On June 14th, the Belmont Citizens Forum sponsored a presentation at the Belmont Memorial Library with the Friends of Alewife Reservation, the Arlington Land Trust, and the Belmont Land Trust. The slideshow, titled Urban Wilds: Past - Present - Future, was led by Mike Arnott, a local naturalist and Appalachian Mountain Club member.

During the presentation, Arnott eloquently discussed how commercial development has impacted the Alewife Brook Reservation over the last century. With his personal photograph collection he displayed the diversity of wildlife, wetlands, meadows, and woodlands within the reservation. Arnott emphasized the intimate relationship between man and nature, giving advice on how to peacefully co-exist with coyotes. He also stressed the importance of a rare stand of sliver maples, known as the Belmont Uplands, in the reservation. Arnott explained that this forest helps to reduce flooding in Belmont, Arlington, and Cambridge, while providing key habitat for some of the reservation's top predators. In conclusion, Arnott called for the citizens of the surrounding townships to forge an "emotional bond" with nature and join together to ensure that the Uplands and land within the reservation remain preserved for future generations.

For more information on how you can become involved in the fight to preserve the Belmont Uplands and preserve the Alewife Brook Reservation, please contact Sue Bass of the Belmont Citizens Forum at (617) 489-4729. You can also visit www.belmontcitizensforum.org