photo in alewife reservation Friends of Alewife Reservation (FAR)
(Updated Sun., May 31, 2009)

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  • Coalition to Protect Belmont Uplands and Winn Brook Neighborhood files Courtroom Status Report (Microsoft Word file) of the Case in ongoing Civil Action Suit to Preserve the Silver Maple Forest. - added November 12, 2008
  • FAR asks DCR to work in cooperation with them And complete the prescribed work plan - October 20, 2008 - added November 13, 2008
  • BREAKING NEWS ON PURCHASE OF FOREST - updated February 25, 2008
    Silver Maple Forest passes Natural Resources Committee with the state Environmental Bond Bill - February 18, 2008
    The Bill needs to pass in this Legislative Session. FAR requests that you e-mail and call your state representatives right away.
    See Bond Bill (on envirobond.org website), See information and sample letters - updated February 25, 2008

Video of State House Hearing, June 21, 2007
link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1077048307

photo of hearing committee
Mass Legislative Intitiatives to Preserve the Silver Maple Forest - added to website May 27, 2007


See Video of Vernal Equinox Service
March 25, 2007 at the Alewife Reservation

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid716758697

Fifteen Winn Brook neighbors, Coalition to Protect the Belmont Uplands and Winn Brook Neighbhorhood, and Friends of Alewife Reservation Inc. Submit Civil Action Suit through Environmental Attorney of Boston, Thomas B. Bracken.
[file requires Flash] - March 7, 2007
 
  • The image collections have been restored, in a new form.
    Sunday, July 10, 2006
  • Uplands testing on Acorn Park Drive - May 16, 2006
    Crossing 100 Year Flood plain demarcation without permit.
    Necessary clear cutting?
    With photos.
    With May 19, 2006 letter from O'Neill attorney (added May 24, 2006)

  • FAR president honored by US Environmental Protection Agency - May 3 and April 25, 2006
    Friends of Alewife Reservation, president, Ellen Mass, has been awarded a New England USEPA Merit award given to over 20 individuals and groups for commitment to the environment.
    News release and letter of congratulations.
  • FAR to Belmont Zoning Board of Appeals - March 3, 2006
    Filing includes 5 folders of 5 categories each for 8 ZBA members, plus one for the developer and one for the Community Development on: Science, Improvements at Alewife, News Articles, Reports and Resolutions, Maps

FAR office

FAR's office is located conveniently in the Fresh Pond Mall
at 186 Alewife Brook Parkway, Suite 304, Cambridge, MA 02138
Phone: 617 415-1884 (Fax is being set up.)
Viewing/borrowing materials

Bulfinch Central Marsh: Muskrat Marsh Restoration Project

Massachusetts Coastal Zone Management Priority Project at Alewife Central Marsh
— Active Participants:
USDA - Conservation Preservation Resources Services: Massachusetts Community Assistance Partnerships — Coastal Zone Management: Wetlands Restoration Program — Bulfinch Company Inc. — BSC Engineering Inc. — Friends of Alewife Reservation — Mystic River Watershed Association — Corporate Wetlands Restoration Partnership — Lesley University: Natural Sciences Program — Cambridge Conservation Commission — Arlington Conservation Commission — Belmont Conservation Commission

FAR seeks help to map plant communities in the Bulfinch Muskrat marsh in the restoration area. Contact David Morimoto: Morimoto@lesley.edu

FAR Ecology Camp 2008 plans to restore a section of Muskrat Marsh (PDF)- April 23, 2008 - added to website May 12, 2008

Ecological overview - Belmont Uplands and Alewife Reservation - an important report, prepared for FAR, for use by the town of Belmont and other groups replying to the 40 B filing - Feb. 2006

Belmont Conservation Commission letter to Muskrat Marsh team, January 18, 2006

Muskrat Marsh study - preliminary drafts (maps) - added December 2005

Muskrat Marsh Meeting - July 12, 2005

Muskrat Marsh Restoration Team project — Concrete Description from Wetlands Restoration Program

Muskrat Marsh Restoration Project Team requests Belmont Uplands Advisory Committee wait for any plans while study is being made of the area — Letter of request for consideration

