Appeal to Donate to Tufts Wildlife Fund for hospital testing of cause of death for birds and animals. Alewife Reservation has seen its share of dead birds, and FAR members have always found them too late for an adequate necropsy to be performed, but would gladly travel to Grafton for this procedure with ample time. (read more)

photo: Maya Apfelbaum

Winged golden energy at early solstice, multi-cultural poetry ritual with Ellen Mass, host and ED of Friends of Alewife Reservation. Ananta Kumar Giri of Chennai, India shared poetry upholding our sacred bond to Mother Earth and outlining regenerative sustainability work. Maya Apfelbaum ignited prayers and candles in a Festival of Lights spirit, calling on each gathered to give voice to their connection to nature with support from Ric Hahn. We celebrated the gifts of Nature, spoke of the destruction of the silver maple forest and the need to address the ailing of Little River's waters there and rededicated to standing for the interwoven wellbeing of the Earth and our communities across the globe.

Jake Stout

On November 14, 2015 on David Brown's nature walk, at the Storm Water Wetlands overlook there were clear signs of a Beaver! Beavers haven't been seen in the Alewife Reservation in about three years so this is a great find for the Reservation. The Beaver took down about nine trees of varying size. It took down an Aspen tree, and small Willow and a few other young trees. It also took some big chunks out of some trees that are still standing. So glad that the Beavers are back!!! -Jake Stout

Beaver life cycle and habits (article with video)

Swimming Under Water Into a Beaver Lodge (video)

Beaver Building benefits us all (documentary)

photo: George Mclean

I have been trying for years to get a photo like this! A magical animal, they can disappear in the twinkling of an eye! -George Mclean

Our new beaver and muskrat families require a clean habitat and environment. We want the waterways cleaned up*because the Cambridge-Belmont Little River and Alewife Brook are some of the worst in Massachusetts.

(article)

(report)

Jake Stout

I saw these ducks at two different spots along little river and I'm not sure what they are, they might be some type of hybrid duck. They tend to swim with other mallards, though I have seen some other mallards being aggressive towards them. Any ideas on what they are? (full size pictures)

Restoring Ecosystems To Reverse Global Warming

"[W]e tell this new water story, covering the science, the land management practices and the activism that will make it all come to pass. And check out Michal Kravcik's Global Action Plan for the Restoration of Natural Water Cycles and Climate!" (slides and videos of the presentations at the conference web site!)

David Mussina

(see the pictures)

George McLean

Upper Mystic Lakes received a high US-EPA mark of A- for its water quality.

Gentiana Andrewsii, found fourth year at Alewife

Endangered species at Alewife Reservation found 4th year in a row in the wetlands beside Little River in Cambridge.

The large rocket shaped flowers were found by Ellen Mass in clusters just behind a large homeless tent. Fear is that the "Bottled Gentian" will get stomped and disappear, but thus far this species has remained strong and prolific. It was last seen in 1864 on the Charles River. The state forms were filled out and sent in recently to Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs.

Ellen Mass of FAR and Amy Mertl of Lesley University   Photo: David Mussina

The Friends of the Alewife Reservation has teamed up with ecologists from Lesley University and the Harvard University Herbarium to restore the plant community of the Blair pond meadow and monitor the long-term effects of plant restoration on the avian and insect communities using the habitat. (article)

Mystic Messenger, Fall 2015

(article)

(Map of Little River and Mystic River Watershed water quality)

Original River Restore Program Proposal by Kris Houle of Horsley and Witten Inc., Summer 2015.

 

Paris decisions, coming up, will impact our planet

Follow the Gore example. Connect globally to a powerful movement for change. Support best outcomes in Paris world climate conference by participating in campaign initiated by former US leader Al Gore. Follow like-minded people from many continents and their contributions. (https://www.climaterealityproject.org/whoweare)

Decry wealthy countries resistance to change (article)

• Head of the Charles Regatta
• Annual Pumpkin Float
• Children's Magical Halloween Castle
• Pleasure Bay: Olmstead's Seaside Promenade
• Scenic View at Bellvue Hill Tower
• (flyer)

Our planet does not gain or lose water

• 97% ocean water
• 2% frozen
• < 1% fresh water!

(PDF)

(press release)

Click picture for larger image.

Referenced in Horsely Witten final report. (2015 River Restore Report)

EPA Discusses Water Quality of Little River (Cambridge), and Alewife Brook (mostly Somerville and East Arlington) and Little Pond (Belmont) after publication of River Restore report from FAR Ecology Camp 2015. (article)

Produced by Duke Bitsko (plan)

Click for larger

Local journal Growing Up in North Cambridge: "Ecology Camp Students Protect North Cambridge Urban Wild" (picture above left)

Local journal Wicked Local Arlington: "Friends of Alewife Reservation host River Restore camp for youth"

From Catherine Woodbury, Storm Water Manager, City of Cambridge DPW, September 2015.

Source pollution areas of first discharge area of "forebay" and outlet to Little River in middle marsh not tested in those locations, but upstream from those locations. (PDF of spreadsheet)

Come and Participate!

Volunteers will establish test plots to 1) demonstrate the potential of reseeding with native indigenous species, and 2) to demonstrate effectiveness of permacultural methods via improving soil health. (article)

Bagging knotweed

United Way- Ernst and Young Accounting Firm volunteers visit Blair Pond in Cambridge 9/25 to help preserve the 4 acre open meadow and water quality in the Pond the state has just dredged, bordering Belmont and Cambridge.Thanks to United Way and Firm with 800 out nationally on their Community Service Day. Much was accomplished to prepare the ground for soil restoration and experimental planting plots.

