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Consultant says Memorial Park contains high‑quality woods; recommends protecting holes 5 and 6
Summary
An ecological consultant told the board he found several high forest‑quality areas and groundwater‑fed wetlands in Memorial Park, warned that holes 5 and 6 are erosion‑prone, and said he did not find federally endangered species.
Kevin Thomas, a senior ecologist with Ecologic, presented a baseline ecological assessment of Memorial Park and urged caution around sensitive natural areas. He told the board he recorded multiple patches with a high "forest quality index" and identified groundwater‑fed wetlands that serve as breeding sites for dragonflies; he said those wetland pockets and the woodlands increase the park’s ecological value.
"There were no, like, federally endangered species or anything to that matter," Kevin said, but he added that several plant communities and habitat features — including species such as hepatica and golden seal — make portions of the woods uncommon in the region. He recommended avoiding placement of course holes where slopes and ephemeral streams make erosion likely, calling out holes 5 and 6 as the most problematic.
Kevin also described similar examples in other towns where wooded courses caused erosion and required course closures. He recommended evaluating alternate locations in lawn areas under trees to reduce ecological impact. Board members thanked him for the work and accepted his expertise; the board later voted to allow a conditional opening while initiating further MOU and course design reviews.
Next steps: the board has the consultant’s report on file and plans to use those findings during the MOU revision and when deciding on the two most sensitive holes.