Stream Flow Conference - notes

Spring Progress and Planning for the Restoration Project at the Bulfinch marsh 40B Application: by AP Cambridge Partners (O'Neill Properties) for a 40B development on the Belmont Uplands site - April 2004 - link to a large (4.9 MB) Adobe Acrobat file on Town of Belmont website.
Adobe Acrobat reader is available free at www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html

Bulfinch Gets Praise from City Council — Unanimous Council resolution

FAR seeks help with restoration project
Link to article in Cambridge Chronicle, Thursday, January 27, 2005 (article is "archived or expired off the site")
"Friends of Alewife Reservation's 10-acre marsh restoration proposal has been put on the Massachusetts Wetlands Restoration Program's priority list for improving the area's largest wetlands . . ."
Catherine Woodbury is the Project Manager of Alewife city stormwater program, Engineering Division - Department of Public Works, City of Cambridge.

FAR Priority status Wetlands Restoration Project (WRP) nomination form with invited Corporate Wetlands Restoration Partnership (CWRP) Partners: Bulfinch Co, regional conservation commissions, Mystic River Watershed Association, Dept. of Conservation and Recreation, and more.
Actual CZM Proposal

FAR Wins Priority Status with State Wetland Restoration Program (WRP) of Massachusetts Coastal Zone Management (CZM) for 10 Acre Central Marsh Restoration in Cambridge and Belmont.
Description of purpose and intent of proposal
"FAR is seeking conservation-minded partners who will work with non-profits, state agencies and the Bulfinch Company affiliate BHX to restore a large invasive dominated marsh of 10 acres at the heart of the Alewife Reservation"

Reservation Improvement Plans Move Forward in Cambridge
Bridge Work in Belmont Rock Meadow - Model for North Trail at Alewife Reservation - photos - added December 10, 2008

Pathway surfacing in the Alewife Reservation, letter to Jennifer Wright, Executive Director- Cambridge Conservation Commission (Microsoft Word file) - added November 15, 2008

Alewife Reservation Bike Path disputed by Friends of Alewife Reservation - November 12, 2008

Maintaining Alewife Reservation trails - North Side Trail

Alewife wetlands model in the making

Alewife Mural - Photos of October 22 dedication (added photos of Jason Weeks and Daniel Kertzner) and link to Massachusetts Cultural Council profile about the mural.

FAR Takes a Hard Line for Soft Pavement on Cambridge-Belmont Bike Path - pervious pavement options

Alewife Reservation's meadows mowed for restorative measures to enhance native vegetation and diminish invasive species - with photos

Disappearance of Alewives - Research Proposals - possible Improvements - preliminary analysis by Stewart Sanders and Ralph Chang

Belmont Uplands: Forest Development and Developer
DEP File #: 123-0180, Notice of Intent (NOI);
EOEA #13312 Environmental Notification Form (ENF)
Fifteen Winn Brook neighbors, Coalition to Protect the Belmont Uplands and Winn Brook Neighbhorhood, and Friends of Alewife Reservation Inc. Submit Civil Action Suit through Environmental Attorney of Boston, Thomas B. Bracken.
[file requires Flash] - March 7, 2007

Cambridge Storm Water Basin - New England Restoration Model
FAR Wins Financial Support from State for Education at the New Wetland-Stormwater Restoration Project - updated January 25 with Department Of Fish And Game Riverways Program scope document.

A Major Wetlands Restoration/Storm Water Management Model Project, and Environmental Learning Center for Cambridge and the Massachusetts metropolitan western corridor, covering 8 to 10 acres, by City of Cambridge, Bioengineering Group, MWH Inc., Mass Water Resources Authority and SEA construction and Friends of Alewife Reservation.
List of the 22 project pages (with link to the 7MB Adobe Acrobat file, which takes about 22 minutes to download with a 56K dial-up modem - compared to about 15 to 30 seconds for each project page)
New on January 6:
Planting details page available as easy-to-read-and-print Microsoft Word file and text Adobe Acrobat file.
Letter plus number designations from the drawings added to page-number list for easier reference..

