Our Blog
Chickatawbut Road Open to Vehicles
Chickatawbut Road is now open to vehicle traffic. See below for DCR's press relase. DCR Traffic Advisory: Chickatawbut Road in Milton WHAT: The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) has reopened Chickatawbut Road in the Blue Hills State Reservation in the...
Candidate Town Hall on the Environment
Candidate Town Hall on the Environment Massachusetts Eighth Congressional District Tuesday, July 21, 11:30 am - 12:30 pm On Zoom (Sign up here) Join the Friends of the Blue Hills and sponsoring partners for a virtual Candidate Town Hall on the Environment with...
Introducing… Meditation in Motion
Introducing… Meditation in Motion August 13, Noon on Zoom (Sign up below) Tired of being cooped up? Want to learn something new? Then join us to experience Qigong (Qi pronounced ‘chee’ - like ‘Chee-tos’), a part of the traditional Chinese medicine that dates back...
Strategic Plan 2020
Building a Stronger Community for the Future As the Friends of the Blue Hills celebrates its 40th anniversary, we look toward the future with a renewed sense of how our mission fits into the larger landscape of environmental and preservation work in Massachusetts and...
Want to make (no) difference?
Want to make a big difference to our parks? Sometimes the best thing to do for our parks is to make no difference at all! When you “Leave No Trace,” you’ll help protect all of our conservation lands. Why should we ‘Leave No Trace”? Simply put, we are all responsible...
Thank a tree today!
For many of us, seeing trees in our daily surroundings might be so common that we don’t stop to think about the important role that trees play in our lives. We might notice the natural beauty of a tree, particularly as autumn approaches, but we should also consider...
What’s the buzz? Bee informed about those yellow and black stripes!
Any outdoor activity comes with potential small threats—things like sunburns, stormy weather, poison ivy, or twisting an ankle! But what about those yellow and black striped flying insects that we see? What are those things? Your first guess might be “It’s a wasp! I...
Amphibians and Reptiles… you might not see them, but…
There is so much wildlife in the Blue Hills that you don't see on your hikes! Dr. Mike Graziano will introduce you to some of those hidden creatures -- and reveal their unique characteristics. Let us know if you've seen these critters in the Blue Hills!...
A win for the Blue Hills forests!
The world has drastically changed… but one thing remains constant: Friends of Blue Hills’ members and supporters are still protecting the amazing treasure that is the Blue Hills. Just recently, our members and supporters stopped an imminent threat to Blue Hills’...
How Can You Reduce Your Risk of Contracting Lyme Disease?
The Blue Hills is an amazing place to explore. But just as you bring water so you do not dehydrate when you hike, you also need to take precautions against contracting Lyme disease, which you can contract from ticks. Here are a few tips for avoiding ticks. And we...
Walden Warming: an online lecture by Richard Primack
Walden Warming: an online lecture by Richard Primack May 18, 7 - 9 pm on Zoom (Registration info below) Most people know Henry David Thoreau as a writer and botanist, but he was also a climate-change scientist! And, more importantly, what would Thoreau tell us to do...
Protect the Blue Hills Because It’s What We Need
We Need the Blue Hills... and the Blue Hills Needs You to Protect it The Blue Hills is always threatened by projects that would destroy the Blue Hills' forests. We successfully defeated a recent threat in the southern part of the Blue Hills. Your support today will...
Feeling the Solid Ground Beneath You!
Feeling the Solid Ground Beneath You! Wednesday, April 8, noon on Zoom We hike-we walk-we enjoy the outdoors, but all of that is a bit different right now. Have you noticed? Our worlds have turned upside down, and social distancing can be isolating and confusing. In...
Maple Sugar Festival *CANCELED
Maple Sugar Festival March 28 and 29, 10 am - 3 pm Join Mass Audubon’s Blue Hills Trailside Museum and the Massachusetts DCR to continue a more than 20-year-old tradition of making maple syrup at Brookwood Farm in Milton. Put on your boots and flannel shirt and join...
Happy Valentine’s Day! #LoveBlueHills
We love the way you #LoveBlueHills and love to share the Blue Hills with the ones you love! Nora Bender met her husband, Tom at the DCR Blue Hills Dog Days of Summer Hike in 2003. Years later their love for each other and their love for the Blue Hills has only grown!...
How to Prepare for the Winter Fest Night Hike
Join us at the 2020 Winter Fest Night Hike! Tuesday, February 25, from 5-8 p.m. at Blue Hills Ski Area: Night Hike begins at 7pm We hope you will join us for chili tasting, live Irish music, reduced rates for skiing... and a night hike! If you'd like to join us for...
Beat the Winter Blues at Winter Fest!
Join us on Tuesday, February 25, from 5-8 p.m. at the Blue Hills Ski Area, 4001 Washington St (Rt 138) Canton Join the Friends of the Blue Hills and the Blue Hills Ski Area for an evening of winter fun at Winter Fest! Come for a night hike or get your exercise on the...
Basic Map and Compass Navigation – CANCELED
Ever get lost while hiking? Then this session is for you!
Smartphone Photography *CANCELED
Have you ever wished that you could take better photographs with your smartphone?
DCR Announces 2019 Deer Management Plan
The following is a press release from the Department of Conservation and Recreation. If you have questions, email the DCR at mass.parks@mass.gov. See below for maps of hunting areas. The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), in consultation with the...
Fall Foliage & Sunset Hike
What could be more spectacular than fall foliage? Viewing this foliage from the top of Great Blue as the sun sets! Enjoy the season’s finest colors from the summit of the region’s highest hill. On Saturday, October 26, from 4:30-7:30 p.m., the Friends of the Blue...
Young Eagles Soaring near Blue Hills
Young Eagles Soaring near Blue Hills By Lawrence Meyer Photo by Eugene Stancato Baby eagles born near the Blue Hills? You may see them if you look carefully. Friends' member, Larry Meyer, has his eye on them. Since about October 2015 two mature eagles, presumably...
Boots ‘n’ Brews
On Saturday, August 24th the Friends of the Blue Hills are hosting a “Hiking Boots and Brews” event! We are will be gathering together a group of like-minded young adults who would like to explore the Blue Hills Reservation, meet new people, and then sample...
Mosquito Citizen Science Project: Make a Mosquito Trap!
Mosquito Citizen Science Project: Make a Mosquito Trap! Wednesday, August 7, 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm Do you want to help out with an important project to track the Asian tiger mosquito? You can help a regional effort to better understand how this invasive insect is...