1. Summary.
This is the most recent report on the imminent logging by the Department of Conservation and Recreation on Memorial Drive on the Charles River.
Actions have been done in total secret. To rub in the irresponsibility, AFTER the beginning of the work, the DCR conducted a fake but public review of much less irresponsible plans at Magazine Beach. This was sponsored by the local fake neighborhood association which has been fighting for this and many other outrages through company union tactics.
Money was voted in the legislature, Acts of 2014, chapter 286. NO MENTION OF MASSIVE DESTRUCTION WAS PRESENTED. In fact, the local legislator promised that no trees would be destroyed without “public” input.
It would appear, based on their announcement of funds going forward, that the falsely named Charles River “Conservancy” lobbied for this money based on the lie that their petition for underpasses under three bridges to the west included support for this outrage.
The nearest of the three bridges mentioned in the petition is two bridges west of the three bridge area (BU Bridge to Longfellow Bridge) affected by this outrage.
2. Destruction plans.
Here are the plans for destruction in the area covered by the photos. Much more destruction is included in the plans than is shown here. A link to the total plans begins section 4, below.
[NOTE: I have exceeded my capability with the photos in section 3. This section and further photos in section 3 will have to be placed in following reports.]
3. Photos from 10/22/15.
The photos begin a little bit west of the Destroyed Nesting Area in which the 34 year resident Charles River White Geese are confined without food.
The photos proceed, walking along the river, to Endicott Street which appears to be the CURRENT western extreme of the destruction site. They then return to the point of origin, with much less photos, walking along the sidewalk on the far side of Memorial Drive.
The trees to the right at the beginning are the Wild Area which is separated from the Destroyed Nesting Area by the Grand Junction Railroad. This area shows on the plans as ONE UNDESTROYED TREE AND NOTHING ELSE with a retaining wall apparently replacing the hundreds of trees in this woods.
Photos are taken in the midst of preparation. It is possible that more protection and tree damning Orange marks will be placed.
The first, protected grove is separated from the Charles by a series of unprotected trees. Clearly damning.
Proceeding, we come, on the left to a grove of unprotected trees. Viewing this grove from the sidewalk, all are marked with the orange spot of the damned.
The next major grove is a grove of cherry trees. My recollection is that the plans call for destruction of about 83 out of 105 trees.
The lighting is not good enough to see many of the marks of the damned. It is safe to assume that this excellent grove of HEALTHY trees is going to be savaged.
After the cherry grove, note the creation of an unprotected area on the median. I had been surprised by the apparent protection given to these trees when I photographed them previously. That protection was clearly an error.
.
[NOTE: I have exceeded my capability with the photos in section 3. The rest section, and plans from section 2 will have to be placed in following reports.]
a. DCR Destruction Plans as provided to Cambridge City Council by me on April 1, 2014, full publication of plans in post: http://charlesriverwhitegeeseblog.blogspot.com/2014/04/tree-destruction-plans-charles-river.html
b. Report 1. Charles River: Massive Tree Destruction Appears Imminent on Memorial Drive, October 4, 2015. http://charlesriverwhitegeeseblog.blogspot.com/2015/10/charles-river-massive-tree-destruction.html.
c. Report 2. Memorial Drive Plans and Photos, October 5, 2015 http://charlesriverwhitegeeseblog.blogspot.com/2015/10/charles-river-memorial-drive-logging.html
d. Report 3. Charles River: CURRENT Memorial Drive Construction Zone, October 6, 2015, http://charlesriverwhitegeeseblog.blogspot.com/2015/10/charles-river-photos-current-memorial.html
e. Report 4. Charles River: Photos, CURRENT Memorial Drive Construction Zone and Major Likely Victims, October 8, 2015, http://charlesriverwhitegeeseblog.blogspot.com/2015/10/charles-river-photos-current-memorial.html
f. Report 5. Flash: DCR Going Ahead with Massive Destruction on Memorial Drive, October 22, 2015, http://charlesriverwhitegeeseblog.blogspot.com/2015/10/charles-river-flash-dcr-going-ahead.html