Restoration Plans Move Forward for Wildlife and Communities of Cambridge, Arlington, Belmont, Somerville and Metropolitan Boston

Past Events
Wildlife thriving in Alewife Reservation - Cambridge Chronicle article on panel at Leseley University

Volunteers and serious Reservation researchers needed for future plans at Alewife Reservation and its buffers. WE ask that you send your interest and concern on these matters to FAR at our e-mail address FAR@friendsofalewifereservation.org 		  Past events & activities:
updated May 10, 2009
2009: Walk In Honor of Bird Mothers - Video of water dances
2008: Summer FAR Ecology Camp 2008 Teaches Environmental Science To Cambridge Youth
2007: Cambridge Elementary classes observe and draw at Alewife, with photos - Photos from Excel Academy cleanup - Photos from Ecology Camp Awards Picnic - Photos from FAR Ecology Camp, Summer 2007 - Letters from FAR Ecology Camp, Summer 2007 - Vernal equinox ritual at Alewife
2006: Solstice Sunday service brought 30 persons from Arlington, Somerville, Belmont and Cambridge to the Reservation to give honor and celebration to the 130 acre urban wild we call Alewife - Walk to Little Pond with wildlife specialist Dave Brown - Alewife Sunday at First Parish Church - Wild edible foods walk led by Russ Cohen - Major Super Mystic Cleanup
2005: Concord Serve-A-Thon youth show appreciation for work program - City Year Serve-A-Thon cleanup (photos added) - MIT trail project (photos added) - 6th-8th grade students clean up Alewife Brook Reservation, led by Dan Rueters-Ward - Mystic Mural Teens educational tour, led by Dan Rueters-Ward - Partners in Nature walk, led by FAR docents Don Bockler and Daniel Rueters-Ward. Urban Wilds: Past - Present - Future, led by Mike Arnott. Canoe rides led by Stew Sanders. Wild Plant Foraging walk with expert Russ Cohen. Cambridge Science Initiative Vacation Camp Alewife Trip. Morris dancing in the Reservation (May Day). Docent training in the Reservation. Alewife Reservation panel discussion at Lesley University. Celebrating the Winter Solstice. Social Justice Sunday (of The First Parish in Cambridge).
2004: Mural dedication; 3rd annual Summerbridge Program with FAR. FAR success: canoeing upstream to Little Pond — Mural art students canoe on Little River. Blair Pond activities. Springtime celebration. Super Mystic cleanup: Earthday at Alewife. 2004 annual meeting of Friends of Alewife Reservation.

News about FAR
Town, City and FAR
Win Major Temporary Victory
FAR continues to promote environmental considerations over residential concerns. Watershed continues to need water for river and stream flow, restored wetlands, and marshes — for its health and safety for wildlife and people.

Conservation Commissions of 3 communities agree: "Uplands are an Environmentally sensitive Area" "Should not be developed" says town meeting of Arlington and Belmont. 3 Conservation Commissions also agree: Cambridge, Belmont, Arlington.
Communities agree on Uplands site — article on Belmont Citizen Herald website

Links to all the news 		  FAR wins Mass Cultural Council Goldstar Award for Alewife Arts Mural Project
The Mural was 1 of 13 projects (out of 7,000) to win this February. Cambridge Arts Council granted nearly $3,000 to the FAR for this project. The mural is slated for hanging at the MBTA Alewife transit station this summer.


American Women Conservationists — Twelve Profiles (2004 book by Madelyn Holmes). FAR is in this book.

Links to all the news

Wildlife and Water News
Walk In Honor of Bird Mothers May 10, 2009 New

Find Location of Alewife Reservation Birds New
Sighting Reports and maps to EBIRDS from noted birders in the region
Provided by Tim Factor
http://ebird.org/ebird/sightings?locInfo.regionType=hotspot&listType=first&beginYear=1900&locInfo.parentCode=US-MA&continuous=true&endYear=2009&locInfo.regionCode=L453924

Spring Birds and others at Alewife Reservation - April 14, 2009 New

Deer Recently photographed near silver maple forest - April 5, 2009 New


FEMA floodplain map - shows areas for insurance - added to website February 23, 2009

