Glacken Slope Improvement Project

Glacken Slope after stabilization fabric has been placed.

A high priority in the Fresh Pond Reservation Master Plan, the focus of Glacken Slope Restoration is to stabilize the slope, improve soil infiltration, control storm water runoff, and enhance habitat quality. A phased restoration approach, this project involves slope stabilization and gully repair, community-based restoration plantings, improving drainage to the Perimeter Road, and integrating the Upper Slope with the Glacken Field re-design.  

12/3/2020 - Last plants installed 10/29 and ~3,000 square feet of woodland seed mix and stabilizing straw/tackifier installed the week of 11/1. Punch list items and minor work to finish in the spring. No additional slope work anticipated until then.

9/25/2020 - Planting soil, slope breaks, and erosion control blankets have been installed. Planting is 75% completed and is on schedule to be completed the week of 9/28. Notable remaining tasks include installation the plant protection fence, mulching, and seeding. The project should be wrapping up early October, 2020.

7/30/2020 - Invasive species removal and clearing and grubbing almost complete. No slope work scheduled for the next two weeks. Next steps are placing new planting soil, construct the slope and gully treatments, and install native plantings.

Week of 7/6/2020 - Invasive species management on slope. Contractor installing construction fencing and erosion controls.

Black Locust trees were successfully removed June 5 - June 9. The harvested wood will be used for Cambridge park projects, and the slope replanted with a native plant community.

Read the Construction Notice

For general field construction and project updates, please visit DPW's Glacken Field project page.

Phase 6

- Project Completion October, 2020
- Install furnishings September - October 2020
- Plant (ongoing) September 2020
- Place planting soil, Completed September, 2020
- Slope grading, Completed August, 2020
- Permitted tree removal completed 6/9/2020.
- For more information, please visit the DPW's Glacken Field Renovations project page.

 

Previously completed Phases

Phases 1, completed in 2010, included improving stormwater infiltration by installing a level spreader, a bioretention swale, a rain garden, and porous pavement on the golf course clubhouse patio.

Phases 2- 3 were completed during the summer of 2011. Fallen logs found on site were reused for wildlife habitat and edging, and invasive trees and vegetation were replaced with native forest plant species including trees, shrubs and herbaceous groundcover.

Phase 4, completed during summer 2012, continued along the Lower Slope moving further away from the golf course with slope stabilization, gully repair and planting. After completion of Phase 4 work, access will be restricted through the use of temporary fencing to allow vegetation to get fully established.

Phase 5, completed fall 2016,  installed porous paving and a permeable cobble swale to enhance runoff infiltration at the bottom of the slope and improve Perimeter Road surface and drainage. The damaged fence along the Perimeter Road was replaced and the curb re-set. Restoration plantings were installed at the toe of the slope.

 

Planning began for the Glacken Slope Improvements project in 2008. The Bioengineering Group (now Hatch Engineers), the landscape architecture company chosen to lead the project, suggested a pilot project below the Golf Course Clubhouse to test innovative solutions to steep slope stabilization techniques. This kicked off Phase 1 of the multiphase ongoing project to re-stabilize and restore the native species of the slope.

  • Glacken Slope before stabilization: little ground cover and high erosion velocities.

    Glacken Slope before stabilization: little ground cover and high erosion velocities.

  • Gully along Glacken Slope before repair.

    Gully along Glacken Slope before repair.

  • Coir rolls are placed horizontally along gully to fill and stabilize the slope.

    Coir rolls are placed horizontally along gully to fill and stabilize the slope.

  • Coir rolls viewed from the bottom of Glacken Slope.

    Coir rolls viewed from the bottom of Glacken Slope.

  • Logs are placed above the gully repair to divert water around the gully while the slope is stabilized.

    Logs are placed above the gully repair to divert water around the gully while the slope is stabilized.

  • Fill is added between the coir logs to repair the gully.

    Fill is added between the coir logs to repair the gully.

  • Adding compost to glacken slope to fill gully and provide nutrients to new groundcover plants.

    Adding compost to glacken slope to fill gully and provide nutrients to new groundcover plants.

  • Glacken slope is stabilized with new soils, saw dust, and a fabric liner.

    Glacken slope is stabilized with new soils, saw dust, and a fabric liner.

  • Glacken Slope after stabilization fabric has been placed.

    Glacken Slope after stabilization fabric has been placed.

  • Coir logs are placed above stabilization fabric on Glacken Slope.

    Coir logs are placed above stabilization fabric on Glacken Slope.

  • Native species are planted on top of the fabric and coir rolls to stabilize the soils.

    Native species are planted on top of the fabric and coir rolls to stabilize the soils.

  • Another view of stabilized slope.

    Another view of stabilized slope.

  • Glacken Slope after stabilizing plantings have taken root.

    Glacken Slope after stabilizing plantings have taken root.

  • glacken phs 5

    Glacken Phase 5 Before

  • Removing asphalt roadway

    Removing asphalt roadway

  • New Curbing

    Curbing Radius

  • granite cobble swale

    granite cobble swale & seating area

  • porous asphalt

    rolling porous asphalt perimeter road

  • crane

    Crane

    locust removal

  • sennebogen

    sennebogen

    locust removal glacken slope

  • Glacken VI

    Slope planting soil

  • Glacken VI

    Installing slope breaks (coir logs) & erosion control blanket

  • Glacken VI

    Temporary plant nursery

  • Glacken VI

    Temporary plant nursery 2

  • Glacken VI

    Planting the slope

  • Glacken VI

    Planting the slope 2

Have questions or comments about the Glacken Slope Improvements Project? Email us!