Virginia “Ginny” Sara Jordan died on March 28, 2022. Ginny was a woman of many accomplishments. She was a Phi Beta Kappa Radcliffe graduate with a master’s in applied math, and a programmer and tech expert who held instrumental roles at EG&G, NEC, and Polaroid. She was a long-time Belmont Town Meeting member, and she rallied her neighbors to found the nonprofit Friends of the Benton Library, which now operates the facility and is supported entirely by donations. But here at the Belmont Citizens Forum, we remember Ginny because she served on the BCF Newsletter Committee. Ginny was a painstaking, [READ MORE]
New Group Seeks to Keep Belmont Beautiful
By Jeffrey North In 2008 volunteers and government leaders in Mansfield convened, and more than 700 volunteers assembled to give that town a good spring cleaning. They formed a Keep America Beautiful (KAB) chapter the next year to continue their efforts. Now Belmont can do the same—drastically reduce the volume of refuse littering our public spaces and strengthen our sense of community by organizing volunteers and donations for a cleaner, greener place to live. Belmont can take its place among the 33 local nonprofit KAB chapters across Massachusetts (collectively KMB) that are making significant improvements to their communities. Litter attracts [READ MORE]
Lone Tree Hill Cleanup Day April 25
Lone Tree Hill Cleanup Day Join us in stewarding Lone Tree Hill! The Belmont Citizens Forum, in conjunction with the Judy Record Conservation Fund, is holding its eighth annual cleanup and trail maintenance day on Saturday, April 25, from 9 AM until noon. Help complete the planting of trees along the Pine Allee, clean up and remove invasive species at the Coal Road area, and pick up trash at the Mill Street parking lot and South Pleasant Street area at the Coal Road kiosk. Students can earn community service credits. This event is made possible by generous local business sponsors. [READ MORE]
Belmont Roots, July/August 2019
Environmental News, Notes, and Events By Meg Muckenhoupt Reducing emissions can begin in your own backyard—but how? Well, if you’re tired of mowing your lawn, you have a good excuse to stop. Although grasses, like all plants, remove carbon from the air when they grow their leaves and roots, the greenhouse gas emissions from fertilizer and pesticide production, mowing, and leaf blowing make grass a poor proposition for our climate. You still have to do something with that land, but there are many other good choices that will look good and keep more carbon in the ground and out of [READ MORE]
May/June 2019 Belmont Citizens Forum Newsletter & PDF
View or download the May/June 2019 issue as a color PDF here, or read single articles below. Articles in this issue: New Plans for McLean Land Density is key issue as town considers proposals for two McLean campus parcels By Sue Bass Twenty years ago, Belmont voted to allow development on McLean Hospital land on Belmont Hill. Now McLean is coming back to the town with new proposals for two parcels of land that are still undeveloped. Read more. Composting in Belmont: Breaking it Down By Mary Bradley Composting is no longer just a backyard hobby for the ardent gardener. [READ MORE]
Belmont Roots, May/June 2019
Environmental News, Notes, and Events By Meg Muckenhoupt Well, it’s spring, sort of. The average last frost date in Belmont is somewhere between May 1 and May 11, depending on which website you believe—the Old Farmer’s Almanac? Plantmaps.com? But my grandmother in Newton never planted her tomatoes before Memorial Day. Warmth-loving plants such as tomatoes and peppers are sensitive to soil temperature as well as air temperature. They can suffer “transplant shock” and become stunted and grim if roots are a bit too chilled. Seeds are more secure in their identity, and will simply sit and shiver in the soil [READ MORE]
BCF Director Anne-Marie Lambert Celebrated as a Massachusetts “Unsung Heroine”
Congratulations to Belmont Citizens Forum board member Anne-Marie Lambert, who was chosen by state Representative Dave Rogers as the 2018 “Unsung Heroine” for his district and received the award in the Great Hall of Flags at the Massachusetts State House on June 20. Each year the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women partners with state legislators to identify one woman from each of their constituencies who “doesn’t always make the news, but truly makes the difference.” “Anne-Marie Lambert is an environmentalist with deep knowledge of the land and water of Belmont,” Rogers wrote in the biographical sketch he submitted. [READ MORE]
Lone Tree Hill Volunteer Day
Join us in stewarding Lone Tree Hill! The Belmont Citizens Forum, in conjunction with the Judy Record Conservation Fund, is holding its annual cleanup and trail maintenance day on Saturday, April 28, from 9 AM to noon. Last year, we helped plant 45 trees along Pine Allee and clean up the Coal Road area. Students can earn community service credits. Bounded by Concord Avenue, Pleasant Street, and Mill Street, Lone Tree Hill spans 119 acres of permanently protected conservation land and is available to everyone. It is stewarded through a public/private partnership by the town and McLean Hospital, and [READ MORE]
January/February 2018 Belmont Citizens Forum Newsletter & PDF
View or download the January-February 2018 issue as a color PDF here, or read single articles below. . Articles in this issue: A Vision for Belmont Looking Back, Looking Ahead by Sue Bass Nearly eight years ago, in the spring of 2010, the town completed two years of work on a comprehensive plan intended to guide the next decade of change in Belmont. Looking back, how are we doing? The $148,000 plan, called “A Vision for Belmont: Mapping a Sustainable Future,” which was adopted by the Belmont Planning Board and is posted on its website, made nine primary recommendations. Read more. [READ MORE]
Environmental Events, Nov-Dec 2017
Big Woods Hike Sunday, November 19, 11:30 AM–3 PM There’s a walk in the woods…and then there’s a walk in the woods with a naturalist to discover what is happening in the world of nature as plants and animals prepare for winter. Sanctuary naturalists will lead small groups as they venture out to the “Big Woods” on Averill’s Island. Stop along the way to hear stories of the original settlers and learn about the fascinating cultural history of the sanctuary. Look for animal signs as we hike through the woodlands and marshes. Dress warmly and wear comfortable footwear. Warm up [READ MORE]