Department of Conservation and Recreation

The number of drownings is on the rise in Massachusetts, so officials are encouraging people to stay safe in the water — and offering more money to lifeguards in hopes of hiring more of them.

As Boston enters the fourth day of a sweltering heat wave Tuesday, the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation is opening their spray decks to offer people another way to cool down. DCR, which manages state parks, extended the hours of operation at the spray decks, where people can run through or stand in water fountains free of charge. The…

As Boston enters the fourth day of a sweltering heat wave Tuesday, the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation is opening their spray decks to offer people another way to cool down.

A 29-year-old man in Clinton was found unresponsive in the water around the Wachusett Dam, authorities say. Rangers from the Department of Conservation and Recreation pulled the man from the water around 8 p.m. Friday night, performing CPR until paramedics got to the site. The victim was then brought to Clinton Hospital, according to Massachusetts State Police. His current condition…

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker held a press conference Friday with a special guest — former New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski. The reason for the press conference was to announce a $1.2 million donation from Gronkowski and the Gronk Nation Youth Foundation to fund a full renovation of the Charlesbank Playground, located in the state Department of Conservation and…

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker held a press conference Friday with former New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski to announce a $1.2 million donation from Gronkowski and the Gronk Nation Youth Foundation to fund a full renovation of the Charlesbank Playground, located in the state Department of Conservation and Recreation’s Charles River Reservation Esplanade.

The new playground will modernize the existing playscape and bring more accessible equipment to ensure that kids of all levels and abilities can enjoy the space.

Another Massachusetts beach is reducing its parking capacity to 50% over concerns of overcrowding and as the town now finds itself in the state’s new coronavirus “red zone.” The parking capacity at Nantasket Beach State Reservation in Hull will be reduced until further notice, the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation announced Friday. The announcement comes two days after Hull…

There are new parking restrictions at the popular Nantasket Beach in Hull in an effort to prevent the coronavirus from spreading.

Swimmers in Massachusetts are being warned about large jellyfish that have been spotted off the state’s coast. The Hingham Harbormaster issued a warning Sunday saying numerous lion’s mane jellyfish had been seen in the town’s inner and outer harbor over the weekend. At least one resident has been stung but did not require medical treatment, the warning said. The...

Swimmers and beach-goers are being warned about lion’s mane jellyfish, the largest known variety, that have been spotted off the coast.

State parks officials are welcoming people to the state’s open lands amid the stay-at-home order in place in Massachusetts, just not in great numbers, and at 10 a.m. Saturday, the first park of the day was temporarily closed. The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Reservation announced the closure of the parking areas at Walden Pond State Reservation, due to...

Today: Mostly sunny. Breezy at times. Highs in the 60s near the coast, 70s inland.
Tonight: Mainly clear. Lows in the 40s.
Sunday: Bright sun to afternoon clouds. Highs in the 60s to around 70.

The first Saturday of May finally brought spring weather to Massachusetts, drawing people out of their homes for a breath of fresh air amid the stay-at-home advisory. But they filled up state parks, prompting authorities to close at least five of them temporarily Saturday afternoon. Two had to be closed twice: Concord’s Walden Pond State Reservation and Princeton’s Wachusett...

The sun brought dozens of people out on Saturday to Massachusetts state parks, forcing several of them to close for a couple of hours.

oday (Saturday): Gorgeous. Bright sun and breezy. Highs in the 60s to around 70. Tonight: Mostly cloudy. Showers arrive late. Lows in the 40s and 50s. Sunday: AM showers, then a blend of clouds and sun . Highs in the 70s.

Three homes in the Berkshires were damaged in fires that state officials believe are connected and suspicious. The Massachusetts Department of Fire Services said Sunday night that the three houses were found burning on West Road in Mount Washington earlier in the day. Two of the houses are owned by the Department of Conservation and Recreation. Both were destroyed. The…

Plans are in the works to redevelop one of the largest islands in Boston Harbor, but advocates need your help. Peddocks Island, which sits just off of Hull, currently draws a small number of visitors. There are yurts on the island, as well as an old chapel and fort. Part of the movie “Shutter Island” was filmed there several years…