"A new study demonstrates that soil bacteria and the richness of animal species belowground play a key role in regulating a whole suite of ecosystem functions on Earth." (article)

from Kathy Johnson

The development on Cambridge Park Drive is close to completion, and they are already showing apartments. The last couple of months I've seen water bird activity mostly at Yates Pond across from the T where Great Blue, 'Kronker' seems to reside for now. (article)

Final River Restore Action Plan Recommendations consultant report. Thanks to Horsely Witten Group for assisting in the River Restore project, and teaching hydrology lessons to the 9th annual Summer Ecology Camp "River Restore Program" and providing a final report for municipal and state agencies and commissions. We especially appreciate our 10 summer youth which worked diligently over 6 weeks, bringing Kris Houle and Ingeborg Hegemann out to the Reservation to share "existing Little River watershed conditions". This professional report includes suggested Actions to benefit the agencies, construction crews and volunteers who will try to implement these improvements on a sorely needed Alewife sub-watershed in Cambridge and in Belmont, benefitting downstream communities in Arlington, Somerville and Medford.

VIDEO of Belmont, Arlington, Cambridge storm water FORUM, September 10. Belmont's Attention to future storm water improvements. US-EPA gives warning.
Photo: Anne Marie Lambert of Belmont Citizens Forum, Master of Ceremonies. Credit: Belmont Media Photo

The world will still heat by more than 6 degrees Fahrenheit, producing catastrophes from food shortages to widespread extinctions of plant and animal life. (article)

(article)

Buzz and Belle updates from Paul Roberts, Summer 2015. (article)

Report by Bill Green.

US-EPA on Phase II of National Storm Water Standards and Enforcement (MS4)

FAR has requested that Alewife sub-watershed municipalities be subject to enforcement to comply with national storm water standards even during construction and landscaping surrounding the storm water wetland on Cambridge Park Drive and on Acorn Park Drive on either side of Little River in Cambridge. Evidence of compliance is missing. (compliance requirements)

... of Little River (Cambridge), Alewife Brook (mostly Somerville and East Arlington) and Little Pond (Belmont). Response to inquiry after publication of River Restore report from FAR Ecology Camp 2015. (article)

Discussion on Alewife sub-watershed Storm Water discharges
September 10, Winn Brook School, Belmont
Belmont Citizens Forum
Arlington, Watertown, Belmont discuss town violations and obstacles to enforcement

Speakers: Former Belmont town official, Arlington engineer, Mystic River Watershed and Charles River Watershed Association representatives. (flyer)

Tree Steward Training (flyer)

Winn Brook depicted.
(article)

FAR's Ecology Summer Camp spent 6 weeks making observations and conducting scientific research with several professional consultants to identify problematic areas on the river and devise solutions which can be completed by FAR volunteers or brought to the attention of state groups and professional environmental firms in the near future.

"Priorities for Action" on pages 23 - 25 outlines substantial ideas for improving Little River and its banks and streams.

FAR plans to partner with cambridge officials, grassroots groups, municipal bodies and other volunteers to implement these improvements projects beginning in the Fall of 2015.

Please email info@friendsofalewfiereservation.org to find out how you can support FAR's Little River restoration efforts.

(River Restore Program Report)

Between July 6th and August 14th, ten Cambridge high school aged students make progress on a River Restoration project, work to enhance the Alewife Reservation and learn about local Ecology. This is FAR's 9th annual Ecology Summer Camp. Check out the final report, activity descriptions, and pictures of our awesome campers!

(Steering Committee Charter)

Meet at the Alewife Brook parking lot at Cambridge Discovery Park at 100 Acorn Park Drive.

Alewife Brook Reservation features a state of the art restored wetland with boardwalks and scenic observation decks overlooking the Little River. Ages 10 and up.

Maggi Brown is a DCR ranger and her work over 20 sites is greatly appreciated. She has trained with the Chester engineer who designed the storm water wetland and FAR has brought them together to begin more educational tours. Please attend.

My concern is that, from a wildlife perspective, any trail from the area of the housing development through the reservation in the direction of the T-station will become a thoroughfare for commuters as well as an avenue of active recreation by walkers, dog-walkers, mountain bikers, joggers and so forth. It can be expected that any further increase in human usage will have a proportionate effect in the decline of habitat tenability for the shier species of wildlife that have been discovered in the reservation. It is bad enough that permission was given to cut the heart out of the greater Alewife ecosystem by the clearing of the silver maple forest, any further reduction of habitat compounds the offense. -Dan Moore

Bill Green

Field used for soil and plant experiments.

Wildlife Monitors wanted for FAR's wildlife Committee. Call office at 617 415-1884.

(pictures in FAR Wildlife Blog)

Local noted quarterly Journal, Growing Up in North Cambridge publishes Alewife Reservation review by Ellen Mass of Professor Robert France's book, A Vision For Revitalizing Alewife, Our Last Remaining Wild Lands. Purchase for $10 at Porter Square Books. (review)

(their blog)

(pictures on facebook)

Held at US-EPA headquarters in Boston
Spotlighting Little River-Alewife Brook contamination results

(article)

Review of Robert France and his books by Ellen Mass

(article)

Please see the new report, "Non-Governmental organizations supporting the Urban Waters Federal Partnership". It reflects where the 28 NGOs are working along with their activities related to each location's work.

The City of Boston updates its climate action plan every three years, starting with A Climate of Progress, announced on Earth Day 2011. A Climate of Progress encompasses Sparking Boston's Climate Revolution and the recommendations from the 2010 report of the Climate Action Leadership Committee and the Community Advisory Committee. Boston's next climate action plan was launched on October 29, 2013, which will focus on climate preparedness and community engagement. Explore plan.greenovateboston.org web site.

