Tag: News

Matt Berg | The Boston Globe | December 31, 2020 https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/12/31/metro/looking-get-some-fresh-air-new-year-state-park-officials-announce-first-week-hikes/ After months of being cooped up due to the pandemic, people deserve more than one head-clearing Near Year's hike, state officials say. To read the full Boston Globe story, click here. To read the Mass. DCR Press Release, click here....

Matthew Brown | Associated Press | November 20, 2020 https://apnews.com/article/wildlife-steve-daines-david-bernhardt-parks-national-parks-942796730dec2f00de2a371c8a91141c BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — Proposed land conservation purchases in dozens of states would preserve more natural areas within tourist destinations, U.S. officials announced Friday, as lawmakers from both parties pushed back on Trump administration restrictions on how the money can be spent. The $125 million in congressionally authorized spending would buy up private property inside the boundaries of places including Alaska’s Glacier Bay National Park, Kentucky’s Green River National Wildlife Refuge and Florida’s Everglades region. Details on which parks and refuges would benefit comes as some senators objected to an order last week from U.S. Interior Secretary David Bernhardt that empowered local and state officials to block the purchases. Bernhardt’s order also limits land acquisitions to property inside the existing boundaries of parks and refuges, rather than expanding their footprint. Notable among critics of the order is Sen. Steve Daines. The Montana Republican helped barter a bipartisan agreement that authorized the conservation fund purchases under the...

Initiative could help growers, ecosystem, and coastal communities Joseph Gordon, Aaron Kornbluth & Zack Greenberg | The Pew Charitable Trusts | October 21, 2020 https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/articles/2020/10/21/oyster-restoration-offers-new-market-for-shellfish-farmers This year has been hard on shellfish farmers, with sales to restaurants way down because of the COVID-19 pandemic. That has left many farmers holding oysters even as they grew beyond the ideal size for the half-shell market, and has created a major dilemma over what to do with those oversized bivalves. Now, there’s a new option on the table. Under a partnership called Supporting Oyster Aquaculture and Restoration (SOAR), eligible growers in seven states—Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, and Washington—can sell their overgrown oysters for use in reef restoration projects. How oyster reefs help coastal ecosystems Oyster reefs help protect shorelines, filter water, and provide habitat for wildlife. Sadly, U.S. native oyster populations have declined to a fraction of their historic levels because of over harvesting, pollution, and habitat destruction. But rebuilding shellfish habitats is one...

Nancy Eve Cohen | New England Public Radio | September 30, 2020 https://www.wbur.org/earthwhile/2020/09/30/dam-removal-pittsfield-housatonic Over the past two decades more than 60 dams have been torn down in Massachusetts with the goal of restoring river habitats and improving safety. One came down this year on the West Branch of the Housatonic River with yet another, more neighborhood-focused goal. The Housatonic River takes many twists and turns from the Massachusetts Berkshires to Long Island Sound. One way to picture it is to imagine a squiggly letter Y. The right or East Branch is where toxic PCBs from the former General Electric plant have been dug up. The tail of the Y includes the stretch that GE has yet to clean up. The left or West Branch, the site of the former dam, winds through a Pittsfield neighborhood known as the West Side. "It was a neighborhood hangout for all the neighborhood kids," said 59-year-old Tony Jackson. To read the full article, please click here....

Richard J. Dolesh, Editor at Large for Parks & Recreation magazine | National Recreation and Park Association | July 23, 2020 https://www.nrpa.org/parks-recreation-magazine/2020/august/how-parks-and-recreation-will-change-forever/ Just six months ago, our entire world was turned upside down by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Nationwide, most businesses, schools, churches, parks and recreation facilities shut down. Many believed it would just be a short time to “flatten the curve” of the rate of infections and get back to normal. Yet, now in the heat of summer, we find that coronavirus infection positivity rates have surged, and more than half of U.S. states are facing increasing rates of infections. And, this is all before a second wave of infections that epidemiologists predict is virtually certain to strike America this fall. In addition to the pandemic and the resulting economic recession that has profoundly affected hundreds of millions of people, there are also momentous changes taking place across the country in support of racial equality and social justice that are embodied in...

