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Conservation Groups Target Funding Boost for State Parks Sam Drysdale | State House News Service | November 21, 2022 https://www.statehousenews.com/brief/20221374 More than 50 conservation and community organizations are calling for improvement to Massachusetts' state parks after what they described as "a decade of underfunding and understaffing." "More than a decade of funding and staffing cuts have eviscerated the Department of Conservation and Recreation's (DCR) ability to meet its mission 'to protect, promote and enhance our common wealth of natural, cultural and recreational resources for the well-being of all,'" says a letter signed by the organizations sent to legislators and both the current and incoming gubernatorial administrations. A state-commissioned report released in December showed the Department of Conservation and Recreation, which oversees close to 500,000 acres of forests, beaches, parks and more, lost 300 full-time employees -- about a 25 percent reduction -- since 2009. In inflation-adjusted terms, capital and operational funding provided to the department fell by 16 percent between 2009 and 2021 and has been "relatively flat" for...

The Argument: Should Massachusetts eliminate day-use parking fees at all state parks and reservations? John Laidler | The Boston Globe | November 10, 2022 https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/11/10/metro/argument-should-massachusetts-eliminate-day-use-parking-fees-all-state-parks-reservations/ YES Doug PizziExecutive director of Massachusetts Conservation Voters; Marlborough resident When COVID-19 spread like wildfire in the spring of 2020, Massachusetts allowed our state parks, forests, and beaches to stay open and free from day-use parking fees. With most places of professional and social interaction closing, our state open spaces provided the perfect respite for mind and body. That is still the case. Today, a less virulent pandemic combined with some positive changes state lawmakers made in the Department of Conservation and Recreation’s fiscal 2023 budget — along with stubborn inflation — mean it is time to consider permanently eliminating day-use parking fees at our state parks, forests, and beaches. For the first time since at least fiscal 2001, our state parks agency doesn’t have to rely on fees and other income it takes in — so-called retained revenue — to operate...

Maine's solution to beach barriers? Buying land for public use Chris Burrell | GBH | November 16, 2022 https://www.wgbh.org/news/local-news/2022/11/16/maines-solution-to-beach-barriers-buying-land-for-public-use Ciona Ulbrich stood on a scenic beach in the small, coastal town of Brooksville, Maine, feeling grateful to be able to lawfully enjoy the warm sun and ocean breeze. The nonprofit Ulbrich works for, the Maine Coast Heritage Trust, purchased Bakeman Beach a few years agoand gave it to the town — with the stipulation that it remain open to all members of the public. “Someone could have bought this off, put up a fence and closed it off, which is upsetting, but it's very real,” she said. “This coastal land is getting ever more valuable.” BothMaine and Massachusetts live under similar Colonial-era laws allowing private ownership of beachfront property to extend all the way down to the low-tide line, severely limiting public access to the intertidal area of the coastline. But while Massachusetts has not acquired any new coastal beaches since 1990, state agencies and land...

Heritage State Park museum remains closed as North Adams deals with mold, roof leaks Greta Jochem | The Berkshire Eagle | November 16, 2022 https://www.berkshireeagle.com/news/northern_berkshires/western-gateway-heritage-state-park-visitor-museum-closed/article_dd245cbc-65ea-11ed-bfed-93e8e6025870.html NORTH ADAMS — Closed until further notice, says a paper sign on the door of the museum at the Western Gateway Heritage State Park. A voice message on the museum's mailbox repeats the message. The museum, which focuses on the creation of the Hoosac Tunnel, is run by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation and its building is owned by the city. A leaky roof forced the closing roughly a month ago, said Mayor Jennifer Macksey. "We've temporarily fixed the roof. We had to do some mold remediation ... which should be underway this week." It's not a long-term roof fix, but it should last the winter, she said. "We're definitely in need of a new roof," Macksey said. It is a "mess that I inherited," she added. When asked about the museum closing, a DCR spokesperson said the city was...

Schooner Ernestina-Morrissey Finally Returning Home to New Bedford Tim Weisberg | 1420 WBSM | November 16, 2022 https://wbsm.com/new-bedford-schooner-ernestina-morrissey-returning-home/ New Bedford’s historic Schooner Ernestina-Morrissey is coming home. The vessel underwent a seven-year complete restoration in Boothbay Harbor, Maine, thanks to state support secured by Senator Mark Montigny and Representative Antonio Cabral, philanthropists Robert Hildreth and the late H.F. “Gerry” Lenfest, and the Schooner Ernestina-Morrissey Association. The Ernestina-Morrissey is the Commonwealth’s official vessel and will return to New Bedford State Pier later this month and will be under the care of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. With her strong ties to the SouthCoast’s Cape Verdean community, the vessel will be made available for events such as the annual Cape Verdean Recognition Week, as well as for educational programming. “From day one, I have been determined that the schooner will remain in New Bedford and honor her Cape Verdean heritage,” Sen. Montigny said. “We can never forget that this vessel transported Cape Verdean immigrants to the United States, and the people of Cape Verde gifted...