Thanks to the Cambridge Homes and all who attended. The artwork will be hung through the month of May. Please stop by to enjoy the beautiful pieces memorializing the Silver Maple forest. (pictures)

Thanks to Kathy Johnson and Suzanne Teegarden for contacting Animal Rescue, who sedated the swan and removed the hook.

Tweets from Animal Rescue League:
Here is the hook.
The hook was removed & the swan was given a clean bill of health! She was returned to Alewife.

Biodiversity Conference pre-walk at Alewife Reservation with Friends of Alewife Reservation as Professor Morimoto of Lesley University gives lessons on bonding with living natural organisms among us and in our treasured natural areas such as Alewife. (pictures)

(article)

(article)

Eastern Research Group working around Alewife Station

Thank you to our 60 volunteers who attended Friends of Alewife Reservation's 8th annual Earth / Park Serve Day clean-up April 25th, 2015. (article)

A campaign has been started by 185redtails@yahoogroups.com to try and stem use of super toxic rodenticides that run through the food chain around Alewife and Fresh Pond. FAR has been an important component of this campaign and wishes to engage other supporters of ours to engage those businesses and construction managers at Alewife and Fresh Pond, asking what they are using. Read the material to find out what is safer than the common products. Ask what pest service they use and whether it can be stopped immediately until a safer product is found. Call the number placed on the attached business letter or FAR at 617 415-1884.

We are finding many dead animals on the Reservation.

More information:

• Do's and Don'ts for contacting businesses
• letter to area businesses
• American Bird Conservancy on super-toxic poisons
• Center for Biological Diversity - Rodenticide Campaign
• Mass Wildlife on Rodenticides
• Planet Earth Online: Toxic Toll of Rat Poison on Birds Revealed

Great Success and lots of fun with 30 eager and hardworking Boston University students this past Saturday! Thanks for helping us clean the Alewife Reservation, BU! (pictures)

Paul Roberts

Two weeks ago I posted that the story of Buzz and Belle was a melodrama worthy of broadcast on Univision. It now looks as though they might be picked up by PBS, maybe to replace Downton Abbey. (article)

(sample letter)

(Arlington Land Trust News FALL 2004)

Click for full map

Baseline monitoring taking place. Note Alewife Little River and Alewife Brook.

Photo by Bob Coe

Regional flood discussions to be initiated by Mayor passed Council December 8 by Leland Cheung at the silver maple forest Environmental Committee Hearing October 28th.

Policy Orders of increased rain precipitation and overloading of sewage gallons did not make the Council rostrom, although they were submitted and supported at the Hearing itself along with the discussion requirement.

2014-2015 Cambridge City Council: Front Row: Dennis J. Carlone, Nadeem A. Mazen, E. Denise Simmons and Dennis A. Benzan. Back Row: Timothy J. Toomey, Jr., Craig A. Kelley, Leland Cheung, Marc C. McGovern and David P. Maher.

(photos)

Mugar Woodlands Deeply Theatened (Arlington Land Trust newsletter)

(flyer)

(letter)

photo: gwsp.org/ www.anthropocene.info

(article)

(article)

photo: Kris Snibbe/Harvard Pubic Affairs and Communications

Drew Faust visits Tsinghua University to share climate change policy and study. (article)

Thanks to the Mystic River Watershed Association for this water quality report. Items beginning with "SOM" on pages 5 and 6 are from Alewife Brook. (report, on MyWRA site )

It is our pleasure to invite you to participate in DCR's Park Serve Day on Saturday, April 25, 2015

Ellen Mass- Letter to the Editor- Cambridge Chronicle 3-12-15 (article)

(article)

Rowan Curran of Forrester notes disappearance of Habitat at the silver maple forest within the Alewife Reservation. FAR wildlife signs depict "Wood Warblers" who may have disappeared. Important nesting area for birds and dening area for mammals. (tweet)

November 6: Cambridge Storm Water Site Visit with Ellen Mass, Bruce Jacobs, Amy Mertl. (report)

Wednesday, February 25, 2015, 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. (EST): Webcast: An Introduction to Structural Soils: Research, Development, and Performance
For details on this free webcast series, see page two of the newsletter.
-DCR Urban and Community Forestry Program

Discuss the present and future of Biodiversity in New England in all day conference March 26, Cambridge. (newenglandwild.org/sym)

March 2010: flooding with Silver Maple Forest in the background

Cambridge should use our federal floodplain regulations more. Study them. Here are just a few:
http://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/20130726-1535-20490-4864/unit5.pdf

US-FEMA is supposed to update very soon.

Agenda and slides
Thanks to Whole Foods for donating refreshments.

Forest and Park Friend's Network Presentation Spotlighting Alewife Reservation

photo & story: Paul Roberts

(article)

(list of programs)

Resident and Engineer, Mike Nakagawa explains how the CSO system has worked at Alewife and what the issues are. (article)

Credit: The Boston Globe

(article)

Bill going through the House (article)

Poster Panels for new Storm water wetlands at DCR Kiosks throughout the Reservation.

From CCEAG list serve (article)

Credit: Cambridge Day

FEATURED: Your Arlington newspaper covering silver maple forest developments. Recent history of events leading up to the disaster which hit our region. (article) (article)

Climate Change and Flooding Education Fall on Deaf Ears Says FAR

Sad endings for silver maple forest and Alewife in 2014 (article)

(list of activities)

(pictures and poem)

(invitation)

Ellen Mass describes the "Greater Alewife Ecosystem" and restoration potential for 3 local papers. (Term originally coined by David Brown, Alewife wildlife assessor.)

