Will Brownsberger — State Senator, Democrat, 2d Suffolk and Middlesex District

A meeting was held on Monday, May 27, 2011 in the State House to review the status of key issues in the Mystic/Alewife area with the management of the Department of Conservation and Recreation.

  Press Release For Immediate Release   Jim Scott Benefit Concert, Belmont, July 2   “Singing For the Tree Tops,” a benefit concert July 2nd to preserve the Uplands Silver Maple Forest, will feature renowned folksinger and composer, Jim Scott.  This Fourth of July holiday weekend event will celebrate our unique forest on the Belmont/Cambridge [...]

http://www.wickedlocal.com/cambridge/news/x1841754107/Cambridge-City-Council-wants-cities-to-purchase-Belmont-Uplands#axzz1Ot7Kd0RA ‘Flood Plain Forest and Floodway Development Forum VIDEO TO SHOW IN CAMBRIDGE IN JUNE. Your program is scheduled to run on our channels according to the times below.  Please note that these times are subject to change: Wed, 6/15/2011 8:00 AM, Channel 10 Sun, 6/19/2011 3:00 PM, Channel 10 Mon, 6/20/2011 7:00 AM, Channel [...]

As the developer approaches completion of the permitting process, the state is unable to help acquire the property. Next steps in an acquisition will need to be initiated by the surrounding communities.

At $13.5 million, the appraisal comes in slightly above the assessed value of the property for tax purposes as of January 1, 2010. It confirms that the developer has chosen the most profitable strategy and roughly confirms the town’s valuation of the property based on that strategy.

Dear Will, Please continue to come to relate to our Forum. We will be going over the facts again in terms of flooding and forest to note that the scientific facts of the DEP Hearings were ignored. I am very sorry if we have disappointed you to continue battling. IT is a miserable position to [...]

SEE SILVER MAPLE VIDEO BELOW:   This video traces some of the history and highlights of the regional (Cambridge, Belmont and Arlington) community efforts to protect the silver maple forest and the vital floodplain protection for these communities and downstream towns and cities of the Mystic River watershed and the Boston Harbor. We abhor empire [...]

Five reasons to visit belmontcoalition.org: 5. See a map with the location of the Silver Maple forest/Belmont Uplands 4. Learn about Coalition concerns and the legal case in detail 3. Easy online donation and/or become an online supporter . 2. See beautiful pictures of the forest from Little Pond 1. Find out what about a new [...]

We realize the work of you  as our shining legislator in the matter of the forest, and 4 other legislators who we understand  continue to appeal to reason in behalf of our dwindling natural resources which benefit the Lower Mystic watershed of Belmont, Cambridge, Arlington and Somerville. Public outpouring has come from Cambridge and Belmont [...]

According to the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs in a conversation I had yesterday, they are moving swiftly to retain an appraiser and expect to complete an appraisal in early April.

As noted previously, Governor Patrick did not sign House 701. He did commit to conduct the appraisal contemplated by House 701. I am satisfied with this outcome — the bill would have accomplished nothing more. Confirmation of the appraisal commitment has now arrived in the form of the attached letter from Secretary of Environmental Affairs, [...]

Rep. Brownsberger, I want to thank you for your efforts in trying to preserve open space in your district, and for trying to prevent construction in a location that is inappropriate for multiple reasons – floodprone and in floodplain, inadequate sewer capacity, not physically near either schools or businesses. However, I think everyone realizes that [...]

Hi Will, This is an enormous step in the right direction! Silver Maple Forest should be protected under the National Historic Preservation Act. I’ll be in touch with next steps…

Senator Tolman and Representative Brownsberger announced today the passage of House 701, a bill which would kick start the conversation about state acquisition of the Silver Maple Forest property, also known as the Belmont Uplands.

The Silver Maple Forest should be considered an “ACEC” — an Area of Critical Environmental Concern for flood control. It is rare open space in an urban area, an ecologically valuable site which once gone, cannot be recreated.

While our rare silver maple forest is within hours or days of being permitted for clear cutting as a town or city christmas gift to its citizens, some actions and public visibility is required so that the decision makers in the crime will be able to take responsiblity for it. There is a way out, [...]

Responsibility of permitting the partial destruction of a vital floodplain While the complex permitting process of the forested “Belmont uplands” encourages highly diverse thinking and speculation, we hope that friends of our rare natural resources (Alewife urban wild) will talk to their selectmen and city councilors who have voted to protect this area and sponsored  [...]

The Silver Maple Forest is entering its last days if we cannot do something to stop development.  The path to permitting is clear now that the Belmont Zoning Board Authority has accepted the developer’s plan changes as “insignificant” (thus not requiring a public hearing). Friends of Alewife Reservation asks all concerned citizens to meet at [...]

While town of Belmont and city of Cambridge is frantic that permits to clearcut the Alewife silver maple forest could happen this week (noted by spokesperson Steve Corridan in the newspaper), and you have been contacted by many persons, it is insufficient for you to ask the DCR to save the forest. We are counting [...]

Felling a small river floodplain forest in this age of global warming and annual flooding increases, nullies any wording to describe the criminality of such an the act directed against the local communities that surround Aleiwfe.March and June rains were torrential and flooded the Alewife flood plain, surrounding the silver maple forest up to the [...]