U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Purple Loosestrife Data Collection

Location

Walter J. Sullivan Water Treatment Facility
250 Fresh Pond Pkwy.
Cambridge, MA 02138

Get directions

Contact

Kirsten Lindquist
fpr@cambridgema.gov
(617) 349-6489

Description

Calendar event image


Help track purple loosestrife, a highly invasive wetland plant at Fresh Pond!  This will be science in action: we need volunteers to assist in collecting data on the the population and growth of purple loosestrife at the Reservation.  Though appreciated, no previous knowledge is necessary; training will be provided.  Comfortable sneakers/boots, weather-appropriate clothing, and water are recommended.

Why are we monitoring this plant?  In 2006, the Water Department and Friends of Fresh Pond Reservation were granted permission from the state to release Galerucella beetles, the purple loosestrife’s natural predator, as a pilot biocontrol project to manage the weed.  Data on how the purple loosestrife population is responding to this predation is crucial to potential future biocontrol projects and offers valuable information to other groups in the Northeast. 

Please register with Kirsten at (617) 349-6489 or fpr@cambridgema.gov.

Page was last modified on 7/25/2023 12:43 AM
Contact Us

How can we help?

Please provide as much detail below as possible so City staff can respond to your inquiry:

As a governmental entity, the Massachusetts Public Records Law applies to records made or received by the City. Any information received through use of this site is subject to the same provisions as information provided on paper.

Read our complete privacy statement


Service Requests

Enter a service request via SeeClickFix for things like missed trash pickups, potholes, etc.