All species and ecological processes are interconnected in a massive web, although the average person does not view the natural world in this way and may miss the opportunity to grow environmental awareness and satisfaction by avoiding a continuous and fascinating relationship with Mother Earth. The “Greater Alewife Ecosystem” provides a local environmental model and nature center to identify nearby natural resources, bonding with them, thus improving one's mental and physical health. (full article)

(article)

From Silver Maple Forest Alliance members: Guest Commentary by Ellen Mass, Kathy Johnson, kathy and John Roberts, Deborah Lockett, Quinton Zondervan, Amy Mertl.

The Cambridge Chronicle editorial, Nov. 6, challenges us to respond to climate change, both municipally and with personal obligations, and find balance between human needs of development and environmental protection that is eroding, according to recent reports. This challenge echoes Obama's recent executive report on natural resources protection and the Intergovernmental UN Report (IPPC): “The gathering risks of climate change are so profound they could stall or even reverse generations of progress against poverty and hunger if greenhouse gas emissions continue at a runaway pace.” (article)

UN Food and Agricultural Organization's (2015 International Year of Soils)

Read Ellen Mass and Raheel Neres's article on Alewife and soils in the December 5, 2014 Cambridge Chronicle.

Alert text from James Wilcox, DPW Engineer.

Cambridge storm water/sewer separation should be completed in 2015, but concerns remain about dumping pollution in storm water wetlands and Little River.

Article for Fresh Pond (West Cambridge) Residents Alliance. Includes Fresh Pond and Alewife. (article by Jan Deveraux)

A Must For Arlington, Belmont, and Cambridge.
Climate Change Requires Conservation of Natural Resources at Alewife

Read Greater Alewife Ecosystem Restoration by Ellen Mass, FAR President, and Raheel Nere, Suffolk University Environmental major.

This article was inspired by the presentation Wetlands: Sinking Carbon and Keeping It Out of the Atmosphere by Steven Apfelbaum, Eco-restoration specialist and Founder of Applied Ecological Services, at this conference:

(Program with Videos and Slides)

Belmont's 10 percent Housing Quota has not been met
Thus Affordable Housing displaces a functioning forest.

Jacobin magazine:
Why 40B does not work for low income residents
DeBlasio's NY false hopes and over-development plans
(article)

March 2010 flooding with Silver Maple Forest in the background

(article)

Mystic River Watershed Association slideshow
Presented at Cambridge Environmental Hearing October 28

Here's an interesting short video on mechanisms connecting global warming and increases in Antarctic sea ice:

http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-29822830

Chronicle Editorial Nov. 6 ... echoes Obama's recent Executive report on natural resources protection, and the Intergovernmental UN Report (IPPC): "The gathering risks of climate change are so profound they could stall or even reverse generations of progress against poverty and hunger if greenhouse gas emissions continue at a runaway pace." (more)

"[B]ird song contributes to positive values associated with urban green space. Urban planners should consider preserving a variety of habitats in cities for hosting a diversity of birds and thereby boost conservation of songbird diversity and recreational experiences for urban people. (more)

Editorial on the felling of the trees, October 11, 2014

Response from long term activist and leader, Ellen Mass on recent woodland calamity at Alewife Reservation (article)

2014-10-28 3-5pm
Chair: Lelund Chung
Despite advance requests, Cambridge had neither audio nor video equipment and we were unable to obtain footage of Professor Morimoto's second half of the hearing.

from Friends of Alewife Reservation on Vimeo.

Gina-Maria Giuliano, 21, of Somerville is arrested during a protest to save Silver Maple Forest from a looming development project.
Credit: Wicked Local Staff Photos / Sara Feijo

Former Pennsylvania Firm: AP Cambridge Partners LLC II (Foreign registered)
Who really owns AP Cambridge Partners LLC II at this moment?

Ringler, 60, and Madeleine Sis, 21, a junior at Lesley University, were arrested around 10 a.m. for trespassing after they marched into the forest and refused to leave, according to Belmont Police Assistant Chief James MacIsaac. (article)

Developers have begun cutting down trees in a forest that borders Cambridge, Belmont and Arlington, but environmentalists say it's not too late to save the wooded area. (article)

Credit Martin Meissner/Associated Press

Machines digging for brown coal in front of a power plant near Grevenbroich, Germany, in April.

The gathering risks of climate change are so profound they could stall or even reverse generations of progress against poverty and hunger if greenhouse gas emissions continue at a runaway pace, according to a major new United Nations report. (article)

Committee
Leland Cheung, Chair
Dennis Carlone
Nadeem Mazen
Marc Mcgovern

Summary of meeting

Presentations

Severe impacts on the floodplain forest to surrounding resources and buildings
The Silver Maple Forest: Economic Benefits and Ecological Connections, Amy Mertl, Biology Professor, Lesley University

Hydrology Study of the Belmont Uplands in light of Climate Change on the Mystic River Watershed
Review of Drainage Calculations for Residences at Acorn Park Drive, Bruce Jacobs, HydroAnalysis, Inc.

