Friends of Alewife Reservation (FAR)
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Alewife as Seen by European Visitor added to website June 16, 2006 Linda Pinkow Dr. Hans Reichert Hommerstr. 17 Dear Editor, As a visitor of my daughter who is living here, I note that Boston has the reputation of a beautiful and green city. But as a naturalist and hiker I have conflicting feelings. Most houses are beautiful with gardens, and along the roads you find a lot of trees. The aversion of many Germans against deciduous trees ("the falling leaves cause dirt and work") seems to be alien to the nature of Bostonians. But on the other hand, I am depressed by the nearly total exploitation of the landscape. Nearly all ponds are enclosed by private property and the rivers are accompanied by noisy roads. The remaining oases of quietness are mostly cemeteries, parks and golf courses. Their vegetation is more or less "man-made" and cannot replace the lack of natural ecosystems in the urban region. I agree with the well known ethologist Konrad Lorenz, that these urban oaises contribute to a wealthy development of children's minds when they make contact with "wilderness". In Germany there are good experiences with "forest-kindergardens". The best playgrounds(and the American playgrounds are the best I have ever seen) cannot replace the experience of nearly untouched nature. If the communities of greater Boston continue with the destruction of natural resources (e.g. Silver Maple Woodland near Little Pond), there will remain an endless monotony of urban structures. You can escape this only by long drives. It seems that most politicians are unable to estimate the value of such a piece of land as the Alewife Reservation. In spite of the aggressive Japanese Buckwheat (Fallopia japonica, possibly most of it the hybridFallopia x bohemica), which pesters the indigenous plants, I enjoy hiking along the bike path from Alewife station to Medford. I sympathize very much with Friends of Alewife Reservation's engagement for the protection of the reservation and wish for success in the fight for the conservation of the whole area. Yours sincerely
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