Inside/Out: Alewife

The Boston Society of Landscape Architects (BSLA) connects, convenes, and celebrates landscape architects and the greater design community at every career stage, as it advances the profession of landscape architecture and supports the creation of extraordinary environments throughout the region and the world.  We are the Massachusetts and Maine chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects.

Boston Society of Landscape Architects

A walking tour of the Alewife Stormwater Wetland - an industrial area transformed 20 years ago to New England's largest constructed wetland

Start of Minuteman Bike Path

<h2>Join us outside!</h2> We are thrilled to launch the fifth year of "Inside/Out" landscape architecture site tours across our region. Prioritizing issues of climate and health, equity and resilience, each tour discusses ideas and implementation as we explore these landscapes together..Our fall series begins at the Alewife Stormwater Wetland, a 3.4-acre constructed wetland that treats stormwater from 420 acres within the Mystic River Watershed in Cambridge. Begun in 1998, the project exemplifies a new paradigm for public open space by using green infrastructure to integrate engineering works, ecosystem restoration, and passive recreation.Hear about the history of the project, its partners, funding, and what it takes to maintain this massive nature-based solution today. The project removed targeted invasives while planting over 120,000 aquatic and 4,000 upland plants. A long-term monitoring and management program continues to guide adaptive management strategies to ensure functionality and ecosystem diversity.Led byDuke Bitsko, Director of Interdisciplinary Design, Hatch (formerly The Bioengineering Group)Duke Bitsko is a landscape architect and restoration specialist involved the Alewife Stormwater Wetland since its inception, including the project’s planning, design, construction, and ongoing management.The Alewife Stormwater Wetland received a 2017 Honor Award from BSLA....<h3>We will meet at 10:00am at the Start of the Minuteman Bike Path -- across the street from the Alewife T station.</h3>This is at the intersection of the Alewife Station Access Road, the Minuteman Commuter Bikeway and the Alewife Linear Path. We will walk together from there.Click here for the Google Map link: <a href="https://maps.app.goo.gl/fh86x5LmEZzgotgw8" title="https://maps.app.goo.gl/fh86x5LmEZzgotgw8" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">https://maps.app.goo.gl/fh86x5LmEZzgotgw8</a> <h3>All are welcome. Tickets are free, registration appreciated. Sign up today!</h3> Please come dressed for the weather, prepared to walk outside. We look forward to exploring with you.

FOR FURTHER READING"<a href="https://thefield.asla.org/2016/06/28/city-parks-clean-water-green-infrastructure-part-i/" title="https://thefield.asla.org/2016/06/28/city-parks-clean-water-green-infrastructure-part-i/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">City Parks, Clean Water, Green Infrastructure, Part I</a>" in ASLA's The Field, by Lisa Nabor Cowan, ASLA. June 28, 2016.<a href="https://www.cambridgeday.com/2013/10/14/new-alewife-wetland-with-boardwalk-amphitheater-due-for-tuesday-unveiling/" title="https://www.cambridgeday.com/2013/10/14/new-alewife-wetland-with-boardwalk-amphitheater-due-for-tuesday-unveiling/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">"New Alewife wetland, with boardwalk, amphitheater, due for Tuesday unveiling</a>," in Cambridge Day, by Marc Levy. October 14, 2013.<a href="https://www.cambridgema.gov/news/2014/07/alewifestormwaterwetlandprojectnamedpublicworksprojectoftheyear" title="https://www.cambridgema.gov/news/2014/07/alewifestormwaterwetlandprojectnamedpublicworksprojectoftheyear" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">"Alewife Stormwater Wetland Project Named Public Works Project of the Year</a>," by City of Cambridge. July 31, 2014.AlsoASLA Professional Practice |Green Infrastructure: Constructed Wetlands (<a href="https://www.asla.org/ContentDetail.aspx?id=43537" title="https://www.asla.org/ContentDetail.aspx?id=43537" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Click for brief article with many resource links</a>.)

IMAGESAt top, from Water Online. "<a href="https://www.wateronline.com/doc/stormwater-wetland-reduces-sewer-overflow-by-percent-0001" title="https://www.wateronline.com/doc/stormwater-wetland-reduces-sewer-overflow-by-percent-0001" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Stormwater Wetland Reduces Sewer Overflow by 84 Percent.</a>" A case study of the Alewife Stormwater Wetland.Immediately above (two photos) from Stantec. "<a href="https://www.stantec.com/en/projects/united-states-projects/a/alewife-reservation-stormwater-wetland" title="https://www.stantec.com/en/projects/united-states-projects/a/alewife-reservation-stormwater-wetland" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Alewife Reservation Stormwater Wetland</a>."Immediately below (cross section drawing) from Alewife Reservation Constructed Wetland Brochure (<a href="http://friendsofalewifereservation.org/2005_09_22_stormwaterbasinbrochure.pdf" title="http://friendsofalewifereservation.org/2005_09_22_stormwaterbasinbrochure.pdf" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Click for full PDF</a>). By The Bioengineering Group (now Hatch) for the Friends of Alewife Reservation.Below (one photo) from Kleinfelder. "<a href="https://www.kleinfelder.com/project/alewife-stormwater-wetland/" title="https://www.kleinfelder.com/project/alewife-stormwater-wetland/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Alewife Stormwater Wetland</a>.".At bottom, <a href="https://www.cambridgediscoverypark.com/history.html" title="https://www.cambridgediscoverypark.com/history.html" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">before and after</a>, from Cambridge Discovery Park. Massachusetts State Route 2 cuts diagonally across the top right of the photos; the restored Alewife Wetland (and former Arthur D. Little parking lots) are at the left/bottom.As redevelopment continues, restoration continues, too.

<h3>ABOUT INSIDE/OUT</h3>Organized by the <a href="https://www.bslanow.org/" title="https://www.bslanow.org/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Boston Society of Landscape Architects</a>, "Inside/Out" is an ongoing series of small group, outdoor, on-site walking tours of landscape architecture throughout our region. Prioritizing issues of climate and health, equity and resilience, tour discusses ideas and implementation as we explore these landscapes together.<a href="https://youtu.be/3aGfiNAryBQ" title="https://youtu.be/3aGfiNAryBQ" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">View a short video of Inside/Out highlights.</a>Is there a landscape you'd like to visit -- or one you'd like to share? <a href="https://forms.gle/MFgMy69htNQLSWYf8" title="https://forms.gle/MFgMy69htNQLSWYf8" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Let us know!</a> This series is ongoing.<h1>Join us outside.</h1>

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Inside/Out: Alewife

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