Problem Question
The problem question for the current investigation is: How close to a “core area” in Billerica should development be allowed to take place? if a developed plans to build a condo complex near the core area in the town.
Hypothesis
Accordingly, the hypothesis of the current investigation will argue that the answer to the problem question will greatly depend on the existence of the supporting natural landscapes surrounding, or serving as buffer zones, for the core habitat neat the town of Billerica. If there is a supporting natural landscape in the area, allowing the building outside of this area will hardly damage the core habitat. If there is no buffering zone, the start of the building process will mean great risk for the core habitat near the town of Billerica.
Procedure
Thus, to determine the possibility of building a condo complex near the core habitat of the town of Billerica it is necessary to find out the very core habitat and its major characteristics. To do this, it is necessary to choose the town in the drop-down menu on the right, go to Billerica, and zoom in several times to get a clear picture of the River Pines core habitat and the supporting natural landscapes surrounding it as a buffering zone. The next step is to trace whether the core habitat and its surrounding buffering zone, if any, are protected or not. Then, the ID value number for the core habitat should be retrieved to enable the further obtaining of information about the species of animals observed in the habitat.
After this, it is necessary to access the Land Protection Resources and retrieve the Town Core Habitat Report on Billerica from the menu of Town Core Habitat Reports. After retrieving the report, it becomes possible to study the habitat of Billerica and, based on the ID value number, to study the animal species observed in the area. This is achieved through examining the report and accessing the list of the ID numbers for various parts of the Billerica core habitat.
Results
Accordingly, the core habitat of the town of Billerica is called River Pines, and it has a buffering zone near it, i. e. supporting natural landscape. The interesting point about the core habitat is that it is much smaller than the supporting natural landscape serving as a surrounding buffering zone designated to protect the core habitat River Pines from the potential damage to the endangered animal and plant species observed in the habitat. The problem with both the core habitat and its supporting natural landscape is that they are not permanently protected open spaces. The ID value number for the area is C513. The common name of the core habitat according to the Town Core Habitat Report on Billerica is Alluvial Red Maple Swamp. The core habitat is characterized by the Red Maple Swamp that enriches the soil with nutrients by its flooding processes and facilitates the development of the unusual species of trees and plants in the core habitat.
Analysis
Drawing from the investigation results, the development of the condo complex nearby the core habitat in Billerica should not be allowed. The reasons for this include the absence of permanent protection for the core habitat and its supporting natural landscape and the need to protect core habitats to save the endangered animal and plant species (Cunningham and Cunningham, 2008, Section 5.5). As there is no protection to River Pines’s core habitat, the condo complex development cannot be allowed in the area, and the core habitat and its buffering zone need to obtain protection similar to the one observed in Dracut forests near Lowell.
Conclusion
To conclude, the investigation proves the hypothesis according to which any decision might be taken only based on research and presence, or absence, of buffering zones and protection, means for the core habitat nearby the town of Billerica. Thus, the condo complex development near Billerica should not be allowed as there is no permanent protection for the habitat, and such protection is vital for saving and preserving the endangered species of animals and plants on Earth on the whole, and in every single habitat in particular.
Discussion
Interestingly, the majority of other core habitats and their supporting natural landscapes in there are nearby the town of Billerica are provided with the status of the permanently protected open spaces. This means that these areas are potentially acceptable for the development of the condo complex argued about in the current investigation. An example of such a location is Andover with its core habitat called Harold Parker State Forest. The point about this habitat is that it is permanently protected, large in territory, and also has a large supporting natural landscape as its buffering zone. Therefore, the development of the condo complex in question can be allowed outside of the area of the core habitat and its buffering zone. As a result, the large territory of both, the core habitat and its buffering zone will allow developing the complex without any potential harm to the species observed in the habitat.
Works Cited
Cunningham, William and Mary Cunningham. Principles of Environmental Science – Inquiry and Applications, 5th edition, NY: McGraw-Hill, 2008. Print.