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Rye Conservation Commission weighs trail closures after ecological assessment
Summary
The Rye Conservation Commission reviewed a scientific trails assessment recommending closures and reroutes on several conservation properties; commissioners heard broad public comment urging a balance between habitat protection and public access and agreed to study the report further before adopting recommendations.
The Rye Conservation Commission on March 19 reviewed a trails assessment by Birch Tree Conservation Consulting that recommends closing or rerouting trails on several town conservation properties to reduce disturbance to wildlife.
The report, presented publicly on March 5 by Rachel Stevens, principal ecologist at Birch Tree, applies field and online data and a 400-foot “zone of influence” around sensitive habitat. Vice-Chair (acting Chair) Mike Garvan said the consultant’s primary recommendations would eliminate about 32% of existing trails on the nine properties analyzed; adopting all alternative suggestions would reduce that figure to about 15%.
Commissioners and residents debated the trade-offs between protecting habitat and preserving recreational access. Ritchie White, 30 Lang Road, praised the report as “extremely well done based on science” and urged the commission to adopt its recommendations. John Shaw (110 Locke Road) countered that the study did not measure human use of trails or document specific wildlife population declines, calling the lack of usage data a limitation.
Several properties were discussed in detail. For Brown Lane Farm, the consultant recommended keeping one circular trail with a connection to a SELT property and applying targeted maintenance and vernal-pool protections. At Rand Forest the report suggested no major changes but raised concerns about a wetland crossing near Sea Glass and identified some informal “rogue” trails that cross into Portsmouth properties and may conflict with NRCS easements.
The Town Forest drew the most public concern: the consultant recommended decommissioning both the yellow and green trails because they traverse wet areas and sensitive habitats. Some residents, including Patricia Alexander (211 Central Road) and daily walker David Whitehouse, said those trails are valued for recreation and noted volunteer-built bog bridges. Member Glenn Suchocki proposed designating two or three “ambassador” properties where higher public use and leashed or off-leash dog allowances could be concentrated while protecting more sensitive parcels.
Commissioner Shawn Joyce argued the report represents expertise the RCC lacked when several newer trails were created without wildlife input and said the recommendations should be accepted broadly rather than “cherry-picked.” Others urged careful, parcel-by-parcel consideration because most of Rye’s conservation acreage and unfragmented habitat lies outside the nine properties reviewed.
No final policy changes were adopted. After public comment and discussion about dog-leash policies and historical use, the commission agreed to take the report under further consideration and to return the item to a future meeting for more detailed decisions.
The commission’s deliberations emphasized preserving habitat priorities identified in the report while seeking compromises (such as ambassador properties and leash rules) to maintain public access. Commissioners signaled they would weigh the consultant’s scientific recommendations against local history of use and legal easement constraints before any trail closures or reroutes are adopted.