"Hummingbird Migration Route - Louisiana" — Helping Along the Way.
The Alewife Reservation attracts Ruby-throated once in a while. Sightings on web.
Photos.
added to website February 5, 2009

Alewife flooding - Acorn Park Drive inundated - photos - December 12, 2008

Menotomy Birders at Dusk See Alewife Roosting of Around 2000 Starlings - link to photos - December 6, 2008

Northern Shoveler at Blair Pond - link to photos - November 17, 2008 - added December 10, 2008

Evening gathering - Alewife Reservation birds - November 16, 2008 - added December 10, 2008

How to get to Blair Pond? - birds - November 11, 2008 - added December 10, 2008

Blair Pond birds with duck photos by Craig Gibson - November 10, 2008

Blair Pond birds with duck photos by Will Freedberg - November 9, 2008

Menotomy Birders - Alewife Reservation birds - October 8, 2008

Alewife Reservation birds - September 17, 2008

Same time, very different scene at Blair Pond, Cambridge (birds) - August 14, 2008

Interesting Blair Pond birds Located - August 13, 2008

Kingfisher at Blair Pond - August 5, 2008

Memorial Day at Alewife Reservation -- Ambling down Little River - May 26, 2008

Spring Bird Box Cleaning at Alewife, by Bill Ackerly - May 16, 2008

May 7th Photo Bird Sightings by Seamus - May 8, 2008

First spring birding at Alewife Reservation - March 25, 2008

Birder Seamus strolls the Lower Alewife - February 16, 2008 - added to website March 12, 2008

Background and Minutes of Meeting regarding Amelia Earhart Dam and related issues - February 6, 2008 - added to website March 12, 2008

CSO alert Alewife Brook - February 1, 2008

Recent Beautiful photos from Seamus Palmer - February 2, 2008

Wildlife Tracking Amazing Update from Dave Brown - added to website January 13, 2008
Renowned New England tracker
FAR updated survey
Otter, fisher, grey and red fox, coyote thrive at Alewife - added to website January 13, 2008
Read Expert surveyor evidence
A supplement to (and on the same web page as) the above report.
With map.

Birds seen at Alewife - December 4, 2007

Blair Pond Birding Turns up unusual Sora Rail - September 24, 2007

September Abundant Bird Sightings at Alewife - See list of Robert Stymeist, Menotomy Bird Club

More Deer Sightings at Alewife - July 2007 - added to website Sept. 23, 2007

Cambridge Follows National Clean Air - Clean Water - Second Phase of National Pollution Discharge Elimination System Guidelines - begun by US EPA Clean Water-Clean Air Regulations. City Slide Show of 2008 city plans and federal regulations for Cambridge. - March 28, 2007 - added to website April 27, 2007

Proposed Concord - Alewife Area Stormwater Management Guidelines - June 2006 - added to website April 27, 2007

Alewife Birding - April 26, 2007

Going native with plants: A new-old direction for water conservation - April 18, 2007

STOP THE ROLLBACK OF TIDELAND PROTECTIONS! - April 5, 2007

Snowbirds and deer tracks at Alewife Reservation - Feb. 23, 2007

Belmont applies to DEP for watershed assessment grant - added to website Jan. 17, 2007

Somerville Conservation Commission promotes a clean Alewife watershed - added to website Jan. 14, 2007

Belmont Area birds - Six Years of Birding Observation by David Lange and Menotomy Bird Club - Dec. 17, 2006

Deer Tracks Identified at Alewife - Sighted by Karsten Hartel, Robert Stymeist, Dave Brown - Oct. 25 and Nov. 30, 2006

More Special sightings at Alewife - added Dec 3, 2006

Alewife Reservation Birding - Nov. 30, 2006

Alewife Birding - Nov. 22, 2006

Alewife Birding - Oct. 27, 2006

Alewife Birding - Oct. 26, 2006

Essentials for Protecting Our Watershed — Proper Disposing of Medication - Sept. 2006

Alewife Birding Yields Impressive Results - Oct. 18, 2006

Monarch butterfly at Alewife - Oct. 9, 2006

Birds Sighted - MBC trip - Oct. 4, 2006

Common and Rare Birds Sighted in the Alewife Area - added Oct. 4, 2006

Flickers Abound at Muskrat Marsh - October 2, 2006

CSO Activation in Alewife Brook - June 23, 2006 - June 23, 2006
a Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) occurred at CAM401B on June 23, 2006 and discharged into the Alewife Brook.

