Our Blog

Music Helps Remove the Weeds

Musicians Dale Freeman and Chris Forkey helped spirits sour at the Friends of the Blue Hills’ Green Up the Blue Hills at Ponkapoag Pond last Sunday.  Almost 60 people of all ages donned gloves and pulled the invasive weed garlic mustard while listening to music. ...

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Volunteer Spotlight: Les Tyrala

Town: Quincy Volunteer activities: Two separate geology walks for the FBH at Great Blue Hill and the Quincy Quarries.  Additionally, I have been leading geology walks for other organizations here in eastern Massachusetts for many years....

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Live Music, Crafts and… Greening Up the Blue Hills

Do you want to enjoy the outdoors, live music and crafts – and help keep the forests healthy?  Join the Friends of The Blue Hills and the Appalachian Mountain Club on May 20, 1:00 pm – 3:30 pm for Green-Up the Blue Hills Day.  Together, we’ll help protect the local...

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Dry Feet at Ponkapoag

This year, you can check out Ponkapoag boardwalk without even getting your feet wet.  Thanks to dry weather and the work the DCR has done to rebuild the boardwalk through the bog, you can enjoy the wonders of the unique plants and animals in this part of the park --...

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Mass Public Health and Lyme Disease

Last week, Friends of the Blue Hills leaders met with Drs Katie Brown and Alfred DeMaria from the Mass Department of Public Health to discuss the raising rate of Lyme disease in our communities.  Doctor DeMaria confirmed an increase in Lyme disease statewide and both...

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Car Free to the Blue Hills

Janie Katz joined us last Saturday to help remove the invasive weed, garlic mustard, from where it is threatening native species at Ponkapoag Pond. Like many Greater Boston residents, Janie loves to bring her family from Cambridge to enjoy the Blue Hills.  Janie,...

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Volunteer Spotlight: Bob Walcott

Name:  Robert C Walcott Town: Easton (45 years) Volunteer activities: After 20 years of hiking and enjoying the Blue Hills, I finally became a member of the Friends of Blue Hills 4 years ago.   In 2008, when the Friends of the Blue Hills launched the Adopt-A-Trail...

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Green Up the Blue Hills

Green Up The Blue Hills Sunday, May 20, 1:00 pm - 3:30 pm Ponkapoag AMC Cabins Join the Friends of the Blue Hills and the Appalachian Mountain Club for a spring festival of stewardship and fun.  Enjoy jazz music, face painting, crafts and weeding games. You’ll explore...

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Why is the Incidence of Lyme Disease Increasing?

Why is the Incidence of Lyme Disease Increasing?

One reason for the dramatic increase in Lyme disease is that we’ve created ideal habitat for deer; forests like the Blue Hills are crisscrossed with roads and spotted with houses, creating ‘edge habitat’ where deer thrive.  Unfortunately, we’ve also removed many of...

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The Best Time to See Birds in the Blue Hills? Now!

After an unseasonably mild winter, spring has sprung early in the Blue Hills, and as a result bird-watching has begun earlier than anticipated.  Spring is one of the best times to catch sight of some of the great species the Blue Hills have to offer, as birds are...

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The Gates Are Open at the former Blue Hills Reservoir

If you’ve driven Chickatawbut Road over the past few years, you’ve undoubtedly noticed that for the last five years your view of the 16-acre Blue Hills Reservoir was replaced with dirt, concrete and construction vehicles.  You might have noticed that the dust settled...

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Want to Delight Your Tastebuds?

Last night's Blue Hills Winter  Fest drew well over 100 people to celebrate the Blue Hills with live Irish music and chili.  Many thanks to everyone who attended -- and a big thank you to: Seema's Restaurant - serving wonderful Pakistani food in Norwood The Hyde...

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No Mountain Biking in March

DCR South Region Announces Month of March Trail Closure for Mountain Bikes As part of its natural resource management efforts the Department of Conservation and Recreation South Region including the Blue Hills Reservation, Stony Brook Reservation, Cutler Park, and Elm...

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Want to Help Out the Blue Hills Trailside Museum?

The 7th Annual Blue Hills Trail Races will take place on Sunday, April 29th, beginning at 9 AM near the Blue Hills Trailside Museum on Route 138 in Canton.  Colonial Runners organizes the event and donates the race proceeds the Blue Hills Trailside Museum.  They are...

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Rep Timilty is coming… are you?

We're delighted that both Rep Walter Timilty and Milton Selectman Bob Sweeney have both confirmed as judges for the Blue Hills Winter Fest 2012 at Blue Hill Ski Area, February 28th. We hope  to see you for hot chili, live Irish music and a nighttime nature walk.  See...

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Updated DCR Blue Hills Reservation Trail Map Now Available

The DCR Blue Hills Reservation, in cooperation with the Trailside Museum Charitable Trust has published the latest version of the Blue Hills map. You'll notice a few minor changes from the last printing (in September 2010), including: Two trail closures for resource...

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The Blue Hills: A Road Runs Through It

By Jim Briand A massive construction project in the Blue Hills as well as arguments about national security and boosting the local economy used to justify destroying wetlands, recreational resources and wildlife habitat. That might remind you of the fairly recent...

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Volunteers Who Make Happy Trails (and Trail Users!)

Chris Mullin and Robert Shine started the year attending the AAT Program training session in April and they jumped into the program with both feet. They are having a major impact on the program in just their first year. Over the year, both participated in six work...

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Clean up and restoration of Fowl Meadow South

After several years of site investigation and permitting, the Department of Conservation and Recreation expects to complete clean-up and restoration of Fowl Meadow South this year also known as the old Canton Airport.  The Department of Conservation and...

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New Wetlands at Ponkapoag Golf Course

Have you noticed some activity at Ponkapoag Golf Course lately?  When the projects are complete, the Blue Hills will have new wetlands and better drainage at the golf course. Creating (or replicating…) Wetlands After bureaucratic hurdles kept the project tied up for...

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Volunteer Spotlight: Laura Beebe

Town: Milton Volunteer activities: Staffing the Friends of the Blue Hills info table at community events, advocacy FBH member since: 2009 Favorite Hike: A 45-min.-loop that takes me over the top of Hemenway Hill. Favorite thing to do in the Blue Hills: Walk with my...

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What’s So Special About the Skyline Trail?

We'd love to hear your stories about the Skyline trail.  Do you regularly hike the entire trail?  Do you stick to a small portion of the trail?  Do you walk with your dog?  Do you have photos of yourself on the trail you'd like to share?  Have you captured a great...

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