Fresh Pond Reservation Newsletter
June 2026
| Cambridge's Fresh Pond Reservation is in full bloom! Stay in the know regarding all our events including walks, runs, educational activities, and other relevant Cambridge events. This newsletter is brought to you by the Cambridge Water Department's Rangers Amanda and Omar. | | | | |
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Saturday, June 13th
11:00am-3:00pm
250 Fresh Pond Parkway
Fresh Pond Day is the Cambridge Water Department's annual festival-style celebration of our local drinking water. The day is complete with entertainment, tours, activities, giveaways, and more! It is free and open to the public!
What can you expect?
- Live music all day- Trail Mix (Folk and Americana) from 11-1 p.m. and The Grüvmeiners Brass Band from 1-2:45 p.m.
- Open house of the Water Treatment Plant
- Live animal exhibit from the Cape Ann Vernal Pond Team
- Touch-a-Truck with the Water Dept. and Fire Dept.
- Free popcorn and reusable water bottles
- Kids crafts and games
- Info tables and giveaways from various City Departments and local organizations
- ... and fun in the sun!
We hope to see you there.
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| 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. | | | | |
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| Walter J. Sullivan Water Purification Facility Tour | |
250 Fresh Pond Pkwy
Monday, June 1st
6:00-7:30pm
Meets at the Water Treatment Plant Front Door
Come learn how the 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 or to book a private tour, please visit our website. Please call ahead if coming with a large group. See all of the 2026 tour dates on the flyer above. | | | | |
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Collins Branch Library
Monday, June 29th
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.
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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.
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Thursdays through fall
10:00am-12:00 noon
Meets at the Tool Trailer outside the Ranger Station
250 Fresh Pond Pkwy
May 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.
| | | Currently, we are making a big effort to pull as much Garlic Mustard as we can before the seeds disperse. The Black Swallowwort has also reared its ugly head. Help us remove invasive plants, restore trails, or plant some trees. Come once, or come every week! Contact omejia@cambridgema.gov with questions. | | |
Wednesday, June 24
10:30 AM 12:00 PM
Meets at the Ranger Station
250 Fresh Pond Pkwy
Join us for our next monthly "Mindful Mosey" series at the beautiful Fresh Pond Reservation. Guided by Stefanie Haug, mindful nature guide, and Ranger Amanda, this event is a perfect chance to explore nature, soak in the spring vibes, and connect with other earth lovers.
Together we’ll breathe deeply, slow down, and notice the world around us, with quiet walking and moments of shared reflection. Suitable for everyone with accommodations always possible. This is a monthly walking series.
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Summer Reading:
Fresh Pond Wild Edibles Walk with Russ Cohen
Thursday, July 9,
5:00-7:30 p.m.
Meets at the Ranger Station
250 Fresh Pond Pkwy
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Cambridge is home to over 80 species of edible wild plants, some of which are more nutritious and/or flavorful than their cultivated counterparts. These include native species like Fox Grape and Shagbark Hickory; non-native weeds like Chicory and Burdock; and invasive species like Japanese Knotweed and Autumn Olive. Join expert forager Russ Cohen on a 2.5 hour ramble around Fresh Pond to learn about over two dozen species of edible wild plants.
Please note that this program is for educational purposes only, and foraging or taking of any kind is not allowed at Fresh Pond Reservation.
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The Moth Ball
Wednesday, July 22
7:00-10:30pm
Kingsley Park Lawn
250 Fresh Pond Pkwy
Come and be dazzled by the extraordinary nighttime creatures known as Moths. Marvel at their mysterious habits, coloration, and special place in our ecology as you learn how to attract and ID moths. As part of National Moth Week, we will be exploring these fascinating woodland insects up close and share the data and photos we collect with researchers. If you are interested in insects, butterflies, moths or the wildlife of Cambridge, if you like nature or nighttime, this event is for you.
Photographers interested in creative moth portraits are especially encouraged to attend. Festivities include a talk by a local moth expert, moth lures, live moths, and more resources!
The is a collaboration with The Boston Birding Festival, Earthwise Aware, Native Plant Community Gardeners, Mystic Charles Pollinator Pathways Group, Biodiversity Builders, and Green Cambridge. More info on the event webpage.
Mythical/Mothical attire recommended!
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News from the reservation | | Restoration efforts at Black's Nook | The Fayerweather Street School Pre-K students have grown Ostrich ferns all year long for planting at Black's Nook in order to re-vegetate an area that has been trampled. The helpers are pictured below alongside Ranger Amanda and Groundskeeper Liam. Give Plants a Chance! | |
The Buoys Are Back In Town!
Is it a boat? Is it a buoy? It’s a probe!
Many visitors looking out on the reservoir might have noticed the return of a small device on the water across from the Water Department. This “probe” is a small water-sampling robot powered by a solar panel that sits on Fresh Pond in collaboration with the USGS.
What is it doing? Using a light fluorometer, it is measuring Phycocyanins (AKA cyanobacteria, AKA blue-green algae) near the water’s surface and broadcasting its data live. This probe is one of thousands as part of a nationwide study, and we get to reap the informational benefits of hosting one of the many locations here at Fresh Pond! Below are the Water Department's Watershed staff launching the probe in collaboration with USGS.
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Junior Golf Program at Fresh Pond Golf Course.
