SGAR-free campuses in Waltham

September 5, 2025

SWW End of summer update September 5th, 2025

We’re happy to report that Waltham’s two universities, Bentley and Brandeis, which between them cover a good deal of green space and border on much more, have both stopped using SGAR poisons on their campuses. Bentley University clarified to us last spring, after several contacts, that they do not currently use SGARs in their bait boxes. More recently, Brandeis University agreed to stop using SGARs on their campus, after lobbying from SWW and from student groups. This is an especially welcome development given that several dead hawks, as well as a dying coyote pup, all found on the Brandeis campus, had tested positive for SGAR poisoning.  (See the  relevant article in the Waltham Times.)

SWW has since reached out to Brandeis students (some of whom have joined our email list!) regarding the importance of proper trash disposal and management for keeping rats at bay by depriving them of ready food sources. Part of this effort has been to have Brandeis students to take the “CAMPUS CHAMPION PLEDGE” (see the picture).

Recent Posts

By N/A N/A June 2, 2026
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By N/A N/A May 18, 2026
BY NEWSROOM ● May 18th, 2026 ● The Waltham Times
By N/A N/A May 18, 2026
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By N/A N/A May 6, 2026
Support the mission of the Waltham Land Trust by bidding on items in our silent auction.
By N/A N/A May 6, 2026
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By N/A N/A April 30, 2026
WLT expert birder Emily Szczypek led a group of nine birders along the Charles River to admire resident birds and those who were migrating through the area, plus some other riparian wildlife. This was a joint program with Brookline Bird Club and Menotomy Bird Club. It was a chilly morning, but everyone saw lots of birds and had a lovely time. At the end, they ran into magnet fisher and WLT steward Alessio with a helper at the Mary Early footbridge!
By N/A N/A April 25, 2026
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By N/A N/A April 8, 2026
WLT officially kicked off its 2026 stewardship season with a lunch for all current and prospective stewards at the Prospect Hill Park Lodge with 34 folks attending. Ranger Adam Green was our host who also assisted WLT ED Sonja Wadman with presentations about what it takes to be a steward and how to identify native versus invasive plants. We then went out into the park to see examples of invasives in the wild, plus admire the new native plant/tree nursery.
By N/A N/A March 20, 2026
About twenty people enjoyed tasty food, delicious drinks, and exciting ping pong at Craft Food Hall to celebrate the Vernal Equinox. This was our first event at CFH, and we'll be sure to schedule another one there in the future. Please join us!
By N/A N/A March 20, 2026
25 folks and one dog celebrated the Vernal Equinox with a chilly walk at Prospect Hill Park. We met at Craft Food Hall and trekked on the "alternate" New Year's Day hike route on the park's west-side to the vista at Little Prospect.