Commonwealth Conversations: The Great Outdoors

DMF Seafood Recipes: Caruso Family Oysters Rockefeller

Elaine Brewer
Information and Education Coordinator, Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF)
View Elaines's Bio

Throughout this holiday season, we will be posting some favorite seafood recipes submitted by the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) staff. Check back each week for tasty holiday dish ideas!

The first recipe is brought to you by Paul Caruso, Senior Fisheries Biologist with DMF's Recreational Fisheries Project. A traditional appetizer for Thanksgiving and Christmas, the Caruso family harvests their own oysters for this tasty dish.

Ingredients:

1 dozen large, or 2 dozen small, oysters

4 slices of bacon

1 small/medium onion, finely diced

1 pound fresh or frozen spinach

½ - ¾ pint heavy cream

3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

1-2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce

~½ cup dry breadcrumbs

Salt and pepper to taste

Monterey Jack and Munster cheeses, grated, for garnish

Prepare:

Preheat oven to 375^oF

Shuck and drain oysters, leaving them in lower shell on a cookie sheet. Use crinkled aluminum foil or rock salt to keep shells level. Set aside.

Cook spinach in boiling water, 5 to 6 minutes, or until water turns green. Drain well and finely chop, set aside.

Cook bacon in a sauté pan until crispy. Remove from pan and set aside. Mince when cooled to touch.

Sauté onion in bacon fat until lightly browned.

Add spinach, minced bacon, heavy cream, parmesan cheese, Worcestershire Sauce, and salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes or until sauce is reduced. Take off heat, mix well, and add breadcrumbs until mixture is a pasty consistency.

Place heaping tablespoon of mixture on each oyster. Pat smooth with back of spoon if needed.

Top each oyster with grated Monterey Jack and Munster cheeses.

Bake in over until cheese is lightly browned.

Allow to cool, 2 to 3 minutes.

Enjoy as an appetizer or entrée!

Think Coastal, Act Global

Secretary Richard K. Sullivan Jr.

Secretary, Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs
Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs

View Secretary Sullivan's Bio

On October 11, 2012, the Boston skies were a brilliant blue, the temperatures hovered in the mid-60s, and the local weather forecast called for nothing but sun and blue skies all day long. For those wanting to extend summer, all signs pointed to a great beach day.  Or, as 215 students from the Josiah Quincy Upper School in Chinatown were about to find out, a great day for a beach cleanup - the 25th COASTSWEEP cleanup, to be exact. This annual state-wide cleanup organized by the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM) and UMass-Boston’s Urban Harbors Institute takes place at beaches and waterways all over the state during September and October.

 

Along with teachers and parent volunteers, the group combed the beach looking for things that did not belong on the shores. Call it marine debris or plain old trash, the kids collected and catalogued more than 100 pounds of man-made materials, including 406 beverage cans and bottles, 229 food wrappers/containers, random pieces of plastic and metal toys, some shotgun casings, and more than 350 smoking-related items (including cigar tips and cigarette butts, lighters, and packaging). In the “other” category, volunteers found an aluminum cane, a chop stick, broken toys, and two car tires.

 

Carson Beach is one of 186 Massachusetts cleanup spots. And, in addition to helping the beach look a whole lot prettier, the data collected during COASTSWEEP are used as part of a global effort—114 countries around the world participate—to learn more about the sources of marine debris to keep the shores of our beaches, oceans, lakes, streams, and rivers clean. Since 1987, the Ocean Conservancy has recorded every cigarette butt and grand piano that has been removed during the International Cleanup so that ocean managers and policy makers can make informed decisions. (For example, due to the large amount of plastic bags found during cleanups, Italy and San Francisco banned single-use plastic bags, and Ireland added a shopping bag tax that reduced bag use by 90 %.)

Lastly, as the old adage goes, when you go to the beach, take only pictures and leave only footprints. (In other words, please take your trash with you when you go and encourage others to do the same!)

   There is still time to get involved in a local COASTSWEEP cleanup—for a list of cleanups, check out COASTSWEEP2012 Cleanups. 

And for more facts about COASTSWEEP, check out CZM’s “25 Years of Sweeping the Shores of Marine Debris.”

