Save the Silver Maple Forest
*NEWS IN 2009*
March 2009: MA State Representative Will Brownsberger has refiled a version of House Bill 21 in the new legislative session. The new bill is entitled “An Act providing for park expansion and urban wildlife preservation in Belmont and Cambridge,” House Bill Number 701 (see bill text here), and is cosponsored by Rep. Brownsberger and Senator Steve Tolman. It has been referred to the Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources, and Agriculture.
For more information, contact us: info@savethesilvermapleforest.org
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Please read below to learn about the events of 2007-2008.
Our campaign aims to Save the Silver Maple Forest at Belmont Uplands (in Belmont and Cambridge, Massachusetts) by advocating for the passage of Massachusetts House Bill 21. We are an alliance of individuals and organizations, many of whom have been working for many years to preserve this valuable natural area.
House Bill 21 is supported by the Sierra Club of Massachusetts, Friends of Alewife Reservation, and other environmental groups. It is unanimously supported by the Arlington Board of Selectmen, the Belmont Board of Selectmen, and Cambridge City Council.
*Governor Patrick vetoes language regarding the Silver Maple Forest in the Environmental Bond Bill*
State Representative Will Brownsberger, who co-sponsored House Bill 21 with Senator Steve Tolman, had negotiated an earmark of $6 million toward acquisition of the Silver Maple Forest to be included in the Environmental Bond Bill (House Bill 5005). The earmark would not have required the administration to appropriate the money but did express legislative intent. In addition, a timetable was established for Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) to decide on the actual amount of the appropriation. The language regarding the Silver Maple Forest in the Environmental Bond Bill covered almost all the provisions of House Bill 21 (which itself did not reach the House floor by the end of the 2007-2008 legislative session). The language was passed by both the House and the Senate. However, Governor Patrick vetoed the Silver Maple language before signing the Environmental Bond Bill on August 14, 2008. (For details, see Rep. Brownsberger's newsletters, http://groups.google.com/group/news-from-will-brownsberger/topics.)
We seem to have lost the first round, but we are still seeking ways to protect the Forest. Rep. Brownsberger is holding an open meeting to discuss the Forest on Tuesday, September 9, 7 PM at Belmont Town Hall (Conference Room 1), 455 Concord Ave., Belmont, MA 02478. This would be a good opportunity to discuss possible next steps forward.
*Action Alert*
To let Governor Patrick know you support preserving the Silver Maple Forest, you may vote for our issue on Governor Patrick's website, DevalPatrick.com (click on this link to our issue; you may also find our issue by going to the DevalPatrick.com homepage, clicking on the MyIssue.DevalPatrick.com button, and searching for "silver maple"). You may vote electronically even if you've already signed a postcard and/or written a letter to Governor Patrick.
*NEWS*
Contact us: info@savethesilvermapleforest.org (Coordinator: Caroline Huang)
For more information on our campaign, the Silver Maple Forest and House Bill 21, please see