“This beautiful sheet of water, like a sapphire gem set round with emeralds…” Samuel Francis Smith, History of Newton, Massachusetts, 1880
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Please Contact Mayor Fuller to Stop Tree Cutting Proposed, Again, at Laundry Brook Forest. More Info Here
Please let the Administration know what you think:
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The map above shows the tree-cutting proposed by the Administration in City Hall under three dam rehabilitation design options presented by consultants GEI on March 27, 2024. Under options 1 and 2, all the trees and shrubs in the orange zones would be clearcut. In the purple zone, only the largest trees (6 inches or more in diameter) would be spared, but as they got old and died, they would not be replaced, so over time there would be no trees in the purple zone either. Under option 3, all trees and shrubs in the orange and purple zones would be clearcut at once. The orange and purple zones would then be “armored” with concrete and concrete riprap. It’s possible that the concrete could be covered with a thin layer of soil to allow for low grass cover. In 2020, a previous consultant proposed similar tree cutting, which was rejected by the public, resulting in GEI being hired. At the GEI kick-off meeting on March 11, 2022, Administration and GEI representatives promised to come up with new dam remediation designs that would minimize tree loss in the Laundry Brook forest. This orange and purple map of proposed tree cutting is very disappointing. More background on the dam rehabiliation and protecting Bullough's Pond and the Laundry Brook Forest is HERE.
*** ATTN: HS Seniors in Newton! - BPA Scholarship Applications are Due! ***
*Please Volunteer for Bullough's Pond Clean-Up on May 5th - Newton Serves*
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On Sunday, May 5, 2024, Newton Serves Day, the Bullough's Pond Association invites our members and supporters to volunteer for our annual spring clean up from 9:00am to noon. We will focus on removing trash and debris from the pond's banks and from the pond itself, so if you have a kayak or other small
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craft, and a life vest, and can bring them along so you can retrieve trash and debris from the water (safely), that would be very helpful. If you are bringing a kayak and life vest, it would be very helpful if you would let us know at [email protected]
The most useful tools to bring are pool skimmers, trash grabbers and rakes. Please label your tools with your name and phone number. Please wear waterproof shoes or boots (it can be muddy), hats and sun protection, long pants and sleeves (for insect, thorny scratch and rash avoidance), and please bring sturdy work or gardening gloves. We'll have some refreshments available for volunteers, but you might want to bring your own water bottle too. We will meet at the corner of Dexter Road and Bullough Park at 9:00am, but will be working in small groups at various sites around the pond. This year the Administration in City Hall is not allowing any walk-on volunteers. Every volunteer must be registered in advance.
How do I register to volunteer?
Go to www.newtonmarec.com and sign in or create an account if you do not already have one. You'll then be able to choose a location looking for volunteers, and we hope, of course, that you'll choose Bullough's Pond.
The most useful tools to bring are pool skimmers, trash grabbers and rakes. Please label your tools with your name and phone number. Please wear waterproof shoes or boots (it can be muddy), hats and sun protection, long pants and sleeves (for insect, thorny scratch and rash avoidance), and please bring sturdy work or gardening gloves. We'll have some refreshments available for volunteers, but you might want to bring your own water bottle too. We will meet at the corner of Dexter Road and Bullough Park at 9:00am, but will be working in small groups at various sites around the pond. This year the Administration in City Hall is not allowing any walk-on volunteers. Every volunteer must be registered in advance.
How do I register to volunteer?
Go to www.newtonmarec.com and sign in or create an account if you do not already have one. You'll then be able to choose a location looking for volunteers, and we hope, of course, that you'll choose Bullough's Pond.
BPA Brings City Councilors on a Tour of Bullough's Pond
Ward 2 City Councilor David Micley, BPA Vice President Kathleen Kouril Grieser, Ward 5 at-Large City Councilor Rena Getz, Ward 2 at-Large City Councilor Tarik Lucas, Ward 3 City Councilor Julia Malakie and City Council President/ Ward 7 at-Large City Councilor Marc Laredo, along with Councilor Micley's young son Eitan, tour Bullough's Pond in March. Photo by Councilor Micley.
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On the misty morning of March 17, 2024, five Newton city councilors, including City Council President Marc Laredo, took the time to walk all the way around the pond on a BPA-led educational tour of some of the challenges the pond is facing and BPA efforts to address those challenges. The councilors learned about the historic and aesthetic importance of the dam and Laundry Brook Forest. Other topics covered included stormwater infrastructure, silting, invasive plants, and the need for improved stonedust sidewalks, granite curbing, rebuilt retaining walls, new fences and railings. They learned of problems resulting from tree-cutting on slopes and construction near the pond, loud late-night parties at an abutting short-term rental, and the recent increase in visitors leaving behind trash, dog poop, beer bottles and worse. We are grateful for the interest these councilors are taking in BPA efforts to preserve the environment and serenity at Bullough's Pond and the adjoining Laundry Brook Forest.