Finding Your Favorite Fishing Spot

Tim Purinton

Director, Department of Fish and Game’s Division of Ecological Restoration

View Tim's Bio

The Great Outdoors Blog provides inspiration to go outside to visit Massachusetts farms, parks, and ponds. For example in previous posts I have encouraged you to visit Red Brook or Green River and explore our 10,000 miles of rivers and streams. But for now, selfishly, I want you to avoid the stream I’m about to describe.

Once you find a glorious trout water, the kind that is worthy of Trout Unlimited calendar or the glossy pages of the Fly Fishing Journal you start to get anxious about others knowing your secret and unexpectedly meeting you there.

The river as it tumbles over granite is clear as London Gin. The structure of the stream is a balance of deep-dark pools and long-lazy riffles, punctuated by thick submerged logs that hide rainbows. Hemlock shades the water keeping it cool even in the early September sun. The immediate river valley is undeveloped without a house, farm or road in sight or earshot.

We all know exceptional places that we feel inclined to share and speak volumes of; other places are so special that you want to keep them for yourself. What’s surprising is that stunning natural places can still be readily found in a densely developed and populated state like Massachusetts. So I encourage you to get out and find that spot so special you want absolutely nobody else to know about it.

Weekly outdoor events: The Harbor Islands!

Hannah Brunelle

Multimedia intern, Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA)

View Hannah's Bio

Are you looking for a getaway that's close to home but feels like an adventure? The natural, cultural and recreational resources available to the public make the Boston Harbor Islands a great getaway right here in Mass. Passenger Ferries to visit the islands are located at Long Wharf Boston, the Fore River Shipyard in Quincy, and Hingham Shipyard in Hingham.

View a map of the islands before you go to check out the ferry course. 

 

Spectacle

• This Thursday, join a ranger for a beginner kayak exploration off Spectacle’s shore! Take in the sun with a new perspective of Boston’s skyline and its waters. Space is limited!

Lovells

• Get some fun exercise at the Let’s Move Outside program. Join us on a new fitness program each day at 11 AM. Programs could be walking, stretching, swimming or yoga. Kids who complete at least two Let’s Move programs get a sticker!

Bumpkin

• This Thursday at 11am follow the clues as you hike the trails at Bumpkin Pursuit. You’ll collect letters along the way and that will lead you the final clue where you will complete the scavenger hunt. This ranger or self led program is geared towards families and children ages 9‐12. 
• Also on Thursday at 2pm and 12:30pm, learn the many uses of plants and how to identify them during the Wild Edibles and Medicinal Plants walk. 

Peddocks

• This Thursday at noon and Sunday at 1:30, bring the family to the Youth Fishing program. Learn the basics of saltwater fishing off the Spectacle pier with a ranger.  Learn about the fish species in the harbor and state fishing regulations. Bring your own equipment or use ours. Kids under 12 must be accompanied by an adult and 16 and older requires MA saltwater fishing license. 

Georges

• Come enjoy a Fort Tour everyday at 10:30, 12:30, 2:30, & 4:30. Explore a National Historic Landmark and learn more about prisoners that lived within its granite walls. Join a Park Ranger for an hour long tour of the fort and experience history.
• This weekend from noon-2pm, join a Civil War Soldier or Lady in the parade ground and let your kids play dress‐up Civil War style!  Kids will be able to put on clothes similar to those worn nearly 150 yrs ago and learn some history while doing it. 

Grape

• This Thursday at 11am, 2 and 5pm come paddle the islands on a free ranger‐led Kayak Tour of Hingham Bay! 

For more great events happening this and every week, check out our outdoors calendar for events near you. 

FIELD REPORT: Charles River Shad Restoration

Mark Albano

Social Media Intern, Department of Fish and Game

View Marks's Bio

Earlier this summer, I drove to the Charles River boat access ramp on Woerd Avenue in Waltham to watch the release of 500,000 American shad larvae, in the first of many stockings this year along the Charles. I was met by Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game (DFG) Commissioner Mary Griffin, Bob Zimmerman, Executive Director of the Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA), Deborah Rocque, Deputy Northeast Regional Director for the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and Matt Ayer from DFG's Division of Marine Fisheries. This was the first of shad stocking this year; officials plan to release three million larvae into the river as part of the American Shad Propagation Project.

