July 11, 2003
ms. Bonnie L. Therrien, Town Manager
Town of Wethersfield
505 silas Dane Hwy
Wethersfield, CT 06109
Dear Ms. Therrien:
I am writing concerning your town's beautiful Mill Woods Park. I have been visiting the park regularly since April 2002, when I began studying the birds that use the park. As a professor of Conservation Biology here at Trinity, my research project involves trying to understand the role that small parks and green spaces within cities have as sanctuaries for native bird life. This question is particularly interesting because these parks and green spaces are embedded in a matrix comprised of intensive and high human-density development, a matrix that mostly contains birds we associate with the urban environment such as starlings, house sparrows and pigeons (all non-native species). One might think that these small parks and green spaces would not be of much use to native birds, surrounded as they are by such different and hostile habitats. My research has shown that this is not the case. Small parks and green spaces actually provide much good habitat for native birds and consequently, the abundance and diversity of bird life living in them is much more interesting than would be expected. Mill Woods Park is an excellent example of such an urban park, and based on my research so far, the park has an important role in providing for nature's beauty in Wethersfield.
I am writing this to you because I am very concerned about a recent proposal to convert much of Mill Woods Park to a site similar to what I call "urbanized" parks, spaces that are comprised mainly of parking lots and sports fields, with some green space that is mostly lawn or weedy species, habitats that have little value to wildlife particularly to native birds. As it currently exists, Mill Woods Park is an excellent example of a multiple use site - with some sports fields (that perhaps could be improved), the 2 ponds, a nice stream with thickly vegetated habitat that is great for birds and other wildlife, some mowed area, trails for hiking and bird watching, and an unmowed meadow containing a variety of flowers, which of course are valuable to birds, butterflies and other beneficial insects such as honeybees. Each time I visit the park, I see many citizens taking advantage of this variety that Mill Woods has to offer. People walking dogs, running on the trails that wind through the wooded area, playing tennis, playing ball in the sports fields, watching birds along the stream, walking in the meadow, photographing the wildflowers. I have spoken first hand with several residents of the area around the park, including Mr. Paul aloi and members of Randy Lane Associates, who are regular users of the park and are deeply concerned about its future. A major concern of all who value Mill Woods as it currently exists is that the park as changed by the proposed development would preclude many of the current activities that serve a wide variety of users, but instead would serve only a more narrow constituency. When I attended the recent public meeting at which the development plan was presented, it was apparent that the intent was to convert much of the park to additional parking lots and sports fields. It seems that such conversion would serve only a few of the many people that currently use the park and that the proposal did not adequately consider the variety of other activities that people enjoy in the park. I was particularly concerned about the conversion of the unmowed meadow to a sports field and about the additional areas of parking lot. I have never seen the parking lots even a quarter full every time I have visited the park, and putting additional pavement in the park will increase problems with runoff of oils, gasoline, and other potentially harmful substances into the ponds and waterways of the park. That certainly would not enhance the potential for swimming by either humans or birds.
I am also concerned that the proposed changes to the park would essentially eliminate its role as a site of natural habitat and green space within Wethersfield. As humans convert natural sites to urban development, not only do the natural habitats vanish, but the sites lose their ability to provide essential ecological services that humans take advantage of. These include shade, coolness, and air quality provided by trees, soil stabilization provided by trees and other vegetation, water filtration provided by waterways and wetlands, and at its most basic, the contribution of natural systems to energy and nutrient cycles on which humans ultimately depend. When a park retains some of its natural character, people also tend to respect it as such. I have seen many "urbanized" parks that have become trashy sites as their native vegetation disappears and is replaced by more pavement, weedy species, and mowed lawn.
To provide you with just a few of my research findings so far, in support of my arguments to retain the natural habitats of Mill Woods Park, I can tell you that we have recorded a total of 76 species of birds that use the park during at least 1 season throughout the year. That is a particularly high number of species for a park of Mill Woods' size and is probably due to the variety of habitats present in the park. We have recorded 49 species of breeding birds, yet the park may be most important in terms of its role during annual bird migrations. Parks and green spaces embedded in an urban landscape are very important as stepping stones for migrating birds, who key in on these areas and drop down from their migrations to use them as rest stops, for feeding and resting and protection from predators. So far we have recorded the most unusual species of birds in the park during spring and fall migrations, which means that Mill Woods as it currently exists contains valuable resources for migrating birds. In fact, we have recorded 1 species in the park that we have recorded nowhere else in Hartford, thus far. This bird was a rare migrant from up north that somehow recognized Mill Woods as a good place to stop.
Thank you for letting me provide my input to the current issue of development plans for Mill Woods park. As the park currently exists, it is a beautiful site, provides for a variety of uses by citizens from throughout Wethersfield and surrounding towns, and represents a valuable bit of nature, particularly for birds. I urge you to strongly consider all potential values and uses of the park before decisions are made regarding major changes to the landscape and its habitats. If you would like any further information about my research or would like to talk about any of these issues in more depth, please feel free to contact me. My daytime office number is 297-4120 and my e-mail is joan.morrison@trincoll.edu . Thank you again for your time.
Sincerely yours,
Joan L. Morrison, Ph.D.
cc: Wethersfield Tax Payers Association, c/o Mr. rocco orsini, Wethersfield, CT
Mr. Paul Aloi, Rocky Hill, CT,
Mr. Peter Sposito, Hartford, CT
Dr. Joan L. Morrison
Assistant Professor of Conservation Biology
Dept. of Biology, Trinity College
300 Summit St.
Hartford, CT 06106-3100
ph: 860-297-4120
fax: 860-297-2538
joan.morrison@trincoll.edu