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BPA Gifts a Fifth New Bench as the Association's Bench Upgrades Continue
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The BPA works diligently with Newton's Parks, Recreation & Culture (PR&C) Department in an effort to maintain and improve the natural and aesthetic environment of Bullough's Pond. As PR&C has a constrained budget, the Association is providing new benches at existing seating areas around the pond, which PR&C and other City crew members install when they can. The BPA's newest bench at the Half Moon (see right) was installed on March 25, 2024 at the Half Moon opposite Berkshire Road. It would have been better if planned work to address stormwater issues that have repeatedly washed out stonedust and the retaining wall (see below) had been addressed first, but the bench can be re-installed when they are.
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This newest bench at the Half Moon is in addition to the two new benches purchased by the Bullough's Pond Association that were installed by City workers, on November 28, 2023 on the pond's bank, near the willow trees at the corner of Bullough Park and Dexter Road. The benches match the two that were provided by the BPA at the Medallion Overlook in 2018, and all five have plaques honoring the membership of the BPA, as your donations make such improvements possible.
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The BPA board is grateful to Director of Parks & Open Space Luis Perez Demorizi and staff from Newton's busy Parks, Recreation & Culture (PR&C) Department for working very cooperatively with the BPA board.
More Updates: The BPA board is working with Luis and PR&C on further upgrades, as well as on addressing ongoing stormwater-related damage at the Half Moon seating area (below, left). This year's heavy rains once again demonstrated the dam's great strength (below center), but did lead to an explosion of invasive plant growth (below, right), so invasives removal is again high on the BPA's agenda during 2024.
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BPA Gift Shopping:
Did you know you can support the care and protection of Bullough's Pond and take care of some of your gift shopping at the same time? Visit the Shop page on our website, or email [email protected] to order BPA merchandise and arrange pick up or delivery.
Bullough's Pond Holiday Cards feature an image of peace that's perfect for any of the winter holidays, and elegant Bullough's Pond Note Cards make a wonderful small gift. Give your family, friends and co-workers a little taste of our neighborhood with a cheerful and stylish BPA Logo Coffee Mug.
For a young child in your life, purchase a copy of Jamie and the Ducks of August, a charming story about a little boy and the ducks he loves on Bullough's Pond, written by the BPA's own Helene Tischler and illustrated by her longtime Bullough's Pond neighbor, the artist Charlotte Lockwood. Proceeds support the Association's maintenance efforts at the pond. Click the product photos to shop.
Did you know you can support the care and protection of Bullough's Pond and take care of some of your gift shopping at the same time? Visit the Shop page on our website, or email [email protected] to order BPA merchandise and arrange pick up or delivery.
Bullough's Pond Holiday Cards feature an image of peace that's perfect for any of the winter holidays, and elegant Bullough's Pond Note Cards make a wonderful small gift. Give your family, friends and co-workers a little taste of our neighborhood with a cheerful and stylish BPA Logo Coffee Mug.
For a young child in your life, purchase a copy of Jamie and the Ducks of August, a charming story about a little boy and the ducks he loves on Bullough's Pond, written by the BPA's own Helene Tischler and illustrated by her longtime Bullough's Pond neighbor, the artist Charlotte Lockwood. Proceeds support the Association's maintenance efforts at the pond. Click the product photos to shop.
Bullough's Pond Holiday Cards, 5 pack $10
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Bullough's Note Cards, 10 unique cards $16
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BPA Coffee Mug $14
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BPA Children's Book $10
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A Way to Give is to Renew Your BPA Membership With Your Annual Gift
You may have recently received an annual appeal letter (like the one pictured at right) from the BPA. If you haven't had time to join or renew your membership yet, please take a minute to do so as soon as you can, so the BPA can continue to care for and advocate for the pond, the historic dam, and the adjacent forest. You can make your tax-deductible contribution online here, or send a check made out to the Bullough's Pond Association to:
Bullough's Pond Association P.O. Box 600669 Newtonville, MA 02460 |
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Bullough's Pond Bird
& Waterfowl Visitors All photos by Kathleen Kouril Grieser 
Geat Blue Heron
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Swan
Red-tailed Hawk
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Mallard
Cormorant
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