Category: Blog

On a rather cool Sunday of April 7 Scouts from Troop 313 and others gathered to get the Res ready for spring. One big accomplishment was removing invasive Water Chestnut seeds from along the shore near the boat ramp to get ready for another season. Another activity was removing weeds from the Habitat garden. We also saw one swan at the Res on that day.  But many ducks of different types.

February 20th, 2024, the Arlington Reservoir committee shared observations like the five swans seen on February 19th, while Ann observed geese, ruddy ducks, and various smaller animals. The reservoir appears to be half-frozen and half-open, with a noticeable decrease in water levels compared to usual. Additionally, recent weather patterns have led to a rapid melting of snow and thin ice, making on-the-ice activities unfeasible. We are updating the sketch for a sign near Trader Joe's to increase visibility for the reservoir-related activities. Upcoming activities such as invasive species removal March 16th with Elaine Crowder & ArMI. The next meeting is scheduled for March 19th, with a focus on Apr 2oth EcoFest:the Annual Garlic Mustard Pull.

Last Saturday (4/8/2023) at Arlington Reservoir, our activities continued with work done by amazing volunteers and two determined scout troops. [caption id="attachment_1597" align="alignnone" width="657"]              Garden planting team with Jenifer and Scouts.[/caption] First, Jenifer Tidwell and 6-8 volunteers worked together in the native species garden, bringing in more native species and increasing the diversity of plants. Regarding the garden, Jennifer created the garden designs and brought plants funded by donations to the Reservoir Committee. With her leadership, they cleared the paths for easier access today and planted the following: Little Bluestem grass (Schizachyrium), wild strawberries, Perennial sunflowers, swamp milkweed, Penstemons, groundnuts, and coneflowers. Secondly, one of the groups with 4-6 volunteers led by Michael Ratner cut oriental bittersweet, an invasive species that tend to be destructive to trees/shrubs. By cutting…

Buffer and Beautify Mill Brook - The Conservation Commission has requested a Community Preservation Act (CPA) grant for a feasibility study for the preservation of Mill Brook between Arlington Reservoir and Hurd Field in keeping with a commitment made to the Recreation Department to buffer both recent improvement projects and beautify the area. The full application is available here.

Jenifer Tidwell Lends a Hand at Arlington Reservoir - Residents of Arlington, MA recently witnessed an amazing transformation at the town’s reservoir with Parks and Recreation's new beach and native plant rewilding. Now local landscape designer Jenifer Tidwell of Autumn Light Landscape Design is 2023 Lead gardener for the Envision Arlington Reservoir Wildlife Habitat Gardens. Her designs will take parts of the Wildlife Habitat Garden from overgrown to vibrant and inviting. Let’s look at how she plans to do it! Transforming an aspect of the garden into something beautiful may take more than just a little bit of elbow grease. Tidwell worked with the Envision Arlington's Reservoir Committee to come up with a design that would bring more native wildlife into the area while enhancing its visual beauty. The goal…