(photo at end of this article)
Around 28 Alewife Reservation pioneers boarded canoes on a July Sunday at the old Arthur D. Little parking lot which abuts Route 2 and its east entrance to the Alewife T. Two separate groups early and mid morning navigated up to Belmont's Little Pond, nearly a mile upstream from the T. Today's trip, sponsored by Friends of Alewife Reservation, was designed for canoers to enjoy a unique adventure upstream on a rarely paddled River. Purpose was to note its special natural beauty and take account of the 115 acre area as a great haven for wildlife and an urban wild center for recreationists, conservation- minded visitors and classes. Passage was very difficult with old branches, a beaver lodge storage area, and only two water feet deep river, with many more feet of silt underneath, a result of road runoff and unabated pollution from upstream communities as well as mid-stream Cambridge.

Carp darted everywhere, as there was no room for canoe bottom and carp in the same place. If not for the June rains, Little River would be unnavigable. As we constantly veered away from silt beds and mud flats, one could glimpse behind the shores rich with oaks, black willow, blackberry and raspberry bushes, mulberry, dogwood, maples, ash, button bush, etc. There were huge expanses of open fields, marshes, a large silver maple forest and a beaver dam stream coming into the River at the edge of the Uplands. Some felt the canoe trip was like going back in the time machine to see the huge untouched forests of 40 years full of coyote, mink, fox and deer, untouched; where David Brown, wildlife professional from a Riverways grant for the Friends, found clear evidence of these mammals and 90 bird species. A sizable chunk of this Belmont land has recently been zoned for Research and Development.

Phyllis Stefanov-Wagner spotted an osprey, enjoying with her family of four. Great blues were spotted as were spotted sandpiper. A huge swan landed with great orange webbed feet, as if skiing in Cypress Garden showtime. The Pond mainly contains carp, but many black crowned night heron, and is the spot where the anadromous Alewife head in May and June from the Atlantic Ocean and Mystic River to spawn. Few were spotted this year. Ernie and Connie Kirwan came from the Charles watershed area to note another watershed so much written about, still wild. David Fichter, muralist, came to take pictures for drawing for his youth participants, and would like to illustrate the Reservation's riches. Gayle and Mark Kirk wanted to see what was behind their Belmont home at Hill Estates on Little River.

The trip was aided by MDC Ranger and Supervisor Geoff Woods, usually found at Belle Isle Marsh, who made the trip possible with a trailer of 6 canoes and life jackets. The MDC and its paid design firms are presently designing the Alewife Reservation area for nature protection, conservation and public access.

Trip organizers included Stewart Sanders, Cambridge; Carl Wagner, Arlington; Ellen Mass, Cambridge. Other Participants included Dick Madden, Steve and Amelia Carter, Tina Gram, Aimee Bellows, Claire Hastie, Joe DeCourcey and family, Molly Walker, Florence and Alfredo Freda, and Mary and Krix Kout.


Stefanov-Wagner family and Ellen Mass in the foreground.