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | July 30, 2020 https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/visitors.html Protect Yourself and Others from COVID-19 Staying physically active is one of the best ways to keep your mind and body healthy. In many areas, people can visit parks, trails, campgrounds, and open spaces as a way to relieve stress, get some fresh air, and stay active. While these facilities and areas can offer health benefits, it is important that you follow the steps below to protect yourself and others from COVID-19. To view the full fact sheet, please click here....

Christian MilNeil | StreetsblogMASS | July 30, 2020 https://mass.streetsblog.org/2020/07/30/how-did-the-north-ends-car-owners-steal-a-public-playground/ Like many parking lots, the one on Foster Street in the North End is easy to overlook. It’s the kind of place that few people care about: a dead-end alleyway with trash collecting in its corners and about 18 cars parked haphazardly among its potholes. But unlike most parking lots, this small plot of pavement is technically a public park. According to the 2020 Boston Parks and Recreation Department’s directory, the 0.11 acre parcel at 15 Foster Street is officially known as “Foster Street Playground,” originally acquired as parkland in 1930. In a March 2020 op-ed for NorthEndWaterfront.com, Peter Petrigno, an abutting property owner, recalled how car owners took advantage of the city’s neglect to take over the property: “I played there everyday as a child. It was my backyard. As the demographics of the area changed and fewer children were playing there, the city completely abandoned the property. Cars eventually started parking there. When the city...

Lara Salahi | NBC 10 Boston | August 1, 2020 https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/mass-state-parks-hit-capacity-early-as-visitors-enjoy-clear-weather/2170037/ Many state parks across Massachusetts reached capacity Saturday morning and temporarily closed to additional visitors as crowds flocked to enjoy the clear weather. Saturday is forecasted to be the better of the two weekend days, with lower humidity, a lot of sunshine and temperatures in the 80s. Parking areas at Walden Pond State Reservation closed as early as 9:30a.m. as the park reached its maximum safe number of visitors. By 10:30 a.m., parking areas at Nahant Beach had closed. By 11a.m. parking areas at Cochituate State Park in Natick also closed. The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation reminded park-goers Saturday morning that alcohol is prohibited on state properties. Some properties, such as Bash Bish Falls State Park, do not allow for swimming and the agency reminded visitors to adhere to any posted "no swimming" signs. For the full story, please click here....

Dana Bourland, Sam Gill, Judilee Reed, and Chantel Rush | Opinion, The Chronicle of Philanthropy | July 22, 2020 https://www.philanthropy.com/article/Safely-Reopening-America/249215 Dana Bourland is vice president for the environment at the JPB Foundation; Sam Gill is senior vice president and chief program officer at the Knight Foundation; Judilee Reed is program director of Creative Communities at the William Penn Foundation; and Chantel Rush is managing director of the American Cities Program at the Kresge Foundation. Their foundations are all key supporters of Reimagining the Civic Commons. During a global pandemic when millions of people rarely leave their homes, our public parks, plazas, trails, greenways, and even sidewalks have become critical havens. In cities large and small, these public spaces are sustaining people in ways we couldn’t have imagined a few months ago. The importance of a robust, connected, and nature-rich public realm — a true civic commons — is clearer than ever. As we practice physical distancing, our public spaces allow us to exercise, reduce...

Press Release | Mass. Dept. of Conservation and Recreation | July 24, 2020 https://www.mass.gov/news/state-officials-remind-public-to-follow-health-and-safety-rules-at-state-managed-beaches-and BOSTON — With high temperatures forecasted throughout the Commonwealth this upcoming weekend, the Department of Conservation and Recreation continues to urge the public to protect public health by adhering to important COVID-19 guidance such as wearing a face covering, practicing social distancing, and washing hands frequently when visiting state beaches and parks. Additionally, members of the public are reminded that alcohol is prohibited at state beaches, parks, and other locations throughout the state parks system. “While state-managed beaches, parks, and reservations are excellent places to escape the summer heat and unwind, the Department of Conservation and Recreation reminds all visitors that alcohol use is prohibited within the state parks system,” said DCR Commissioner Jim Montgomery. “When visiting agency properties, please adhere to all laws, rules, and regulations to help stop the spread of COVID-19 and ensure a safe, fun environment for all visitors.” “We encourage the public to explore the...

