Effects of Construction in the Silver Maple Forest Effects of Construction in the Silver Maple Forest By Melanie Hall, Chloe Starr, Jesse Smith, Nora Katz Jesse Smith, Nora Katz

Project Overview Proposed construction plan Proposed construction plan Ecologic impact Ecologic impact Flooding and pollution consequences Flooding and pollution consequences Environmental justice Environmental justice Conclusions Conclusions

Location 15.6 acres of land privately owned by Brian O’Neill Properties Group 15.6 acres of land privately owned by Brian O’Neill Properties Group Located between Little River and Route 2 in Belmont, MA Located between Little River and Route 2 in Belmont, MA Upstream of Alewife Brook Reservation Upstream of Alewife Brook Reservation

The Proposal 300 unit residential complex 300 unit residential complex –75 units of affordable housing –Total square footage 382,706 –3.4 acres of impervious coverage

Possible Benefits According to O’Neill Properties Group $714,00 in annual revenue $714,00 in annual revenue Increased tax base to benefit Belmont Increased tax base to benefit Belmont Possible state funding for fulfilling 10% subsidized housing unit goal Possible state funding for fulfilling 10% subsidized housing unit goal

Environmental Impacts From the destruction of the Silver Maple Forest

Silver Maple Forest 15 acres located along the riverbank and edge of Little Pond 15 acres located along the riverbank and edge of Little Pond One of the only large, old-growth stands in the Boston area One of the only large, old-growth stands in the Boston area Can tolerate Can tolerate seasonal flooding

Animal Habitats Provides nesting areas for many birds including wood ducks and hooded mergansers Provides nesting areas for many birds including wood ducks and hooded mergansers Buds are essential for supporting the food chain of squirrels Buds are essential for supporting the food chain of squirrels Provides lumber for beaver dams located along the riverbanks Provides lumber for beaver dams located along the riverbanks

Animal Habitats cont. Provides cover for larger mammals such as deer, fox and minks Provides cover for larger mammals such as deer, fox and minks Without the forest, animals would have to move elsewhere to find food and shelter Without the forest, animals would have to move elsewhere to find food and shelter This could mean relocation to neighborhoods and backyards This could mean relocation to neighborhoods and backyards

Root System Silver maples are characterized by a shallow, fibrous root system Silver maples are characterized by a shallow, fibrous root system Keeps the soil intact and prevents riverbank erosion Keeps the soil intact and prevents riverbank erosion Loss of this root system could induce erosion into the river, potentially raising the flood level Loss of this root system could induce erosion into the river, potentially raising the flood level

Flooding and Pollution From the Construction Construction will decrease evapotranspiration and increase runoff and runoff rates Construction will decrease evapotranspiration and increase runoff and runoff rates Construction will increase water exposure to several heavy metals, as well as all the pollutants that result from a residential development. Construction will increase water exposure to several heavy metals, as well as all the pollutants that result from a residential development.

Evapotranspiration Vegetation is also crucial to prevent flooding Vegetation is also crucial to prevent flooding Plants can absorb thousands of gallons of water a day Plants can absorb thousands of gallons of water a day Removing the scheduled trees would create 2.26 million more gallons of runoff Removing the scheduled trees would create 2.26 million more gallons of runoff EtoOverview.jsp Charles Katuka

FLOODING Urbanization increases both runoff AND runoff rate Urbanization increases both runoff AND runoff rate Even with controls, it is almost impossible to prevent this Even with controls, it is almost impossible to prevent this

Previous Flooding Many reports of flooding in homes, and partial submergence of Route 2 in the 1990’s Many reports of flooding in homes, and partial submergence of Route 2 in the 1990’s Combined Sewer Overflows Combined Sewer Overflows Outdated flood plain Outdated flood plain

Current Pollution CSOs CSOs Water is ‘Class-B’ Water is ‘Class-B’ Only 4 of 27 samples actually had acceptable E-coli levels Only 4 of 27 samples actually had acceptable E-coli levels coli.jpg

New pollutants to be added HEAVY METALS HEAVY METALS mg/l of Pb mg/l of Pb mg/l of Zn mg/l of Zn mg/l of Cu mg/l of Cu e/Indonesien/02Abfall400x265.jpg

In combination…

Chapter 40B and Snob Zoning Chapter 40B- state statute allowing for faster approval and zoning processes if 25% of housing units are affordable Chapter 40B- state statute allowing for faster approval and zoning processes if 25% of housing units are affordable –Designed to help communities reach the state goal of 10% affordable housing per town –O’Neill Properties meets the minimum requirement and has been approved to use 40B Snob zoning- Belmont does not want medium income housing in the community Snob zoning- Belmont does not want medium income housing in the community

Open Green Space Pollution created by the development will flow downstream along the Mystic River watershed Pollution created by the development will flow downstream along the Mystic River watershed Directly downstream is the Alewife Brook Reservation Directly downstream is the Alewife Brook Reservation –Serves as the main source of open natural space for North Cambridge and parts of Arlington

Comparison of Per Capita Incomes between Belmont, Arlington, Cambridge Town Per Capita Income Belmont$42,485 Cambridge$31,156 Arlington$34,399 Who deserves a clean and healthy environment?