Apr 242017
 

View or download the March-April 2017 20-page issue here  as a color PDF. View or download the March-April 2017 20-page issue here as a black-and-white PDF.

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Mar 152017
 
Mugar Wetlands Project Stalled—For Now

Neighborhood Fears Water Displacement by John DiCocco The Mugar Wetlands in East Arlington is a triangular parcel that borders Route 2 westbound, adjacent to the Thorndike Park playing fields, and just across Route 2 from the Vox on Two apartments and Lanes & Games Bowling. The Mugar family, owners for more than 50 years, wants to develop it with townhouses and an apartment building. Residents in the town of Arlington, led by the Coalition to Save the Mugar Wetlands (CSMW) are opposed. In dispute is whether the land can handle the water displacement, whether the neighborhood can handle more people, [READ MORE]

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MyRWA Measures Belmont’s Water Quality

 Environment, March 2017, Newsletter, Stormwater, Water Quality  Comments Off on MyRWA Measures Belmont’s Water Quality
Mar 152017
 
MyRWA Measures Belmont’s Water Quality

Volunteers Monitor Every Month by Anne-Marie Lambert Almost every month for more than 16 years, Mystic River Watershed Association (MyRWA) volunteers have been monitoring water quality at the location where the Winn’s Brook culvert flows into Little Pond.     In the early morning of August 17, 2016, I walked to the end of a public path off Brighton Street, near the intersection with Hoitt Road. I watched as Roger Wrubel and Doug Matson took out their MyRWA sampling gear and carefully scooped water samples into test tubes. They were measuring dissolved oxygen, turbidity (a measure of suspended particles), nutrients [READ MORE]

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Boston’s Driest Summer and Hottest Year

 Environment, March 2017, Newsletter, Water Quality  Comments Off on Boston’s Driest Summer and Hottest Year
Mar 152017
 
Boston’s Driest Summer and Hottest Year

The Impact of Drought on the Mystic Watershed by Andy Hrycyna People living in the Mystic River watershed have been relatively unaffected by the recent historic drought. Cities and towns have not demanded use restrictions, like bans on watering lawns, for instance. But don’t let that fool you. The absence of mandates to conserve is an accident of where our towns’ water supply happens to originate. It does not mean that our area is immune to the drought. First, some background. An Historic Drought 2016 was the driest summer ever recorded in Boston, with 3.92 inches of rain in June, [READ MORE]

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Mar 152017
 

Featured Event: Poetry Walk at Rock Meadow Saturday, April 29, 2-3:30PM Anne-Marie Lambert will be joined by Kevin Gallagher, local poet and author of the recently published book Loom, about the Massachusetts textile industry and its relation to the surge in demand for slave labor in the South in the 19th century.    “Through poetry,” says Lambert, “we will explore the landscape and history of this part of Belmont and Waltham.” Meet at the small Rock Meadow parking lot on Mill Street. Bike racks are available and there is more parking across the street. Woolapalooza at Drumlin Farm Friday, March [READ MORE]

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Jan 192017
 

Friends of Fresh Pond Reservation Annual Meeting and Potluck Supper Sunday, January 22, 5-7 PM Help us celebrate over 15 years of educational programs and stewardship. Enjoy good food and learn about the activities of the Friends group. Following supper, we will briefly review the past year, then share ideas for future programs and projects at Fresh Pond in a relaxed roundtable discussion. Guests and newcomers welcome. RSVP to Catherine Pedemonti at friendsoffreshpond@yahoo.com. Basement of Neville Place, 650 Concord Avenue, Cambridge Winter Nature Storytime at Fresh Pond Friday, January 27, 10-11 AM Friends of Fresh Pond host children and their [READ MORE]

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Goodbye and Thank You to EK Khalsa

 Air Quality, Environment, November-December 2016, Water Quality  Comments Off on Goodbye and Thank You to EK Khalsa
Nov 032016
 
Goodbye and Thank You to EK Khalsa

Interview with an Environmental Change Agent by Julia Blatt EK (EkOngKar) Khalsa was executive director of Mystic River Watershed Association (MyRWA) from 2008 until this September. His leadership has resulted in a dramatic improvement in the environment and water quality in a vital Greater Boston natural resource. We asked Belmont resident Julia Blatt, executive director of the Massachusetts Rivers Alliance and longtime colleague of Khalsa, to speak with him about his accomplishments in the region. Julia Blatt: What brought you to the Mystic River Watershed Association? EK Khalsa: I was introduced to MyRWA by an inspiring, very dynamic member of [READ MORE]

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Nov 032016
 

Belmont Drives Electric Ride & Drive Day Saturday, November 12, 1:30-4:30 PM Come test drive and learn about several models of electric vehicles, as well as incentives by local dealers and tax benefits. Learn more at: belmontdriveselectric.org  or email info@bostoncommittee.org for more information. Belmont High School parking lot and cafeteria. MIT Water Summit 2016 Thursday & Friday, November 17, 8 AM to November 18, 3:30 PM The MIT Water Club and its sponsors are thrilled to announce the fifth edition of the MIT Water Summit, a gathering of not only students and faculty from MIT and the greater Boston area, [READ MORE]

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Sep 142016
 
Environmental Events

Board of Surveyors Hearing–Postponed The Board of Surveyors will hold their hearing of the proposed road adjacent to Habitat at 178 Marsh Street. Homer Art Gallery, Town Hall, 19 Moore Street, Belmont. NOTE: The September 19 meeting has been postponed to a future date. The town engineer is asking the applicant to first apply for a hearing before the Belmont Conservation Commission to resolve any wetland issues. We will update this post when we have more information. 350 Mass Cambridge Node Meeting, Tuesday, September 20, 6:30–8:30 PM Join discussions with a grassroots climate network in Massachusetts. Newcomers welcome. First Church Cambridge, 11 [READ MORE]

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