Read the July/August 2026 BCF Newsletter
Credit: Matthew McPhee
Meet Belmont’s Natural Resources Manager: Will McPhee
William “Will” McPhee brings a background in forestry, horticulture, and municipal land stewardship to his new role as Belmont’s new natural resources manager and conservation agent. In this interview with Jeffrey North, McPhee discusses Belmont’s urban tree canopy, invasive species, climate resilience, open-space stewardship, and the role residents can play in caring for the town’s natural resources.
The Library Garden’s New Look
Goes With The Flow of Wellington Brook
By Fred Bouchard. Landscape architect Glen Valentine of Stimson, principal on the garden redesign in collaboration with Oudens Ello Architecture, was intrigued by the idea of revealing and celebrating Belmont’s beloved brook. His design explained.
Balancing Play and Preservation: Inside Belmont’s Open Space Plan Update
By Jeffrey North. Belmont’s Open Space and Recreation Plan (OSRP) is nearing completion after eight months of technical analysis and public engagement. At the final public meeting on May 28 residents called for a balance between recreational uses and the protection of natural resources.
Traffic Jam! TAC Raises Transportation Issues
By Chip Gaysunas. Due to Belmont’s central location in the greater Boston area, its streets experience significant cut-through traffic and congestion daily. Belmont’s Transportation Advisory Committee’s vice chair shares what the board does and its focus for 2026 and beyond.
Cabell Eames. Copyright: Annie Valve
Profile in Belmont: Cabell Eames
By Elissa Ely. Cabell Eames has lived more lives than most of us can imagine. Now well known in Belmont as an environmental policy strategist, she shares with Elissa Ely the many unexpected turns that shaped her path.
Elissa Ely has given the Newsletter the gift of her profiles for more than three years. We bid her farewell as she is willing to move on to other projects.
McLean Hospital Zone 3 Housing Breaks Ground
By Jeffrey North. The long-planned “Zone 3” housing on McLean land is finally moving forward with construction of a 150‑unit, all‑electric housing complex poised to become one of the town’s most significant new sources of both market‑rate and affordable homes. Construction is visible from the Coal Road as it winds up Belmont Hill from Pleasant Street.
William Flagg Homer House Part 2
By John Beaty. Belmont’s William Flagg Homer House owes its survival not only to a famous painter uncle and a handsome mansard roof, but to hundreds of determined women who decided that this place, and their own public lives, were worth investing in.
Lexington’s Conservation Stewards
By Jeffrey North. Lexington’s Conservation Division and its network of Conservation Stewards form one of the most robust municipal stewardship programs in the region.
Our Environmental Stewards: Ian Cooke, NepRWA
Ian Cooke is the executive director of the Neponset River
Watershed Association.
BCF Newsletter’s series continues on environmental leadership in Massachusetts with an interview with Ian Cooke, executive director of NepRWA. He discusses the organization’s watershed-wide initiatives, its partnerships with municipalities and local residents, and his vision for a cleaner, more resilient Neponset River. Interview conducted by Jeffrey North.
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