Lone Tree Hill – Page 2 – Belmont Citizens Forum

Belmont’s Invasive Species: Glossy Buckthorn

Environment, January 2022, Lone Tree Hill, Newsletter, Plants Comments Off

Jan 042022

Belmont's Invasive Species: Glossy Buckthorn

By Joe Hibbard Take a walk on the north side of the Great Meadow at the Lone Tree Hill Conservation Land and you might notice some recent changes in the landscape. A broad area along both sides of the Pitch Pine Trail, which was until recently an impenetrable thicket of invasive plants, is being cleared and on its way to a healthier forest/meadow edge landscape. The clearing is part of a long-term project to restore ecological balance to degraded landscapes that are part of the Lone Tree Hill Conservation Land. The project is led by the Land Management Committee for [READ MORE]

Lone Tree Hill Restoration Shows Strong Start

Environment, January 2022, Lone Tree Hill, Newsletter, Open Space, Plants Comments Off

Jan 042022

Lone Tree Hill Restoration Shows Strong Start

By Jeffrey North Late last year, field technicians engaged by the Land Management Committee for Lone Tree Hill (LMC) and the Judy Record Conservation Fund began a multiyear campaign to restore select parcels of the Lone Tree Hill conservation land. These stewardship projects focused first on invasive plant removal at Area A1. Restoration specialists from Parterre Ecological Services hand-cut the bittersweet vines that were smothering the trees there and deployed a forestry mower to obliterate (if only temporarily) the buckthorn and multiflora rose. The forestry mowing radically altered the appearance of that portion of the property, prompting the few visitors to ask if [READ MORE]

New Group Seeks to Keep Belmont Beautiful

Environment, July-August 2021, Lone Tree Hill, Volunteer Comments Off

Jun 252021

New Group Seeks to Keep Belmont Beautiful

By Jeffrey North In 2008 volunteers and government leaders in Mansfield convened, and more than 700 volunteers assembled to give that town a good spring cleaning. They formed a Keep America Beautiful (KAB) chapter the next year to continue their efforts. Now Belmont can do the same—drastically reduce the volume of refuse littering our public spaces and strengthen our sense of community by organizing volunteers and donations for a cleaner, greener place to live. Belmont can take its place among the 33 local nonprofit KAB chapters across Massachusetts (collectively KMB) that are making significant improvements to their communities. Litter attracts [READ MORE]

Belmont’s Invasive Plants: Asian Bittersweet

Environment, Lone Tree Hill, May-June 2021 Comments Off

May 042021

Belmont’s Invasive Plants: Asian Bittersweet

By Carolyn Bishop Asian bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus), also known as Oriental bittersweet, is one of the most beautiful and problematic invasive plant species in our area. In the past, bittersweet was commonly sold in wreaths and floral arrangements, which were especially popular in the fall due to bittersweet’s brilliant yellow-shelled orange berries. Little did we know we were helping to spread a very invasive, damaging, non-native plant. Asian bittersweet was brought to the United States in the 1860s as an ornamental and for erosion control. Now it is found from Ontario and Quebec south through the Great Lakes states, from [READ MORE]

Belmont’s Invasive Plants: Garlic Mustard

Climate Change, Environment, Lone Tree Hill, March/April 2021, Newsletter, Open Space, Plants Comments Off

Mar 012021

Belmont's Invasive Plants: Garlic Mustard

By Jeffrey North Invasive plant species are disrupting ecosystems globally and here in Belmont. Biological invasions are a leading cause of biodiversity loss and even species extinction, and invasive plants are permanently altering the ecology of our forests, fields, and gardens. This article is the first in a series on invasive plant species found in Belmont and the implications of their presence, spread, and ecological damage potential, as well as hopes for their removal and remediation. Garlic mustard (Alliara petiolata) is changing the character of the woodlands in the Northeast. It can outcompete native herbaceous species, depriving the natives of [READ MORE]

Lone Tree Hill Volunteer Day Postponed

Environment, Lone Tree Hill, May/June 2020, Newsletter, Open Space Comments Off

May 032020

Belmont Citizens Forum’s Eighth Annual Lone Tree Hill Volunteer Day in conjunction with the Judy Record Conservation Fund scheduled for April 24, 2020, at the Lone Tree Hill parcel has been postponed to the fall due to the current Coronavirus shelter in place order. A big shout out to the good Samaritans who picked up the trash at the bottom of Coal Road, along Pleasant Street and at the Mill Street parking lot. Later this year we plan to complete the planting of trees along the Pine Allee. THANK YOU TO OUR CORPORATE SPONSORS Gold Level Sponsors Anne Mahon Realty [READ MORE]

