North Region Coastal District Belle Isle Marsh Reservation
Winter Programs at DCR’s Belle Isle Marsh Reservation in East Boston have been listed.
All programs are free and open to the public. An adult must accompany children. Reasonable accommodations available upon request. Please follow all current COVID guidelines: Mass.gov/COVID. Dress for the weather including possible ice on the ground. Programs are cancelled during inclement weather. For more information call (781) 656-1485 or email [email protected]
If you would like to receive regular emails about our current program schedule, please send an email message to [email protected].
An Oasis For Birds
7:30 am–8:30 am
Saturdays, Dec. 17, Jan. 7 & 21, Feb. 4 & 18
Explore DCR’s Belle Isle Marsh and vicinity, known birding hotspots with a total yearly bird count of about 265 species. We will search for Snowy owls, other raptors, native sparrows, finches, and waterfowl. Expect to move to different locations by car or on foot. Appropriate for adults and teens. Dress for the weather including possible ice on the ground. Programs are cancelled during inclement weather. Co-sponsored by the Brookline Bird Club and the Friends of Belle Isle Marsh. Meet at DCR’s Belle Isle Marsh Reservation parking lot, 1399 Bennington Street, East Boston [BB(1] [N(2] [BB(3] [N(4].
Note that this program meets every month of the year on the 1st & 3rd Saturday of the month except when the Saturday is a state or national holiday.
Winter Wildlife Detectives
9:00 am—10:00 am
Saturdays, Dec. 10, Jan. 14, Feb. 11 & 25
Wednesday, Feb. 22
Can you imagine living outside the entire winter like the coyotes do at Belle Isle Marsh in East Boston? Join a DCR Park Interpreter as we explore the trails of the marsh searching for signs (tracks, scat and chews) left by the wild creatures that are active during the winter. Appropriate for all ages. Dress for the weather including possible ice on the ground. Programs are cancelled during inclement weather. Co-sponsored by the Friends of Belle Isle Marsh. Meet at DCR’s Belle Isle Marsh Reservation parking lot, 1399 Bennington Street, East Boston [BB(5].
The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), an agency of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, oversees nearly 500,000 acres of parks and forests, beaches, bike trails, watersheds, dams, and parkways. Led by DCR Commissioner Doug Rice, the agency’s mission is to protect, promote, and enhance our commonwealth of natural, cultural, and recreational resources. To learn more about DCR, our facilities, and our programs, please visit www.mass.gov/dcr.
Assisted Living Locators Urges Adult Children To Have Long Term Care Plan
The holiday season is a time of giving and sharing special moments with your family. As you decorate the tree and bake those cookies, don’t forget about an important gift you can give to your aging parent – the gift of a long-term care plan.
Assisted Living Locators Boston, a local senior placement and referral service, is urging adult children to have a very merry … long term care plan to make sure their parents have personalized care and support when they need it.
As parents get older, many will turn to their adult children to help them in the next steps of senior living. Many of these adult children live an average of 450 miles from their parents and are having to assume the role of a long-distance caregiver. According to the National Center on Caregiving, approximately 5 to 7 million adult children in the U.S. are long-distance caregivers.
Assisted Living Locators Boston Vice President of Placement and Aging Strategy John Moniz, a Marshfield resident, stated that adult children, especially those who are long distance caregivers, should use the holiday season as an opportunity to assess the current lifestyle of aging parents and evaluate what can be improved to strengthen their loved one’s health and happiness. “No matter what stage of life your parents are in, talking about long term care and creating a plan now for the future can help them live their life on their own terms,†he explained.
“Assisted Living Locators is a free service that can help you explore and understand elder care options,†said Moniz. “Our senior care advisors meet with each family to learn about their loved one’s needs, living conditions, and personal preferences in order to build a care plan.â€
He noted that Assisted Living Locators website also offers an easy-to-use Assessment Tool that can quickly give one insight if it’s time to find a new environment and appropriate senior housing for your aging parent.
Moniz advises adult children to set these long-term planning goals in 2023:
1) Prepare and gather essential medical and financial documents for their aging loved one
2) Make a plan for paying for long-term care
3) Connect with the right kind of support and resources.