"The Silver Maple Forest is more valuable as it is now than any development would be on the site, despite what has been lost"
The Silver Maple Forest is still alive, David Morimoto, Lesley University

"[Please] consider ... using the greatly valued 100 year floodplain ... for multiple community possibilities"
Conservation Proposal, Silver Maple Forest Alliance

Peace and Justice Radio (90.3 FM, 6-10am Sundays) interviewed Ellen Mass, FAR President. (download mp3)

by David Morimoto, Journal of Conservation Biology, 1994 (poem)

Tuesday morning October 28th

Two of us proceeded ed with signs and flowers from the Fresh Pond mall to the Silver Maple Forest site via Alewife T station so we were visible to all who were driving, biking and walking to their destinations noting climate change, flooding and animals. At the site, we were confronted with backhoes and noises of construction as they were bundling up the felled trees and clearing the area. We put some flowers on some stumps and said our farewell. It was sad and intimidating as there were a bunch of construction workers and a security detail in a big black car. We walked back with our signs visible so everyone could understand that there is still a community presence and a glimmer of hope that all is not lost.

photo: David Mussina

Belmont Restraining Order to Cease Work is Affirmed. Cutting has Stopped.

Cracking branches like breaking bones were louder than the crashes and thuds of the 80 year old trees towering over rich habitat within the Upper Alewife Basin in Belmont, bordered by Cambridge and Arlington, with no equal floodplain woodlands in the region, performing ecological nourishment, carbon sequestration functions, and green protection for the grand biodiversity of this New England home to wildlife species of 20 mammal and over 90 bird species, 40 of which are nesting. With seeming careful calculation, an agonizing death knell sounded for the gorgeous yellow leaved deeply lobed maples as hundreds were indiscriminently cut or bulldozed and hit the ground, falling on the public land and marshes - abandoned to die in full leaf, covering the ground in a corpse like blanket. (more)

Leading bike advocate, founder of TROMP, dance teacher and noted Cambridge citizen, is on a hunger strike for the safety and care of citizens. "Please find the attached flyer I was hoping to give to the Governor today. He was detained elsewhere. I will eat no solid food until the carnage at the Silver Maple Forest is stopped and new environmental impact studies are presented."

La Faute-Sur-Mer en Vendee,
Coast of France, October 15
Floodplain permitting crime

In February 2010 a storm Xynthia provoked the death of 29 persons in La Faute-sur-Mer, en Vendee. While the trial must conclude on Friday, the prosecutor's office requested on Wednesday, October 15 various prison sentences against three of the four elected representatives in the affair. The former mayor of the community, Rene Marratier, is affected to serve as an example. The verdict will be made known on December 12. (more)

Published in Cambridge Day

Belmont, MA - October 17, 2014, 9am - Four Cambridge residents were arrested this morning for trespassing within the Belmont and Cambridge Silver Maple Forest presently being clear-cut. Signs along Acorn Park Drive in Belmont with over 20 supporters read, "No climate change," "Don't cut our floodplain silver maple trees," "Stop the cutting before it's too late." (more)

Save our Silver Maple Forest

It's a flood plain and they've started cutting… but it's not too late.

Friendsofalewifereservation.org
Belmontcoalition.org
Greencambridge.org

photo: David Mussina
Published in:
Wicked Local Cambridge article
Wicked Local Burlington
Wicked Local Belmont


photo: Quinton Zondervan
Cambridge Day article

Belmont Selectmen have a double message from last night's meeting, but we support Selectman Paolillo town political reservation of economic pressure the new development will place on the town's basic services. At the same time they were willing once again to hear from Lesley biology professors Amy Mertl and David Morimoto who presented a strong argument for town enhancing benefits for natural resources functions and their financial savings from severe water/flood and pollution damages in the years ahead. New Selectman Bagdadi also applauded their economic research on the "Uplands" and Chair Rojas said they were doing everything they could. We do not know what that means or does anyone but them (Everything is in closed executive session).

(more)

No more homes for them

After the trees that protect it have been cut and the animals left homeless.

PLEASE help spread the word.

Huffington Post and sea rise
Union of Concerned Scientists .

FAR and Silver Maple Forest events coming up.
Sign up to participate in the HONK March/Parade.

• 2014-10-09 Silver Maple Forest Already Being Damaged
• 2014-10-01 Save the Silver Maple Forest

(see Calendar)

map from hydrology report

(letter) (hydrology report)

• Learning about Uplands Land Owner in N.J. and Pennsylvania
• More about J.Brian O'Neill on the Central N.J. web from Sierra Club

From Max Lockwood, Marathon Runner from Washington D.C.

Forest / Wilderness Therapy - Saves people's lives by bringing them emotional balance and well being.

Forest Walks - Induce health and well being and this also extends life and overall human well being.

Bird Habitat and Birding - Provide a sanctuary for birds; Allows humans to learn about birds.

Wild flowers and plants - Provide a sanctuary for rare and common species of plants and flowers. Provide a safe place for people to visit and learn about them.

Educational opportunities - Provides schools (elementary, middle, high school and college) with invaluable opportunities to work first hand with animals and bird habitat, wildflowers and plants,

Outdoor recreation - Provides numerous health benefits including exercise and emotional well being.

Cleaner air - Provides additional oxygen to the air, improving the health of the current and future generations.

Nature drawing – Gives local artists and students of art an opportunity to access new and natural beauty in close proximity to their school or an urban environment.

Small river floodplain forest - Provides essential floodplain protection for the communities around and downstream from it.

Carbon Sequestration - Provides uptake of carbon from atmosphere during increasing climate change.

Vermont's largest city has a new success to add to its list of socially conscious achievements: 100 percent of its electricity now comes from renewable sources such as wind, water, and biomass. It's not that Cambridge can replicate Burlington – we're in a whole different geographic situation, but the article is testimony to what long-term master planning can do to carry a city into a sustainable future. (more)

(Original garden was behind Alewife T Station)

Registered with Ma. Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs

(article)

"In this episode of Not for Nothin', I interview Ellen Mass of the Friends of the Alewife Reservation about this precious open space that straddles Cambridge, Arlington and Belmont. Development is threatening to destroy the reservation, situated on the Mystic River Watershed, which is home to irreplaceable flora and fauna." -Susan Fleischmann (video)

"Uplands Area Transformed Over Centuries", first in a series of articles about the history of the Belmont Uplands by Anne Marie Lambert in Belmont Citizens Forum newsletter September-October.

