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Start the year off right by getting to know Cambridge birds! All ages are welcome to join us as we observe birds at Fresh Pond, which provides habitat for many different species at all times of the year. This event will focus on birds that can be found in the winter in Cambridge, including several species of ducks, sparrows and more. We may also see some of our year-round resident birds, and we will discuss general birdwatching tips and learn more about the birds we share our outdoor spaces with. A limited supply of binoculars will be available. Please dress accordingly as we will be outside for the entire walk. Registration is required for this event. The walk will meet outside the ranger station/water department building at Fresh Pond: https://maps.app.goo.gl/G1bJGhMG17mAaFgL9 In case of inclement weather or conditions, this event will be rescheduled to Saturday, February 6th. For more information, contact the O'Neill Branch at 617-349-4023.

Fees charged when applying for a plumbing permit

The 1% for Public Art component of the Kendall Square / Main Street project was the creation of artist designed bike racks. Six artists were chosen by an art jury to participate in this project. Each of the selected artists created three or four designs that were represented in a gallery exhibit by drawings, models and artists’ statements. The artists had to balance his or her artistic mission with factors of successful functionality, ease of maintenance, compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and economy of cost. During the exhibit and at the April 10, 2012 Kendall Square Public meeting, members of the public were asked to comment and vote on the different designs. Approximately 650 votes were received. On June 4, 2012 the selection committee met and selected 5 bike racks to be used in Kendall Square. The selection committee included city staff, a member of the Bicycle Committee and two members of the Kendall Square Advisory Committee. In making their selection, the committee considered the public input (voting and comments), functionality of the racks, appropriateness for Kendall Square, and artistic interest. Since the initial installation, some of the artist designed bike racks have been moved to new locations throughout the City.

Electrical and Wiring fees when applying for a permit

The Moses Youth Center (Formerly known as the Area 4 Youth Center) was originally constructed in 1992. The building is 19,500 GSF with a concrete structure, large windows, skylights, and its original building systems. Named for Bob and Janet Moses, Cambridge residents, educators, and civil rights leaders, the facility is primarily used by the Department of Human Service Programs’ Cambridge Youth Programs division, which serves Cambridge teens through afterschool and summer programming. Nurtury, an early childhood education provider, operates from the building’s basement level. Moses Youth Center also serves the larger community as a location for programs supporting new parents, community meetings, and a neighborhood voting location. The building has been evaluated for systems upgrades several times and is currently in design for an upcoming capital project to improve the aging HVAC systems, repair critical plumbing infrastructure, and make key elements of the building more visually appealing for users. In addition, DPW Engineering is working on a project for street improvements around the building to help address and improve exterior water infiltration issues that have impacted the Youth Center. (Kristen, you could link to the port project that Gerry is working on if you think it is appropriate). This project will enhance thermal comfort for staff and residents who use the Moses Youth Center. It will also further the climate goals outlined by the Cambridge Net Zero Action Plan through its transition to an electric energy system, which will decrease the building’s greenhouse gas emissions.

Cambridge is home to over 80 species of edible wild plants, some of which are more nutritious and/or flavorful than their cultivated counterparts. These include native species like Fox Grape and Shagbark Hickory; non-native weeds like Chicory and Burdock; and invasive species like Japanese Knotweed and Autumn Olive. Join expert forager Russ Cohen on a 2.5 hour ramble around Fresh Pond to learn about over two dozen species of edible wild plants. Keys to the identification of each species will be provided, along with info on edible portion(s), season(s) of availability and preparation methods, as well as guidelines for safe, ethical and environmentally-responsible foraging. NOTE that this is an educational walk only: no actual foraging will take place, as that activity is prohibited with in the Fresh Pond Reservation. We will meet at Fresh Pond, in the main parking lot by the ranger station and water department. Russ Cohen is a naturalist and wild foods enthusiast from Weston, Mass., currently in his 52nd year of leading walks and talks about wild edibles. He has led talks for the Massachusetts Audubon Society, the New England Forestry Foundation, and The Trustees of Reservations. Russ' foraging book, Wild Plants I Have Known...and Eaten, is now in its ninth printing. Russ has taken on the role of Johnny Appleseed for edible native species, collaborating with land trusts, cities and towns, and other groups (including one in Cambridge) to plant plants from his nursery in appropriate places on their properties.

Cambridge is home to over 80 species of edible wild plants, some of which are more nutritious and/or flavorful than their cultivated counterparts. These include native species like Fox Grape and Shagbark Hickory; non-native weeds like Chicory and Burdock; and invasive species like Japanese Knotweed and Autumn Olive. Join expert forager Russ Cohen on a 2.5 hour ramble around Fresh Pond to learn about over two dozen species of edible wild plants. Keys to the identification of each species will be provided, along with info on edible portion(s), season(s) of availability and preparation methods, as well as guidelines for safe, ethical and environmentally-responsible foraging. NOTE that this is an educational walk only: no actual foraging will take place, as that activity is prohibited with in the Fresh Pond Reservation. We will meet at Fresh Pond, in the main parking lot by the ranger station and water department. Russ Cohen is a naturalist and wild foods enthusiast from Weston, Mass., currently in his 52nd year of leading walks and talks about wild edibles. He has led talks for the Massachusetts Audubon Society, the New England Forestry Foundation, and The Trustees of Reservations. Russ' foraging book, Wild Plants I Have Known...and Eaten, is now in its ninth printing. Russ has taken on the role of Johnny Appleseed for edible native species, collaborating with land trusts, cities and towns, and other groups (including one in Cambridge) to plant plants from his nursery in appropriate places on their properties.

Applications to the Fuel Assistance Program, which helps low-income residents pay their winter heating bills, will be accepted through May 10.

Gas Fees for inspectional

Produced by the City Manager's Office, this biannual newsletter is mailed to Cambridge residents in June and December.