CHARLES  RIVER  PARKLANDS  UPDATE
February 2004
Archives—Table of Contents

Advocacy

Pathway Improvement
Thank you to the volunteers who helped us with the Dr. Paul Dudley White pathway survey. A full report has now been submitted to the DCR and is also available for public review: Dudley White Pathway Project Report (in PDF format, 21Mb in size). We recommend that a pedestrian light be added at the intersection of River Street Bridge and Soldiers Field Road and the stretch to the Western Avenue Bridge be widened for bikers and pedestrians. Please direct your questions and comments to Kol Peterson at kbp@thecharles.org.

New opportunity to participate

Parklands Ambassadors
Do you love the Charles River Parklands, meeting new people and spending time along the river? Are you interested in becoming an expert in the history and ecology of the Charles River Parklands? If so, then becoming a Charles River Conservancy Parklands Ambassador is perfect for you! To learn more, click on this link: Parklands Ambassador Program.

Program Spotlight

Skatepark Fundraising Event: Rye Airfield, Rye, NH
The CRC, with Rye Airfield, Etnies and 5boro, hosted a Charles River Skatepark fundraising event on Saturday, February 21st, at Rye Airfield in Rye, New Hampshire. Through a raffle, money was raised for the Charles River Skatepark Fund. Thanks to a generous donor, all contributions by skateboaders were quadrupled. The CRC has now raised over $128,000 toward the goal of $1.1 million. To learn more about the Charles River Skatepark or to contribute, visit the new and expanded Charles River Skatepark page!

Skatepark in the News

• "Charles River Skate Park a constructive solution," Renata von Tscharner, Boston Business Journal, February 20, 2004.
• "Wheels in motion on Cambridge skateboard park," Tony Chamberlain, Boston Globe Sports, February 18, 2004.
• "Funds roll in for local skateboard park," Cosmo Macero Jr. Sunday Boston Herald, February 8, 2004.

Conservancy Volunteers

From now until March, the Conservancy Volunteers will be pruning trees along the river. Come learn the art of pruning—no experience is necessary. For a list of upcoming events, visit the Volunteer Stewardship Program page.

The spring and summer Conservancy Volunteers schedule is filling up fast with brush cutting, invasive plant removal and erosion control projects! Now is the time to set up a service day for your company or community group by calling volunteer coordinator, Britt Lundgren at the CRC office or email bml@thecharles.org.

GeesePeace Update

The growing presence of resident Canada Geese along the Charles River has become controversial: While they are beautiful to behold, their large population has started to strain the capacity of the parks and the patience of those who use the playing fields, lawns, and docks along the river. The Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MSPCA) and the Department of Conservation and Recreation have enlisted the support of the CRC and the Esplanade Association to implement the GeesePeace program, a nationally recognized program that humanely resolves the conflicts between people and Canada geese. The GeesePeace model uses a three part approach, which focuses on eliminating feeding of waterfowl through public education, goose population stabilization through egg oiling, and herding birds from low tolerance areas like ball fields.

If you would like to learn more about this effort and how you can help, call Britt Lundgren at the CRC office or email bml@thecharles.org.

CRC in the News

In addition to the skatepark stories, there have been some great CRC stories in the news recently. If you would like to receive a copy of an article, email crc@thecharles.org with your name and address.

• "Finding Value in a Forgotten Boston Parklands Vision." Renata von Tscharner, Banker and Tradesman, February 23, 2004.
• "Skatepark Sculpture," Beacon Hill Times, February 17, 2004.
• "Pruners brave big chill to help along banks of the Charles," Casey Lyons, Allston Brighton TAB, February 6, 2004.

CRC Calendar

From guided tours in the Charles River Parklands, to tree pruning, to taking a jog or bike ride; despite the chilly temperatures, there are plenty of ways to enjoy the Charles River Parklands. For a list of upcoming events, visit the CRC Calendar.

New CRC Board member

The Charles River Conservancy is pleased to announce David Ellis, former president of the Museum of Science and past president of Lafayette College, as the newest member of the CRC Board of Directors.

We need your support

Your support enables us to continue working on your behalf to renew the Charles River Parklands. If you've already given recently, thank you, but please consider making an additional gift. Contributions can be made by mail or on line. Our mailing address is:

[See new contact information.]

Picture of the Month

The intersection of Soldiers Field Road and River Street (left side of closest of the three bridges) and the adjacent stretch of pathway have persistently been a cause of frustration for pathway users and are the focus of the newly released Dudley White Pathway Project.

If you have a picture you'd like to submit for a future picture of the month, please contact us at crc@thecharles.org.

To see previous pictures of the month, see the archives page.

The Charles River Conservancy takes as its mission the renewal and stewardship of the Charles River Parklands and their surroundings, particularly parks, parkways and bridges. The Conservancy engages in numerous Parklands restoration and improvement initiatives, including access and safety, education and outreach, and planning and maintenance programs, and relies heavily on individual contributions. To support the Charles River Conservancy, click here. Thank you!

If you know someone who would enjoy this newsletter, please feel free to pass it along. Interested readers can subscribe to the e-newsletter by sending an email to members-join@thecharles.org. If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter, send an email to members-leave@thecharles.org.