Hell’s Half Acre
The last remaining piece of marsh in the Charles River Basin, Hell’s Half Acre is now 7-1/2 acres of urban wildland administered by the DCR. CP&GC’s interest in this unique site dates to the 1950s when the Plant Club opposed the building of a highway through this rare urban wilderness. Comprised of four distinct habitat types: wetland, woodland, riparian, and road’s edge; the wetland and woodland areas are losing the battle against many unwanted invasive plants including the tenaciously invasive phragmites. CP&GC commissioned the Native Plant Trust to undertake a three-season botanical inventory of the site in 2017, then in 2020, a three-year ecological restoration project to remove choking invasive plants began. The $150,000+ project is being spearheaded by the Charles River Conservancy, with major support by the City of Cambridge and the DRC, along with small private donations.
