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Save the Silver Maple Forest


Endorsers
350ma.org
Belmont Land Trust
Climate Action Laison Coaltion (CALC)
Coalition to Preserve Belmont Uplands
Fresh Pond Residents Alliance
Friends of Alewife Reservation
Green Cambridge
Green Sanctuary Team of First Parish Arlington
Greenport
Lesley University - Division of 
    Science and Mathematics
Mothers Out Front
Mystic River Watershed Association
Occupy Arlington
Sierra Club
Sustainable Arlington
Sustainable Belmont
Sustainable Schools
TROMP

Videos
2013 Silver Maple Forest Action - 6 minutes


A developer plans to clearcut 700+ trees in the Silver Maple Forest in August to build almost 300 apartment units. He already has most of the permits and expects to get the last permits and begin clearcutting.

If we do not act NOW, we will lose this unique urban wild resouce!

Letters that support saving the Silver Maple Forest:
To Arlington Conservation Commission
To Community Preservation Act Chair


Contents below
What The Silver Maple Forest Does For Us
What You Can Do To Make A Difference


Alewife Wetlands Have Been Drastically Reduced

The Silver Maple Forest is an important part of the Alewife wetlands. Wetlands and their forested buffer zones like the Silver Maple Forest protect our communities in many ways and contain resources that we use. But most have disappeared, piece by piece. Up to the 1900s, The "Uplands" and its Alewife ecosystem, the "Great Swamp," stretched from Fresh Pond to the Mystic River. The Alewife Reservation and the Silver Maple Forest that extends beyond the Reservation's border are among the few wetlands left to protect Alington, Belmont, Cambridge and downstream communities from flooding by rainstorms and storm surges.

The climate has warmed more rapidly than expected. The Upper Alewife Basin of the Mystic River watershed helps deal with the Atlantic Ocean sea rise and surges that scientists predict. It should remain intact.


What The Silver Maple Forest Does For Us
panorama of Silver Maple Forest
Wetands Protect Us From Flooding

"Wetlands at Alewife Reservation are key parts of the hydrologic cycle with impacts on water quantity and quality, slowing down and absorbing storm water runoff, then gradually releasing the stored water over a prolonged period. Reduction of peak flows reduces flooding downstream, a serious problem at Alewife." – Department of Conservation and Recreation, Alewife Reservation and Alewife Brook Master Plan, June 2003.

The Silver Maple Forest is in a FEMA floodway and floodplain, documented as an important part of rainwater flood protection. FEMA maps currently classify the communities around the Alewife wetlands as a 100-year flood area, meaning that they are only expected to flood an average of once every 100 years. But residents of these surrounting communities say that they now get one of these "100-year" floods every 3 years or so. One cause of this change is development (building) in the wetlands which have historically protected us.

Protect Our New 150 million dollar Storm Water Wetland from Overdevelopment

The community recently invested $150M dollars to improve the wetland area in the Alewife Reservation. Let's not negate that investment by taking away another major part of the wetlands -- the Silver Maple Forest.

Trees in the Watershed Purify Our Water And Air

"Slow movement of water through wetlands allows physical, chemical and biological processes to improve water quality by retaining and removing environmental contaminants." – Department of Conservation and Recreation, Alewife Reservation and Alewife Brook Master Plan, June 2003.

The soil and trees of the Silver Maple Forest filter out and store heavy metals from storm water runoff, including lead, zinc and copper. It traps soil-based pollutants through absorption of particles into the forest soil and stores water in plants and trees.

And maples store 150,000 pounds of carbon per acre of forested land. Cutting down a significant portion of the Silver Maple Forest will damage the ability of the wetlands to lock down the carbon dioxide that continues to drive climate change and protect surrounding communities.

Wetlands also reduce heat by evaporating stored water from leaves and soil, helping to slow down climate change and moderating the heat of summer.

City and Town Governments Must Protect Local Humans and Non-Humans Alike

Our towns and city cannot offer up 40 percent of the Belmont Uplands silver maple forest to the highest bidder to clear cut our only floodplain forest and Department of Conservation and Recreation publicly owned land. Arlington, Belmont and Cambridge's floodplain maple forest binds wetland to upland, providing an ideal environment for plants, animals and birds. Tragedy to people and animals will result from loss of hundreds of silver maples, due to significant loss of environmental protection services provided by the 130 acres of wetlands in and around the Reservation.

Where are the Regional Environmental Flooding Studies for Arlington, Belmont and Cambridge and 2500 Units?

Cambridge has begun a region-wide "Vulnerability Study" that will include the Alewife and Charles River watersheds. No permits should be issued for clearing and construction in and around the DCR-owned Alewife Reservation. Alewife Reservation and Acorn Park Drive are in a FEMA 100-year Floodplain & Floodway. Much of Alewife is 5 feet above sea level and very vulnerable to inundation by storm surges.

Alewife Reservation is 5-8 feet above sea level

More storm surges like Superstorm Sandy will come our way. The Amelia Earhart Dam is not sufficient protection.

"Wetlands at Alewife Reservation are key parts of the hydrologic cycle with impacts on water quantity and quality, slowing down and absorbing storm water runoff, then gradually releasing the stored water over a prolonged period. Reduction of peak flows reduces flooding downstream, a serious problem at Alewife. Slow movement of water through wetlands allows physical, chemical and biological processes to improve water quality by retaining and removing environmental contaminants." –Department of Conservation and Recreation, Alewife Reservation and Alewife Brook Master Plan, June 2003.


    Coyote seen near Alewife Reservation
Wildlife Abounds at Alewife Reservation

"Because the forest is block shaped, not long and narrow, its value increases as habitat and refuge. Forest interior species of thrush, warbler and squirrel thrive in this unique core habitat. Silver maples provide critical food sources and large nesting cavities. Other area-sensitive species include red-tailed hawk, peregrine falcon, great horned owl, beaver and coyote which benefit from silver maple forest’s shape dueto ranges required for their survival." -Chuck Katuska

Wildlife specialist David Brown has assessed the area's woodlands and marshes with grant from Mass. Fish and Wildlife in the Alewife Reservation publishing for FAR over 90 species of birds and 21 species of mammals, including a long tail weasel just found.

Regional floodplain and wildlife refuge
Critical Flood Protection For Our Neighborhoods
Western corridor of Boston Metropolitan Region
Arlington, Belmont, Cambridge
June 28th Parade and Rally at Silver Maple Forest
Photo: David Mussina     Stan Strickland, Maya Apfelbaum, Morris Dancers lead the way.
See also
Save the Silver Maple Forest - Facebook
Silver Maple Forest Day of Action - Facebook
The Silver Maple Forest
SILVER MAPLE SAVIORS
Letter to the Editor From: Friends of Alewife Reservation
The River is a Restless Spirit - Life in the floodplain forest