Friends of Myles Standish State Forest

The Friends of Myles Standish State Forest sponsor many events and activities in and around MSSF, the biggest park in Eastern Massachusetts. Thousands of visitors enjoy camping every summer at one of the forest's 400+ campsites. Many day use visitors enjoy swimming and picnicking at College Pond starting after Memorial Day. Many dozens of miles of hiking trails and bike trails are also available for all users. Park headquarters off Cranberry Road in Carver is a good place to find public restrooms and pick up a map of the forest.

College Pond swimming.

The Friends activities include:

Friends of Myles Standish Annual Activities

First Day Hike (New Year's Day)
Woodcock Walk (March)
Park Serve Day (Earth Day) April 20th
Plymouth Airport bird walk (May)
Whip-poor-will Walk (June)
Family Fishing Derby (at Fearing Pond usually last Saturday in September)
Photo Contest (Open all year for photos taken in MSSF; entries end two weeks before Derby day)
Weekly hikes most Thursdays and many Sundays
Trail work days whenever possible but typically in June and November

Our next board meeting takes place Tuesday May 7th . We will meet in the barn 100 yards up the Lower College Pond Road hill from the headquarters. Sign up on our Meetup site (www.meetup.com/friendsofmylesstandishstateforest)

From our most recent newsletter:

Pine Barrens Restoration Project Debate (Mar 2024)

The Big Idea: Myles Standish State Forest (the forest) has pine barrens (the barrens) which is a rare habitat covering less than 0.1% of the land on Earth and is the home of endangered plants and animals. However, since forests are dynamic, the barrens will progress through ecological succession, leading toward a "climax" or "mature" forest. In the process, the barrens will be overwhelmed under a canopy of oak, maple, beech, etc., threatening a suite of life adapted to that habitat.

Disturbances such as fire, disease, drought, hurricanes, etc. can reset succession to an earlier phase and open the canopy, renewing barrens habitat. The barrens, then, are dependent on disturbances. Fire is the most common disturbance. Historically, the forest has had frequent fires which have sustained the barrens. However, human suppression of fires over the last 150 years, or so, has allowed the maturing forest to markedly reduce the barrens, and also the rare life forms.

The Program; In 2018. the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) proposed a plan to begin treating about 1,100 acres of the southern end of the forest and another 1,000 acres outside the forest over a planned ten-year period to restore the barrens. They would do this by removing at least 80% of the trees through logging, mulching and subsequent prescribed fires. The goals are to restore pine barrens habitat for endangered species, and to protect against severe wildfires.

Public meetings were held in 2018 but there was not a lot of opposition to the announced plan. The plan proceeded for the next five years, effectively treating about half of the planned area. It brought about stark change. Some people compared the area to an African savannah.

In 2023, newly elected Gov. Healey imposed a 6 month moratorium on logging, effectively pausing the 10 Year Pine Barrens Project for this year, since logging has normally been done in the winter season. A scientific panel was appointed by the Governor to make climate sensitive proposals for managing state-sponsored logging going forward with an eye on the Governor's announced plans for reducing atmospheric carbon emissions and increasing carbon sequestration.

The Climate Forestry Committee's report came out in January. One part recommended that the State reduce its plans for restoring lower successional habitat. That would seem to argue against what is being done in MSSF. Another part said that there would be criteria set up for deciding what to do going forward-- except for special areas like Myles Standish SF and Manuel Correllus SF (on the Vineyard), which were getting more active management. We are awaiting the DCR response and also trying to gain information about their plans going forward.

A recent meeting with the DCR Commissioner indicated that there were would be public meetings on the resumption of the plan. It is assumed that the State will propose going forward with the plan for the previously announced reasons. However, others are unsettled or are outright irate at the idea of any continued logging. Opponents contend that they are variously: appalled by the loss of sequestered carbon, or distressed about creating a heat sink in the new clearings, as well as aesthetic and other concerns.

This newsletter issue covers some of the basics. Future issues will explore the biodiversity/climate change interface.

