Responses to the second public meeting to present on design plans for the Alewife Reservation.

Response are by participants and FAR members:

Joan Hill: biologist

Mary White: wetland scientist

Ellen Mass: Friends of Alewife Reservation

John Walker: architect

Mark Kirk: Senior Programming engineer

Florence Freda: Cambridge kindergarten teacher

Get the PowerPoint slide presentation, as a zipped Adobe Acrobat file,
at http://www.bioengineering.com/Alewife%20Presentation_07-09-02.zip
(the file was available on September 4, 2002).

For each slide commented on, shown below is:

·    Acrobat-file page number & title of slide

·    text

·    note about images on the slide, if any

·    comments

1. Introduction

Comments:

Make it clean, accessible and safer.

We need to keep ecological patterns and ensure urban access.

Keep vision, hope, dreams.

Need to move forward to implement the plan.

We want to reconnect people to nature.

Include passive recreation and nature study.

4. Water System

Image - an aerial photograph showing:

Mystic River, Fresh Pond, Spy Pond, Mystic Lakes, Little Pond, Alewife Brook, Boston Harbor

 Comments:

Why connect at Mass. Ave?

Do neighborhoods want connections with Reservation. Haven't heard publicly from community groups, elected officials and environmentalists.

Is there public demand for Greenway improvements?

5. Vision: Connecting Alewife!

Image: a drawing of cars on a tree-lined street with a fish-topped arch across the street.

Comments:

Good idea to connect Alewife with Mystic visually.

Good urban wild definition.

Connect contiguous areas for habitat and for people

7: Goals

1. Improve water quality and restore natural hydrology

2. Protect and enhance wildlife habitat

3. Improve recreational, educational and cultural opportunities

4. Provide for maintenance that minimizes cost and maximizes effectiveness

Comments:

Goals are good

Most easy and relevant to accomplish at core of Reservation with public access.

Wildlife habitat should be priority

Excellent for Middle Schools' study

8. Goal 1 - Improve water quality and restore natural hydrology - Major Objectives:

1) Protect and increase flood storage capacity

2) Decrease pollution from CSO discharges

3) Decrease non-point sources of pollution from stormwater runoff by implementing integrated stormwater management practices

4) Re-establish a more stable and natural stream geomorphology

Comments:

Positive goals - greatly needed

High School students and college students study this and will have access to do so.

Should hydrology and construction work be left to technical agencies such as Army Corps and DPW's of city and towns?

Dredge or naturally rechannel Little River for spawning of herring and for recreation, and for prevention of flooding.

9. Goal 2 - Protect and enhance wildlife habitat - Major Objectives:

1) Improve migratory and spawning habitat for anadromous fish especially Alewife

2) Enhance and expand aquatic and riparian habitat

3) Protect and expand ecological connections with neighboring properties and nearby open space

4) Manage study area to enhance species and habitat diversity (e.g. favor native species over invasives, protect existing uplands)

Comments:

Diversity of habitat dependent on ecosystems (planting) restoration. Year long plant survey needed for entire Alewife Reservation. Division of plant materials. Native uncommon plants needed. Good way for students  to learn about native/invasive and observation by classess. Data collection and action plans will help maintain needed habitat areas. Needs more emphasis on diversity of flora and terrain.

10. Goal 3 - Improve recreational, educational and cultural opportunities - Major Objectives:

1) Facilitate public use of reservation and park/greenway

2) Increase valuation of reservation by users and other stakeholders

3) Interpret ecological and cultural history from Great Swamp to today’s relict ecosystem

Comments:

Major goal and tasks of MDC - Designed for public access :

Environmental/cultural education - Cultural means awareness of New England flora and fauna.

Preservation/ecology and public use are mutually dependent

Public education/resources/opportunities are critical

Only wild greenspace in Cambridge/Somerville with 6 of 12 national ecosystems present.

Community involvement is vital- large part of Friends of Alewife Reservation activities.

