This is a small but noisy group of extremists who work very hard to keep our public land (and adjacent private land) conforming to their narrow minded focus.

The volunteers and staff of the Friends of the Middlesex Fells Reservation have been unstinting in donating expertise and money to benefit the public, preserving and protecting this precious natural resource from those who woudld despoil it. The Friends have helped immensely to further the function for which the Fells Reservation was created: a clean, safe and tranquil refuge from the noise and stress of urban life.

The fells should be for all. Friends of Middlesex Fells is intent on restricting the park to hiking only. That is unacceptable.

The friends of the fells is an advocacy group intent on restricting the use of the Middlesex fells (a 100 year old state-owned and managed park) to their cause only - that of hiking. The are not representative of the vast majority of people who use the fells, and they are not aligned with the mission of the Department of Conservation and Recreation. A contribution to this group would be support of small-mindedness.

Unlike organizations that enjoy the Fells for one particular aspect or activity, Friends of the Fells serves a diverse membership with a range of interests. There are lectures, hikes, and newsletters addresing topics from the animals and plants who make the Fells their home to the history of the reservation and the geology of the area. Friends of the Fells has raised funds to rebuild dilapidated structures, such as Tudor Barn and Wright's Tower, and they design programs designed to instill in children a sense of stewardship of this fragile and gorgeous reservation. They are dedicated to protecting its unique ecosystems for future generations. I admired their work so much, I joined their Board.

For 25 years, the Friends of the Middlesex Fells reservation have been promoting awaeness and the need to protect the Middlesex Fells. Throughout the year, the Friends offer hikes and educational programs to thundreds of people free of charge. The Friends' Babes in the Woods program offers parents an opportunity to share experiences with their young children. Together these hikes and programs foster an apreciation of this natural treasure.

The Friends have collaborated with other organizations to enhance the Fells experience. For example. in 2005, the Friends partnered with the Department of Conservation and Recreation to restore an historic stone barn located in the Spot Pond area.

The Friends is an inclusive organization. Its members include hikers, cross country skiers, dog walkers, bicyclists, bird watchers, and photographers. The diverse group shares a common desire to perserve the oasis of nature in the midst of the suburbs.

For twenty-five years Friends of the Middlesex Fells has provided education and programming to promote awareness of and protect the amazing natural diversity of the Fells Reservation.

The Friends sponsor and conduct recreational hikes and natural and cultural history programs and year round to increase public understanding and appreciation of the Reservation. Our programming also includes popular weekly Babes in the Woods hikes and strolls for parents and their children. Fells clean up and habitat restoration hikes are an important way the Friends can work with volunteers to give back to the Fells.

In 2005 Friends fundraising contributions were matched by a grant from DCR and added to Massachusetts Water Resources Authority funds for complete DCR restoration of the historic Tudor Barn on Spot Pond. Thanks also to a DCR Greenways Grant, and numerous volunteers, the Friends have added trail signage in the Fells and restored many of the trails.

We work closely with other organizations and agencies to honor and preserve the landscape and heritage of this public resource for current and future generations.

Mike Ryan
Executive DIrector
Friends of the Middlesex Fells Reservation

The Friends of the Middlesex Fells is an extremely poorly named organization. Their actions, rather than protecting this resource, have only degraded trail conditions and escalated user conflict at this popular urban park. Their transgressions include, but are not limited to the following * They have engaged in poor trail maintenance practices, increasing erosion, ruining aesthetics, and creating dangerous situations including holes in the middle of the trail that could seriously injure a runner or biker. *They have applied political pressure to maintain the inequitable trail policies at the Fells and prevent needed maintenance from going forward. *They have used deception and political pressure to prevent events that promote healthy outdoor lifestyles for children from occurring at the Fells.