Three Towns, One Forest
Thurs. April 25th, 7pm-9pm
Lesley University hall, 1815 Mass Ave, Cambridge, MA
Lesley University, Green Cambridge, and Friends of Alewife Reservation are hosting an environmentally timely Forum to save the Silver Maple Forest from 7pm-9pm.
Speakers on the Forum include: Scott Horsley of Horsley and Witten Co., John Reinhardt of the Mystic River Watershed Association, Geophysicist Lucia Lovison, Quinton Zondervan of Green Cambridge, Minka vanBeuzekom, Cambridge City Council, Scott Horsley of Horsley and Witten Co. and David Morimoto, head of Natural Science and Mathematics Dept. at Lesley.
The Forum is moderated by Amy Mertl, biology professor at Lesley.
http://www.friendsofalewifereservation.org/2013-04-25-Silver-Maple-Forum-Poster.pdf
Arlington DPW offers discounted rain barrels
The Arlington DPW has partnered with the Great American Rain Barrel Company in Hyde Park, MA to offer recycled barrels to residents as part of a community wide water conservation program.
Each UV protected polyethylene rain barrel is manufactured in the USA from a recycled shipping drum that stands 39" tall by 24" wide and weighs 20 lbs. empty with a wall thickness of 3/16", resulting in a rigid, heavy duty rain barrel that will last virtually forever. The barrel comes complete with overflow fittings, drain plug, screw on cover, and a threaded spigot with a choice of two ports to use with either a watering can or a garden hose. The rain barrel arrives with simple instructions for fast and easy installation. For additional water storage simply link two and three barrels together.
Arlington is offering the Great American Rain Barrel in three colors; Forest Green, Earth Brown or Nantucket Gray at the low cost of $69 versus the retail price of $119.
To take advantage of this community program discount please visit www.greatamericanrainbarrel.com, email info@tgarb.com or call (800)251-2352, or call (800)251-2352. Purchase online at www.greatamericanrainbarrel.com look for “Shop Local Programs” left side bar and find “Arlington”.
Barrels will be available for pick up on Saturday, May 4th between 9:00am- 11:00am at the Arlington Public Yard, 51 Grove Street. Deadline for ordering is Friday, April 26th
Don't forget to sign up to help plant two rain gardens May 4 & May 11!!
Join the next Malden River Advocacy Meeting!
Community leaders and members from Everett, Medford, and Malden are joining together to improve the future of the Malden River. This new group is looking for people to get involved! Please join the next community meeting on Thursday, May 9th in Everett. This meeting is free and open to the public.
May 9
Malden River Advocacy Meeting, 6:30-8pm
Everett City Hall, 484 Broadway, Keverian Room (3rd floor), Everett, MA
Stay tuned for a meeting agenda!
For more information please contact Beth or Patrick at the MyRWA offices at 781-316-3438.
ACTION ALERT: Support the Mystic
Two important amendments to the State Budget have been filed that will bring great benefit to Mystic River communities. MyRWA encourages you to contact your State Representative to ask them to support and co-sponsor House Budget Amendment 126, Water Chestnut Removal on the Mystic River filed by Representative Paul Donato and House Budget Amendment 187, Mystic River Master Plan filed by Representative Jason Lewis. Now is the time to insure that your State Representative signs onto these amendments as a co-sponsor. Your State Rep must act NOW as co-sponsors must be filed by the end of this week (Friday April 19th!) Thank you for your call or email to your State Rep!
Bike ride as part of the Mystic River Herring Run and Paddle
As part of the Mystic River Watershed Association's annual road and boat race (Mystic River Herring Run and Paddle), Bike to the Sea, in conjunction with the Somerville Bicycle Committee, has again been invited to lead a ride as part of day's festivities.
The ride will take place along existing paths on both sides of the Mystic River through Somerville and Medford, in addition to the wildly popular Park at River's Edge along the Malden River. The ride will also feature the brand new Wellington Greenway as well as the first Bike to the Sea segment in Everett.
Plan on a 90 minute ride with an option for an additional hour. Steady rain cancels the event. ***PLEASE NOTE***Hybrid bikes (or a very sturdy road bike) are recommended due to some off-road sections that are non-paved. This is a family-friendly ride.
Meet at Blessing of the Bay Boathouse in Somerville @ 11 a.m. for the 11:15 ride kick-off. For more information, contact Pete Sutton at beausutt@hotmail.com
Seeking volunteers to plant rain gardens in Arlington!
Time to dust off your work gloves... and help plant a rain garden (or two!) Please mark your calendars for the following events, and please RSVP here.
Hurd Field Rain Garden - Drake Road
Planting date: Sat. May 4th, 10am-1pm (or until it's complete!)
Hardy School Rain Garden - 52 Lake St.
