National Public Lands Day, an annual event, will be held on September 26 in 2009. The day is a way to raise attention for our public spaces. Many of the events involve projects for volunteers to help get things done on public properties. These chores include things like cleaning up trash, fixing trails and removing invasive plants. There are also educational events.
This is the 16th year of the program and last year there were over 100,00o participants.
Here is the current list of Massachusetts’ 17 participant public lands:
Barre Falls Dam – Lawn maintenance, rake picnic pads, stain picnic tables, trash removal, plantings, disc golf course maintenance.
Contact: Delia Vogel, (978) 318-8263, www.nae.usace.army.mil/recreati/bfd/bfdhome.htm
Location: 200 Coldbrook Road | Hubbardston, Massachusetts 01366
Boston Harbor Islands National Recreaction Area – 2nd Annual COASTSWEEP at Boston Harbor Islands National Park, as part of the International Coastal Cleanup organized by The Ocean Conservancy in Washington, DC. Participants at Boston Harbor Islands will collect marine debris from several islands’ beaches and record the types of trash they collect. This information is then used to help reduce future marine debris problems. Registration and additional details are available by calling (617)223-8637.
Contact: Mary Raczko, NPS, (617) 223-8637, www.bostonharborislands.org
Location: 408 Atlantic Avenue | Boston, Massachusetts 02110
Alternative Date: 2009-09-23
Boston Nature Center – This event will be an interactive educational event for youth of all ages. Local, state and federal land management agencies will provide games, activities and information. Join us from 1 to 4 PM at the Boston Nature Center.
Contact: Jessie Scott, USFS, 617-626-4979, www.massaudubon.org/boston
Location: 500 Walk Hill Street | Mattapan, Massachusetts 02126
Alternative Date: 2009-11-30
Buffumville Lake and Hodges Village Dam – Snag Pulling & Clean French River by Canoe, renovating hiking/,mountain bike trails, landscape improvements, beautify park, bridge work, disc golf upkeep (multi-projects), trash clean-up, painting gates, and boat ramp improvement.
Contact: Jamie Kordack, US Army Corps of Engineers, (508) 248-5697, www.nae.usace.army.mil/recreati/bvl/bvlhome.htm
Location: 48 Old Oxford Road | Charlton, Massachusetts 01507
Cape Cod National Seashore – Each year, Friends of the Cape Cod National Seashore partners with the National Park Service to sponsor a volunteer project on National Public Lands Day. This year, volunteers will establish a native plant garden at Cape Cod National Seashore Headquarters. Utilizing a landscaping plan designed by the seashore’s Chief of Facilities and Maintenance (a landscape architect by training), volunteers will plant native shrubs and trees to beautify the area and to convey to visitors the importance of landscaping with native plants suited to local environmental conditions. On the eve of Ken Burns’ PBS special, “National Parks, America’s Best Idea,” this project, and others happening around the country, provide a great opportunity for citizens to become engaged with their nearby national park sites. The project will be held from 9 AM to noon on September 26 at seashore headquarters, 99 Marconi Site, Wellfleet, MA. Potential volunteers should register by contacting the Friends at volunteer@fccns.org. Volunteers are asked to bring gardening or work gloves, a favorite gardening tool (trowel, small spade, etc), water, and a kneeling cushion, if desired. For more information about Friends of the Cape Cod National Seashore, visit www.fccns.org
Contact: Sue Moynihan, Volunteer Coordinator, NPS, 508-771-2144, www.nps.gov/caco
Location: 99 Marconi Site Road | Wellfleet, Massachusetts 02667
Charles River Parklands – Efforts will focus on removing invasive species and opening shoreline vistas along the urban Charles River Parklands in Cambridge. Incorporated into the day is an educational component discussing invasive species, riparian ecology, and Charles River history.
Contact: John Broderick, Charles River Conservancy, (617) 300-8173, www.thecharles.org
Location: Charles River Parklands | Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138
East Brimfield & Westville Lake – Trail repair and improvement, park clean up, plant trees, and install two benches.