11. Goal 4: Provide for maintenance that minimizes cost and maximizes effectiveness - Major Objectives:

1) Create a low-maintenance and long-term self-sustaining landscape

2) Facilitate citizen-based monitoring and stewardship program

3) Identify sources for funding & partnerships

Comments:

FAR demonstrates (3 years) interest in maintenance and stewardship

Schools have an option to take on this task.

Only one in 4-city area easily accessible by public T.

FAR has thoroughly accomplished this model (while realistically incomplete) for 3 years.

13. Connecting Alewife! - 2 Concept Alternatives:

Alternative 1 – Connecting habitats and wildlife is key result

Alternative 2 – Connecting people is key result

Comments:

They are interrelated. People preserve wildlife, and will look out for their protection IF they have the protected ways of moving through the area..People notice abuse and disintegration and make sure it is corrected.

14. Connecting Alewife - Alternative 1 –Connecting habitats and wildlife is key result

·    Develop relict ecosystem to urban wildlife habitat network

·    Prioritize water and habitat improvements over cultural benefits

·    Manage as valuable natural resource area with important ecological functions

Comments:

No basis for dichotomy.

Note: Charles Eliot and Fredrich Law Olmstead, MDC fathers. None bar the human race. Preservation of contiguous habitats for animals - preserve areas for water, food breeding. Contiguous and sufficient area to sustain wildlife.

Parking garage on the forest will disperse wildlife.

15. (Slide is a map showing connections.)

Comments:

Is hydrology connection study an MDC function?

Restore connection to Spy Pond if possible (connecting habitat).

Good to daylight, but is this a function of the MDC planning team?

What about the many existing streams in trouble with contamination and poor drainage/flow.

16. Improve Fish Passage - Spy Pond, Amelia Earhart Dam

(Slide images:

·    Example of Fish Ladders & Open Channels

·    Existing drop structure at Spy Pond)

Comments:

Fish ladders- good idea- but the dam is not in the Reservation or greenways.

Good concept for classroom learning

Fish ladders in Waltham at dam on Charles don't work.

18. Stream Daylighting - Winn’s Brook, Wellington Brook, Alewife Brook

Slide images:

·    a daylighted stream

·    site (railroad yard) before and during construction showing pipe

Comments:

Way beyond Reservation master plan reality. Why not work on 5 streams, Little River, 4 ponds, waterbodies that exist already in the open? The present waterbodies are in danger of being choked by silt and contaminents.
One such Pond (Blair)  is dying. . One that has a $150 thousand dollar master plan completed. Daylighting requires buffer areas to support the work. Many of these pipes have almost no public buffer lands.

19. (Slide is a map showing connections)

Comments:

Opportunity for terrestrial value is enhanced by surrounding properties

Buy property by all means. Enhance habitat banks. Stabilization is desirable.

Need to preserve integrity of area. Buy adjacent land. Preserve silver maple

Forest in Uplands. Federal matching funds? MDC acquisition?

20. Bank Stabilization - esp. Wellington Brook

Various bioengineering techniques for stabilizing stream banks: live stakes, brush mattress.

(Slide shows photographs and a drawing.)

Comments:

Bank stabilization is important on Little River and adjacent Brook. Also stabilizing paths from bike path to marsh. Protect from dirt bikes

21. Riparian Habitat Extension - Little Pond & Alewife Brook

(Slide shows photographs.)

Comments:

Very good idea for Yates, Perch Blair and Little Pond as well as Little River "edges" are critical for bird life and for other animals, although not mentioned. See David Brown's studies Re: bird and mammal diversity already at Alewife.

Removal of Japanese knotweed. Trail and small bridge at Wellington with bank stabilization??

22. Islands - Little Pond

(Slide shows photographs.)

Modular, anchored, floating, vegetated systems can provide predator-free habitat in Little Pond (left picture)

Comments:

Good idea

24. Wetland Creation/Restoration - Alewife Reservation

Improved, restored and newly created wetlands provide wildlife habitat, can enhance flood storage and treat stormwater.

(Slide shows photographs.)

Comments:

Restoration of public areas near west of ADL parking lot is important.

Restoration of Reservation wetlands is a priority for the plan.

