Environment

Letter to the Editor: Thank You to Volunteers for Cleaning Up Arborway Hillside

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Thank you to all who helped with the Arborway Hillside Volunteer Woodland Care Day on July 14. We had a great turnout and cleared a large amount of invasive plants from the path and trees (two truckloads!). We met new neighbors and volunteers from JP and beyond, distributed Arborway Coalition reusable bags and enjoyed "BYO Bag" cupcakes! Special thanks to:

Arnold Arboretum & Sue Pfeiffer;
Emerald Necklace Conservancy,  Ellen Arnstein & Richard Stroshane;
Our Arborway Hillside steering committee, who handled logistics and outreach: Ann & Jim Stillman, Clay Harper, Sue Pfeiffer
Celeste Walker for help with outreach
Everyone who helped: many hands truly made light work. The Arborway Hillside is across the main Arborway from the Arnold Arboretum, between the main parkway and the residential road, with entrances to a footpath across from St.

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Opinion

Climate Change Legislation: Will Rep. Sánchez Go with Ambitious, or Tepid?

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Will the Massachusetts legislature act with boldness to address climate change? As the two-year legislative session comes to a close on July 31st, we will soon find out. As chair of the Massachusetts House Committee on Ways and Means, Jamaica Plain Representative Jeffrey Sánchez is one of the most powerful politicians in the Commonwealth. In this role he will have a lot of influence over what happens. Massachusetts has long been considered a leader when it comes to climate change legislation.

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Neighborhood Life

Get Your Tix Now: Jamaica Plan Garden Tour on Saturday

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The 1st Annual Jamaica Plain Garden Tour by the Trustees of Boston Community Gardens is this Saturday, and will feature more than 20 privately owned gardens. This is a self-guided tour through 24 private and two public gardens. A garden owner or Trustees' volunteer will be at each garden to greet and check people at gardens in the Sumner Hill and Central neighborhoods of Jamaica Plain. "There are some really wonderful gardens on the tour this year, everything from smaller but well-designed patio gardens to expansive perennial gardens with trees and shrubs," said Michelle de Lima, engagement manager for Boston Community Gardens, via email to Jamaica Plain News. The gardens are varied, including creatively using urban spaces, formal English style gardens, rambling woodland landscapes and more.

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Environment

West Nile Virus Infected Mosquitos Found in Jamaica Plain

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A mosquito pool in Jamaica Plain recently tested positive for West Nile Virus, reported the Boston Public Health Commission. While it is common to find West Nile Virus infected mosquitos around this time of year, and no human cases have been recorded, it is still important to remain vigilant to protect yourself. “It is typical to find West Nile Virus in Boston at this time of year due to the periods of hot weather,” said BPHC Medical Director Dr. Jennifer Lo via press release. “This does not mean the average person is at increased risk of getting WNV. However, people should still take simple precautions to avoid mosquito bites.”
WNV is most commonly transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected mosquito, but it actually poses a very low risk to most people.

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