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Join Earthwise Aware for a thought-provoking workshop examining how land use and climate change influence the design, function, and future of urban green spaces. Starting at the library’s front lawn, we will explore how conventional designs can undermine biodiversity and tree health. What makes a space truly nature-friendly? Can a lawn, sidewalk, or plaza be transformed into habitat? We will compare low-functioning green spaces with examples of micro-forests, native plantings, and meadows. Along the way, we will observe seasonal changes in plants and wildlife through the lens of phenology, the study of nature’s calendar. We will also introduce simple participatory science tools that help monitor habitat quality, foster community engagement, and inform better decisions. Even a modest native plant patch can be a pocket of resilience. Come learn how to spot, support, and reimagine urban nature that works with the ecosystem, not just mimics it. The program will start with a workshop in the Rossi Room, then move outside to Joan Lorentz Park. Registration required.

In order to develop Cambridge Crossing, DivcoWest was required to make improvements to Monsignor O’Brien Highway from Third Street to Museum Way. These improvements have included subsurface and surface infrastructure upgrades. This section of Monsignor O’Brien Highway is being transformed from a highway into a tree lined boulevard with bicycle lanes/cycle tracks, new sidewalks and significantly improved pedestrian crossings. Due to the construction associated with the MBTA’s Green Line Extension (GLX) Project, these improvements have been phased over several years.

In order to develop Cambridge Crossing, DivcoWest was required to make improvements to Monsignor O’Brien Highway from Third Street to Museum Way. These improvements have included subsurface and surface infrastructure upgrades. This section of Monsignor O’Brien Highway is being transformed from a highway into a tree lined boulevard with bicycle lanes/cycle tracks, new sidewalks and significantly improved pedestrian crossings. Due to the construction associated with the MBTA’s Green Line Extension (GLX) Project, these improvements have been phased over several years.

This special edition of our Sewing 101 is offered in collaboration with Cambridge Wildlife Arts (Green Cambridge). In this 90-minute workshop, you'll learn the basics of sewing machine operation and safety. This session will cover machine setup, basic functions, threading the machine, reloading the bobbin, sewing straight stitches, and recognizing when stitch tension has gone awry. We’ll also cover some safety best practices when operating a sewing machine. As we learn together, we’ll work on a simple sewing project—hemming blank banners for the Banners Project launched by Cambridge Wildlife Arts.

Join the Collins Branch Library in collaboration with the Cambridge Climate Leaders Initiative for a monthly discussion of a climate-related topic. Each month the group will discuss a book on the topic at hand then hear about a related local program or initiative and how you can take action. Topic: Water in a Warming World Book: The High House by Jessie Greengrass Meetings will be held on the fourth Thursday of each month from 6-7:30 p.m. Copies of the book will be available at the Collins Branch during library hours. Registration is encouraged, but not required. For more information contact Jo at jpercell@cambridgema.gov.

Did you know you can vote for a winner in the Massachusetts Children's Book Award each year? Join us the 1st Wednesday of each month as we read and discuss some of the MCBA nominated books. Cast your vote for your favorite nominated title, right here at the library. This program is for kids in 4th, 5th and 6th grade (or equivalent ages). Registration is required. For more information, please contact jpittel@cambridgema.gov. This month we're reading The Mona Lisa Vanishes by Nicholas Day (Random House, 2023). Limited copies of the book will be available at the Central Square Library. Pizza will be provided!

Join Earthwise Aware for a fascinating walk as we explore how land use and climate change shape the future of urban green spaces. The loss of biodiversity and the impacts of climate change are pressing challenges, but small actions can lead to big change. Discover how you can make a difference by helping to protect urban ecosystems. Learn to observe and document the incredible interactions between plants, animals, and their habitats while contributing to EwA’s community-driven ecology science projects. Together, we can create a brighter future for urban nature! Meet in Joan Lorentz Park. Registration required.

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.

In December 2024, the development team behind Frost Terrace Apartments, a 40-unit 100% affordable development completed in 2021, purchased six contiguous sites (20 Roseland Street, 22 Roseland Street, 28 Roseland Street, 1 Frost Street, 3 Frost Street, and 5 Frost Street) where they intend to create another affordable development. The approximately one-acre parcel is adjacent to Frost Terrace and will be called Frost Terrace II. Located in the heart of Porter Square, surrounded by many amenities including restaurants, retail stores, and the Porter Square MBTA station, the combined parcels total 127,668 square feet and currently contain five multi-family buildings and one single family house. The team plans to create this affordable housing under the provisions of the Affordable Housing Overlay (AHO).

Homeowners Rehab Inc. (HRI) renovated 35 Harvey Street, an existing affordable housing development located just off of Massachusetts Avenue near Alewife Linear Park and the Minuteman multi-use path. The work involved converting 16 single-room-occupancy (SRO) units with shared facilities into 12 enhanced SRO housing units with private baths and kitchens. Ten out of the twelve units are deeply affordable by serving households under 30% AMI while the remaining two serve households under 50% AMI. All units have project-based vouchers. Other work includes improvements to the exterior, the addition of a site manager’s office, common area upgrades, and an updated resident meeting space. The project was being designed to meet Enterprise Green Communities (EGC) certification.