Nashawannuck Brook, west (upstream) of Old Wilson Road. BVWs “Wetland A” and “Wetland B” are along the banks (left and right, respectively).
Photo credit: Northampton Office of Planning and Sustainability
NORTHAMPTON — Construction work for the Pine Grove restoration project is officially underway.
According to the city, the first phase, which began on April 6, will include selective tree removal within the conservation area, work along Old Wilson Road and temporary closure of the Pine Grove Conservation Area to the public.
The city acquired the former Pine Grove golf course in 2020 to re-wild the course, restore Nashawannuck Brook and wetlands throughout the site and provide increased public access. The 105-acre site is a major component of the Rocky Hill Greenway, a 250-acre conservation area just west of Route 10 and the Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary. The location is conserved by the city in partnership with MassAudubon.
The city and its partners are working to restore this area through reforestation and reestablishing a natural stream channel and bordering wetlands for Nashawannuck Brook, which the city says will create more natural storage during big storms, reduce erosion and downstream flooding, and sequester carbon.
A $154,650 grant awarded to the project in March through the Division of Ecological Restoration’s Priority Projects program is allowing the river restoration work to move forward this spring.
“This stage of work includes removal of the failed culvert at Old Wilson Road waterline realignment, restoration of the stream channel and discontinuation of the vehicle roadway, and installation of a pedestrian bridge. A small parking area and trailhead will be constructed on the southern — Florence Road — side of the Greenway, and a hammerhead turnaround and trailhead created on the northern — Rocky Hill Road — end,” explained Planning & Sustainability Assistant Director Sarah LaValley in an email to Reminder Publishing. “With additional funding from DER, we’ll also be completing stream restoration on the downstream portion of Nashawannuck Brook, where the stream is heavily channelized and hemmed in by boulders, filter fabric and an excavated channel.”
LaValley said the city is also seeking funding via an MVP Action Grant to implement the remainder of the restoration and trail work. That phase would include dam removal, tree and shrub planting, and the creation of an accessible all-persons loop trail. This will include a short loop with an accessible boardwalk over a restored wetland and a longer loop that will provide viewing of the dam removal site to watch the channel change over time.
“Increased access to the area, and especially for trails that are available to all users, is something we heard strong support for during outreach and site walks. The planned trail network will provide access to portions of the Greenway that are currently inaccessible to many users and will include opportunities to learn about dynamic restoration processes, including beaver activity, wetland formation, dam removal and habitat succession,” added LaValley.
Work is expected to go through the end of June. For more information about this restoration effort, visit www.northamptonma.gov/2587/Pine-Grove-Restoration or contact LaValley at slavalley@northampton.gov with any questions.