Burlington accessible treehouse is the first of its kind in a Massachusetts public park Margaret Smith | Wicked Local | November 19, 2022 https://www.wickedlocal.com/story/regional/massachusetts/2022/11/18/burlington-massachusetts-accessible-treehouse-first-public-park-americans-disabilities-act/69650602007/ Many a child dreams of escaping the world's cares by climbing into a treehouse. But for a child or adult with mobility needs, such as those who use wheelchairs, such a climb might normally prove out of reach. The Treehouse Guys, LLC, a company in Warren, Vermont, set out to change that, designing treehouses with ramps allowing access by many means, including by foot and wheelchair. And one is set to open in Burlington. The town will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony Nov. 19, 1 p.m. at the treehouse, located in Simonds Park, near the Town Common. To read the full story, click here...

DCR Proposes New Trail Connection from Hyde Park to Blue Hills Grecia White | StreetsBlog Mass | November 17, 2022 https://mass.streetsblog.org/2022/11/17/dcr-shares-proposed-connection-from-hyde-park-to-blue-hills/ Monday evening, the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) presented conceptual design plans to connect the Neponset River Greenway to the Blue Hills via new and upgraded multi-use paths. Spanning 8.2 miles, the Neponset River Greenway begins in the Boston neighborhood of Dorchester and runs along the Neponset River through the neighborhoods of Hyde Park, Mattapan and the Town of Milton. On the west side of Mattapan Square, the Greenway extends south along Truman Parkway. DCR is proposing a new shared-use pathway from Truman Parkway to Blue Hill Avenue, where MassDOT is planning its own shared-use pathway along Blue Hill Avenue. An existing shared-use path along Truman Parkway is illustrated as a solid green line at upper left.[/caption] Pedestrians and bicyclists can walk or roll the trail along Truman Parkway, which has a separated shared-use path and a painted bike lane on its west side,...

Spotlight on…Boston’s Emerald Necklace Declan Battles | National Association for Olmsted Parks | October 14, 2022 https://olmsted200.org/spotlight-on-bostons-emerald-necklace Stretching seven miles from end to end, the Emerald Necklace encompasses more than 1,100 acres of land, and stands as one of the nation’s earliest examples of green infrastructure—using organic materials such as stone, earth and plants to help absorb water and filter pollutants, instead of manmade structures of concrete or metal. In the wake of the industrial revolution and a population boom, the city of Boston was faced with a problem. The area now known as the Back Bay was once a tidal salt marsh, and, as developers filled it in, issues emerged as raw sewage, industrial waste and other health hazards began to inundate the new neighborhood and its central waterway, the Muddy River. In the 1870s, Frederick Law Olmsted was hired to work with city engineers on a solution for managing this effluent.   The resulting project—an innovative, interconnected system of waterways and parkland—not only improved the...

Fall is mountain bike season. Are you ready? Steffen Root, Berkshire Bike and Board | The Berkshire Eagle | October 14, 2022 https://www.berkshireeagle.com/sports/columnist_sports/what-you-need-to-know-about-mountain-biking-in-the-berkshires/article_0cb818de-4b14-11ed-9b95-ffe10d14c831.html Fall is in the air, the leaves are at their peak, do you know what that means? It's prime mountain bike season! Here's what you need to know about mountain biking and where to ride. The COVID-19 pandemic created a large demand for people to find safe ways to exercise, bringing a whole new population of people to cycling — a large portion of them purchasing mountain bikes. It may seem simple to buy a bike and go find trails, but as a long-time mountain biker, I know that there is so much information out there that it can be overwhelming. I hope to bring some clarity to all of the tech-speak. And for those who have found this fun sport and feel like you have plateaued, I want to help you get to the next level. Types of mountain bikes To begin,...

Marlborough Panther Trail Opens: 26.2-Mile Loop Around City Neal McNamara | Patch | October 13, 2022 https://patch.com/massachusetts/marlborough/marlborough-panther-trail-opens-26-2-mile-loop-around-city MARLBOROUGH, MA — You don't have to go to Hopkinton to complete a marathon now that Marlborough's Panther Trail is in place. City officials will dedicate the 26.2-mile Panther Trail Friday, celebrating the completion of a loop that travels through Marlborough's most notable green places — from the Assabet River Rail Trail to Callahan State Park and Williams Lake. The city began working on the Panther Trail several years ago as part of a larger recreation plan. A 12-1/2 mile section jogging west from Marlborough High School and looping around to Ward Park via Millham Reservoir, the Felton Conservation Land and Williams Lake was already in place. Friday's celebration will mark the completion of the roughly 13-mile eastern half of the trail, which continues from near Ward Park east to the edge of the Sudbury Reservoir, through Callahan State Park and Ghiloni Park and finally back to the high...

There’s A Little-Known Wildlife Refuge Just Waiting For Massachusetts Explorers Melissa Mahoney | Only In Your State | October 14, 2022 https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/massachusetts/destination-waiting-for-explorers-ma/ If peace and quiet out in nature are what you’re after, there’s a little-known wildlife refuge in Massachusetts you should consider visiting. Located in the city of Taunton, the Gertrude M. Boyden Refuge is an oasis with plenty to explore. Best of all, you won’t encounter the crowds that the more popular wildlife refuges and state parks experience. Located in the city of Taunton, the Gertrude M. Boyden Wildlife Refuge, or Boyden Refuge for short, is a parcel of land that's just waiting to be explored. Seemingly undiscovered, you will find it to be less crowded than many other nature preserves in the state. This lovely hidden gem of a wildlife refuge was established in 1968 and it was here where American ornithologist and author, Arthur Cleveland Bent, would study birds and their habitats. Starting out with just 14 acres, the refuge is now over...