Belmont Roots September/October 2019

 Newsletter, Sept/Oct 2019  Comments Off on Belmont Roots September/October 2019
Sep 162019
 
Belmont Roots September/October 2019

Now comes the fall. Summer vacation is over, and it’s time to get back to work. If that thought does not fill you with glee, perhaps it’s time to consider a new career that will help preserve, protect, and promote our planet at the Massachusetts Green Careers Conference. If a wholesale career change isn’t in your future, you can still take some time to consider how to help people interact with the natural world in a way that helps both nature and humans—by building trails, using space wisely, or simply taking a mindful walk in the woods. 11th Massachusetts Green [READ MORE]

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Invasive Plants Harm Belmont’s Environment

 Plants, Sept/Oct 2019  Comments Off on Invasive Plants Harm Belmont’s Environment
Sep 162019
 
Invasive Plants Harm Belmont's Environment

By Roger Colton Belmont is under invasion. By air, land, and water, the town is experiencing the influx of non-native plants which outcompete our native species, threatening our wildlife and our waterways. The sooner that town residents begin to respond, the sooner the invasion can be thwarted. One of the most noticeable and harmful invasive plants in Belmont is Japanese knotweed, which is growing along waterways including the Wellington Brook. Japanese knotweed threatens to displace the existing trees, shrubs, and other native plants that line the waterway. Unlike those other species, knotweed does not effectively prevent erosion or filter pollutants [READ MORE]

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McLean Barn Gets Scrubbing, Stabilization

 Sept/Oct 2019  Comments Off on McLean Barn Gets Scrubbing, Stabilization
Sep 162019
 
McLean Barn Gets Scrubbing, Stabilization

By Radha Iyengar The historic McLean Barn has been vacant and deteriorating for many years—but thanks to Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds approved last May, the barn is finally being cleaned and stabilized. The barn may also get a new electrical line to support exterior lighting and cameras to deter vandals. Located at 248 Mill Street, the McLean Barn was built around 1915. It was used by the McLean Farm until it was transferred to the town in 2005 as part of the memorandum of agreement with McLean Hospital. The McLean Barn is a New England-style banked barn that sits [READ MORE]

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Does Living in Belmont Promote Our Health?

 Newsletter, Sept/Oct 2019, Sept/Oct 2019  Comments Off on Does Living in Belmont Promote Our Health?
Sep 162019
 
Does Living in Belmont Promote Our Health?

By Tammy Calise Where we live shapes our behaviors and influences our physical and mental health. While everyone deserves to live in a neighborhood that supports healthy lifestyles, it is especially important for youth and older adults—and compared to the state overall, Belmont has a higher percentage of the population under 18 years (21 percent vs. 24 percent) and over 65 years (15 percent vs. 24 percent). The University of Virginia’s Center for Design and Health and Hart Howerton, an interdisciplinary design firm, endorse nine principles that ensure the design of our neighborhoods promote health: smart locations, integrated nature, mixed [READ MORE]

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