[00:00:00] Speaker A: Welcome back. Still plenty of great weather to be had to have all kinds of fun experiences in the Blue Hills. Reservations. So, Jen Clyde and John Harrell are back from the Friends of the Blue Hills to tell us what's going on. Welcome back.
[00:00:12] Speaker B: Glad to be here.
[00:00:13] Speaker A: Thanks for having us. Great to see you both. Really appreciate the opportunity to let folks know what's going on in the Blue Hills. Jen, there is so much that's already happened and there's still so much left to go.
[00:00:25] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:00:25] Speaker A: It's actually a year round experience. Right.
[00:00:27] Speaker B: It very much is.
But I would say summer and fall are probably peak for sure. Peak activity in the Blue Hills. Never a dull moment these days.
[00:00:38] Speaker A: Yeah, absolutely. Before we go into any of that, just a really brief. What are the Friends of the Blue Hills?
[00:00:43] Speaker B: Yep. So Friends of the Blue Hills is a nonprofit organization that's celebrating our 50th anniversary in 2027.
And we are the nonprofit that stewards and cares for the Blue Hills Reservation. We work in partnership with DCR to take care of the trails, maintain habitats, and do lots of public programming to engage more people and connect more people to the blue hills.
[00:01:06] Speaker A: Right. 50 years next year.
[00:01:08] Speaker B: 50 years next year. Yes.
[00:01:09] Speaker A: We'll have to have it back for more talk about that.
[00:01:12] Speaker B: Yes, we'll have a year long anniversary celebration.
[00:01:15] Speaker A: Oh, fun.
[00:01:16] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:01:17] Speaker A: How many Friends of the Blue Hills are there? Just roughly.
[00:01:19] Speaker B: Yeah. So on our staff, there's just five of us. So we're very, very small but mighty. But as far as our membership goes, we have about 1500 members that support the organization and allow us to do the work that we in the park.
[00:01:33] Speaker A: Yeah. And how does one become a Friend of the Blue Hills?
[00:01:35] Speaker B: You become a member? That's a good question. You become a member by going to our website, friendsofthebluehills.org and click join. And for $30 a year, you can support the work that we're doing in the park.
[00:01:47] Speaker A: Absolutely. And it's open to anyone?
[00:01:49] Speaker B: Yeah, anyone.
[00:01:50] Speaker A: All ages.
[00:01:51] Speaker B: All ages, yep.
So the park is free. All of our programming is free.
That funding, that $30 a year really allows us to keep doing all of this work and keeping it free.
[00:02:02] Speaker A: How has the season been going so far?
[00:02:04] Speaker B: It's been incredibly. I'm like, whoo.
It's been.
It's been very busy, but. But all good things.
We've had a number of programs constantly. We probably have at least six public programs a week in the park.
We're doing trail work at least once or twice a week this time of year in the park. And then coming up, we have some of our biggest events of the year are really coming up in the next month.
[00:02:33] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:02:34] Speaker B: So it's actually a great time to be here speaking with you.
We have our. Our annual fundraiser celebration that is September 17th.
That is our one and only sort of fundraiser that we do for the park. And aside from membership that we just talked about.
So this is sort of a party.
You buy your tickets, it's $85 for a member, it's $100 for a non member.
And it's your typical sort of fundraiser event. We have a silent auction with at this point, I think we have about 65 items, all from local businesses from Quincy, Milton, Dedham, Canton, local artists that have all donated to help raise funds for the park.
We have music, food, dancing, all that sort of fun stuff.
[00:03:24] Speaker A: Yep. The Great escape annual celebration, September 17, Thursday evening 6 to 9 at the Irish Cultural center in Canton, which is within the Blue Hills area.
[00:03:35] Speaker B: Correct? Yeah, correct.
[00:03:37] Speaker A: Okay. And so you need to get tickets beforehand.
[00:03:40] Speaker B: Get tickets beforehand, yep. So that we can plan for food, you know, food and all that fun stuff. But yes, I hope to see lots of our community there.
[00:03:49] Speaker A: Yeah. About how many folks do you hope?
