Arlington Land Trust

Protecting Open Spaces in Arlington

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Spy Pond Trails Day

Pruning along the Spy Pond trail

On Saturday, May 13, 9am – 1pm, volunteers are invited to the 17th annual gathering to improve the Spy Pond trail along Route 2 between Lake St. and Pleasant St.  Activities will include maintaining access trails to the pond, pruning for vistas, planting dogwoods, bagging litter, and controlling invasive plants. The rain date is Sunday, May 14, same time.

This event is hosted by the Spy Pond Environment Task Group (volunteers working in partnership with the Town of Arlington), the Appalachian Mountain Club, and other civic groups, including the Land Trust.

Guidelines: Trails Day qualifies as a community service project for students. Participants should bring sturdy footwear, work clothes, a hat, sunscreen, and rain gear. Pruning tools are also helpful. Liability waivers will be available and must be signed by all participants (under 18 need approval from—and are preferably accompanied by—a parent or guardian). Equipment and snacks will be provided, but please pack your own lunch.

Recommended parking: Take exit 60 off Rt. 2, head towards Mass. Ave. on Lake St., first left onto Colonial Drive, left onto Roanoke, left and park along Spy Pond Parkway.  The street address for Google Maps is 15 Spy Pond Parkway, Arlington, MA 02474.

For more information: www.facebook.com/spypondcomm or www.arlingtonma.gov/spypond
Email Brad Barber at bradb@shore.net

EcoFest: Earth Day (April 22) into May

Arlington EcoFest is a time of learning, reflection, and action. Community and student groups and Town departments and committees are offering presentations, tours, and interactive events to inspire connection to and celebration of our natural world.

Some events are listed here, but check the EcoFest website for many more activities and programs. Email Charlotte Milan, DPW Recycling Coordinator at cmilan@town.arlington.ma.us

Garlic Mustard is an invasive plant found throughout Arlington.
Help remove it at Arlington Reservoir on April 22.

Mugar Coalition Seeks Funding

April 2023 — Mugar Update

As the legal proceedings related to the proposed development of Thorndike Place continue to play out in court, the Coalition to Save the Mugar Wetlands is promoting awareness about the project, and seeks to raise $50,000 to help pay legal and other fees.

Arlington residents filed suit in December 2021 to prevent construction of a massive four-story rental building with townhomes that would occupy land near documented wetlands and floodplains. With no direct access to Mass. Ave. or Route 2, all traffic would empty onto Lake Street. This campaign seeks to protect the wetlands, reduce flooding, prevent habitat destruction, and control local traffic patterns.The Coalition has launched a Go Fund Me page to help raise funds to support their legal efforts. For more information and updates, subscribe to the Coalition’s elist.

Arlington Land Trust continues to advocate for the permanent protection of the Mugar parcel as conservation land. The site is subject to regular and significant flooding, and is a critical stormwater buffer for the surrounding and downstream neighborhoods of East Arlington.

Public Land Management Plan

The Town of Arlington, through the Department of Planning and Community Development (DPCD), issued the Public Land Management Plan (PLMP) in January 2023. The project goal was to create a management plan for Town-owned open space, recreational land, and other natural resources in line with other Town plans. The plan was funded through a Community Preservation Act grant. The landscape architecture firm KZLA produced the plan in collaboration with the Public Land Management Working Group made up of representatives of Town departments and committees.

The PLMP details a structure for maintaining and managing relevant lands, provides analysis of the policies that govern the lands in question, and advises on the treatment of such lands, including recommendations of best practices. This first edition of the plan includes large public lands, small conservation parcels, parks and fields, and monuments, open spaces, and gardens. Future editions will add concerns like playgrounds, courts, and specific sports fields concerns. The PLMP will be revisited in 2025 and other updates and additions will be scheduled every three years.