Cambridge Recreation offers a Junior Golf Program for Cambridge residents ages 7 - 16 years old. The program runs on Tuesdays from 8:45 - 11:45 a.m. at Fresh Pond Golf Course during summer months.
Each session consists of an hour of golf practice with instruction and two hours on the golf course with supervision. Participants do not need their own equipment; golf clubs can be provided. It is not required to attend every week of the program. Contact: Tom Cusick, tcusick@cambridgema.gov
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Spraying poison ivy with organic salt spray.
You may have noticed all winter long our staff worked hard to cut down all the poison ivy off the fence lines manually.
We have gone even further with our PI control measures this year and have done spot manual removal of large plants, as well as multiple applications of Adios organic salt spray to the leaves.
There are plans in place to manually cut it while leaves are active, which is very dangerous. Don't do this at home, kids!
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Alum Treatment in Little Fresh Pond
In order to pull nutrients out of the water column and control harmful algal blooms (HABs), Little Fresh Pond (AKA the dog beach) was treated with polyaluminum chloride (PAC) in May. This will result in a healthier ecosystem & will not harm the biota (or the dogs).
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This is a part of a long term plan to control aquatic vegetation and water quality in the pond, and will occur yearly in the future.
Although isolated from the drinking water supply, Water Department staff sample the three reservation ponds (Black's Nook, North Pond, and Little Fresh Pond) quarterly in dry weather to track pond health and compare results to MA Class B ambient water quality standards. During the summer, staff also check for signs of HABs and will close the pond if one is detected.
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Severe Drought Warning
Cambridge is currently in Level 3 – Critical Drought
Minimize overall water use;
- Stop all non-essential outdoor watering;
- Monitor total household water use shown on your water bill for sudden increases, which often indicate leaks.
- Use the MA Home Water Use Calculator tool to evaluate household water use;
- Using dye tabs to check for toilet leaks
- Use dishwashers rather than handwashing dishes. Run the dishwasher only on a full load;
Aggressively reduce indoor water use by:
- Taking showers and avoiding baths
- Reducing shower length and consider using a shower timer
- Running washing machines only on a full load
- Not letting water run while brushing and shaving
- Replacing old fixtures and appliances with water-efficient ones. Make sure toilets, faucets, and showerheads are WaterSense labeled
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Water Main Gets New Bling
You may have noticed a leak on the water main along Huron Ave that was temporarily patched over winter. This brace (pictured left) is the permanent solution found for this leak, applying pressure to either side to seal the pipe.
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What is all that spit on the plants? No, it's not runners spitting off to the side (yuck). This is a camouflage made by a critter called a spittlebug! He sucks plant sap out, excretes it, and blows bubbles into it to make this hideout. Inside, this adorable green guy is hiding! | | Nature's ultimate pest control: the American Toad! These toads are incredible amphibians famous for their gardening prowess. One American toad can eat up to 1,000 insects every day. They even eat ticks! This little guy may be to thank for The CPHD's 2026 Tick Survey results that yielded 0 ticks at Fresh Pond! For reference, 1 adult female dog tick and 1 Lone Star tick were reported at Danehy Park, and one male deer tick was found via survey at Blair Pond. Keeping our ecosystem diverse and healthy is naturally the best pest control. | |
Baby Season
If you care, leave them there! If you find a baby animal alone, it is likely just fine, and mother is foraging close by. If you believe it to be abandoned, contact a Ranger or Licensed Wildlife Rehabilitator. Wildlife have fleas, mites, ticks, and carry other zoonotic diseases that you can contract.
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Garlic Mustard
Garlic Mustard is an invasive plant brought over by settlers in the 1800's as a food crop - a poor man's garlic. It has since spread far and wide, and produces chemicals that suppress other plants around it, generating vast monocultures. We only have about a week's time left to pull it at Fresh Pond before the seed pods mature.
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Leave No Trace Principle 7:
Be Considerate of Others
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One of the most important components of outdoor ethics is to maintain courtesy toward others. It helps everyone enjoy their outdoor experience.
Excessive noise, uncontrolled pets, and damaged surroundings detract from the natural appeal of the outdoors. Being considerate of others ensures everyone can enjoy nature no matter how they interact with it.
The Basics:
- Respect others and protect the quality of their experience.
- Be courteous. Yield to other users on the trail.
- Bikers and runners notify walkers of passing
- Let nature’s sounds prevail. Avoid loud voices and noises.
Pets in the great outdoors:
- Some visitors may fear pets, be uncomfortable around them, or have allergies. Keep pets under control at all times to ensure the safety and comfort of other visitors.
- Please pick up dog feces. Pet waste can contaminate water and harm wildlife.
- Some areas prohibit dogs or require them to always be on a leash. Leashes help keep pets on the trail, minimize wildlife encounters, allow owners to easily find their waste, and control them around other pets and people.
Recently, a fawn passed away on the Reservation, thought to have been attacked by a dog. If you do not have eyes on your dog or complete vocal command over them, please keep them on a leash.
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You don’t want to hear the story
of my life, and anyway
I don’t want to tell it, I want to listen
to the enormous waterfalls of the sun.
And anyway it’s the same old story –
a few people just trying,
one way or another,
to survive.
Mostly, I want to be kind.
Mary Oliver, Dogfish
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