[00:03:51] Speaker B: We're hoping for? At least 100. Okay. Yep. So as of today, we're at about 55, so about a little more than halfway there.
[00:04:00] Speaker A: So get in on it quick.
[00:04:01] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:04:01] Speaker A: Is there a deadline to reserve your tickets?
[00:04:03] Speaker B: There's no deadline. So you can buy up until the day before the event?
[00:04:07] Speaker A: Sure.
[00:04:07] Speaker B: Yep.
[00:04:07] Speaker A: Okay. And do you need more auction items? Is there opportunity for that?
[00:04:12] Speaker B: There is. Yep. So if anyone watching, you know, if you have a local business or you're a local artisan and you want donate to the silent auction, please, please reach out.
Still looking for items. We're also still looking for sponsors for the event. So if there's a local business that wants to sponsor, please reach out.
Always.
[00:04:32] Speaker C: Okay.
[00:04:32] Speaker A: And this is kind of your signature fundraiser.
[00:04:34] Speaker B: This is our signature and only fundraiser. This is it.
Yeah.
[00:04:38] Speaker A: This is the big one.
[00:04:39] Speaker B: This is the big one. Yeah.
[00:04:41] Speaker A: Very good.
[00:04:41] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:04:42] Speaker A: But before that, there's a. There's a fun event coming up later this month.
[00:04:47] Speaker B: There is, yes. Not that the fundraiser's not fun, of course.
[00:04:51] Speaker A: I should say a unique event.
[00:04:52] Speaker B: We like to put the fun in fundraisers. That's right. But yes, coming up this month we have the first of its kind outdoor concert at Quincy Quarries.
[00:05:03] Speaker A: The hills literally will be alive with the sound of music.
[00:05:06] Speaker B: The sound of music. Yes. Yes. And John can share more about that event and how it's tied into a larger initiative that we're doing that week.
[00:05:15] Speaker A: Oh, great. Please, Jon. Yeah, tell us.
[00:05:16] Speaker C: Yeah, so this outdoor concert, I want to shout out Mass cultural council be able to fund this outdoor concert. Julia Chisholm, local artist, great music, a lot of covers, her own music.
But yeah, Jim mentioned previously, next week we have our big Leave no Trace spotlight.
Leave no Trace is a non profit organization based out of Colorado and they really thrive on principles to preserve and conserve the outdoor green spaces. So like some of the principles are travel and hike on durable surfaces, be nice to wildlife, be nice to others.
There's a list of seven. I won't go more into detail, but next Thursday we have a training for staff partners. Volunteers will be a closed door session. We learn more about Leave no Trace. And then that Friday we have pop up education at Houghton's Pond in the afternoon. So feel free to stop by. Leave no Trace will have their big tent, they'll have their Subaru. You won't miss us. We'll be out there with partners as well, talking about our respective organizations.
And then Next Saturday from 9am to 12pm we're gonna do a stewardship project. We'll have three different events. We'll have a trash pickup, we'll have brushing, and we'll actually have some trail maintenance as well.
[00:06:27] Speaker A: Okay. And meets at the same location.
[00:06:29] Speaker C: Yep. Houghton's Pond as well. Houghton Spawn.
[00:06:30] Speaker A: Okay, that's a good jumping off point.
[00:06:32] Speaker C: No signup required. We'll just do waivers when we get there and they'll be separated in respective areas.
[00:06:37] Speaker A: Okay. And is there a cost for that at all?
[00:06:39] Speaker C: All free.
[00:06:40] Speaker B: All free.
[00:06:41] Speaker C: All free.
[00:06:41] Speaker B: All free. And the concert really sort of culminates that whole Leave no Trace event to celebrate.
[00:06:49] Speaker A: Yes. So it's August 28, 5:30 to 7:30 with singer songwriter Julia Chisholm, who's a Quincy native. Okay, good to know. Thank you for that. And where exactly, Jen, is this happening? In the quarries.
[00:07:02] Speaker C: Yeah, yeah, that's at the Quincy quarries.
