Event Overview

Park Serve Day, Hyde Park MA

Sponsored in part by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation

April 25, 2009

Governor Deval Patrick, Lieutenant Governor Tim Murray, Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Ian Bowles, and Department of Conservation and Recreation Commissioner Rick Sullivan invited residents of the Commonwealth to join them for Park Serve Day 2009. This year's event featured more than 50 parks, from the Berkshires to Cape Cod, giving community action volunteers a wide range of opportunities to choose from. Last year, more than 1,900 volunteers participated in Park Serve Day.

During this statewide day of volunteer service, volunteers worked together to get parks and beaches across Massachusetts ready for summer by cleaning coastlines, clearing trails, planting flowers, painting picnic tables, and more.

Last year, 1,504 eco volunteers worked in 57 parks statewide. By day’s end, they had planted 1,758 flowers and trees, distributed 300 yards of mulch, and collected 17 tons of trash. Among the more unusual items found and carried away as trash were car engines, a refrigerator, a washing machine, and house flooring.

The overwhelming response to Park Serve Day shows how Massachusetts residents value their state parks and are willing to join in the shared stewardship of these important natural, cultural, and recreational resources.

“Parks, beaches, and forests are the jewels of the Commonwealth, and they belong to all of us,” said Governor Deval Patrick, who participates each year in Park Serve Day. “I am thrilled that so many of our citizens are taking ownership of these treasures and are ready to pitch in and help get them ready for spring.”

Park Serve Day is intended to supplement DCR’s own efforts to improve conditions at these facilities for the coming season. The agency’s efforts include improving curb appeal of the parks with mowing, cleaning, and weed control and posting public maintenance schedules for each park, beach, and parkway that will include tasks such as mowing, weeding, picking up litter, cleaning the beaches and restrooms, and inspecting playgrounds.

“The professionals at DCR have an ambitious plan for getting our parks shipshape this spring, and they need our help,” said Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs Ian Bowles. “The Governor and I are hoping that everyone who loves these properties and facilities as much as we do will lend a hand.”

Among the Park Serve projects this year were planting beach grass for sand dune erosion control on Spectacle Island in Boston Harbor, clearing trails and landscaping at Myles Standish State Forest in Plymouth, rebuilding stone stairs at Moore State Park in Paxton, and installing fencing and a kiosk at Wendell State Forest in Wendell.

DCR provided work gloves and equipment needed for the various projects, while Aquafina provided water and recycling resources for volunteers at a number of Park Serve events throughout the day.

“Everyone had a role to play in preserving and enhancing our forests and parks,” said DCR Commissioner Richard K. Sullivan Jr.

The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), an agency of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, oversees 450,000 acres of parks and forests, beaches, bike trails, watersheds, and dams, in addition to 278 bridges and miles of roadways. Led by Commissioner Richard K. Sullivan Jr., the agency’s mission is to protect, promote, and enhance our common wealth of natural, cultural, and recreational resources.

Dave Furey, West District Ranger at DCR’s Wilson Mountain Rservation, tells us that the day “was a huge success. Thanks to over 40 volunteers we planted new trees, painted fences, picked trash, and erected a new park sign and bulletin board. Our environmental volunteers were extremely energetic and giving of their time! All this work was done with a smile and by volunteers who were well hydrated thanks to Aquafina's generous donation of water”.

Related links:
http://parkserv.env.state.ma.us/

To learn more about DCR, our facilities, and our programs, please visit www.mass.gov/dcr.