Friends of Alewife Reservation (FAR)
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Development planned for the Silver Maple Forest of Belmont
This shocks me . . . letter from a Lesley University student To Whom It May Concern: It has come to my attention that there is development planned for the Silver Maple Forest of Belmont. This shocks me that such a respectable community can even think of allowing this atrocity to occur. Although the Silver Maple Forest is not a large forest, it has significance. Aside from the amount of losses this project would have on biodiversity, interior habitats, the core of an important system and habitat loss, this project will greatly affect the spiritual and educational meaning it already has for the entire Metro-Boston area. This Silver Maple Forest is one of a kind in any urban area such as Belmont and Cambridge. From my point of view, children in urban areas rarely have an opportunity to experience any kind of urban wild, such as the Silver Maple Forest, and such opportunities completely enhance the ecological intelligence of any person, let alone children. I have seen many children who feel like they are separate from the environment, even their own back yards. This feeling is dangerous and shouldn't occur! And this feeling is dangerous and shouldn't occur because everyone is born with an innate affinity towards nature, especially since we humans are just one part of life on this earth. This innate kinship towards nature is called biophilia and we must foster it so children learn to love the place they live in, specifically their environment. With this continual love for the environment, children will feel a closeness to it and in the end, will want to do as much as they can to help save it when they face the major environmental problems of the future. I feel there is no monetary value for this precious Silver Maple Forest. It is priceless. Once altered, this environment will not have the capabilities to sustain itself. With the loss of this forest, and other natural areas around the world, we lose the opportunity to share with out children ecological intelligence - an intelligence that is especially important in urban areas because it helps to foster intelligence. This is a plea to take a stand against developers. As a concerned citizen, I would like to see the surrounding cities and towns take a stand against this recent trend of development of rare urban wilds. It is important for the future of our children and their knowledge of the environment we live in and so dearly love. Best Regards, Diana Cosmas 47 Oxford Street Box 86 Cambridge, MA 02138 |