Public Programming

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Our monthly E-mail newsletter includes information about upcoming events, news, and what's going on in nature right now, brought to you by the Friends of Fresh Pond Reservation and the Cambridge Water Department.

Special Events:

Fantastic Fungi

Sunday, October 18th

2:00PM-4:00PM

Join expert mycologist Lawrence Millman in a walk around Fresh Pond to find and identify mushrooms. In the last 20 years, he has documented 399 fungal species at Fresh Pond. Perhaps you will be the lucky one to find #400! Meets at the ranger station. Registration is required and caps at 15 register now at Fresh Pond Event Registration. This walk is sponsored by the Friends of Fresh Pond Reservation. contact: Agarms@cambridgema.gov

Cycle to the Source

Saturday, September 26, 2026

8:30 AM to 4 PM

Join us for the 13th annual Cycle to the Source watershed bicycle tour! This 32-mile ride will be held on Saturday, September 26, 2026 from 8:30 AM to 4 PM. The rain date is Sunday, September 27, 2026. For safety reasons, this is an adults-only event. Registration is limited to 40 people. Priority will be given to Cambridge residents and first-time participants. While this is a free event, you must bring a bicycle that is safe to ride. Registration is required and fills quickly. Register here.

Fresh Pond Ducks and Such
7:00-9:30am

Saturday, September 26

Meets at the Ranger Station

250 Fresh Pond Pkwy

Meets at the lower parking lot

Join us for a some early fall birding led by Mari Badger, founder and director of the Boston Birding Festival. For centuries, Fresh Pond has been a haven for migrating birds. And its ducks have been the stars of that show...September is the month when the ducks return to Fresh Pond in Cambridge, and for centuries, Fresh Pond's ducks have drawn their enthusiasts. We'll take our time and walk the loop to see who's flown in. We'll also look for straggling migrants and resident birds. Registration is limited to 15, so don't miss this chance to meet other birders and learn the best birding spots around the Reservation! Register here!

Advisory Board Meeting
September 17th, 2026

6:00pm-8:00pm

250 Fresh Pond Pkwy

Meet at the Water Treatment Plant Upstairs Conference Room

OR Remote Via Microsoft Teams

This meeting will discuss execution of the Master Plan at Fresh Pond Reservation. For full agenda and Microsoft Teams meeting link, visit cambridgema.gov.

Recurring Events:

Fresh Pond Nature Walk
Collins Branch Library
Monthly
September 16th, 10:15 to 11:30 am
Meets at the Ranger Station
250 Fresh Pond Pkwy

Join us for a short walk of Fresh Pond Reservation with Ranger Amanda Garms and Library Associate Michael Roberson. We will observe seasonal changes in our environment, enjoy the fresh air, and get some exercise in nature. This walk is not on a paved path. We will walk on uneven terrain, down hills, and over roots. The meeting location for this walk will be at the Fresh Pond Ranger Station at 250 Fresh Pond Parkway. Registration is required for this event. Register here: https://cambridgepl.libcal.com/calendar/publicevents

Mindful Mosey
Monthly on Wednesdays
Wednesday, September 23 &
Wednesday, October 21
10:30 AM 12:00 PM
Meets at the Ranger Station
250 Fresh Pond Pkwy

Come join Stefanie Haug, LICSW and local nature guide and Ranger Amanda Garms as we connect with the people and green spaces around Fresh Pond Reservation. With the City of Cambridge's Meet Your Neighbor initiative as inspiration, we will explore what it means to be a neighbor not only to one another, but to the trees, birds, waters, and landscapes that surround us. Through mindful offerings and nature highlights, shared experiences, and time outdoors, we’ll create space to connect with nature and with one another. Meets outside the ranger station at 250 Fresh Pond Parkway, Cambridge MA. Register here: Fresh Pond Event Registration

Ongoing Volunteer Opportunity: Garden Work Date
250 Fresh Pond Pkwy
Tuesdays through Fall
10:00am-1:00pm
The Habitat Restoration Area off the perimeter road between the community gardens and Lusitania.

Come learn from expert naturalists how to restore our native communities by doing hands on work! Help transplant plants, weed invasives, mulch restoration areas, and learn about how a once invasive buckthorn forest has transformed into a native wildlife refuge in just over a decade. Started by the Friends of Fresh Pond in the late 2000's, the area has been transformed to a special hidden refuge and has been carefully curated ever since. Wear closed toed shoes & clothes ready to work in the garden! Drop by and stay for a bit or the whole time.

Fresh Pond Stewards (Volunteer Opportunity)

Every Thursday

10:00am to 12:00 noon

Meets at the Volunteer Tool Trailer (between the first parking lot and the reservoir)

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

Day of Service (Volunteer Opportunity)

Do you have a dedicated group of 10-25 people with at least 1.5-3 hours to give? Reach out to Ranger Amanda at agarms@cambridgeMA.gov to schedule a “Day of Service” group volunteer opportunity. Groom trails, manage invasive plants, and more!

Pollinator Biodiversity and Climate Citizen Science (Volunteer Opportunity)

Every Monday

10:00am to 11:30am

Meets on-site at the Lusitania Meadow (trail map here:https://bit.ly/2G1b3DE)

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! (Check out the Earthwise Aware calendar for training sessions and more!)

Walter J Sullivan Water Purification Facility Tour

First Monday of the Month

6:00pm to 7:30pm

Meets at the Water Treatment Plant (front door), 250 Fresh Pond Parkway

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, visit the Tour Information Page. Please call/email ahead if coming with a large or organized group.

2024

Water Treatment Plant Tours 2024 Flyer

July Events (Text Only Version)

Total Eclipse of the Park Flyer

2024 Monarch Butterfly Release Celebration

All programs are free and open to the public!

Contact: agarms@cambridgema.gov with any questions

Past Events (Archived):

2023

September 2023 Event Flyer

August 2023 Event Flyer

Monarch Release Flyer