Dozens of community members of all ages stopped by the access ramp to learn about the stocking. They were shown examples of the larvae’s brood or donor stock from the Merrimack River and Matt talked to them about the project’s history. Commissioner Griffin, Bob, Deborah and other members of USFWS also fielded questions concerning the project and its importance to the Charles River habitat.

The project, which was introduced in 2006 to the Charles, has already released approximately 13 million larvae. These larvae are marked with an antibiotic called oxytetracycline which stains the otoliths (the inner ear of the fish) with a permanent mark. American shad take five to six years to return from the ocean to the river of stocking origin, and so it is exciting to hear that some marked adults have begun returning to the Charles.

The shad is a type of herring, and one that is vital to the ecosystem of Massachusetts and the Charles River. While once native to the river, it had disappeared after the construction of dams and introduction of pollution into the river. With both improvements to water quality and the potential for dam removal we are expecting to see a vibrant shad community once again in the Charles.

It was really a fulfilling day and an important one for the environment. While Deborah pointed out that this type of, “conservation does not happen overnight,” it is great for DFG to be able to team up with such forward thinking groups like CRWA and agencies like USFWS for the long-term good of the ecosystem and Massachusetts. As a resident of Massachusetts, I really appreciate the care and work that individuals and agencies put in to our natural resources in order to restore them to their full potential and beauty.

 

Weekly outdoor events: Family fun!

Hannah Brunelle

Multimedia intern, Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA)

View Hannah's Bio

Gather the family and spend some time quality time outdoors this week at great events happening across the state. Ongoing through September, Join DCR’s Great Park Pursuit! The Great Park Pursuit (GPP) invites families and youth groups to register as a team and be challenged to visit 6 “park pursuits” each individually created by the teams themselves. Teams can visits DCR parks and programs near their home or plan adventures across the commonwealth. Look to your Mass state parks for some fun and creative challenges for the family to liven up your summer plans.

Credit: DCR

 

Planning to head to the beach this week? Come check out the Creature Feature programs at Scusset Beach this Tuesday and Horseneck Beach this Thursday. Kids will have the opportunity to explore their curiosity and discover some of the creatures leaving near the shore. Each week, interpreters will explore a new area of the beach and highlight different creatures.

At Mt. Tom State Reservation in Holyoke, bring your family to the Trail Kids program Tuesdays from 10:30-11:30am. Each week, children aged 7-9 can learn more about nature by joining in the games, crafts and explorations. This is a great program to add some nature into your child’s day and spend time with like-minded families.

 

Credit: DCR

On Wednesday, come out to Discovery Hour for kids hosted by Middlesex Fells Reservation, taking place at Veterans Memorial Pool in Everett. This is a great opportunity for families to enjoy a half hour program featuring a nature story and simple craft.

 

Want to learn something new with your family? Join the Cast Away Fishing Clinic this Friday hosted by Myles Standish State Forest. Park Interpreters provide a hands-on fishing demonstration and instruction, free and open to the public. Bring your fishing pole and bait – or borrow one of ours! Poles for borrow are in limited supply, so come early. Families should meet at the Fearing Pond Day Use Area and parking is free for the clinic.

For more great events happening this and every week, check out our outdoors calendar for events near you. 

 

Paddling the Squannacook River

Marion Larson

Outreach Coordinator, MassWildlife

View Marion's Bio

Last June, I kayaked a portion of the Squannacook River, a cold river which wends its way from the towns of Townsend, Groton and Shirley. My first experience with this river was in the mid-1980’s as a rookie Natural Resource Officer (now called Environmental Police Officer) when I took a downstream trip with an officer who was “breaking me in.” We dressed in regular outdoor clothing instead of the uniform, packed lunch coolers, stowed ticket books in a waterproof ammunition box, and launched our canoe in West Townsend, close to the Willard Brook State Forest.

 

Because we looked like an ordinary couple enjoying the day, it was easy to paddle up to anglers on the riverbanks, ask about the fishing and then ask if they had a fishing license!  It was the height of the trout stocking season and we checked many fishermen that day.  There were a fair number of anglers who didn’t have a license—at which point they often received a ticket and always given the advice to reel in their lines and buy a license! It took us all day to paddle downstream to our cruiser parked in West Groton, but it was one of the most enjoyable days of my time in law enforcement.

