TONIGHT ON CHRONICLE.
♪ >> BOSTONIANS HAVE PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE NATURE.
NO CITY RESIDENT IS MORE THAN A 10 MINUTE WALK AWAY FROM A PARK.
IT IS A MAJOR MILESTONE BOSTON MARKET IN 2018, BECOMING THE SECOND MAJOR U.S. CITY TO DO SO.
>> WHY DON’T YOU LEAD THE WAY?
>> LET’S GO.
>> SOME OF BOSTON’S PARTS LIKE SHARONWOODS ARE PART OF A CITY PROGRAM CALLED URBAN WILDS.
>> IT REPRESENTS AREAS SCATTERED THROUGHOUT THE CITY IN DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS AND THESE ARE SITES THAT ARE AS SMALL AS ONE TO TWO ACRES UP TO 100 ACRES.
>> PAUL IS THE PROGRAMS MANAGER.
>> THEY ARE ACCESSIBLE, THESE ARE AREAS PEOPLE CAN GO TO WALK, TO OBSERVE NATURE, OR JUST TO RELAX AND SEEK SOLACE.
I THINK THAT IS IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY NOW.
>> SHARON STREET WOODS IS ONE OF 30 CITY SITES ACQUIRED OVER THE PAST HALF-CENTURY AND RECENTLY, REHABILITATED WITH A MIX OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE FUNDS.
>> WE CAN’T TOWARD THIS AREA INTO THE SHAPE OF A MEADOW.
>> THIS SITE INCLUDES A ROCKCLIMBING STATION AND SCENIC OVERLOOK EATING.
WHY IN THE MIDST OF THIS PANDEMIC DO YOU THINK IT IS IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE ACCESS TO THIS KIND OF NATURAL ENVIRONMENT?
>> THERE IS A LINK NOT JUST WITH PHYSICAL HEALTH BUT MENTAL HEALTH AND BEING IN NATURE.
WE HAVE SEEN HIGHER VISITATION AT THESE SITES THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND THEY ARE GREAT BECAUSE WHERE SOME OF THE FORMAL PARTS ARE CROWDED, THESE SITES HAVE GIVEN PEOPLE AN OPPORTUNITY TO
SEE OTHER AREAS THAT ARE LESS MANICURED BUT VERY PEACEFUL.
>> THE CITY IS TRYING TO ATTRACT MORE NEIGHBORS WITH INVITING ENTRANCES, IMPROVED SIDELINES, AND GENTLE TERRAIN.
IT IS NOT JUST HUMANS WHO BENEFIT FROM THESE REFUGES.
URBAN WILDS ARE HOME TO ANIMALS AND NATIVE PLANTS THAT HELP PRESERVE THE ECOSYSTEM BY STORING FLOODWATER, PRODUCING OXYGEN, AND FILTERING STORM WATER.
>> COME OUT AND EXPLORE AND PEOPLE DON’T HAVE TO PAY FEES, IT IS SOMETHING THEY CAN WALK DOWN THE STREET AND HERE YOU ARE.
♪ >> IF YOU PREFER YOUR PATHS PAVED, MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION AS 36 MILES TO CHOOSE FROM IN THE BOSTON METRO AREA.
>> MR. BAXTER HAD THIS VISION IN THE LATE 1800S WITH REGARDS -- THEY REALIZED THIS WAS A VALUABLE RESOURCE FOR PEOPLE TO CONNECT PEOPLE WITH NATURE.
>> STELLA IS THE GREEN RAISE AND TRAILS PLANNER.
>> THREE WAYS CAN BE DEFINED AS LINEAR CHOROI DOORS WHICH PROTECT CULTURAL RESOURCES, NATURAL RESOURCES, AND HISTORICAL RESOURCES.
>> ONE OF THEM IS A SEVEN MILE STRETCH FROM THE MARTINI MEMORIAL TO TENNY AND BEACH AND DORCHESTER.
>> IT CONNECTS SEVERAL COMMUNITIES.
HYDE PARK, MATTAPAN, DORCHESTER, EVEN QUINCY.
IT GIVES THESE PEOPLE A SENSE OF COMMUNITY, THEY GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER IN A WAY THEY WOULD NORMALLY NOT HAVE.
>> IT’S AS TAKEN DECADES TO CONNECT THESE COMMUNITIES IN THE STATE HOPES TO CONTINUE, EVENTUALLY LINKING THE NEPONSET TO THE CHARLES AND THE MYSTIC RESERVATION.
>> THE MANY CONNECTIONS ARE DIFFICULT AND EXPENSIVE TO BUILD.
>> UNTIL THEN, THERE IS PLENTY OF PATH TO WALK, RIDE, OR RACE.
>> THE TRAILS ARE ADA COMPLIANT AND WIDE ENOUGH THAT A FAMILY CAN GO FOR A BIKE RIDE.
>> TO MAINTAIN THAT SAFETY, THERE ARE RULES EVEN THOUGH YOU ARE OFF-ROAD.
>> WE ALL GO ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE OF THE ROAD, YOU SHOULD ALWAYS BE AWARE -- I KNOW PEOPLE LIKE YOU PUT EARBUDS ON, I WOULD SUGGEST KEEPING ONE OFF.
>> ALONG THE PATH, THERE IS A SPRAY DECK FOR KIDS TO SPLASH ON, A BOAT LAUNCH, AND SHADY TRADES -- TREES.
>> WE KNOW NATURE AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY DOES A LOT FOR YOUR GENTLE -- YOUR GENERAL WELL-BEING.
>> A NATURAL SOURCE OF SERENITY.
>> THESE RIVERS ARE MIGRATION ROUTES FOR BIRDS.
SOMETIMES WE HAVE DEER.
THESE CORE DOORS PROVIDE HABITAT ACTIVITY FOR WILDLIFE.
THE DIVERSITY OF THE LANDSCAPE IS CRITICAL RESOURCE FOR US TO PROTECTS.
♪ >> IF YOU’D RATHER BEACH IT THAN BIKE IT, THERE ARE PLENTY OF OPTIONS.
THE STATE’S DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION AND RECREATION ALSO MANAGES SEVEN BEACHES IN BOSTON.
AND IF YOU’RE LOOKING TO EXPLORE ALL THE CITY PARKS IN BOSTON, THERE’S A FUN GAME FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY TO PLAY -- PARKS BINGO.
JUST GO TO THE PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT’S WEBSITE TO DOWNLOAD YOUR SHEET AND START PLAYING.
COMING UP, AFTER A STORE F