The heart of the Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) is Kampoosa Bog and its associated surface waters, wetlands, groundwater and rare species habitat.
Scientifically, Kampoosa is not a bog, but a fen, contained in a small basin (the Kampoosa drainage basin), with an inflow of calcareous cold groundwater with a high concentration of rare species.
The Kampoosa Bog ACEC contains one of the Commonwealth’s most significant rare species habitats. The fen and adjacent areas within the ACEC provide habitat for at least 19 state-listed rare species. It is critical to preserve and protect it.
The goal of the committee: to reduce negative impacts on the bog.
Some of the things that do negatively impact Kampoosa are road salt, other forms of run-off, and activities such as paving too close to the bog.
Discussion then shifted to sources of funds for safeguards, to protect habitats and the ecosystem as well as restoring them.
A committee member, Sally Underwood-Miller mentioned an initiative of Governor Healey’s that sounded as if there would be funds available for those activities.
