Blue Hills Reservation

Oh, sugar

By adamg - 3/8/14 - 7:51 pm

Mike Ball gets a lesson in maple sugaring in Canton.

Car turns turtle in the snow up in the Blue Hills

By adamg - 1/18/14 - 4:40 pm

State Police report this car flipped over in the snow on Unquity Road this afternoon. Only minor injures, they report, adding the road had to be shut for a short time.

Blue Hills erupt in flames as dry spell continues

By adamg - 10/29/13 - 7:32 am

Following yesterday's four-alarm brush fire in Stony Brook Reservation, a brush fire has broken out in the Blue Hills Reservation, near Chickatawbut and Wampatuck roads, WFXT reports. Motorists report seeing the smoke at the Braintree split.

Where the bluebirds of happiness are these days

By adamg - 2/21/11 - 9:22 am

Brookwood Farm in the Blue Hills Reservation, according to the Friends of the Blue Hills, who post a photo of bluebird houses ready to be mounted atop poles put up by a Quincy Boy Scout troop last week.

Meanwhile, up in Gloucester, Steve Borichevsky photographed a punk duck.

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Deer are killing the forests of the Blue Hills Reservation, researcher says

By adamg - 12/9/10 - 7:13 am

The Boston area's largest natural area is dying as an overpopulation of deer eat up plant species - which could also mean death to the other creatures that depend on them - Thomas J. Rawinski of the US Forest Service writes, in a report on a field trip to the reservation:

In essence, the forest is disintegrating. And because forests are defined by the dominance of trees, one must conclude that the forest at Chickatawbut Hill is dying, and has no hope of recovering unless the deer impact is lessened.

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Leaves not the only things changing colors in the Blue Hills

By adamg - 10/13/10 - 8:01 am

Judy Leher Jacobs shows us one of the Heterocampa umbrata caterpillars that is changing colors now; you can find them in pink, green and orange.

Too many deer in the Blue Hills?

By adamg - 9/15/10 - 11:43 pm

Anecdotal evidence (more dead deer by the side of the road) seems to indicate a growing deer population in the large reservation just south of the city. The Friends of the Blue Hills reports the state Department of Conservation and Recreation is getting ready to do some serious studying to determine if there are more deer than the reservation can support and, if so, what to do about them.

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Blue Hills Reservation gets bigger

By adamg - 8/30/10 - 8:56 am

Friends of the Blue Hills reports the state recently bought 57 acres of land between the Blue Hill Country Club and Rte. 138 by the Ponkopoag Golf Club - for $198,000:

In a year or so, when construction of a sewer line is complete, you'll be able to explore a new red maple swamp, open marshland and pine-oak upland.

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Vetching problem in Blue Hills Reservation

By adamg - 6/16/10 - 9:48 am

Judy Leher Jacobs takes us on an invasive-species tour of Fowl Meadow:

... He pointed out the fast-growing mile-a-minute vine, as well as hidden wild irises, cow vetch and one of the most poisonous plant in North America (Water Hemlock). ...

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What makes the Blue Hills blue?

By adamg - 5/23/10 - 11:41 am

Mike Ball explores the Blue Hills Reservation with a guide, tells us some about the flora and fauna and rocks.

Can speedy volunteers keep up with the mile-a-minute weed?

By adamg - 9/9/09 - 11:34 am

The state Department of Conservation and Recreation is going to give it the college try: It's seeking volunteers to help pull the fast-growing invasive weed in Fowl Meadow, part of the Blue Hills Reservation, Jennifer Forman Orth reports.

She says some 40 acres of the meadow, home to several rare and endangered species, is now covered by our version of kudzu. There are pulling sessions this Thursday and Friday mornings, with more planned (call 617-981-0817 for more info). Bring gloves: The vine has barbed stems.

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