Regional floodplain and wildlife refuge
Critical Flood Protection For Our Neighborhoods
Western corridor of Boston Metropolitan Region
Arlington, Belmont, Cambridge

The climate has warmed more rapidly than expected. Wetlands and forested buffer zones are disappearing, piece by piece. The Upper Alewife Basin of the Mystic River watershed should remain intact because climate change scientists predict Atlantic Ocean sea rise and surges.

Keep the floodplain forest for community and wildlife 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.

Up to the 1900s, The "Uplands" and its Alewife ecosystem, the "Great Swamp," stretched from Fresh Pond to the Mystic River.

Alewife Reservation and Acorn Park Drive are in a FEMA 100-year Floodplain & Floodway. The forest stores 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. The trees and porous soils reduce the rate and volume of storm water runoff, which mitigates flooding for tens of thousands of people locally and down along the Mystic River watershed to the Boston Harbor. Cutting down a significant portion of the silver maple forest will damage the ability of the wetlands to do their job in protecting surrounding communities.

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.

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.

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

"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.

Save the Silver Maple Forest
The Silver Maple Forest
NEWS TO US: SILVER MAPLE SAVIORS
Letter to the Editor From: Friends of Alewife Reservation
Silver Maple Forest Day of Action!
The River is a Restless Spirit - Life in the floodplain forest