Trail Adopters
Since July 2025, our Trail Adopters have submitted over 1,200 individual reports about trail usage, downed trees, missing trail blazes, erosion issues, and more. That’s an incredible amount of data! We use this data not only to help inform DCR about issues that need attention, but also to determine where to direct our volunteer efforts in future project areas and needed repairs.
Invasive Plant Management
In September 2025, our environmental consultants, SWCA, sprayed a foliar spray on the Japanese knotweed at Greenwood Park and Bellevue Pond. The treatment is proving to be effective so far, and we will keep an eye on it during the 2026 growing season to determine if another treatment is needed next year.
We continue to monitor and manage invasive plants at both of these sites during our weekly workdays on Fridays. This allows us to keep a close eye on how the sites are responding to our invasive plant removal activities and to keep up with the demands of the space. If you’re interested in joining one of these events, check out our calendar here. We are currently removing Glossy buckthorn, Common buckthorn, Asiatic bittersweet, Porcelain berry, and Multiflora rose at both locations.
If you’re interested in getting more involved and doing this kind of work on your own time, please contact Maddie here.
Our trail projects continue to grow with additional work on culvert clearing and maintenance, led by board member and lead volunteer, Charlie McCabe. Charlie has been leading volunteers to a variety of locations throughout the Fells where culverts need to be cleared and unburied to prevent trail flooding, widening, and additional erosion. Volunteers can join these events on a monthly basis on Saturdays by registering on our calendar here.
Hikes
Volunteer hike leaders have guided over 20 outings across the Fells since August. The hikes have explored the changing seasons at Bellevue Pond, Long Pond, and Greenwood Park, and connected community members to enjoy the forest as we transition to the winter season. Check out our full lineup of more events later this fall and into winter here.
Thank you!
We’d like to thank the following groups who have joined us since late summer and have made a big impact in helping us remove invasive plants, pick up trash, and work on trails:
Bevi
Braskem
Buckingham Browne & Nichols School
Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR)
Earthwise Aware (EwA)
Gay for Good
Patagonia
Sierra Club
Team Rubicon
Tufts FOCUS
University of Virginia Boston Alumni
Interested in assisting these efforts? Apply to volunteer here!
Want to volunteer with your group, company, school, or team? Learn more about our group volunteering opportunities here.
Reach out to friends@fells.org if you have any questions or if you’d like to get more involved in these efforts.