Planting date: Sat. May 11th, 10am -1pm (or until it's complete!)
Learn more about rain gardens here.
Action Alert: Support the Mystic!! (posted 3/29/13)
The Mystic River Watershed Association encourages you to contact your State Representative and Senator in support of three FY 2014 budget items that we feel will help restore the natural resources of the Mystic River Watershed. (You can easily look-up contact information for your Representative or Senator here.) Thank you in advance for your phone call and/or email.
A $75,000 increase to the Department of Conservation and Recreation’s budget, 2810-0100 line item, specifically targeted for water chestnut removal in the Mystic River. Large portions of the Mystic River are almost entirely blanketed with water chestnuts, resulting in significant impairment of navigation and a harmful impact on native habitat. The plants are spreading rapidly; since 2001, the population has expanded from 1 to 30 acres. Water chestnuts form mats over the water surface, which in turn impede boating, fishing, and swimming, and crowd out native plants. If serious efforts are not made to remove the plants, recreational use of the much of river will become impossible in just a few short years.
Creation of a Mystic River Water Quality Commission to study the feasibility of bringing the water quality of the Mystic River to a level consistently safe enough for fishing, boating and swimming. The proposal to establish a Water Quality Commission has also been filed as a stand-alone bill, H.785, by Representative Denise Provost. The bill is a re-file from the 2011-2012 legislative session, during which it received a favorable report from the Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture.
A $500,000 increase to the Department of Conservation and Recreation’s 2800-0100 line item specifically targeted for the implementation of the Mystic River Master Plan (http://www.mass.gov/dcr/pe/MysticRiverMasterPlann-Final.11-09.pdf). The Mystic River Master Plan proposed comprehensive improvements to more than 370 acres of this park system which when complete will transform the park and the lives of more than 800,000 Massachusetts residents within easy reach of the park's amenities. The Department of Conservation and Recreation requires funding ($500,000) to complete design development plans and construction specifications for the park improvements that are delineated in detail in the Master Planning document. Once these plans and specifications are complete, DCR can apply for various State and Federal funds to construct these park improvements.
Thank you for your consideration.
If you have any questions, please contact Tim Snyder at Senator Jehlen’s office at Tim.Snyder@masenate.gov or 617.722.1578, or EkOngKar Singh Khalsa at MyRWA at EK@MysticRiver.org or 781.316.3438. For any questions regarding H.785, An Act establishing a Mystic River water quality commission, please contact Mark Kennedy in Representative Provost’s office at Mark.Kennedy@mahouse.gov, or at 617-722-2263.
Malden River presentation 4/2
At the April 2nd MyRWA Committee Meeting, a group of Tufts University graduate students enrolled in the Water: Systems, Science and Society (WSSS) program will present their practicum work on the Malden River. The WSSS program is a graduate research and education program that provides Tufts students with interdisciplinary perspectives and tools to manage water-related problems around the world. Please join us for the presentation at 7:00PM at Tufts University, Lincoln Filene Center, Rabb Room, Medford.
Citizen Scientist Training Workshop Announced
Please join MyRWA on Tuesday, June 11th for a Citizen Scientist Training Workshop. This workshop allows interested volunteers to learn about water quality monitoring methods and concepts. By completing this workshop, you’ll be prepared to join MyRWA’s Baseline Monitoring Program. The Baseline Monitoring Program requires a monthly commitment between 6am and 8am. No experience is necessary - all are welcome!
When: Tuesday, June 11, 2013, 6:00PM – 8:00PM
Where: Cambridge Health Alliance, 195 Canal St., Malden
This training will be held both indoors and outdoors (rain or shine). Please wear close-toed shoes. Pizza will be provided.
Space is limited! Please register today by emailing Beth@Mysticriver.org or calling 781-316-3438.
Defendants Pay $4.25 Million Settlement for Restoring Natural Resources at Industri-Plex Superfund Site in Woburn
State and federal officials have received a $4.25 million settlement from the Pharmacia Corporation and Bayer CropScience Inc. for damages to natural resources at the Industri-plex Superfund site in Woburn, Mass. Contaminants from this site significantly impacted resources in the Aberjona River and the surrounding watershed.
MyRWA would like to thank the dedicated team of professionals who worked on this settlement, including: Assistant Attorney General Matthew Brock, Attorney General Martha Coakley’s Environmental Protection Division; Karen Pelto and Jennifer Davis from MassDEP; Dale Young and Anna Blumkin from MA EEA; Karen Sughrue, Molly Sperduto, Kenneth Munney, Veronica Varela from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Mark Barash and Marcia Gittes from the U.S. DOI Office of the Solicitor; Don Frankel from U.S. DOJ; and Ken Finkelstein and Gwendolyn McCarthy from NOAA.
