FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Katherine K. Macdonald, Director, The Stevens-Coolidge Place Portfolio | 781-248-4586 |
Pre-Development Land Clearing to begin at Mary Cummings Park
BURLINGTON, MA – MARCH 27, 2020 – Pre-development work to restore Mary P.C. Cummings Park in Burlington, MA will begin on Monday, March 30, 2020. The park consists of 209 acres of land in Burlington and Woburn, which is held in trust by the City of Boston and includes a variety of natural habitats, including wetlands, fields, forests, and thickets.
Arborists will clear a mix of invasive species in order to open views of new landscapes and make space for new areas including parking, a park entrance, a pollinator meadow, and a picnic lawn. The park’s benefactor, Mary Cummings, wanted to ensure the park was “forever open as a public pleasure ground.”
The full restoration plan calls for removal of invasive plants, such as Buckthorn and Bittersweet, as well as dead trees from the overgrown park. Mayer Tree Service, Inc. will do the initial clearing of invasive plants across five acres of land off Blanchard Road.
A new parking lot off Blanchard Road will offer access to the park, with 20 parking spaces and a bike rack. Additionally, a new pollinator meadow will be planted and a picnic lawn installed for people to enjoy. A boardwalk to the marsh, thanks to a generous donation from MilliporeSigma, will provide an opportunity for visitors and school groups to enjoy the ecology of this critical habitat. New trail additions and the restoration of existing trails will begin in April.
“We are very excited to provide a new accessible trail from the parking lot, which will connect to the soccer field area,” says Katherine Macdonald, Trustees Director of The Stevens-Coolidge Place Portfolio.
The restoration work is being undertaken in compliance with state guidelines during the COVID-19 Stay at Home advisory. According to the state’s essential service FAQ distributed on March 25, 2020, landscapers and other businesses not operating out of a bricks-and-mortar location may continue to function with social distancing.
For any additional questions, please contact Kathy Macdonald at: kmacdonald@thetrustees.org.