By noted ecologist Patrick Fairbairn (document)

(more)

(ruling)

Alewife Brook Greenway users are invited to join in a cleanup of a section of the path in Arlington on Saturday, July 26, from 10:00am - Noon. (more)

(Japan Times article "‘Forest therapy' taking root")

(more)

West Cambridge Environmental Center (brochure)

The Silver Maple Floodplain Forest
Audubon Sanctuary March 2006
Mass. Audubon Highlights Silver Maple Forest Values and Conservation Imperative

The River is a Restless Spirit
Author Gayle Taylor Goddard has been in publishing for over 30 years.

In photo: Ellen Clippenger (City of Cambridge), Ellen Mass (FAR), Sara Butler (Architect), Sami Smith (Lesley Intern), Bill Ackerly (FAR board), Stephen Gillies (FAR member), Lanny Callanan (DCR).

(three years growth of flora)

(more)

My Early morning walk with Ellen Mass of FAR brought sightings of species of warblers including yellow, black and white and yellow rump warblers, ovenbirds, myrtle, and palm warblers. (more)

Buzz has been putting on quite a show for everyone, feverishly bringing in dozens if not hundreds of sizable sticks to the atrium of 185 Alewife Brook Parkway. You can see the old nest from 2010 & 2011 on the left (south) side of the atrium, and the new “nest” on what we called the “annex, opposite the old 185 nest.” (more)

(more)

H 516 passed by legislature. From Vermont Natural Resources Council. (more)

David Landskov, FAR Board

• Climate Change News (5 posts/day avg.)
• Global Warming News Up to 7 Climate Change News Posts/Day Without Images
• Dirt and Climate Change

sandbag houses Image: www.designother90.org

‘Green' has become a buzzword for sustainable, safe, energy efficient and/or economic. The Encyclopaedia Britannica describes green architecture as a ‘philosophy of architecture that advocates sustainable energy sources, the conservation of energy, the reuse and safety of building materials, and the siting of a building with consideration of its impact on the environment'. In the world of architecture we are all trying to go green but is this the same in Africa and if it is, how is it being manifested? (more)

Results of Mystic River Earth Day and Department of Conservation and Recreation Park Serve Day could not have been better. Despite the lousy weather for a cleanup program, FAR was delighted to receive students and residents from BU, MIT and UMass, and from Belmont and a worker from the local bowling alley. Participants heaped a pickup truck with trash bags and heaped a dump truck with large metal and plastic trash. (more)

Recent appearance with attention on methane, the Arctic and Greenland. (article from Daily Kos)

The link is in the green column on the right of the page.

Kathy Johnson from Arlington Advocate

Canada geese are extremely visible and 'in your face', and mostly considered a nuisance. We often don't notice their regal stance and graceful flight in perfect V-alignment whereby we know spring is here or winter is on the way. (more)

There was understandable excitement when Ruby was found incubating on March 8. There are at least three spots from which you can clearly see the nest, but you really needed a scope to be able to see if a bird might be sitting low in the nest. And it quickly became clear that the nest had been built up, so that it was often difficult if not impossible to determine if a bird was sitting tight (low) in the nest. (more)

Ruby soaring. Photo: Paul Roberts. More photos at
https://www.flickr.com/photos/30136859@N06/sets/72157627784588301/

Sign Making at Alewife Reservation with National Civilian Community Corp and artist, Jennifer O'Donnell. Vermont cedar boards and making of wooden materials, Stuart Soboleski.

Sixteen signs were erected at the newly paved and created Alewife Belmont to Brighton pathway which give directives for observation, respect of wildlife, share the path, bird sanctuary, and welcome to the Alewife Reservation. Thanks to the above for their contributions.

plaNEW YORK CITY WETLANDS:
A GREENER, GREATER NEW YORK
The City of New York
Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg

[W]etlands play a critical role in maintaining water quality and provide important wildlife habitat and recreation opportunities. … The somewhat overlapping Federal, State, and local regulatory regimes … contain gaps that may leave critical remaining wetlands vulnerable to a variety of direct and indirect pressures. This white paper identifies those gaps and suggests general approaches to filling them.
(pdf document)

Globe article notes demise of red tail with mistaken poison location (more)
Wide concerns grow about development projects at Alewife and Fresh Pond (more)
Dead animals are showing up at Alewife and recently Ruby, the noted Red tail was killed from rodenticide and proven by an official necropsy. Although not known what killed the 4 geese and opossum by the storm water wetlands oxbow and new forebay adjacent to Cambridge Park Drive at the “Triangle”, we must immediately appeal to leaders in the city and owners of newly permitted construction to avoid all rat poison or rodenticides, and instead use other methods.

Mass. Budget Allotments to DCR: results are as follows: We did well on Green Budget amendment co-sponsorships, particularly for our top priorities - the approximate current number of co-sponsors are DCR Seasonal Staff (34), DCR Parks & Rec (29), and DEP Admin (15). THANK YOU for reaching out to legislators and helping mobilize people throughout MA to get these numbers!! Legislators can still sign on as co-sponsors after today until the budget is debated in late April. Sent from Environmental League of Mass. By Erica Mattison.

