Trail restoration project update

Capital improvements to the Roslindale Wetlands Urban Wild are continuing apace, and, as the work is underway, some portions of the perimeter trail remain temporarily closed. A rough schedule for the start of the remaining capital improvement items is as follows:

Week of July 11: Further removal of invasive plant species. Invasives tend to take over, thereby crowding out many native trees and plants. This often results in fewer healthy food sources for birds and other wildlife. Moreover, it tends to make affected areas less accessible and navigable for some of these creatures.

Week of July 25: Start of 2-3 weeks of trail improvement work, mainly at the Selwyn and Hazelmere entrances and corresponding trail segments. (More details below)

Mid-August: Professional treatment of the invasive, and pervasive, Japanese knotweed species

Early September: Soil amendment and planting of the wildflower meadow that is to be situated between Coniston Road and the trail segment parallel to Coniston

September-October: Completion and installation of permanent descriptive signage at several Wild entrances

The trail work, which will begin in mid-July and extend into August, will include the installation of permanent landings at the ends of the trail’s new footbridges. It will also include drainage and erosion work, regrading, and pathway surfacing work. Some of this work is part of the necessary effort to further establish and protect contractor-planted trees, seedlings, bushes, and shrubbery in order to maximize their survival rates during their warranty period and beyond.

Partial trail closings

The entrances and trail portions that were and continue to be temporarily closed comprise the main sites of this work, above. The City’s contractors need to keep these areas fenced off for both safety and insurance reasons. Meanwhile, people can continue to access the trail from the Coniston Road, Weld Street, and 108 Walter Street entrances. This means that the Hazelmere and Selwyn entrances will remain temporarily closed. Though work of this kind seldom goes as quickly as everyone would like, the City and its contractors hope to complete everything and fully reopen the Wild by early fall.