Around Town

Watertown Group Will be Removing Invasive Plants That Harm Monarch Butterflies

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Charlie BreitroseA monarch butterfly

The following information was provided by Watertown Community Gardens:

Do you have Black Swallow Wort (BSW) on your property? Are you interested in removing and learning more about BSW? Come join us on June 22, 2025, from 4:30-6:30 p.m.! One of the many actions as part of the 2025 Mayors’ Monarch Pledge is to continue invasive species removal efforts that will support the re-establishment of native habitat for Monarch butterflies and other pollinators. The invasive plant of interest is the Black Swallow-Wort (BSW), which is poisoning Monarch caterpillars across Watertown.

Environment

Group Calls for Legislature to “Cut the Crap,” Support Bill to End Sewage Flows into the Charles River

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The Charles River Watershed Association announced that the bill asking to end sewage overflows that drain into the Charles River. There are 10 places where sewage can mix with stormwater and flow into the river, according to the CRWA. None are in Watertown, but one is near Mt. Auburn Hospital in Cambridge and another is in Brighton near the Harvard athletic fields. The bill will be heard by the State Legislature on June 17.

Environment

Lt. Gov. Recognizes Watertown as Part of Inaugural Group of Climate Leader Communities

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City Council President Mark Sideris speaks with Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll at the Climate Leader Communities event held in Watertown on May 2. (Courtesy of the DOER)

Watertown’s efforts to promote energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gases were recognized by the State on Friday. The Healey-Driscoll Administration held the celebration of the state’s first 19 certified Climate Leader Communities outside the “crown jewel” of Watertown’s green efforts: the net-zero energy high school now being constructed on Columbia Avenue. The Climate Leader Communities program encourages municipalities to lower municipal emissions, maximize the efficiency of buildings and transportation, and slash energy costs. CLC certified communities can apply for grants of up to $1.15 million for projects that reduce municipal emissions.

Around Town

Resilient Watertown Eco Fest Will Have Info on Making Life Greener, Fun for the Whole Family

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Residents can learn more about ways to make their homes more sustainable and also enjoy activities for all ages at the City of Watertown’s first Resilient Watertown Eco Fest. Eco Fest will take place on Saturday, May 10, 2025, from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Commander’s Mansion, 440 Talcott Ave., Watertown, said Laurel Schwab, Watertown’s Sustainability Manager. “We wanted this to be a really family-friendly event, so things for people of all ages to learn about the City’s sustainability programs and learn about things that they can do in their own lives, all while also having fun,” Schwab said. The event is part of the City’s efforts to meet the goals of the Resilient Watertown Climate and Energy Plan. The plan covers a range of areas including energy, waste, transportation, natural resources such as plants and trees, social resilience, and emergency preparedness, Schwab said.

Environment

Learn About Bees Native to the Area with Watertown Friends of Bees

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The following information was provided by Watertown Citizens for Peace, Justice and the Environment:

Our June Monthly Meeting will be hosted by our Friends of Bees working group. Pollinator Week begins on June 20. To get you ready, the head of Friends of Bees, Pam Phillips, will introduce you to our local native bee populations. June Monthly Meeting: Meet your local bees! Wednesday, June 15th at 7 p.m. on Zoom

There are roughly 20,000 species of bees in the world, about 4,000 in North America, and about 400 in Massachusetts.

Charity

Watertown Company Cleans Up Section Along Charles River

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WiTricityEmployees from Watertown-based WiTricity cleaned up the area along the Charles River near the Watertown Bridge. Volunteers from Watertown-based WiTricity spent an afternoon cleaning up a section of the Charles River near Watertown Square. A team of 25 employees from the company located on Water Street in Watertown cleaned the river bank near the bridge over Galen Street on May 5. The clean-up was done under the guidance of the Charles River Conservancy. WiTricityTwenty-five employees from WiTricity picked up trash along the Charles River in Watertown.

Environment

Watertown Group to Hear About City’s Climate Action Plan at Annual Meeting & Potluck

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Watertown Citizens for Peace Justice & the Environment will host its annual meeting in person for the first time in two years. The group sent out the following information:

WHEN: Sunday, May 15th, 2022

WHERE: Belmont/Watertown United Methodist Church, 80 Mt. Auburn St. WHAT Potluck Dinner 5:30 p.m. and Meeting & Program 6:15 p.m.

Special Presentation:

Watertown’s Climate Action Plan: Addressing the Climate Emergency

Ed Lewis, Watertown’s Energy/Project Manager

Laurel Schwab, Watertown’s Senior Environmental Planner

Come learn about the Plan’s creation, its importance, potential impact, and what we can do to get it adopted and implemented 

This will be our first in-person gathering in two years! Please bring a main dish, salad, side or dessert!

Environment

Watertown Receives Grant to do Inventory of Trees on Public Land

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These trees along the Community Path between Whites Avenue and Waverley Avenue are some that would be counted in the Urban Tree Inventory to be conducted by the City of Watertown. The following announcement was provided by the City of Watertown:

The City of Watertown was recently awarded a $38,500 grant with a 50/50 match by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation’s (DCR) Urban and Community Forestry Challenge Grant Program to support the City’s Tree and Potential Planting Location Inventory project. The grant is awarded annually to municipalities and nonprofits looking to improve and protect urban forests in an effort to help communities inventory, plant and maintain public trees. The City of Watertown will be contracting with PlanIT Geo, Inc. to conduct an Urban Tree Inventory. This project will provide a public tree inventory on streets, parks, and public property throughout the City.