A Climate video series by International scientists. Produced in China. Series of A Civilization Journey of Climate. (more)

Its history and conditions, legal status and present preservation efforts

Presenters: Anne Marie Lambert and Idith Haber Kisin, in behalf of preserving the Belmont Uplands
Article by Ellen Mass

( Requested slide shows from Coalition to Preserve Belmont Uplands and Belmont Citizen Forum )

Presentation by Anne Marie Lambert of Sustainable Belmont, April 2, 2014, at the Belmont Public Library:

Belmont Uplands: History, Relevance
A Belmont Perspective on Some Regional Issues

US Geological Survey (USGS) 01103025 ALEWIFE BROOK NEAR ARLINGTON, MA.
Data on Alewife Brook flow rates from 2011-04-04 forward. (more)

The Sunday School program from First Parish in Cambridge visited the Alewife Reservation. (more)

photo: George McLean

Sighted recently by a Belmont Light employee at Blair Pond in Cambridge and Belmont.

This newsletter has vital and interesting information about recycling ideas for you and your home area. (newsletters)

Thanks to Randy Mail for this.

photo-Art Michaels

This article explains the differences among kinds of wetlands, why wetlands are important to us, and why fish, amphibians and reptiles need wetlands. (more) (entire series downloadable, added April 3, 2014)

Full of things to learn and do.

(their website) (their events)

Article on construction of the Alewife Storm Water Wetlands. (more)

From Engineer of Montgomery and Watson, Bill Pisano, long term friend of Alewife Reservation.

This Nasa Earth Observatory image shows a storm system circling around an area of extreme low pressure in 2010, which many scientists attribute to climate change.
Photograph: AFP/Getty Images

A new study partly-sponsored by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center has highlighted the prospect that global industrial civilisation could collapse in coming decades due to unsustainable resource exploitation and increasingly unequal wealth distribution. (more)

Fresh Pond and Alewife Residents met at Tobin on 3-25-2014 to discuss urban planning, zoning, moratorium and basics of development and over-development. Round of applause after FAR noted the importance of including the climate change factor in residential living conditions in low lying watershed area such as the Mystic River watershed.

Canada geese are extremely visible and 'in your face'. We often don't notice their regal stance and graceful flight in perfect V alignment whereby we know spring is here or winter is on the way. In flight, male and female honk in sequence, indicating their instinctive manner of migration and love life. As a child, a goose approached me and bent his long graceful neck, then lightly bit my big toe. It looked up at me as eye to eye we met, and then walked away. Stunned, not hurt, I got the point. It was a diplomatic gesture of territory and I never forgot. (more)

Time to re-think modern architecture, design and efficiency. Seattle may have the greenest biomimicry building in the world. (more)

Recovery of the Climate
Scientific Report from Eastern Europe
New Water Paradigm (more)

photo: Kathy Johnson

Three dead geese found 3/10 with a long oil slick and either algae or fecal matter by carcasses at the oxbow entry at Little River. City of Cambridge is investigating cause. Poison and contamination spread is the concern of Friends of Alewife Reservation. (more) (flickr album)

Click for interactive map

(Mystic River watershed climate surge data)
Map sent by Michele Sprengnether of Fresh Pond Residence Alliance

This map shows what area around Alewife has over a 1 in 6 chance of flooding by 2020. (more)

On Feb. 26 at Leslie Univeristy "deep ecology" speakers included wildlife assessor David Brown and landscape storm water wetland designer Duke Bitsko. (more)

photo: Kathy Johnson
A robin caught eating some sumac
at Alewife Reservation recently.

Just a couple of days ago I saw dried leaves and underbrush near the creek or channel, historically, "Alewife Brook," which runs beside and into Little River from North Cambridge. I thought how colorless and cold it looked in spite of shining blue skies, and it was only 20 degrees. (more)

Formerly on the endangered species list, peregrine falcons are increasingly common in cities.
Photo Credit: LAURA ERICKSON

The rapid conversion of natural lands to cement-dominated urban centers is causing great losses in biodiversity. Yet, according to a new study involving 147 cities worldwide, surprisingly high numbers of plant and animal species persist and even flourish in urban environments — to the tune of hundreds of bird species and thousands of plant species in a single city. (more)

The Towns of Arlington and Belmont will work to identify the highest sources of stormwater runoff within their communities and begin planning for solutions to mitigate this impact. The municipalities, along with MyRWA, are taking a proactive approach toward identifying pollution sources and reducing pollutant loading through an examination of solutions with a focus on “green” structural Best Management Practices (BMPs). (more)

Idith Haber of the Coalition to Preserve Belmont Uplands gives hope for enforcing state and federal environmental laws using national standards:National Pollution Discharge Environmental Standards (NPDES) of 2011 which requires implementation via extensive infrastructure, protecting polluted storm water from our streams and rivers, and with greater erosion and flooding controls. National standards must apply.

The town may allow an over riding of the required storm water by-law based on a housing 40 B loophole. Cambridge should weigh into this opportunity to preserve its new 150 million dollar project of storm water wetlands which proceeded the last 2 years with utmost regulatory NPDES implementation. Such non-compliance upstream in Belmont may compromise the storm water wetlands in Cambridge. (more)

From: Mystic River Watershed Association printed by Arlington Patch (more)

Letter from Arlington Vision 2020's Sustainable Arlington to Rep. Garbally and Rep. Rogers

Boston Harbor Association publishes Climate Report for Massachusetts using FEMA as baseline for data by NAVD model — not other models which Cambridge will use such as ADCIRC.

Thanks to BHA for the scenerios reviewed and clear directives given. (more)

Alewife Reservation has disappeared, but with good scientific reason. (more)

(Requires agencies to withhold permits on floodplains and areas of flooding sensitivities.)

