Friends of the Harborwalk: Belle Isle Marsh Tour

1399 Bennington St,Boston MA 02128

20 May, 2023

Description

Join Sean Riley of DCR, Gail Miller and Kannan Thiruvengadam of the Friends of Belle Isle Marsh, and Sarah Ritch of Friends of the Harborwalk for a tour of Belle Isle Marsh. This is Boston's largest remaining salt marsh and consists of 241 acres of wetlands off the Belle Isle Inlet, which runs between Winthrop and East Boston. Of this, a 152-acre reservation is managed by DCR (the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation). The marsh is bordered by East Boston, Revere and Winthrop and the 1.5-mile Harborwalk weaves through the East Boston portion along a series of grassy clearings, dirt pathways, and boardwalks. Although wildlife and vegetation thrive on the reservation, the marsh and its inhabitants are challenged by the noise, air, and water pollution caused by the surrounding urban context and flight path overhead. The marsh acts as a natural filtration system, creates a safe habitat for plant and animal species (some of which are endangered), and provides a layer of defense in protecting inbound areas from flooding. We will discuss the policies set in place to protect our wetlands, their function within the ecosystem, and the role they play in absorbing the impacts of climate change. We will cover the history of the region from the days when livestock grazed the hills of Hog Island and salt marsh hay was a coveted commodity to the dramatic infilling of land between the Chelsea Creek and the Belle Isle Inlet to today’s state-of-the-art urban plan of the low-lying Suffolk Downs site. The 2-hour tour will begin at 10:00am at the kiosk adjacent to the parking lot within the Belle Isle Marsh Reservation. A sign marks the entrance to the park which is on Bennington Street between the Suffolk Downs and Beachmont MBTA stations at the city line between Revere and Boston. Parking is also available at the reservation. The Friends of the Boston Harborwalk is a volunteer group affiliated with Boston Harbor Now. The group meets monthly to promote awareness, public enjoyment and local stewardship of Boston’s 43-mile Harborwalk. For more information on joining the group, please contact Mike Manning, chair, at [email protected].