The river flows through the DFW’s Squannacook River Wildlife Management Area.  The amount of land protected by DFW in this area has expanded since the 1980’s and now includes nearly 1000 acres in Townsend, Groton, and Shirley. The Squannacook offers some interesting portages, including one area called Townsend Harbor where a historic cooperage (basket-making facility) stands.  
On the holiday weekend, my husband and I put in at the Vose launching area in West Groton and paddled upstream.

Here the river is dammed by the Hollingsworth and Vose factory and we explored a series of impoundments and dead ends. We finally found the mainstem of the river and paddled into a narrower, forest-canopied waterway. Despite the midday hour, many songbirds were in full voice, Wood lilies bloomed in several areas and dragonflies zipped all around us. Downed trees due to the flooding and the ice storm of a few years ago made for some challenging paddling as evidenced by my husband squeezing through one tight spot. Surprisingly, we only encountered two groups of paddlers during our three-hour trip. A couple of people carried cameras and one woman peered through binoculars. The only fishing activity we saw was from a Great Blue Heron and a Kingfisher!

The Nashua River Watershed Association offers a useful paddling guide you can order for the Nashua River and its main tributaries, including the Squannacook River.

Also, check out the Squannacook River Wildlife Management Area Map.

Nearby state properties:

DCR's Willard Brook State Forest, Ashby. This property offers camping, swimming, hiking and horseback riding trails. DCR's Pearl Hill State Park in Townsend also offers swimming and camping. A 4 mile trail connects to the two properties. 

Weekly Outdoor Events 6/18/12!

Hannah Brunelle

Multimedia intern, Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA)

View Hannah's Bio

This week marks the official start to the summer season! To start the season off right, be sure to check out some solstice celebrations close to your area. In South Carver, the Myles Standish State Forest will be hosting the Summer Solstice Hike on June 20 at 6:45 p.m. The hike will include exploring some of the lesser known areas of the park. It will be a moderately hilly in places, so be prepared for a fun challenge for the longest day of the year! Hikers should meet at Parking Lot #2 on Upper College Pond Road. The hike will be about two hours and five miles long and will be finishing in twilight, so make sure to bring a headlamp or flashlight! Dogs are only welcome if they are leashed. This evening program is best for adults, as it may be too strenuous for young children.

If you’re looking for some family fun for your solstice celebration the Breakheart Fells Reservation in Middlesex will be hosting a Solstice Star Party from 8 p.m. – 10 p.m. This event is sponsored by the DCR’s Camp Nihan, an environmental education camp with various outdoor activities for young campers. Come prepared with a blanket and some snacks to celebrate as a family for a memorable evening searching for constellations, peeking at the moon and spending time outdoors. This event will be hosted at the camp and more information can be accessed at (781) 231-1203.

For some weekend family fun, be sure to check out the Family Fishing Day Refuge in Sudbury this Saturday, June 23. Bring your family and friends to the Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge located on Weir Hill Road from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.  This unique event will give you and your family the opportunity to cast a line, learn about fish in our waters, safety, ethics, and fishing equipment!  For more information contact Sue Russo at susan_j_russo@fws.gov or call her at (978) 443-4661 extension 34.

And don’t forget to check out the Great Outdoors interactive Google calendar for a full calendar of Massachusetts outdoor events.

Celebrate June as Great Outdoors Month

Mary Griffin
Commissioner, Department of Fish and Game (DFG)
View Commissioner Griffin's Bio

Edward M. Lambert Jr.
Commissioner, Department of Conservation & Recreation (DCR)
View Commissioner Lambert's Bio

With the summer season approaching, Governor Patrick proclaimed June as Great Outdoors Month! It is a great opportunity to celebrate all that nature has to offer in the Commonwealth. Boasting over 450,000 acres of state parklands and wildlife management areas, Massachusetts offers many outdoor activities such as hiking, biking, fishing, and swimming.

Not only does June signal the beginning of the summer vacation season, it also marks the start of many outdoor recreational activities.

The Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game (DFG) and the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) are hosting a variety of outdoor activities perfect for celebrating the great outdoors! Here's a sampling of this month's activities.