[00:07:05] Speaker A: It's a big place.
[00:07:06] Speaker C: It's a big part. Ye just.
I know.
[00:07:11] Speaker A: Try to get folks. Yeah, I don't remember. Down the street.
[00:07:13] Speaker B: It's not good. Yeah. So there's one main parking lot right at the quarries. Kitty corner from Granite Lakes golf Course.
Park there. You can also park at the ball fields.
[00:07:25] Speaker A: The Quincy ball fields also offer Shruti Drive. Okay.
[00:07:27] Speaker B: Yep, exactly.
And walk on in. And in the hub of the quarry, sort of where all the, the rock climbing happens and where all the graffiti is. All the Graffiti is. Yep, Yep. Will be set up right in there for our concert.
[00:07:40] Speaker A: It's kind of like a natural amphitheater, really.
[00:07:43] Speaker B: It really is. It's something that we've wanted to do for a while and this Leave no Trace event really gave us a good excuse to do it because the quarries are so unique in that.
In the sense that they really highlight that people do leave a trace. Right. With all the graffiti and stuff that's there.
[00:08:02] Speaker A: All the quarries themselves are human impact.
[00:08:04] Speaker B: Right.
And so it just seems like a really interesting space to tell this story about how do we live in our impact in nature, but also bring people out to a part of the park that many people actually don't get to that section of the park at all.
[00:08:21] Speaker A: For sure. Folks that have lived here all their lives probably have never seen.
[00:08:25] Speaker B: Yes. People go to Houghton's Pond. People go to Trailside. Right. Like the Shay Rank, you know, the tried and true areas. Yes. Not so much here. And we really want to spotlight a very cool area of the park and an area that in our opinion is pretty special but needs some Leave no Trace principles applied.
[00:08:46] Speaker A: I think it's news to folks that the quarries are part of the Blue Hills Reservation. They aren't even aware of that.
[00:08:51] Speaker B: Right. Definitely.
[00:08:52] Speaker A: So do you think there'll be future programs there?
[00:08:55] Speaker B: Yeah, we're trying. So John and I are actively trying to engage that part of the park.
So the concert's just one thing that we've been doing there. The other that John's been leading this year is Miles and mimosas.
[00:09:11] Speaker A: Oh, yes, Yes. I remember this from last time you were here.
[00:09:13] Speaker B: So John can share more about that. But yeah, yeah.
[00:09:17] Speaker C: Miles and Moses, a great experience with Granite Leagues Golf course just down the street from Quincy Quarries where the first two hours I lead a guided hike in the Blue Hills. We've done the Quincy Quarries and we also started at Shayring.
Well, but you go on a two hour hike. A lot of educational programming along in the hike and then we end up right along the driving range. Get a great view of Boston, beautiful golf course there and enjoy complimentary mimosas with an open bar food if you're interested in partaking afterwards.
[00:09:49] Speaker A: I didn't realize this was going to be an ongoing event. I thought it was just that one time, but this is an ongoing event,
[00:09:53] Speaker C: so this year was our pilot program. We have our third and last hike this year, September 13th to Sunday from 10 to 1pm okay.
[00:10:02] Speaker A: And free.
[00:10:03] Speaker C: That one. Unfortunately not free, but it is $12 for members and $15 for non members. So there is a discounted ticket.
[00:10:11] Speaker A: Very reasonable. Certainly. Yeah. The concert, though, is free. Concert.
[00:10:14] Speaker B: It's free.
[00:10:15] Speaker C: Yes, yes.
[00:10:16] Speaker A: Which is amazing.
[00:10:17] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:10:18] Speaker A: Now, do you know, Jen, is Julia Chisholm, Is she connected to this movement, this Leave no Trace movement?
[00:10:24] Speaker B: She's not, but we really wanted to spotlight an artist that was local to Quincy.
So. Yeah.
[00:10:32] Speaker A: Is it like an acoustic performance?
[00:10:34] Speaker B: It is, yep. It will be acoustic. Yes. Yes. So that makes it extra special.
