News and Upcoming Events
Saturday January 23 - Duncan Sings-Alone
Storyteller, healer and spiritual teacher,
Duncan Sings-Alone will share Native American
stories in an outdoor setting around a campfire.
Sings-Alone has been a professional storyteller of
Native American stories for 30 years.
Come at 5:30 PM for cocoa and marshmallow
roasting. Stories begin at 6:00 PM. No charge.
Meet in the parking area of the Former Stefans Farm
on Mechanic St. in Upton near the power lines
Bring something to sit on.
Please RSVP to mstasa@charter.net or 508-529-3709 so we know
whom to notify in case of a weather cancellation. Flyer
Monday Janaury 25 - Annual Meeting and Program
PM at Upton Senior Center, 1 Centennial Court, Upton
After a brief business meeting with election of officers and a vote on a bylaw change Marcella Stasa will present a program about “Art From Nature”. See page 6 for details.
There will be raffles to support our Trails Committee and future programs. Remember that this is the last day of the discount for early membership renewal.
Friday February 19 - Run, Rabbit, Run!
1:00 – 2:30 p.m. Come discover winter on the Rabbit Run Trail in Upton State Forest in this FREE, educational, fun program for kids and their families. Hike is between ½ mile to a mile, followed by hot chocolate and marshmallows at the campfire. Flyer
“Hiking Through History”
A partnership between Friends of Upton State Forest and UptoOpen Space Committee in cooperation with the Department of Conservation and Recreation. For all hikes and events, we ask that you dress for the weather and wear appropriate footgear. Kids are welcome, but must be supervised. Liability waiver is required for hikes. Check with the hike sponsor in case of inclement weather. There is no charge.
March 21(Sunday) - Quarried Granite and More Cellar Holes
At Upton State Forest. Registration 12:45. Hike begins at 1:00 PM. Meet at the CCC Camp buildings at the intersection of Westborough and Southborough Roads in Upton. Expect a moderate hike with uneven terrain and some hills.
John Ritz and Ellen Arnold will lead us on a visit to several more cellar holes. This two-hour hike will take us on Middle Rd., Hawk Trail and Loop Rd. There will be a turn back option with others continuing along Sparrow, Whitehall and Grouse Trails. We will learn about the families that lived in this part of Upton State Forest along with the granite quarrying that took place here. There is extensive evidence of cut granite in this area.
More information: fusf@charter.net or 508-529-6610.
April 18 (Sunday) - Peppercorn Hill
Registration starts at 12:30. Hike starts at 1:00 PM. Meet at the Crockett Road trailhead parking lot. (This is not an easy place to find so be sure you have good directions and allow plenty of time to locate it.) Expect steep and uneven terrain.
We will “Hike Through History” with Don Kerr, who was instrumental in the acquisition of this 283-acre property by the town of Upton twenty-five years ago. Enjoy the views and unique features of the area while Mr. Kerr shares childhood memories of summering on the lake with his family with Peppercorn Hill as his “backyard”. He will also talk about the logging that took place here in the 1930’s and the devastation of the 1938 hurricane.
More information: mstasa@charter.net or 508-529-3709. Heavy rain cancels.
Ice Safety for Dog Walkers
Spring is coming and thin Dean Pond ice will pose a hazard to dogs and their human companions. Every year in New England people fall through the ice while trying to rescue their wayward canines - sometimes with tragic results. As you near Dean Pond on your hike make sure your dogs are under control and avoid the ice. Enjoy USF and stay safe!
"My Great-Grandfather's Footlocker"
Jeanne O'Brien offers her new book, My Great-Grandfather’s Footlocker,
to help FUSF!
About My Great-Grandfather’s Footlocker: Explore with Sarah as she uncovers Gramps' experience of serving in the Civilian Conservation Corps. Gain insight into the difficulty of living through the “Great Depression”. Could this depression thing’ happen again? Learn how the CCC helped get America back on track as Sarah does research for her local history project. Target audience: 8-12 year olds and their parents.
Cost: $7.95 + $1.78 S&H – total $9.75
$2.00 of every purchase will be donated to FUSF.
Obtain copies by contacting the author at: obrienedu@msn.com. Payment may be in the form of money order or through PayPal.
Urgent Housing Need for Wood Ducks in Massachusetts
The MA DFW needs help constructing wood box nests. Click here for more information.
New Form to Track Volunteer Hours
Please keep a record of the time you generously donate to FUSF using this form. Many grant applications are now asking for this information. Thank you for all your efforts!
Asian Longhorned Beetle
See the updated FUSF "Natural Resources" page for latest information about this serious threat to New England Forests.
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Friends of Upton State Forest. (FUSF) provides information about events of other organziations at USF as a service. FUSF assumes no responsiblility for the events or the listing information.
Please Contact fusf@charter.net with questions.