View the rest of this newsletter:

Pine Barrens Restoration Project Debate (Mar 2024)

The Friends of Myles Standish State Forest Meetup.com listings are the best place to find up-to-date info on all our upcoming hikes, birding events and other activities in Myles Standish State Forest in Plymouth and Carver in Massachusetts.

What's going on in Myles Standish State Forest?

Jackie Sousa has been promoted to supervisor of the Myles Standish Complex (which controls MSSF as well as Ellisville Harbor State Park, Kingston State Forest, Pilgrim Memorial State Park and several other area state DCR properties) and Steve Niemi has been promoted to Supervisor of Myles Standish State Forest.

Park Serve Day will take place April 20, 2024 in MSSF. Join us at park headquarters for a half day of work sprucing up the park-- followed by a cookout sponsored by the Friends. Sign up on Meetup.

Camping will open Thursday May 16th in MSSF in 2024. Reserve your spots at Reserve America up to four months in advance of your camping dates.

The Friends welcomed DCR Commissioner Brian Arrigo to our February 6th meeting.

We had a number of topics we discussed with him and others from the DCR leadership, including:

Proposed Discussion Topics

DCR full-time year-round staffing reductions-- DCR had only one year round staff member at MSSF for most of 2023.
State of the Cottage Program- 125 cottages remaining in the park. DCR announced termination plans in 2006.
Infrastucture Maintenance-- Day use bathhouse at College, delapidated amphitheater, 50 year old bike trails
10 Pine Barrens Restoration Project- effect of new climate sensitive logging plan on 2000 acre plan
Newly enforced parking restrictions on "parkland"

Long time Park Supervisor John Roberts retired as of the end of March 2023. He was the park supervisor since 2008 and will be missed.

There was distressing news in March 2023 that Fearing Pond was in a list of 14 ponds where PFAS chemicals had been detected. Department of Health Issues New Fish Consumption Advisories According to warnings posted at the pond, it is not safe to consume fish caught in the pond. However, swimming and recreational activities were reportedly still safe.

Find DCR events in Myles Standish State Forest with their new DCR event listings search. (Unfortunately, these seem to have been discontinued since the pandemic.)

We have been offering group hiking again on Thursdays and on some weekend days and had a half dozen trail maintenance days in the forest last year. Last year, we did major clearing of a long neglected 3 mile loop trail called the Larch Trail. It is named after a solirary larch tree that stands near the corner of Upper College Pond Road and Halfway Pond Road. The trail was cleared using a rental dingo machine that speedily cleared growth from the trail. Volunteers worked with the DCR to complete the clearing.

We also did a lot of work to restore the trail bed of the Pine Barrens Path and the Charge Pond Loop, which were severely disrupted by the Pine Barrens Restoration Project. Additional work was done to smooth out the trail bed for the trails running out of the Equestrian Parking Lot (near Barrett Pond.)

The Friends 16th Family Fishing Derby took place on Saturday October 14th, 2023 at Fearing Pond.

College Pond day use parking lot is now closed for the season. A fee was not charged at College Pond parking for the last three years. However, the DCR has installed an automated ticketing machine to collect parking fees. They have been having trouble with getting wifi coverage at College Pond to make the automated machine work. The Fearing Pond lot has been closed for the rest of 2023. Fearing Pond has an automated ticketing machine which was in use (except for Fishing Derby day). The fee requires a credit or debit card and is $8 per car for Massachusetts vehicles.

College Pond swimming.

For 2023, camping opened on May 11th. Visit www.reserveamerica.com to get your reservations. 24 hour advance registrations are required. There are no walkups allowed!

Fearing Pond was stocked for trout in March and September this year (2023).

A new Resource Management Plan for Myles Standish State Forest was adopted in 2022.

The Friends held muliple meetings to discuss the plan and to encourage public responses to the plan.

The Friends Annual Meeting was held at our January board meeting. Our January monthly meeting served as the Friends' annual meeting. We reviewed our last year's activities, including the major trail work we did last spring, the manure pit we installed at the equestrian campground and current projects being developed including a reboot of the East Head Reservoir nature trail. Last month, the group approved serving as a charter organization for Carver Scouts.

