JUNE 2025 PROGRAMS
at Fresh Pond Reservation
Offered by the Cambridge Water Department
Events at Fresh Pond Reservation are FREE and open to the public. Children are welcome in the company of an adult.
If registration is required, you will receive information on parking when you register. Registration information is in program announcements.
Fresh Pond Stewards (Ongoing Volunteer Opportunity)
Every Thursday
10:00am to 12:00 noon
Meets at the Volunteer Tool Trailer (between the first parking lot and the Reservior)
250 Fresh Pond Parkway
Fresh Pond Reservation, Cambridge
April through October, give back to the place you love by becoming one of our volunteer weed warriors! This is a weekly, open opportunity to volunteer. We have the tools, we have the training, we just need the hands! Every week is a different target area and a different task depending on the natural calendar’s seasonal needs. Help us remove invasive plants, restore trails, or plant some trees. Come once, or come every week! For more information contact Ranger Omar at omejia@cambridgeMA.gov
Do you have a dedicated group of 10-25 people with at least 1.5-3 hours to give? Reach out to Ranger Tim at tpuopolo@cambridgeMA.gov to schedule a “Day of Service” group volunteer opportunity.
Pollinator Biodiversity and Climate Citizen Science
(Volunteer Opportunity)
Every Monday
2:00 to 3:30 pm
Meets at the Lusitania Meadow (trail map here: https://bit.ly/2G1b3DE)
250 Fresh Pond Parkway
Fresh Pond Reservation, Cambridge
Calling all humans! You can make a difference in our collective understanding of biodiversity and conservation. We visit the Fresh Pond sites and monitor biodiversity (especially insects and birds, but also amphibians, plants, fungi), and phenology (both flora and fauna) on a weekly basis throughout the seasons. Don't hesitate to join, but do tell us, so that we can communicate what to bring, or last-minute schedule changes (contact us citizenscience@earthwiseaware.org).
Come and shadow this work, and if you want to collect real data used by climate scientists attend a free training session! ( 6/11 here at Fresh Pond, but check out the Earthwise Aware calendar for more!)
Future CWD tour dates in 2025: July7, August 4, September 8, October 6, November 3
Walter J. Sullivan Water Purification Facility Tour
Monday, June 2
6:00 to 7:30 pm
Meets at Front Door of the Water Treatment Plant
250 Fresh Pond Parkway
Fresh Pond Reservation, Cambridge
Come learn how the Cambridge Water Department purifies drinking water for your tap after it’s conveyed from nearby Fresh Pond into our facility. You’ll have the chance to speak with water treatment staff, see the equipment in action and check out our water quality lab! For more information, contact Ranger Tim at (617) 349-6489 or tpuopolo@cambridgeMA.gov. Please call ahead if coming with a large group (10+)
Fresh Pond Nature Walk
(Collins Branch Library)
Wednesday, June 4
10:15 to 11:30 am
Meets: at the Collins Branch Library
64 Aberdeen Avenue
Cambridge
Join us for a relaxing walk of Fresh Pond with Ranger Tim! No two weeks are the same in nature, and Tim will share his insights about what's growing, changing, and blooming in the neighborhood. This walk will meet in the courtyard of the Collins Branch (64 Aberdeen Ave. [Now reopened!]), and we leave together towards the Pond at 10:15am. This is a spring/summer weather walk so clothing for the weather at hand is suggested. For more information or with any questions, please contact Michael at mroberson@cambridgeMA.gov.
You can find a link to register for the walk here. Registration is required for this event.
Lets Go Bugging! Pollinator Survey Workshop
Wednesday, June 11
4:00 to 6:00 pm
Meets on-site at the Lusitania Meadow
Do you enjoy the wildflowers of urban parks or your own garden? Ever wonder which types of pollinators also enjoy them? Join participatory scientists from Earthwise Aware (EwA) and Ranger Tim at Lusitania Meadow to learn how you can help document arthropod activity around Fresh Pond and in your neighborhood
What to Expect: Spend part of your afternoon with us in the meadow, learning how to identify arthropods and their host plants. Discover how to document their activity, length, abundance, and developmental stage. Use our mobile app, EwA Buggy, to record your findings. Make sure to register ahead of time by installing Anecdata (our host platform) and joining the EwA Buggy project (instructions). More information here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lets-go-bugging-pollinator-survey-workshop-tickets-978283842307
FRESH POND DAY 2025!
Saturday, June 14
11:00 am to 3:00 pm
250 Fresh Pond Parkway
Fresh Pond Reservation, Cambridge
Stop by for a day of fun in the sun at the Cambridge Water Department’s annual celebration of water, community, and sustainability. Come for live music, tours, live animals, exhibits, popcorn, touch-a-truck, interactive activities, and more!
Let’s celebrate our local drinking water supply!
*Rain Cancels*
Please note: due to the scope of this open-air festival, our parking lots will be closed during the duration of this event. Attendees are recommended to either find alternative transportation or to walk from nearby Danehy Park (~0.6mi).
Fascinating Fungi of Fresh Pond
with Dr. Larry Millman
Monday, June 16
2:00 to 3:30 pm
Meets at the Ranger Station (by the clock tower facing the water)
250 Fresh Pond Parkway
Fresh Pond Reservation, Cambridge
Join mycologist Larry Millman for a fungal walk at Fresh Pond. The focus of the walk will be on fungal ecology, not edibility. Dr. Millman has documented 381 different fungal species at Fresh Pond, and — who knows? — you might find #382 during this walk! Please bring a hand lens if you have one and a sense of curiosity!
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and other information about Fresh Pond Reservation
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***THE RESERVATION IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC FROM DAWN TO DUSK!***
The Ranger Station and public restrooms are now open from 7 am to 7 pm. In addition, portable restrooms are available in the parking lots.
For questions about Friends of Fresh Pond Reservation, send an email to friendsoffreshpond@yahoo.com
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MEMBERSHIPS AND DONATIONS
Although Friends of Fresh Pond Reservation is an all-volunteer organization, we do rely on contributions for some of our activities. These include paying professionals to lead special programs, maintaining this website, and buying supplies for our conservation work on the Reservation.
Membership fees are $10 per year, retroactive to January 1. If you would like to join us, please mail a check made out to Friends of Fresh Pond Reservation to the address below. If you care to make an additional donation, we thank you, and promise to put it to good use.
Friends of Fresh Pond Reservation
31 Mount Pleasant Street
Cambridge MA 02140-2613
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Also, check out the Recycling Division's Website
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