In considering and issuing permits, licenses and other administrative approvals and decisions, the respective agency, department, board, commission or authority shall also consider reasonably foreseeable climate change impacts, including additional greenhouse gas emissions, and effects, such as predicted sea level rise. (more)

2013 Friends of DCR Parks Network annual conference in Upton Massachusetts.
Center left: Ellen Mass, president of Friends of Alewife Reservation.

Commeters to DEP extracted here are: Kathy Johnson, Anne Marie Lambert, Lucia Lovison, Ellen Mass, Quinton Zondervan, Councilor Dennis Carlone. Other commenters include legislators Representative Dave Rogers and Senator Sean Garballey.

Dennis Carlone, Cambridge City Councillor. The City's recognition that a vulnerability study is needed tells me that we need to be cautious in developing sensitive areas now under study. It makes great sense to wait for and learn from the vulnerability study recommendations before your Department's final determination is issued. (full letter)

Ellen Mass, President of Friends of Alewife Reservation. We will not be able to ascertain what future protections are required for this region of the Boston metropolis and our western corridor until the in-depth regional studies are done which will indicate massive flooding for this region during high hurricane level storms. The June 2014 Vulnerability Assessment, a state-wide initiative will either confirm or contradict the proponent's flood assessment predictions. (full letter)

Kathy Johnson, Site Visit Proponent, Appellate, Neighborhood Resident. Since a "Vulnerability Assessment" is in process in Cambridge with a long list of noted advisors and scientists and university advisors, I ask the DEP to hold off on permits related to flood storage and water elevation." (full letter)

Lucia Lovison-Golob, GISCI, Engineering Geologist and Geophysicist, Friends of Alewife Reservation (FAR) consultant and FAR Board Member. [I recommend] to wait for the vulnerability study … while asking to BSC Group to increase the storage tanks to cover for a 10.8 feet NGVD 88 (NOT 10 feet … as they are designed now) (full letter)

Quinton Zondervan, President of Green Cambridge. The climate is changing and we need to change our ways of deciding where to build what. At the very least, we can wait to permit large new buildings in the floodway until the vulnerability study has been concluded. I've added my name to a citizen's petition asking the Department of Environmental Protection to overrule the Conservation Commission's decision. (full letter)

On Jan. 15, the site visit area was saturated with storm water, almost entirely. Walking on grass was extremely difficult and large pools lay throughout. Geese and birds covered the grass. The Wetlands Protection Act designation (Bordering Land Subject to Flooding-BLSF) is present throughout the building plan area. Three remaining proposed buildings that would be on the 100-year floodplain are part of the Bulfinch Master Plan permitted in 2008 for nearly a million square feet. (more)

DEP site visit at Alewife. 10 citizen appeal brings attention to the FEMA 100 year floodplain and floodway. (more)

(more)

This past month, Department of Environmental Protection accepted a 10 citizen Appeal of Cambridge Conservation Commission's permit of 85 thousand sq.ft. for a 4 story hotel directly on the Alewife floodplain (see photos) at a time when Cambridge has begun its region-wide "Vulnerability Study" that will include Alewife and the Charles River watershed. The Study is now on hold for another 6 months in anticipation of the ongoing Central Artery flooding study with Woods Hole research which pertains to climate control of this region. (more)

A groundbreaking study released Dec. 11, 2013 by the Harvard Forest and the Smithsonian Institution reveals that, if left unchecked, recent trends in the loss of forests to development will undermine significant land conservation gains in Massachusetts, jeopardize water quality, and limit the natural landscape's ability to protect against climate change. The good news is that the research shows alternatives exist for protecting and enhancing vital forest benefits for people and nature. ? The two-year study is unique in its forward-looking approach and its use of sophisticated computer models to conduct a detailed acre-by-acre analysis of the entire forested landscape of Massachusetts over 50 years… (article) (full report) (video of status of Massachusetts forests and perilous impacts in the future)

Hot spot area WIB001 within the Alewife Reservation.

This map shows the Mystic River watershed and the known hot spots - areas of contaimination. If you zoom in on the Cambridge/Belmont border, you can find Alewife Station, the Alewife Reservation area, and the WIB001 hot spot. Click on WIB001 to see graphs of the history of E. coli and phosphorus readings at that site, with explanations.

December 2013 by Quinton Zondervan, President, Green Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is in the middle of conducting a Climate Vulnerability Study… We know the storms are coming but we don't know yet what to do about it. The vulnerability study is meant to provide us with a more detailed idea of what to prepare for in terms of climate changes, including rainfall patterns and flooding… ( full article)

December 2013
While we rarely face water scarcity in Belmont, we are subject to the impacts of extreme weather events, such as Hurricane Sandy. With a 28% increase in precipitation in the last decade, stormwater run-off can cause sewers to overflow and pollute our basements, groundwater, streams and ponds. During extreme weather events, stormwater in the Mystic River can back up causing flooding of basements, roads and schools…..… (Sustainable Belmont website)

The recent state court decision favoring the Town of Arlington and a federal mapping study of the floodplain around the Alewife Brook watershed both offer long-awaited recognition of the severity of flooding in this fragile area, and add support to long-standing and broad-based efforts to protect open space in the region… (more)

Seven out of ten European cities have no formal plans to adapt to climate change and one in three cities have no plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions according to new research. (article)

Celebrate the land, water, wildlife and people that make Fresh Pond Reservation a unique and vital part of our City! The festivities will happen all around the Water Purification Facility at Fresh Pond Reservation, 250 Fresh Pond Parkway.

(older news articles)