We also reviewed our financial status (good) and had an election for directors. About half of our directors were up for reelection. (There is a two year term.)

2018 Boardwalk Repairs sign
. Thank you for your support in getting the repairs done!

Public Meeting on Pine Barrens Restoration plan was held in 2018.

DCR has announced a 10 year plan to treat 1,109 acres of forest land in the southern part of Myles Standish. This will involve cutting down white pines, thinning pitch pine density (by cutting), burning, mechanical clearing, etc. in areas surrounding Charge Pond and Fearing Pond, the Camp Cachalot easement and MassWildlife areas outside the forest. The campgrounds will not be closed. Trails may be closed while work is going on.

A map of the proposed sections was published by the DCR. The area to be treated includes several MassWildlife areas outside the forest. The plan is to treat sections in the order shown on the map. Two areas have already been cut.

The full 10 year pine barrens restoration proposal is viewable on the DCR website.

Boardwalk Repairs Complete!

The Friends are very proud to report that repairs on the two East Head boardwalks totaling more than a football field in length have been completed after a total of 9 working days led by Roger Janson, Thom Gifford and John Bescherer

AMC volunteer Dexter helps with boardwalk

picture of East Head boardwalk after re-decking

We started cutting up wood on April 9th and were able to lay the first boards on April 11th. With the help of AMC's Open House, great progress was made on the first boardwalk on April 14th and completed on April 17th. We started work on the second boardwalk on April 21st and made a lot of progress on Park Serve Day (April 28th). Work was completed on May 2nd. This is the biggest project ever completed by the Friends, using over $3,400 of your donations to purchase lumber and fasteners. We hope that it will last for many, many years.

East Head Reservoir boardwalk

Boardwalks Project Background

The Friends were approved in December 2017 for a DCR Partnership Matching Funds to help rebuild two boardwalks near the north end of the East Head Reservoir. A little more than half of the 438 boards were in poor condition. A few were missing. Our proposal hoped to replace the entire top deck with pressure treated boards designed to last a long time. We anticipated spending about $2,000 and receiving a 2:1 match from the state.

After receiving the matching funds award, we spoke with Plymouth Cable News (PACTV) in February 2018 about the project -

We received approval from Plymouth conservation commission to use the pressure-treated lumber. However. after we received approval from the town, the DCR decided that since it doesn't actually own the reservoir or the land that surrounds it, it couldn't financially support the project. We decided to proceed on our own. After we obtained permission from the land owner, and the snow melted, we started the project.

We needed a lot of help to make this happen and want to thank everybody who came out and helped. boardwalk repair

Changes in dog leashing and waste collection for wildlife management areas

The proposed changes were the subject of a public meeting at Mass Wildlife headquarters on Tueday, February 6th, 2018. Since there are are two large wildlife management areas within Myles Standish SF (the Bentley Loop area and the Cutterfields Road area) and there are others bordering the state forest, the discussion was an important one. At its March 14th meeting, MassWildlife's board approved the new regulations with some major revisions reflecting the public comments it had received:

Approved Wildlife Management Area Dog regulations

Dogs must be physically leashed at all times unless they are actively used in hunting or hunting training
All dog waste must be picked up within parking areas and within 100 feet of parking areas. Regulation applies to hunters and non-hunters.

A proposed prohibition of letting dogs interfere with other users' use or enjoyment of the WMA was scrapped as "too vague and hard to enforce."

The DCR does allow off-leash dog areas in many of its parks. The Friends will continue to advocate for the establishment of such areas within Myles Standish State Forest.

The Friends (normally) host a lot of hikes, bird walks, stargazing nights and other activities in the forest. The Friends of Myles Standish State Forest Meetup.com listings are the best place to find up-to-date info on all our upcoming volunteer-led hikes, birding events and other activities in Myles Standish State Forest.

Find DCR events in Myles Standish State Forest with their new DCR event listings search.