2026 has been a trailblazing year filled with ambitious projects, new programs, and outstanding leadership by staff and volunteers of all ages. Whether restoring an entire meadow or protecting a single vernal pool, members of our community took creative, effective steps towards achieving our vision of a Middlesex Fells Reservation where nature and people thrive in harmony, supported by a diverse and caring community conserving it for future generations.
Restoring
We broke ground on the 90mm Meadow Restoration Project, the most important pollinator habitat and considered the richest butterfly habitat inside Route 128. Over the next few years, we’ll manage invasive species, restore native pollinator habitats, and improve trail safety and conditions in the meadow.
Preserving
We pioneered a new program to study, understand, and preserve important microhabitats in the Fells with the help of our Land Steward volunteers. Our Fells Trail Crew donated more than 940 hours to repair and improve culverts, preventing flooding, erosion, and other damage along the Fells trail system.
Guiding
We took meaningful steps in nurturing the next generation of Fells caretakers with the launch of the Trailblazers Camp. The week-long summer program fostered leadership, teamwork, and a sense of ecological responsibility as our campers blazed trails, protected vernal pools, and rebuilt culverts.
Bullets to Butterflies: The 90mm Meadow Restoration Project
This year we launched our most ambitious conservation project to date—restoring and protecting this habitat for at-risk butterflies like the frosted elfin and other native pollinators, birds, and meadow-dependent plants while improving safety and trail conditions.
Trailblazers Camp Program: Expanding Our Community of Care
This summer ten campers painted and hung trail blazes along the Mustang Loop and Cross Fells trails, worked to restore two vernal pools, and cleared and restored a culvert along the Mustang Loop trail. Campers learned about current environmental issues and the actions they can personally take to keep the forest and trails safe and accessible.
Volunteer Fells Trail Crew: Sustainable Management in Action
Led by board member and volunteer Charlie McCabe, our dedicated crew of volunteers continues to play a vital role in protecting and enhancing the ecology of the Fells. This year’s focus has been on repairing and improving culverts to prevent flooding, erosion and other damage along the Fells trail system.
Ken Crounse: Leading the Way from Appreciation to Impact
After hiking and enjoying the Fells for a number of years, Ken Crounse was inspired to join the Trail Adopter program. He got to know the native plants of the Fells, participated in invasive plant pulls, and met a variety of other volunteers. Over time, however, he wanted to play an even larger role in addressing some of the problems he was observing as a visitor and volunteer.
He proposed a new role, Land Steward, that would take responsibility for a specific area under threat. Over this past year, he worked with Friends of the Fells staff and a limited group of volunteers to pilot that program across two small plots that include some unusual plants and quality natural communities.
During 100+ volunteer hours, he and his small group have made hundreds of observations to understand these important microhabitats and have been executing an invasive plant management plan. With a better understanding of what’s growing and how habitat elements interact, they can then determine the best way to manage current and potential threats. They can also make recommendations for expanding the work — around these plots and in similar areas across the Fells.
“It’s important for people to appreciate what plant communities in a healthy ecosystem look like and how they function — in their own backyards, across the Fells, and beyond. Understanding can inspire action, just as it did for me.”
—Ken Crounse
Join our community of trailblazers and help us keep this work moving forward.
Finances
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