants form corridors linking the sites together into one large system.
Site Description
The maritime dunes and wet interdunal swales north of Lake Drive grade into each other and the boundaries between them are not always abruptly distinguished. At low areas interspersed throughout the dunes are small "cranberry bogs" that support a diversity of sedges, rushes, and even carnivorous plants. Although these two ecological communities will now be described separately, it should be understood that they are intricately connected together and if one community is altered or disturbed, the other community will be negatively impacted.
Maritime Dunes. This ecological community is listed "G4, S3" by NYNHP. The "G" rank is the "Global" rank, while the "S" rank is the "State" rank. Globally, the maritime dune community is considered to be "apparently secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery" (Edinger et al., 2002). Along the Atlantic coast, maritime dunes are probably best developed at the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Maritime dunes are at their northern limit (periphery) on Long Island and Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and they are quite rare along the north shore of Long Island. The "S3" Heritage rank indicates that maritime dunes are considered rare in New York with only "limited acreage". The low, undulating dunes north of Lake Drive are classic examples of the maritime dune community found at Napeague Dunes in East Hampton
Township and Fire Island National Seashore.
The Great Pond maritime dune system is comprised of low, gently undulating dunes interspersed with unvegetated blowouts and sandflats. Characteristic plants of the dunes include beachgrass (Ammophila breviligulata), beach heather (Hudsonia tomentosa), seaside goldenrod (Solidago sempervirens), seaside spurge (Euphorbia polygonifolia), beach plum (Prunus maritima), bayberry (Myrica pensylvanica), jointweed (Polygonella articulata), sedge (Cyperus grayii), Panic grass (Panicum amarum), and hairgrass (Deschampsia flexuosa). Tucked away among the dunes are small pockets stunted pitch pines (Pinus rigida), post oaks (Quercus stellata), and black oaks (Quercus velutina), with a shrub layer dominated by black huckleberry (Gaylussacia baccata) and highbush blueberry (Vaccinium
corymbosum). The pitch pines exhibit an unusual growth form whereby the lower branches grow out horizontally like aprons blanketing the low dunes. It is worth noting that these small wooded pockets resemble a "maritime pitch pine dune woodland", an extremely rare ecological community ranked "G2G3 S1" by NYNHP.
The extensive wetland system paralleling the northern boundary of the maritime dunes will be discussed in the next section. However, it is noteworthy to mention that in low areas of the maritime dune community where the land surface intersects the water table, small "cranberry bogs" occur as small, green islands among the white sand. These circular islands offer suitable habitat for cranberries (Vaccinium macrocarpon) and carnivorous plants called sundews (Drosera intermedia).
Maritime Freshwater Interdunal Swales. This ecological community is listed "G3G4, S2" by NYNHP, which makes it more rare than the maritime dune
community. The "G3" rank indicates that maritime freshwater interdunal swales are currently regarded as globally rare, but in the future the rank may change to "G4" indicating that the community is apparently secure globally though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery. A Heritage rank of "S2" is the second highest rank of rarity in New York State ("S1" = extreme rarity, "S5" = not rare ("demonstrably secure") in New York). The name of this community was changed from "maritime interdunal swales" (Reschke, 1990) to distinguish the community from brackish interdunal swales.
The "Great Pond Wetlands" is an extensive freshwater wetland system associated with Great Pond proper, that continues west into Peconic Dunes County Park. North of Lake Drive, these interdunal wetlands occur in low areas (swales) between dunes where the soil surface intersects groundwater
level. Water levels fluctuate seasonally and annually, reflecting changes in groundwater levels. The most extensive portion of this wetland system runs west to east, parallel to Leeton Drive and directly north of the maritime dune system. Small, circular "cranberry bogs" also dot low areas among the maritime dunes directly north of Lake Drive.
The extensive wetlands north of Lake Drive support a high diversity of plant species, including at least one rare plant, slender blue flag (Iris
prismatica), ranked G4G5 S2 by NYNHP (Young & Weldy, 2004). Characteristic species include twig-rush (Cladium mariscoides), beakrush (Rhynchospora capitellata), marsh rush (Juncus canadensis), woolgrass (Scirpus cyperinus), chairmaker’s rush (Scirpus pungens), tussock sedge (Carex stricta), cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon), spatulate-leaved sundew (Drosera intermedia), lance-leaved violet (Viola lanceolata), cross-leaved milkwort (Polygala cruciata), meadow beauty (Rhexia virginica), marsh mallow (Hibiscus moscheutos), marsh fern (Thelypteris palustris), royal fern (Osmunda regalis var. spectabilis), marsh St. John's wort (Triadenum virginicum), and swamp candles (Lysimachia terrestris). Shrubs and trees bordering the wetlands include red maple (Acer rubrum), tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica), red chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia), buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis), and highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corybosum). Unfortunately, phragmites reed (Phragmites australis) has invaded the wetlands, as well as scattered individuals of purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria).
Conclusion
The maritime dunes and freshwater interdunal swales located north of Lake Drive in the Town of Southold are rare ecological communities that should be
preserved for future generations. These natural communities are significant and unique elements of Southold's rich natural heritage. The strictest environmental laws and codes should be enforced to preserve the integrity of these delicate and sensitive ecological communities.
Fragmentation of this unique maritime ecosystem will result in negative environmental impacts. It is imperative that Southold Township act
promptly and assertively to avoid environmental degradation of the Town's rich natural history.
References Cited
Edinger, G.J., D.J. Evans, S. Gebauer, T.G. Howard, D.M. Hunt, and A.M. Olivero (editors). 2002. Ecological Communities of New York State. Second Edition. A revised and expanded edition of Carol Reschke's Ecological Communities of New York State. (Draft for review). New York Natural Heritage
Program, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Albany,
NY.
Reschke, C. 1990. Ecological Communities of New York State. New York Natural Heritage Program, N.Y.S. Department of Environmental Conservation.
Latham, NY.
Young, S. M. and T. W. Weldy. 2004. New York Rare Plant Status List. New York Natural Heritage Program, N.Y.S. Department of Environmental Conservation. Albany, NY.