Water quality - Winn’s Brook, Wellington Brook, in Belmont - March 28, 2006
Water quality (data table, map, site-info table) Winn’s Brook and Wellington Brook in Belmont — collected by the Mystic River Watershed Association.

Flooding Lessons for Alewife Towns
"The nation has just witnessed one of the greatest environmental and human disasters on record for south central coast residents, because of wetland and marsh abuses and coastline protection oversights.
Lessons should be drawn locally for the Alewife Reservation concerning Little River . . ."

FAR storm water basin brochure (Adobe Acrobat file)

Monitoring plans for summer 2005 Volunteers needed NOW! Contact Stewart Sanders ssandbird@yahoo.com

Unusual species sighting: Fisher (Martes pennanti) in the Muskrat Marsh and Alewife Reservation submitted by David C. Morimoto, PhD
"In the late morning of Thursday, 19 May 2005, after installing ground water observation wells around the Muskrat Marsh on Bullfinch Properties land as part of a Muskrat Marsh restoration study, I was turning my car around on Acorn Park Drive (reversing direction from North to South – at the N end of the bend in Acorn Park Drive). I was talking on my cell phone at the time . . ."

(public domain photo)

Restoring America's rivers - a model for Alewife

Disappearance of Alewives - Research Proposals - possible Improvements - preliminary analysis by Stewart Sanders and Ralph Chang
30 years of Alewife Spawning at Little Pond
2004 breaks ancient migration pattern.

Links to all the news

Development News
  • Bulfinch Consultants respond to Conservation Commission and other organizational and individual comment letters and reports.
    For more comments about the environment and how to improve it, please send to FAR. Also respond on the forum page.
  • Belmont Citizen Forum responds on Bulfinch — Traffic and flood emphasis — letter to MEPA
  • Letter in Boston Globe: "Alewife proposal good for city, environment", from Ellen Mass of FAR.
  • Boston Sierra Club asks for careful consideration in development planning at the Alewife Reservation
  • Letters on Notice of Intent to Cambridge Conservation Commission from Ellen Mass (cover letter - Friends of Alewife Reservation organizational response) and Mary L. White of FAR and information from Stewart Sanders
  • Letter on Environmental Notification Form to MEPA from Elsie C. Fiore
  • Letter to Executive Office of Environmental Affairs / MEPA Office, from Mystic River Watershed Association
Links to all the news

Resources from FAR
Biodiversity in the Alewife Reservation Area: Species, Habitat and Ecosystem — Available from FAR for $10. Describes Reservation and its wildlife and locations and access.
A major assessment: 120 pages of maps, charts, illustrations and details of the Reservation topography; habits of the wildlife.
Storm water brochure developed by Friends of Alewife Reservation and City of Cambridge for local businesses and neighbors as a watershed Pilot Project, implemented and organized by local Scout troop.   Stream Team materials page
(updated October 5, 2004)

Image collections — slide shows
Silver Maples In the Urban Wild
art of Sarah Leon 4 paintings
See also the text at
Silver Maples In the Urban Wild - art of Sarah Leon, which includes a link to artist's website

North Trail Maintenance Improvement Project Improved Pathway for conservationists, hikers, birders and class rooms, fishermen.
Partners: Student Conservation Americorps, Department of Conservation and Recreation, Friends of Alewife Reservation
67 photos/slides, taken March 2006

Walk, January 7, 2006
15 photos/slides by Janet Malenfant 		  Urban Wilds Past-Present-Future
The Alewife Reservation's wildlife, wetlands, meadows, and woodlands. A Friends of Alewife Reservation presentation by Michael Arnott, with 67 slides.

Urban Wild (Alewife Reservation)
Paintings by Vicki Paret, a page with 3 images.