[00:10:38] Speaker A: Yeah. You know, that time, it's gonna be kind of twilight time. So.
Setting. Yeah.
[00:10:46] Speaker B: Should be beautiful.
[00:10:47] Speaker A: You're encouraging folks to carpool, I see on the flyer.
[00:10:49] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah. Because parking is limited.
[00:10:51] Speaker A: Anybody that's gone to an event at Granite Links knows is limited parking.
[00:10:54] Speaker B: No. Yes, Defin. Definitely. And for all of our events, just trying to practice a good environmental ethic. We try to encourage people as often as possible. Please. Carpool parking is limited throughout the Blue Hills.
[00:11:07] Speaker A: Yeah, absolutely. What a great way to have a summer evening. For sure.
Now, John, you are also in charge of volunteer at Friends at Blue Hills, right?
[00:11:16] Speaker C: Correct.
[00:11:16] Speaker A: Yeah. How many volunteers have you got now?
[00:11:19] Speaker C: We just did the tally a few weeks ago, I believe last year, 2025, we had 679.
[00:11:25] Speaker A: Wow.
[00:11:26] Speaker C: This year expected to be around 800.
[00:11:29] Speaker A: Fantastic.
[00:11:30] Speaker C: Via students, corporate groups that we work with, our typical normal volunteers or volunteer leaders, it's just growing tremendously.
[00:11:40] Speaker A: What do you attribute that to?
[00:11:41] Speaker C: Just, I think, Jen, our whole team, really just growing. Our programming, leadership development, training. We offer more to those volunteers that want to take the next step. They volunteer once they love it, they want to lead a group of volunteers.
We provide that training all free of cost.
Even our leaders have. We've given them back first aid, trail safety classes, cpr.
[00:12:06] Speaker A: So there's opportunity for growth.
[00:12:08] Speaker C: Exactly.
[00:12:08] Speaker A: You know, getting some durable skills that they could use in their lives.
[00:12:12] Speaker C: Totally.
[00:12:13] Speaker A: And maybe pass on to another generation. Right.
[00:12:15] Speaker C: 100%.
[00:12:15] Speaker A: How does one become a volunteer?
[00:12:19] Speaker C: Go on our calendar. See that we have volunteer events.
There's also a link that says want to be a volunteer? Click here. We have our new system. Or you can email
[email protected] but we have multiple volunteer opportunities a week.
[00:12:34] Speaker A: And training goes with the.
[00:12:35] Speaker C: Yep, training goes with it as well.
[00:12:37] Speaker A: Do you get to kind of pick what your assignment is?
[00:12:41] Speaker C: Yeah, if you make a volunteer profile, there's different options. Like, I want a table I'm gonna be part of. Like mailings, do trail stewardship, invasive species removal.
We tailor all of our volunteer opportunities towards whatever they want.
[00:12:56] Speaker A: You want Folks to be able to do what they want to do. Right. So they'll keep doing it.
[00:12:59] Speaker C: Exactly.
[00:13:00] Speaker A: And tell folks about it. Yeah.
Good for you, Jen, for growing this organization.
[00:13:05] Speaker B: Yeah. Yeah.
[00:13:07] Speaker A: And I know bringing John on was part of that.
[00:13:08] Speaker B: Yes. He's been an incredible asset to this organization and very happy to have him on the team, for sure. I can't take all the credit.
[00:13:20] Speaker A: No leader ever does, right?
[00:13:21] Speaker B: No, no, no. But just so many things going on between the Leave no Trace effort, the concert, the annual celebration.
We also on September 26 is Blue Hills Fest. That's probably worth noting.
[00:13:36] Speaker A: Please.
[00:13:37] Speaker B: So Blue Hills Fest, it's the first of its kind.
It's basically a collaborative effort amongst all the organizations that operate in the Blue Hills are all hosting events on that day.
And there'll be a punch card that people get. And if you visit six of the partners, six of the 12 partners that day, you get entered into a raffle to win some great prizes.
[00:14:03] Speaker A: Like a passport.
