Serving as a resource to help strengthen the ability of friends groups to better protect and enhance Massachusetts’ forests and urban parks.

Materials developed by friends groups to share with other friends groups

If you are starting a friends group and want to see expamples of Bylaws you can view these:

Friends of Myles Standish State Forest, Inc.

Friends of Upton State Forest, Inc.

FMSSF Membership Form

FUSF Membership Form
Friends of Upton State Forest membership form has several categories and usually a discount for joining after Aug 1 for that membership year. Starting Oct 1 through our Jan meeting we offer discounts for renewals also. That gives incentives to get people started and to renew. Having the different categories has worked very well for us. Associate gets no voting privilege or discounts, just the newsletter.

Friends Groups Survey Suggestions

Friends Group Sample Survey

Let us know if you have a resource to share.

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Why are forests and parks friends groups important?

"Safe neighborhood parks provide diverse opportunities for low or no-cost physical activity
for children and adults. Furthermore, the entire community can benefit from parks that are crime-free, well-maintained, and have adequate programming. As essential public infrastructure, parks can have a powerful and positive influence on community life and public safety.

Efforts that engage residents to create new or improve existing parks have been shown to build the social capital of a neighborhood, increase trust and cooperation among neighbors, and cultivate a sense of community ownership.

The increased social capital resulting from park-related civic engagement confers additional benefits to a community including fewer violent crimes, enhanced quality of life, as well as improved health and social indicators." From The Trust For Public Land Park Safety and Physical Activity.

Helpful Information

Links to citizen groups who care about watershed protection for the state's rivers and streams.

Everything you need to know to start or run a friends group can be found in the National Park Service Handbook, Making Friends: An Introduction to Building National Park Service Friends Groups. Simply substitute "State" for "National" and "DCR" for "NPS" and you will find this handbook most relevant. Visit the NPS Partnership web site for more information on Friends Groups.

Massachusetts Park Watch Program
Park Watch is a new statewide program designed by DCR Rangers to help protect forests and parks. Volunteers undergo training for personal safety and learn who best to contact to report suspicious activity. Friends groups working with the Park Watch are hopeful that the program will help curtail illegal and unwanted activity in our forests and parks.

The Keystone Project
Invests education and reference materials in Keystone Cooperators, who transfer conservation and land management information and ideas to landowners and decision-makers. The 3-day Keystone training focuses on forest ecology and management, wildlife management and land conservation. In addition to the intensive weekend training, participants are also given a significant amount of take-home resources. Room and board are covered with the exception of a modest registration fee. After becoming a Keystone Cooperator, UMass Extension continues to support graduates of the programthrough Keystone Reunions and Refresher Courses.

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Historic Landscape Preservation Initiative Historic Landscape Preservation Initiative sponsors special initiatives and offers technical assistance and training to support the preservation of historically significant landscapes throughout the Commonwealth. Link to Terra Firma, and other free HLPI publications to help citizens and communities understand and preserve historical landscapes. Available by mail or PDF files.

DCR Seeks Artists to Paint "Iron Ranger" Donation Containers
Iron rangers are metal cylinders used to collect donations in 98 state properties. DCR offers artists the chance to have their artwork displayed in their favorite park. Painting the iron rangers helps generate funds designated to benefit that particular park. Please see Press Release for details. Visit Iron Rangers Across the Commonwealth for a list of parks that need iron rangers painted. If you missed the submission deadline it is time to plan for 2011! The DCR site needs updating. Call Sharon Hoey, Trusts Development Manager, Department of Conservation and Recreationat 617-626-1267, for the latest on painting iron rangers.

MassWildlife
The Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife) is a good resource for information and speakers on topics having to do with wildlife and recreation. Subscribe to MassWildlife News, a free electronic monthly newsletter updating you on research, events, new laws and other agency activities. All you need to do is send an email to: Join-MassWildlife.news@listserv.state.ma.us. MassWildlife serves you from the following offices:
Western District, Pittsfield 413/447-9789; Conn.Valley District, Belchertown 413/323-7632; Central District, W. Boylston 508/835-3607; Northeast District, Acton 978/263-4347; Southeast District, Bourne 508/759-3406; MassWildlife Field Headquarters, Westborough 508/389-6300.

Natural Community Fact Sheets— Excellent fact sheets about natural communities in Massachusetts.

MassWildlife Calendar of Events

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Where is our Liability Insurance? In November 2007 Governor Patrick signed into law a bill that gives insurance coverage for friends groups when they hold events and conduct work parties. But DCR still does not have a policy to determine which groups and what activities are covered under their insurance. How long must we wait? Let the Stewardship Council know that you need liability insurance this year by sending a note to Jeff Daley. Here is an article praising Governor Patrick's clearing the way for Friends Groups to hold events under the protection of insurance; perhaps we should have waited with the "thanks" until we actually had the coverage! Law could clear way for parks' revival—Insurance costs impede efforts Peter J. Howe. The Boston Globe. December 4, 2007

Links to State information

Here is how to find any state law on the Web. Go to General Laws of Massachusetts. Look for the chapter you want: Chapter 21 for Stewardship Council, Chapter 131 for Fish & Wildlife, Chapter 132 for State Forests, Chapter 132A for State parks and Chapter 92 Section 33 plus for Urban parks (former MDC). You can cut-and-paste and print anything you need.

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Massachusetts Land Trusts and Conservation Partners alphabetized list by town.

The land trust groups work with lands that aren't in the state forest & park system and tend to be more restrictive in what activities users are allowed to do. (e.g. similar to Mass Audubon lands which forbid hunting on their properties, or, dogs may not be allowed in some cases).
Here's their map

WMA Wildlife Management Areas run similar to the State Forests. Hunting and family visits with dogs on leash are allowed. This is managed by MassWildLife. You'll find Fall River has 2 sites, Holyoke has a new listing. Wildlife Management Area Maps.

A map with all the resources in the State. (click on outdoor recreation map) Maps & Atlases: Mass Wildlife Recreation Maps

Here is a list of Rare Species habitat lands, and water resources available.Mass Wildlife Natural Heritage GIS Resources

The Trust for Public Land Park Equity and Public Health Toolkit is available here.

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