Summer 2004 Alewife Reservation Photos
Unseen and Unknown Areas and Wildlife
Spectacular photos by Michael Arnott, FAR Steering Board, AMC naturalist, with 10 slides

Friends of Alewife Reservation images — maps, plans, photos (Silver Maple Forest, fauna, flora, water, and people — many categorized by season), with 135 slides .

Development Information
Alewife Master Plan - Complete contents of June 2003 MDC CD, with maps.   Alewife Master Plan - assessment
(Summary of strong and weak points of MDC Master Plan — not a FAR final assessment.)
Floodplain Map from FEMA of GIS - Belmont Uplands DEIR / proposed land-swap area   Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) to put bulletin board / sign up at Blair Pond (part of Master Plan)

Current FAR projects    
Nesting box map; getting to and working with the boxes.   Nesting boxes
Herring monitoring: who does what, when, and why   Draft herring monitoring plan
Invasive species — updated. Directed by Peter Alden.   Invasive species

Of Special Significance    
Silver Maple Forest building — architect's renderings   Aerial view 1 of building    Aerial view 2 of building
Little Pond — headwaters in proper perspective   Aerial view of Little Pond
Boston Basin ecoregion, Cambridge land use,
Vernal pools (including potential pools near Little Pond) 		  Maps
MDC Master Plan Nov. 20, 2002 presentation
— Ellen Mass' description 		  MDC Master Plan — Ellen Mass' description
MDC Master Plan Nov. 20, 2002 presentation
— Russ Cohen's comments 		  MDC Master Plan — Russ Cohen's comments
370+ flora & fauna (with more flora, from Betty Wright)   Biodiversity lists for Cambridge
Forest, shrub, wetland, marsh, waterways — Ellen Mass   Greater Alewife ecosystem
Environmental Notification Form comments   Frontage Road Office/R&D
Maps: forests and proposed soccer field   Forests and soccer field
Alewife Wildlife Inventory - David Brown's initial findings   Alewife Wildlife Inventory (edited version)
Presentation to MDC and design firms   Plans for Alewife Reservation
   
About FAR   Get involved
FAR is a multileveled stewarding and advocacy group that desires to protect the public Reservation land owned by the MDC and to preserve it for wildlife and for future generations, providing a highly accessible area in limited wilderness areas for passive recreationists. The group is run by a board of overseers that oversee activity and help advocate for Reservation needs.

Statement of Purpose 		  Sign up with FAR at Yahoo to receive many related environmental groups' activities, immediate events, commentary, controversy, and state or national and occasional global news on environmental matters:
send email to our list serve at friendsofreservation@yahoogroups.com.

We welcome you to join FAR for $20 a year. Our address for sending dues is 186 Alewife Brook Parkway, Suite 304, Cambridge, MA 02138.
The naturalist, William Brewster, wrote in 1906 about the "Great Swamp" area, now known as the Alewife Reservation. Quote follows from his book, Birds of the Cambridge Region:
This fine, large meadow, upwards of one hundred acres in extent, has changed but little, either in character or surroundings, within the past thirty or forty years. It lies partly in Belmont and Waltham, but chiefly in the southeastern corner of Lexington, near the source of Beaver Brook. Although for the most part open and grassy, it contains many swampy thickets, several tracts of low-lying maple woods and a few wooded ridges and 'marsh islands.' The Concord Turnpike crosses it from east to west on an ancient causeway bordered by pollarded willows. Through the long and alluring vista formed by the trunks and overarching branches of these fine old trees one may walk or drive in cool and unbroken shade during the hottest June day, listening to the songs of Bobolinks, Red-winged Blackbirds, Swamp Sparrows, Yellow Warblers, Maryland Yellow-throats, Catbirds and other marsh- or thicket-loving birds . . . As the meadow is also bordered on every side by sparsely populated country, abounding in woods, thickets, cedar pastures and grassy fields, it offers to the bird lover one of the most attractive and interesting resorts to be found anywhere, at the present time, within easy reach of Cambridge.


Blair Pond in Cambridge, on Blanchard Road, fills in with
mud flats from sediment. Summer.
South Belmont forest. The forest is open grasslands and wetlands.
Important transitions are between forest scrubland and river. Summer.