Initiatives

Please contact your state senator today to let him or her know you value our state parks and want to make sure they are adequately funded. See sample email below. The Senate Ways and Means has just released its version of the state budget.  The budget is $2.7 million...

Please contact your state legislator today to let them know you value our state parks and want to make sure they are adequately funded.  See sample email below. While more people than ever are visiting state parks like the Blue Hills, funding to support the park...

Anne, a long-time Friends’ member, lived in an apartment complex adjacent to the Granite Links Golf Course. For over a year, she looked for a trail to the Blue Hills.  She asked neighbors, friends, and employees at the golf course but, even though the course borders...

Thanks to the advocacy of Friends of the Blue Hills' members and partners, the Quincy City Council held a public hearing and a public walking tour to learn more about the trails and increasing access to the Blue Hills. As a result, Quarry Hills Associates has agreed...

Congratulations to the Friends of the Blue Hills' members and all our partners!  After more than two decades, we succeeded in passing the Public Lands Preservation Act! A huge thank you to Rep. Ruth Balser and Senator James B. Eldridge for sponsoring this bill through...

One hundred years ago the Blue Hills Reservation was created as a haven for city dwellers wanting to escape from the stress of urban life.  At that time people could conveniently hop on trolleys that originated in Mattapan and other Boston neighborhoods to travel to...

Department of Conservation and Recreation is creating a Master Plan for Ponkapoag Pond, which includes improving the parking at Fisherman's Cove and building a new bog board walk.  The plan also calls for signage at entrances to the park in Randolph. The Department of...

A number of wildfires have burned in the Blue Hills recently, disrupting some visitors' plans and requiring state and local fire resources.  The fires, however, may have delivered some benefits to the Blue Hills fire-dependent ecosystems. In the last month, three...

Please urge your state representative to increase investment in our state parks through the FY23 state budget. The need for investment in our parks system has been apparent for years, but has become more urgent as the Commonwealth struggles to respond to accelerating...

Thanks to our members and partners... the Invasive Species Bill is moving out of Committee! The Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources, and Agriculture passed the Invasive Species bill out of committee. Thank you to everyone who responded to the action...

Today you have a chance to better protect native habitats in the Blue Hills -- and throughout the state. There is currently a bill that is before the the Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Environment that would could help better control invasives...

Have you ever climbed Buck Hill to enjoy the exhilarating 360-degree view, only to descend the Skyline Trail and experience fear and frustration trying to cross the stream of cars racing along Route 28? As Randolph Town Councilor Jesse Gordon says, “crossing Route 28...

Most people have noticed at least a few poop bags littering the Blue Hills' trails. But most people do not know that dog waste - in and out of a bag - is more than just a smelly annoyance.  Dog waste in the park is an environmental pollutant that contaminates our...

One hundred years ago the Blue Hills Reservation was created as a haven for city dwellers wanting to escape from the stress of urban life.  At that time people could conveniently hop on trolleys that originated in Mattapan and other Boston neighborhoods to travel to...

By volunteering just a few hours, you will make a big difference to the Blue Hills!   What is 'Survey and Save the Forest'? Survey and Save the Forest is a project to survey the most destructive invasive plants at Ponkapoag Pond so we can develop a management...

We’ve recently learned that DCR is on the verge of a regulation change that would allow Class 1 electric bicycles access to all DCR trails currently open to traditional mountain bikes. Please send an email to the below elected officials to make sure that DCR develops...

Please sign our petition if you care about making the Blue Hills safe and the trails accessible for everyone who wants to hike the Skyline Trail. Anyone who has tried to follow the Skyline Trail across Routes 28 and 138 knows how dangerous it is to cross...

Please take a moment TODAY to make a big difference to the Blue Hills. This week a legislative committee is creating the state budget by comparing the two budgets created by the House and Senate.  Significant funding for the Blue Hills Trailside Museum, the Blue Hill...

You can help make sure that our parks – including the Blue Hills - receive the funding that they need. Take Action Please call your legislators and urge them to include the Department of Conservation and Recreation as one of their top budget priorities.   To find your...