BUCKINGHAM POND PARK, June 25,2014

As the weather warms  the algae blooms in shallow water
fueled by lawn chemical run off from the pond watershed.
and strong sunlight.

Homeowners have to be weaned off their lawn chemical 
dependency. Learn how to have a healthy lawn naturally.
Save money, their health, that of their family members
pets and neighbors.

Knotweed has reappeared on Berkshire South, about 50
feet East of foot of Lenox Ave.  If  not eradicated, now, it
will spread throughout the pond park and adjacent 
residential properties.

The City has begun to fill in pathways with bluestone 
gravel flour, once again. Easy to apply, but it becomes 
slippery when wet, because the rock flour compacts and
does not drain well .

It will simply wash away on sloping pathways, with next
heavy rains forming gulleys.

The red ribbons marking dangerous dead tree
 limbs/branches are obscured by vegetative growth or 
have been removed by vandals who also destroy the
 nylon ropes on the Milner Ave footbridge.

The dead branches/trees still present a hazard to
pedestrians below, particularly on windy days. 
Does the City want more law suits from
injuries?

No large rocks or a guard rail have been installed
at the foot of Lenox-Berkshire South. Will we have
to wait until an out of control speeding vehicle fails
to make the turn in the road and drops down on some
people walking their children and pets on the path below?.

Jack and Carl are doing a fine job grooming the
pond shore the North side.

The  edges of the wooded pathway between Lenox
and Rafts Way need to be mowed to reduce chances
of passersby and pets picking up ticks.

The pathway along Rafts Way is well mowed, and a 
nice border of yellow wildflowers is about to bloom 
along the pond side of the path. The City has installed
some hanging flower baskets on the poles. 

The basket ball hoop at the foot of Holmes Dale
is gone. Good.  Some neighbors are still dumping
yard wastes on the wooded side of the path. 
Compost these in their own yards.

Nature has it's own woodland rejuvenation plan 
for the park.
Observe sugar maple and other native seedlings
springing up here and there along Rafts Way and
the wooded pathway Holmes Dale-Lenox.

Care should be taken, not to cut them down as
 brush. Clear around the seedlings and make 
sure that vines do not attach and strangle them.

Watch your eyes when walking along the pathways
North and East side of the pond. Careless fisherman
fly casting give little consideration to passersby,

Avoid duck/geese droppings on the pathway 
between the children's play area and the picnic grove.
These droppings carry disease. The droppings are 
more numerous because people still insist upon
feeding the birds. 

Bird welfare. Like their human counterparts, the birds
become dependent. When Winter arrives they hang
around , instead of migrating, and starve, because no
one feeds them then.

                                                        Joe Sullivan