Contact: Thomas Chamberland, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, (508) 347-3705, www.nae.usace.army.mil/recreati/wvl/wvlhome.htm
Location: 88 Wallace Rd | Sturbridge, Massachusetts 01566
Franklin State Forest – Brush back the Southern New England Rail Trail.
Contact: Ron Clough, MA Dept. of Conservation & Recreation, (508) 543-9084, www.mass.gov/dcr
Location: Grove Street | Franklin, Massachusetts 02038
Alternative Date: 2009-09-25
Lowell National Historical Park – Travel to sites around the city to do clean-ups, clear brush and fall plantings.
Deb Harding may be emailed at deborah_harding@nps.gov.
Contact: Sheila Carman or Deb Harding, NPS, (978) 275-1888, www.nps.gov/lowe
Location: 220 Aiken St. | Lowell, Massachusetts 01852
Minute Man National Historical Park – Battle Road Homes – Open House 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. – Today’s event offers a rare opportunity to see inside the restored colonial homes along the Battle Road in the park. Visit the Meriam House, Sam Brooks House, Noah Brooks Tavern, Job Brooks House, Capt. William Smith House and the Jacob Whittemore House to experience different trades, talents and tales of the colonial period including leather work, music, agriculture and archaeology. In addition, there will be no admission fee for guided tours of The Wayside: Home of Authors.
Contact: Maria Cole, NPS, (978) 318-7826, www.nps.gov/mima
Location: Minute Man NHP | Concord, Massachusetts 01742
Mount Greylock State Reservation – Invasive Garlic Mustard control and trail work.
Contact: Alec Gillman, MA Dept. of Conservation & Recreation, (413) 499-4262, www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/mtGreylock/
Location: 30 Rockwell Road | Lanesborough, Massachusetts 01237
Alternative Date: 1999-11-30
Myles Standish State Forest – Free community fishing event celebrates the MSSF. Volunteers teach others about the globally rare pitch pine forest, how to fish humanely and how to protect our natural resources. Some volunteers lead hikes and conduct trail maintenance projects.
Contact: Sharl Heller, Friends of Myles Standish State Forest & Mass DCR, (508) 591-7533, www.friendsmssf.com
Location: Fearing Pond | Plymouth, Massachusetts 02360
O’Bryant School of Math & Science – Water quality testing.
Suzy Drurey, Boston Public Schools, www.obryant.us
Location: | Roxbury, Massachusetts 02120
Salisbury Beach State Reservation – Beach clean up in conjunction with coastsweeps.
Contact: Mike Magnifico, Mass DCR, (978) 462-4481
Location: Reservation Road | Salisbury, Massachusetts 01952
Sturbridge Heins Farm – Trail clearing, maintenance and construction.
Contact: Randy Redetzke, Town of Sturbridge Trails Committee, (508) 347-6340, www.town.sturbridge.ma.us
Location: 197 Leadmine Rd | Sturbridge, Massachusetts 01518
Waquoit Bay Reserve-Washburn Island – Beach clean-up along the shores of Washburn Island, a 330 acre barrier island located in Waquoit Bay. Citizen’s For the Protection of Waquoit Bay organize the event and transportation to the island.
Contact: Nancy Church, Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, (508) 457-0495, www.waquoitbayreserve.org
Location: 149 Waquoit Highway | Waquoit, Massachusetts 02536
Alternative Date: 2009-09-12
West Hill Dam – Trail improvement; aesthetic improvement to entrance/trail areas; repair beach glider and youth swing; Scout camping area improvement; build Canadian goose barrier; beach water quality improvement; and canoe/kayak trail improvement.
Contact: Viola Bramel, US Army Corps of Engineers, (978) 318-8417, www.nae.usace.army.mil/recreati/whd/whdhome.htm
Location: 518 East Hartford Avenue | Uxbridge, Massachusetts 01569
Alternative Date: 2009-09-19
You can learn more about the events, locally and nationally at this website.