Tricia Farley-Bouvier (D-3rd Berkshire) & Jack Patrick Lewis (D-7th Middlesex) | Opinion, The Boston Globe | July 21, 2020 https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/07/21/opinion/cutting-state-local-services-middle-coronavirus-pandemic-doesnt-make-fiscal-sense/ Tricia Farley-Bouvier represents the Third Berkshire District and Jack Patrick Lewis represents the Seventh Middlesex District in the Massachusetts House of Representatives. COVID-19 has presented us with an unparalleled global crisis whose total effect on Massachusetts has yet to be fully felt. The state revenue shortfall is about $6 billion, and local and state leaders have been told to prepare for the worst as they develop budgets for the new fiscal year. Mayors and superintendents are faced with unfathomable decisions over what they are going to cut in order to help their cities, towns, and schools survive the current economic crisis. On the state level, we have been forewarned of the tough budgetary choices and program cuts to come. There is a better way. Rather than myopically cutting our way out of this dilemma, we must instead make significant investments in our residents and...

Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI/12) | Opinion Contributor, The Hill | July 23, 2020 https://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/energy-environment/508633-great-american-outdoors-act-will-deliver-critical Debbie Dingell represents Michigan’s 12th District and is a member of the Natural Resources Committee. A flock of birds in a perfect V formation flew over Arlington Cemetery as the Army Bugler played Taps at John Dingell’s interment. It was a perfect moment and final goodbye to a man who loved the great outdoors and hunting as much as he was proud to be an American who served his country. John spent a summer as Park Ranger at Rocky Mountain National Park. And had he been hired full time, he would have never run for Congress. Over 20 years ago, John – a former Dean of the House - and current Dean of the House Don Young of Alaska began the fight to permanently fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund. Their legislation made significant investments in state-based conservation initiatives. In the early 2000s conservation and recreation programs were underfunded...

Terry Cowgill | The Berkshire Edge | July 20, 2020 https://theberkshireedge.com/hordes-of-people-breaking-every-single-rule-pack-bash-bish-falls/ Mount Washington — During the era of the COVID-19 pandemic, Northeasterners have often looked askance at crowded Florida beaches, teeming with unmasked humanity and recklessly spreading the virus. Actually, a New Englander wouldn’t have to look very far to find that kind of spectacle because it’s right in our own backyard. Bash Bish Falls, a popular but remote destination for sightseers, this past weekend more resembled Fort Lauderdale Beach than a rustic outpost in the Berkshires. A precise count of the number of people at the falls was impossible to obtain but from photographs, witnesses and state police estimates, it appears that at least 1,000 people packed the small park over the weekend. That in itself would be alarming even in normal times. But during a pandemic in which people are still urged by authorities to practice social distancing, it can be horrifying. One witness on Facebook, John Sparkman, made his first visit and...

Andrew Chow | Time Magazine | July 22, 2020 https://time.com/5869788/national-parks-covid-19/ Ellie Mora has been running down the Santa Paula Canyon in Ventura County, Calif. on a weekly basis for years. She likes the serenity of the desert: the waterfalls that mist into placid green pools and the burnt orange wildflowers that bloom in the spring. For many like her, the park serves as a calming escape from the stresses and smog that can accompany everyday life in Southern California. But this spring, following the onset of coronavirus, the park’s condition started to drastically worsen. Litter accumulated on the sides of trails and at watering holes. Graffiti materialized on rocks. Parked cars stretched for more than a mile near the bottom of the trail, and hundreds of people splashed maskless in the canyon’s pools. “I can’t tell you how much pee and feces were littered along the trail,” Mora said. “It’s disgusting.” The situation got so bad that the U.S. Forest Service shut down the trail...