Belmont Highlights Natural, Historic Treasures

Environment, Historic Preservation, History, Lone Tree Hill, Newsletter, November 2019, Open Space, Plants Comments Off

Nov 042019

Belmont Highlights Natural, Historic Treasures

By Mary Bradley The Belmont Historical Society hosted two events in September and October celebrating Belmont’s rich cultural and environmental history. Tracking the Wellington Hill Station through Time The Belmont Historical Society hosted an open house on September 15, 2019, to celebrate the completion of a series of repairs and restorations to the many-purposed Wellington Hill Station building the previous month. The station received a new cedar shingle roof and repairs to the decking and gingerbread trim, the interior plaster walls, and the lower wood sections. The roof was funded with Community Preservation Act (CPA) funding and donations from the [READ MORE]

May/June 2019 Belmont Citizens Forum Newsletter & PDF

BCF Events, Construction and Housing, Environment, Lone Tree Hill, May/June 2019, Newsletter, Open Space, Plants, Recycling, Traffic, Volunteer, Water Quality Comments Off

May 062019

View or download the May/June 2019 issue as a color PDF here, or read single articles below. Articles in this issue: New Plans for McLean Land Density is key issue as town considers proposals for two McLean campus parcels By Sue Bass Twenty years ago, Belmont voted to allow development on McLean Hospital land on Belmont Hill. Now McLean is coming back to the town with new proposals for two parcels of land that are still undeveloped. Read more. Composting in Belmont: Breaking it Down By Mary Bradley Composting is no longer just a backyard hobby for the ardent gardener. [READ MORE]

New Plans for McLean Land

Construction and Housing, Environment, History, Lone Tree Hill, May/June 2019, Newsletter, Open Space, Traffic Comments Off

May 062019

Density is key issue as town considers proposals for two McLean campus parcels By Sue Bass Twenty years ago, Belmont voted to allow development on McLean Hospital land on Belmont Hill. The town-wide referendum of July 1999 endorsed the previous Town Meeting vote to change zoning for 238 acres. The largest portion for new construction became the Woodlands, 121 luxury townhouses on twenty-six acres. Another portion became Waverley Woods, 40 units of affordable housing on an acre and a third. Some land was preserved from construction. One hundred and twenty acres were set aside for open space, and fourteen acres [READ MORE]

Another Successful Lone Tree Hill Volunteer Day

BCF Events, Environment, Lone Tree Hill, May/June 2019, Newsletter, Open Space, Plants Comments Off

May 062019

Another Successful Lone Tree Hill Volunteer Day

By Radha Iyengar On Saturday, April 27, the Belmont Citizens Forum (BCF), in conjunction with the Judy Record Conservation Fund, held its seventh annual Lone Tree Hill Volunteer Day. The volunteers braved the cold and windy weather, and the rain held off. At the Pine Allee, the efficient volunteers planted 63 white pine saplings, some of which were transplants from Mass Audubon’s Habitat Education Center and Wildlife Sanctuary. The new plants replaced some of the Allee’s missing trees as well as some of the dead saplings from volunteer day plantings over the last two years. At the other end of [READ MORE]

Lone Tree Hill Volunteer Day—April 27

BCF Events, Environment, Lone Tree Hill, March/April 2019, Newsletter, Open Space Comments Off

Mar 052019

Join us in stewarding Lone Tree Hill! The Belmont Citizens Forum, in conjunction with the Judy Record Conservation Fund, is holding its seventh annual cleanup and trail maintenance day on April 27, from 9 AM until noon. Help complete the planting of trees along the Pine Allee, as well as cleaning up and removing invasive species at the Coal Road area. Students can earn community service credits. Bounded by Concord Avenue, Pleasant Street, and Mill Street, Lone Tree Hill spans 119 acres of permanently protected conservation land and is available to everyone. It is stewarded through a public/private partnership by [READ MORE]

