Wetland Destruction

The location of the project in proximity to the Haskell-Baker wetland complex is startling. A single 2-lane road separates the project site from the western portion of the Baker wetlands, and a stream that bisects the project site feeds runoff directly into the Baker wetland's basins.  Wetlands are one of the most endangered habitats in the United States and wetland destruction has only increased in the past 10 years due to agriculture and development.  Wetlands provide critical habitat for many endangered animals and plants. For this development specifically, 7 threatened or endangered species are thought to be potentially impacted by development: the northern long eared bat, the tricolored bat, the pallid sturgeon, the western prairie fringed orchid, the monarch butterfly, the western regal fritillary, and Mead's milkweed.  To the left we have also compiled a short list of known species on site that are going to be destroyed.

IMPACTS OFF SITE

Beyond the destruction of wetlands on the actual property, we have massive concerns about New Boston Crossing affecting the current Haskell-Baker wetland complex. We still have no concrete understanding of how the Haskell-Baker wetlands was altered due to the completion of the SLT, much less how this fragile and complex ecosystem will be altered due to rapid development in the region. Haskell and Baker land stewards have been hard at work the past few years trying to right mismanagement/neglect of the land and understand how the landscape can recover after the creation of the SLT. Creating a development right next to this fragile complex can destroy years of careful love and labor in a short 6 months. We have little to no information from the developer for mitigation plans, for long term conservation plans, or even how they're collaborating with Baker (the same entity that tried to sell their wet meadow for development) to mitigate harm to the Haskell-Baker wetland complex. You can read the developer's noncommittal responses to questions presented at the public meeting on 10/29 here. 

Wetlands have always been important cultural sites, both for the First Peoples and for those of us here now. By destroying and degrading wetlands, we remove the ability of our children and future generations to experience the job of interacting with the complex web of life found in a wetland. We remove the ability to experience outside recreation in natural spaces, the joys of observing migratory creatures, of learning about plants and their roles in our culture.