Hingham Conservation Department Encourages Residents to Safely Spend Time Outside and Explore Open Spaces This Summer
The Hingham Conservation Department is excited to share a new open space exploration resource developed by the Hingham Land Conservation Trust (HLCT).
To celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2022, HLCT developed 50 Walks, an interactive webpage that enables users to filter and sort types of walks based on preferences. Users can filter walks by route type, difficulty, length, and trail activity (walking, hiking, running, and biking).
Hingham has over 3,000 acres of open space accessible to the public. These open spaces include land managed by the Select Board, Conservation Commission, Hingham Land Conservation Trust, MA Department of Conservation and Recreation, and Trustees of the Reservation.
Residents can find more information about Hingham open spaces on the Conservation Commission’s webpage, or by visiting the HLCT’s newly revamped Hingham Parklands for the Public Map.
Residents who spend time exploring any of the thousands of acres of open space in Hingham should keep the following safety tips in mind:
- Practice tick safety by wearing light-colored long sleeves and pants, staying on trails, and always doing a tick check after exploring open spaces.
- Identify and avoid poison ivy. Each poison ivy leaf has three glossy leaflets, with smooth or toothed edges. Leaves are reddish in spring, green in summer, and yellow, orange or red in fall.
- Prevent heat-related illness by staying hydrated, planning lower-impact outdoor activities during hot days, and monitoring yourself and others at risk of heat-related illness.
- Be alert for and report invasive species, like the Spotted Lanternfly. Invasive plants and invasive animals are damaging Massachusetts’ local ecosystems by outcompeting native species. Report invasive species sightings to the MA Introduced Pests Outreach Program or by contacting the Conservation Department at conservation@hingham-ma.gov.
Residents can contact the Conservation Department at 781-741-1445 or conservation@hingham-ma.gov with any questions.