Another Successful Lone Tree Hill Volunteer Day

BCF Events, Environment, Lone Tree Hill, May-June 2018, Newsletter Comments Off

May 152018

More than 50 Volunteers Donate Time to Annual Cleanup and Planting By Radha Iyengar On Saturday, April 28, the Belmont Citizens Forum (BCF), in conjunction with the Judy Record Conservation Fund, held its sixth annual Lone Tree Hill Volunteer Day. More than 50 volunteers of all ages, including students from Chenery Middle School and Belmont High School, donated their time on this picture-perfect sunny day. At the Pine Allee, in just two hours, the efficient volunteers planted more than 60 white pine saplings (of which 30 were transplants from Habitat Education Center and Wildlife Sanctuary). At the other end of [READ MORE]

January/February 2018 Belmont Citizens Forum Newsletter & PDF

Air Quality, Bicycles and bike paths, Bike Paths, Construction and Housing, donations, Environment, Historic Preservation, Jan-Feb 2018, Lone Tree Hill, Newsletter, Open Space, Parking, Plants, Recycling, Stormwater, Traffic, Transit, Volunteer, Water Quality Comments Off

Jan 162018

View or download the January-February 2018 issue as a color PDF here, or read single articles below. . Articles in this issue: A Vision for Belmont Looking Back, Looking Ahead by Sue Bass Nearly eight years ago, in the spring of 2010, the town completed two years of work on a comprehensive plan intended to guide the next decade of change in Belmont. Looking back, how are we doing? The $148,000 plan, called “A Vision for Belmont: Mapping a Sustainable Future,” which was adopted by the Belmont Planning Board and is posted on its website, made nine primary recommendations. Read more. [READ MORE]

Belmont Citizens Forum Nov-Dec 2017 Newsletter

Air Quality, Bicycles and bike paths, Bike Paths, Construction and Housing, donations, Environment, Historic Preservation, Lone Tree Hill, Newsletter, Nov-Dec 2017, Open Space, Parking, Traffic, Transit Comments Off

Nov 092017

View or download the November-December 2017 issue as a color PDF here, or read single articles below. . . Articles in this issue: Belmont’s Housing Future. Providing More Affordable Options. Read more here. Belmont Traffic: Driving In, Out, and Through Everyone Is Someone Else’s Cut-Through Traffic Read more here. JKR Conservation Fund Charts A New Path New Structure, New Name Read more here. An Update On The Bradford Multiple Activities On- And Off-site Read more here. Environmental Events Read more here.

JKR Conservation Fund Charts A New Path

Air Quality, Bicycles and bike paths, Bike Paths, donations, Environment, Lone Tree Hill, Newsletter, Nov-Dec 2017, Open Space Comments Off

Nov 062017

New Structure, New Name by Roger Wrubel Since its inception in 2001, the Judith K. Record (JKR) Memorial Conservation Fund has been dedicated to protecting, rehabilitating, and maintaining open space in Belmont and neighboring communities through grant awards and direct funding of public and private projects. To enhance the long-term sustainability of the fund and its mission, the JKR board of trustees has announced a new charter that embraces all the goals of the original mission but modifies the board of trustee structure and includes additional conservation objectives. Most immediately, they established a new position of executive director, with Roger [READ MORE]

Belmont Citizens Forum Sept-Oct 2017 Newsletter

Belmont Citizens Forum Sept-Oct 2017 Newsletter Air Quality, Construction and Housing, Environment, Historic Preservation, Lone Tree Hill, Newsletter, Open Space, Parking, Recycling, September 2017, Traffic, Transit Comments Off

Sep 162017

View or download the September-October 2017 issue as a color PDF here, or read single articles below. . Articles in this issue: Demolition Delay Could Save Historic Buildings Read more here. Belmont Reviews Trash and Recycling Options Read more here. Iyengar Joins Land Management Committee Read more here. Keeping the Lights On and the Water Flowing Read more here. Tracking Traffic Read more here. What’s the Latest in Cushing Square? Read more here. Letter to the Editor Read more here. Environmental Events Read more here.

Belmont Citizens Forum May-June 2017 Newsletter

Air Quality, Bicycles and bike paths, Bike Paths, Construction and Housing, donations, Environment, Historic Preservation, Lone Tree Hill, May-June 2017, Newsletter, Open Space, Parking, Plants, Recycling, Stormwater, Traffic, Transit, Volunteer, Water Quality Comments Off

May 122017

View or download the May-June 2017 20-page issue here as a color PDF.

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