• Learn to Fish: Interested in fishing but don’t know how? You can learn by participating in the DCR “Learn to Fish” event on Sunday, June 3, from 9-11 a.m. Through this program, you will learn fishing techniques and how to be environmentally responsible when fishing. You will even discover what species live in the reservoir! The Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game will be providing a group fishing license as well as fishing poles and tackle. The group will meet at the Old Stone Church in West Boylston.
• Free Fishing Weekend: On June 2 and 3, take a friend or family member fishing for free--you won't need a fishing license to fish any waterway statewide for these two days! It is time well spent with family and friends. Your purchase of a fishing license directly supports fishing, stocking, education and fish habitat management programs. Contact Jim Lagacy, DFG’s Division of Fisheries and Wildlife Program Coordinator for scheduling a fishing festival or clinic in your area during the year at (508) 389-6309 or jim.lagacy@state.ma.us.
• Accessible Recreation Fair: Join us at Artesani Park in Brighton on Saturday, June 9, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for a fun-filled event provided by the Department of Conservation and Recreation’s (DCR) Universal Access Program (UAP). Individuals, families, and friends of people with disabilities can come together to enjoy a cycling fair (with an assortment of cycles available for use) and adaptive recreational activities including hiking, letterboxing, face painting, and interpretive programs. Take this opportunity to learn about DCR’s inclusive, accessible programs and resources available to people of all abilities around the state so that everyone can enjoy the outdoors this summer!
• A Sense of Place Festival: On Saturday, June 9, visit the Civilian Conservation Corps Camp in Upton and join singer/songwriter and educator Erica Wheeler in discovering your sense of place through music, writing, and reflection. Bring a picnic lunch and a blanket or chair and enjoy Erica’s inspirational, entertaining, and educational program with friends and family. We invite you to come for the day or any part of the program.
• Identifying Animal Tracks: If you’ve ever come across an animal track and wondered what it was, then this is the event for you! On Saturday, June 9, from 1-3 p.m., Stillwater Farm in Sterling will be hosting a program all about animal tracks and habits. Find out what animals might inhabit your back yard, and learn to interpret signs that they were there. It’s a great activity for both curious kids and adults!
• Summer Discovery Hike: Spend this Father’s Day hiking! On Sunday, June 17, a DCR ranger will be leading a three mile summer discover hike to the Blue Hills reservoir in Quincy. We will meet at the Shea Rink parking lot, and the hike will begin at 1 p.m. This is a great way for families to spend time together enjoying the outdoors.

These and other activities can be found on the at Massachusetts Outdoor Events or DCR’s event page and DFG lists hundreds of outdoor events and activities for June and the rest of the summer on its website in the following links: MassWildlife Calendar of Events and Rivers and Wetlands Month Calendar.

Time for Camping in Massachusetts State Parks

Bob Greco

Chief of Staff, Department of Fish & Game (DFG)

View Bob's Bio

With spring upon us, many people are looking to get out and enjoy the outdoors. One of the best ways to see some of the most beautiful scenery in Massachusetts and enjoy hiking, swimming, biking, fishing, and other activities is to reserve a campsite at one of the Department of Conservation and Recreation’s campgrounds  that are located all around the state. For a very reasonable fee, you can find an area close to home or travel a bit if you want to try something different. Western and central Massachusetts offer more remote sites, while eastern Massachusetts offers several campgrounds that provide coastal beach access and forested sites.

At the end of August last year, I took my 12 year-old daughter and eight year-old son to Erving State Forest for four nights of tent camping. We arrived on a Sunday and had the campground to ourselves on the first night, but more people came as the week went on. We enjoyed swimming at Laurel Lake’s beach, fishing in the lake, biking on the lightly traveled park roads, hiking a short loop trail, and time around the campfire and stargazing at night.

The kids made friends with other campers from the Chicago area and we enjoyed s’mores with them at the campfire one evening. After dark on more than one night, we heard a couple of owls, including a very loud great horned owl, roosting nearby. The staff at the state forest was very helpful and friendly, giving the kids coloring books and Smokey the Bear hats that the kids enjoyed wearing (see picture).

Many of the state campgrounds are very popular, particularly on weekends, holiday weeks, and much of July and August, so it makes sense to reserve your campsite. Some state campgrounds open for the spring season on May 4 and most of the rest open by May 24. The DCR campgrounds are open either through Labor Day or Columbus Day, and a few offer off-season camping opportunities.   See this chart for the full schedule and enjoy your camping adventure!