Monday, May 23, 2016

Press Release: YouTube Video on Charles River Destruction.

Friends of the White Geese have Released the following.

The press release did not include photos.  I have added some.

RE: IMM RELEASE: Charles River Destruction Video posted on YouTube

PRESS RELEASE, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACTS AT END OF REPORT.

Friends of the White Geese has announced the posting of a detailed video on YouTube concerning what they call "outrageous" destruction this year on the Charles River, including the impacts on the Charles River White Geese.

The video is entitled “The Destruction of Memorial Drive, Charles River, Cambridge, MA, USA, January - February 2016, 3d Ed.”  It is posted at https://youtu.be/h_u-woTPRJ8.


More than 100 photographs are included in the report.  The photos presented were taken on site.  They show before and after pictures, plus actual photos during destruction, maps of the destruction area, and destruction plans.  The report includes purported evidence of destruction which even exceeded the destruction listed in the plans.  The destruction comes years after original approvals of the less extensive destruction expired under law.

Almost all of the destruction occurred in January 2016.

The photos include before and after pictures between the BU Bridge and Mass. Ave. Bridge (halfway between the BU and Longfellow Bridges).













There are powerful photos both of the destruction of the magnificent Cherry Grove at the Memorial Drive split, and of the destruction of the magnificent grove of ancient trees at the heart of the MIT campus.  Destruction photos presented in the report include photos taken IN PROCESS.








The photos of the destruction between the Mass. Ave. Bridge and Longfellow Bridge were all taken during destruction by the DCR contractors.

All destruction was blessed by the City of Cambridge.

The report has integrated in it an update to reflect further destruction in late February near the BU Boathouse.  The destruction was located between the Hyatt Regency Hotel and the BU Boathouse.  The BU Boathouse, in turn has only the Destroyed Nesting Area, the Grand Junction Railroad, and the Wild Area between it and the BU Bridge.

The video goes into DESTRUCTION YET TO COME, and reflects destruction and heartless animal abuse both in the main area of concern, but also on Magazine Beach, to the west of the BU Bridge.  The information page fills in additional information.

A preliminary version of this report has been cablecast on Cambridge, MA, Cable Channel 8 by Cambridge Community Television, with Internet availability.  The report has been studied in a review session at CCTV Cambridge.  The 3d edition includes modifications to allow for comments in that forum and from elsewhere.

The video is an expansion of presentations made on the Cambridge Environment show on CCTV Cambridge, channel 9 primarily on February 7, 2016.  It includes introductory information from the show on March 27 and information on subsequent destruction in February 2016.  The content has been edited to present introductory materials and to edit the February 7 show to create a presentation starting at the BU Bridge and extending to the Longfellow Bridge.

Added to the original presentation on Cambridge Community Television are photos, maps, and destruction plans.  The photos are the work product of Robert J. La Trémouille, chair, Friends of the White Geese.  Maps and destruction plans are included taken from materials created by the Department of Conservation and Recreation.

Comments received to date have been highly favorable on the video report.  Suggestions received made the video more powerful than the original edition.  Those suggestions are appreciated by Friends of the White Geese.

Robert J. La Trémouille, Chair, Friends of the White Geese comments:

“I hope our response to comments  is considered adequate by the contributors.

“The changes made from the prior editions go more into the heartless animal abuse involved, by the DCR and Cambridge.  The changes analyze the apparently massive increase coming in the already inexcusable use of poisons on the banks of the Charles.

“Our biggest regret is that we did not have room in this report to go more into the outrages planned at Magazine Beach.  There is only so much you can report at one time.”

Friends of the White Geese is a Massachusetts charitable organization registered with the Attorney General.  It has been active since March 2000.

The purpose for which Friends of the White is founded is to defend the environment of the Charles River and living beings residing therein from any and all harm.  The organization has had extensive activities defending the Charles River.  Its activities, in particular, have concerned destruction initiating in the City of Cambridge and in the state's Department of Conservation and Recreation.  The organization considers Cambridge and the DCR the biggest environmental threats on the Charles River.

The organization supports the replacement of the DCR on the Charles River by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation which it describes as the “adult in the room” which it shares with  Cambridge and the DCR

The organization advocates the firing of the Cambridge City Manager and his replacement by a person independent of what the organization calls the “City Manager Machine,” the series of City Managers and the organization which has grown around them since 1974.  According to Friends of the White Geese, there have been 3 interlocked City Managers during the period, each previously serving as top manager to the prior City Manager.

All photographs included in the video are available.  The only reason photographs are not attached to this press release is the justified fear of many recipients for attachments.

Further information may be obtained from Robert J. La Trémouille, Chair, Friends of the White Geese at 617-283-7649 or at boblat@yahoo.com.  Physical mail may be directed to Friends of the White Geese, Post Office Box 391412, Cambridge, MA   02139.  Additional valuable sources of information include the Facebook page entitled “Charles River White Geese” and the Charles River White Geese Blog which in turn provides many valuable links.

The Facebook page has been in existence since early 2010.  It was created by a person in Maine who was previously unknown to members of Friends of the White Geese.  The Facebook page consists, primarily, of condensations of much longer reports on the Blog.  The Blog, at charlesriverwhitegeeseblog.blogspot.com, has been in existence since November 2005.  It is an extension of an email report which originated in March 2000.  The email report eventually included so many recipients that it became unmanageable, thus requiring the creation of a free standing blog report.