[00:14:04] Speaker B: Like a passport, yes. Yep. So, for example, Friends of Blue Hills will be running a scavenger hunt at Houghton's Pond. DCR will be there with their state archaeology team setting up an archaeology site for people to experience. That New England base camp will have rock climbing going on for the public that day.
The ski hill will have their ski lifts operating so people can ride their ski lifts up to the top of Great Blue.
Mass Audubon will have live animal programs throughout the day, and then the Wakefield Arboretum at the end of the day, they're gonna have music, food, beer, tent, all sorts of things. I'm probably missing some partners in there, but it's going on from 10am Till 7pm okay. Anyone can come at any point in the day. You can start at any partner, anywhere in the park.
You'll get your little passport card, and off you go.
[00:15:04] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:15:04] Speaker B: Yeah. And it's really a chance for all the partners to come together, celebrate together, and encourage people. Because a lot of people, just, like, they might only go to one section of the park. They may not know that besides Friends of the Blue Hills. Oh, Mass Audubon operates in the park. Or Scouts operates in the park and AMC operates in the park.
[00:15:24] Speaker A: I think that's true. I didn't know that.
[00:15:25] Speaker B: So, yeah. So it's really a chance to introduce people to all that the park has to offer.
[00:15:30] Speaker A: Blue Hills Fest.
[00:15:31] Speaker B: Blue Hills Fest. September 26th.
[00:15:33] Speaker A: September 27th. 10 to 7.
[00:15:35] Speaker B: Be there.
[00:15:35] Speaker A: Be there, even be part of there.
[00:15:37] Speaker B: Yes. And the rain date will be the next. The next.
[00:15:39] Speaker A: Oh, we don't Want to talk about that?
[00:15:40] Speaker B: We don't want to talk about that. But in the event, it's a reality.
[00:15:43] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:15:43] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:15:44] Speaker A: How are the.
What was the overall condition, would you say now, of the reservation, Jen?
[00:15:50] Speaker B: Yeah, I think it's thriving compared to, you know, when I first got introduced to the Blue hills, you know, 15, 20 years ago.
I think the park is thriving today. I think there's more people visiting it in a positive way than ever before.
There's less trash than I've ever seen in the park before.
We have more volunteers engaged than ever before.
I think it's overall doing great. And our partnership with other entities doing work in the park, that partnership is strong, which is great. Which all makes for a better park, because the Blue Hills, as I talk about it a lot, it's the largest urban open space, you know, in the Northeast.
[00:16:35] Speaker A: 7,000 acres.
[00:16:36] Speaker B: 7,000 acres in the midst of a
[00:16:38] Speaker A: couple of million people.
[00:16:39] Speaker B: Million, right. Yeah. Millions of people.
And yet you feel like you're in wilderness when you're there. So it's actually doing pretty great. That's good to know. Wildlife is thriving.
Trails are thriving.
Things are great.
[00:16:52] Speaker A: Yeah. John, I know you come from the Midwest.
[00:16:56] Speaker C: Montana.
[00:16:56] Speaker A: Montana. Okay. So quite a starkly different atmosphere here than there, I'm sure.
[00:17:03] Speaker C: Yeah. The trails are harder here, I'll tell you.
[00:17:05] Speaker B: Really?
[00:17:07] Speaker C: There's no such thing as a switchback. But I love the Blue Hills. I'm out there three to four times a week.
Like Jen said, it's clean, it's beautiful. The trails are well maintained thanks to our volunteers, our trail adopters. Another way to volunteer is adopting a trail.
But, yeah, it's beautiful. People, Hoats, ponds, love it. Not a bad thing to say.
[00:17:29] Speaker A: Friendsofthebluehills.org main website. All over social media, I'm guessing as
[00:17:34] Speaker B: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, all that.
[00:17:36] Speaker A: Yep, all the places.
All right, thank you so much. Really appreciate the update. Great to talk to you and promote the friends and the reservation.
[00:17:44] Speaker B: Yeah. Thanks for having us, Joe.
[00:17:45] Speaker A: You're very welcome. We'll have it back to of Always, always.
