Residents invited to ‘green up’ the Blue Hills

By Canton Citizen

All are invited to join the Friends of the Blue Hills for a spring festival of stewardship and fun. The annual Green Up Day will be held on Sunday, June 8, from 1 to 3:30 p.m. at the Ponkapoag AMC Cabins.

Green Up participants show off their leaf masks. (Friends of the Blue Hills photo)

Volunteers will enjoy music, food, face painting, crafts, and a scavenger hunt while helping with an essential task: pulling up invasive weeds that threaten the Blue Hills.

Many plants look alike for most of the visitors to the 7,000-acre Blue Hills reservation, yet many of the plants that have expanded in recent years are not native to the park and threaten to crowd out naturally occurring species. Vigorous weeding during the warmer months helps maintain a healthy balance in the forest.

Rabbi Emma Gottlieb of Temple Beth David is looking forward to the Mitzvah (commandment) of taking care of the world by helping to clean up the Blue Hills. “We are so blessed to have our building in this beautiful reserve, and we value our partnership with the larger community in keeping it clean, safe and enjoyable for people and animals alike,” Gottlieb said.

Volunteers should park at Temple Beth David, 1060 Randolph Street in Canton. It is a short, scenic walk to the cabins. The event is rain or shine, and while some gloves will be available for weeding, volunteers are encouraged to bring their own gardening gloves if they have them. Please RSVP to greenup@friendsofthebluehills.org or 617-696-8248.

Friends of the Blue Hills was founded in 1979 and has been working for 35 years to protect the Blue Hills Reservation’s beauty, natural habitats, and recreational opportunities. The Blue Hills has 22 hilltops, 125 miles of hiking trails, and spans six towns: Braintree, Canton, Dedham, Milton, Quincy, and Randolph. For more information, please visit www.friendsofthebluehills.org.

Share This Post

Short URL: https://www.thecantoncitizen.com/?p=25493