Mayor Michelle Wu, Boston Parks Department Cut Ribbon on Improvements to Roslindale Wetlands Urban Wild

Mayor Michelle Wu was joined on Saturday, June 22 by the Longfellow Area Neighborhood Association (LANA), elected officials, and community members to cut the ribbon on improvements to the Roslindale Wetlands Urban Wild. This event celebrated the 2021 acquisition of 108 Walter Street Parcel, a 35,000-square-foot parcel that has been added to the existing 9.5-acre Roslindale Wetlands Urban Wild, and the recent completion of $1 million in capital improvements to the site. 

“Making Boston a home for everyone means embracing every opportunity for sustainability and affordability to go hand in hand,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “When we work together with our neighbors who know that more is possible, we are able to address our most immediate needs and make Boston the best possible home for generations to come.”

In a cross-departmental effort to support Boston’s climate goals and the creation of new affordable homeownership units, 104-108 Walter Street was acquired in 2020 by the Boston Planning & Development Agency (BPDA) and in June 2021 the 108 Walter Street Parcel, which abuts the existing wetlands, was transferred to the Boston Conservation Commission (BCC) to be stewarded as part of the Boston Parks Department’s Roslindale Wetlands Urban Wild. To pay for this acquisition on behalf of the BCC, the Boston Parks and Recreation Department received a state Landscape Acquisition for Natural Diversity (LAND) grant and used an FY21 Capital Budget initiative, called the Climate Resilience Reserve. The adjacent parcel at 104 Walter Street has been designated for affordable homeownership units. 

Phase I and II improvements to Roslindale Wetlands Urban Wild include a new accessible entrance on Walter Street, new and renovated walking trails, benches, interpretive signage, nature observation overlooks, wetland buffer restoration, and new native tree and shrub plantings. Design and construction meetings took place in 2020 and 2022 and construction was completed earlier this year. 

“This project and the Roslindale Wetlands Urban Wild are a testament to the power of community collaboration and the importance of preserving our natural spaces,” said Boston Parks Commissioner Ryan Woods. “This completed project is now open for residents of all ages to explore and learn about the natural world here in Boston.” 

Since 2005, LANA’s Roslindale Wetlands Task Force has advocated for the restoration and permanent preservation of this land including raising funds for the purchase of a smaller private parcel and partnering with the City of Boston to secure the LAND grant which partially funded the purchase of 108 Walter Street. 

"To see the ecological restoration and the new path that was made possible is truly a delight and a culmination of many years of neighborhood advocacy," said LANA President Kathy McCabe. "We're thrilled that this project not only promotes climate resiliency but also affordable homeownership, which we welcome in the LANA neighborhood." 

“We advocated for two decades for sound and responsible uses of the Roslindale Wetlands.  Along the way, many people in government came to agree with our goals and became helpful allies in this effort,” said Jim Taff head of the Roslindale Wetlands Task Force, “The result has been important victories for the entire city in land conservation and habitat restoration, and the addition of affordable home ownership alongside it.”

For more information about Roslindale Wetlands Urban Wild please contact the Boston Parks and Recreation Department at (617) 635-4505. Stay updated with news, events, and park improvements by signing up for our email list at bit.ly/Get-Parks-Emails and following our social channels @bostonparksdept on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.