The text below was received in a July 3, 2001 e-mail from Friends of Alewife Reservation
INVITATIONS TO COMPANIES AROUND THE RESERVATION TO MEET FAR AND TO
THINK ABOUT PARTICIPATION AND SUPPORTING US.
Dear Companies and Businesses in the Alewife area:
It's natural to care about the environment, especially where you work.
That's why I'm writing to tell you about FAR and our work to improve
one of Greater Boston's most beautiful and accessible nature
preserves. Alewife Reservation contains over 115 acres of ponds,
wetlands, and trails next door to your company. By supporting the
Alewife Reservation, you're not only helping to protect the
environment, you're helping to sustain a natural area of inestimable
value to you and your colleagues
Friends of Alewife Reservation (FAR) wants to work with you on mutual
interests in the Alewife Reservation and area. You are invited to
send a company representative to a meeting with us:
There will be a brief ceremony recognizing companies that are already
supporting the Alewife Reservation. Refreshments will be served. A
short video of the Friends' activities on the Reservation will be
presented.
We're worked hard to enhance and sustain Alewife as an enjoyable place
to stroll and enjoy one of Boston area's largest urban wilds, but our
ability to act on your behalf is limited by funding and volunteer
staff. If we are to organize significant preservation projects, we
will need your support. As I write, FAR is acting to ensure that
Biodiversity Days continue on the Reservation with participation this
year of around 70 citizens, teachers and students who view the area as
an environmental treasure. With support from the Executive Office of
Environmental Affairs, together with 350 towns, FAR friends and
members inventoried about 200 plant and other species. This July, FAR
volunteers will clean debris from Little River and Alewife Brook in
canoes with ropes, tying heavy objects to trees and pulling them out
from land.
As you probably know, changes are coming to the Alewife area in the
form of new buildings as well as a major $75 million sewer separation
and storm water project by the City of Cambridge and the Massachusetts
Water Resources Authority. A master plan of the Reservation and
associated waterways is being developed by the Metropolitan District
Commission together with a full hydrology study. An increased and
continuous effort by those of you who are neighbors to the Reservation
as well as newcomers will be needed to enhance this special urban wild
and prevent it from becoming a blight in the future.
FAR already has an active program. We've conducted cleanups that
collected tons of debris accumulated over years. We've organized
free, public guided tours led by naturalists. We've advocated for the
Reservation before local and state governmental bodies and worked with
the Mystic River Watershed Association on issues affecting the entire
watershed region such as water quality and property abuse. We're now
ready to take the next step of reaching out to local businesses and
property owners to ask for your support and to discuss mutual
interests. Please meet with us from 6 to 7 PM on July 11 at the
Arthur D. Little Company.
(Event sponsored - and information provided - by Friends of Alewife,
which is not affiliated with the Alewife Study Group)