Alewife Reservation newly created wetlands provide wildlife habitat and enhance flood storage and treat stormwater.

Cooperation between agencies and citizen groups needed.

26. Viewing Areas/Platforms - Boardwalks

Exploring nature in ecologically sensitive areas

(Slide shows photographs and a drawing.)

Comments:

Perch Pond is new, isolated, supports "shy" animal life. Preserve and protect.

Use blinds? Careful access. Prevent parties and abuse of area (present condition).Alewife T and Minute Man converge. T- Best access point for development of biking artery, Converge at T stop. Best learning point with

Grassy field, river and stream, and forested ecosytems all converge.

Major boardwalks and viewing areas and overhangs will be required throughout the Reservation for students, teachers and monitoring. Also for passive recreation such as fishing. Put overhang along "Fitchburg cutoff biketrail" and Little River.

27. Non-motorized Boat Access - Little Pond & Dilboy Field

Exploring Alewife waters by kayak or canoe

(Slide shows photographs and a drawing.)

Comments:

Need boat access at ADL lot. Readily accessible by "T". Little Pond is not accessible by "T" and thus public. There is no place to park at Little Pond.

28. Educational Stations/Nodes

Small scale access to Alewife Brook/Little Pond.

Real-time water quality monitoring boards.

(Slide shows photographs and a drawing.)

Comments:

Most important part of park enhancements and environmental focus.

FAR has designed full pavillion for teachers to congregate classes under attractive covered benches and tables for learning and understanding the area.

Little Pond not accessible.

Urban center would make great use of educational stations. Alewife T should be gateway. Good educational signage is very important, e.g. harbor interpretation at Harbor Point, Moakley courthouse.

Science station for sharing collected data, sheltered from rain and sun.

The south-eastern entrance would attract university classes and Cambridge

Public schools as it is on a T stop. (Public and private schools are using the Reservation now).

30. Gateways - Entrances

• Define entrances & gateways

• Supply way finding features & signage

• Draw upon existing landmarks and create new ones

(Slide shows photographs.)

Comments:

Brings our science curriculum with real life field experiences.

Gateways and entrances should be clearly centered around the T stop and public access by the present MDC owned kiosk area.

Extensive historic and educational signage should be developed under canopy with granite based panels showing agricultural and fishing history of Cambridge and towns.

Animal and bird orientation to the Reservation should take place at this entrance for tours, classes, etc.  

31. Interpretive Features: History, Culture, Nature

32: [image of public art; no text]

 (Slides show photographs and a drawing.)

Comments:

Community history changes over time. How Alewife was developed and why. Water tables/construction/native and non-native living things. Early settlements, including Native American history. Public art of children's work.

Mural at T station is planned and should be picked up by MDC.

35. Natural Channel Restoration - Parkway (Rt. 2 to Hend. Bridge)

Slide shows images of:

·   existing concrete channel (Rt. 2 to Henderson Bridge)

·   stream restoration project using bioengineering shortly after construction & 4 years later

Comments:

Removing concrete channeling: Enormous job. For Army Corps of engineers.

37. Meadow Grass Community - Parkway, Little Pond

(Slide shows images of Parkway and Little Pond)

From mowed grass to………………. meadow communities

Comments:

Restore ADLittle meadow, and Reservation entrance meadow.

Add insect habitat needs.

40. Pathways

Slide shows images (photographs and a drawing) of:

·    Primary pathway, multi-use (8-10 feet wide), stabilized aggregate

·    Secondary pathway (4-6 feet wide)

·    Path under bridge

Comments:

From Hill Estates and Brighton Rd. To Alewife T and Minute Man connection at Entrance to Reservation

55. Next Steps - Draft Master Plan

• Develop Draft Master Plan by Combining Alternatives and Public Input

• Develop Schematic Plans for Priority Areas

• Prepare Preliminary Maintenance Plan

• Hold Public Meeting

Comments:

Public Input. Need more public input than has been thus far

General Comments:

Great start. Good luck. Could be a  "win win" situation for all. Could be an urban wild model using persistence and common sense.