All are invited to join the Friends of the Blue Hills for a spring festival of stewardship and fun. The annual Green Up Day will be held on Sunday, June 2, from 1 p.m.-3:30 p.m. at the Ponkapoag AMC Cabins. Volunteers will enjoy music, face painting, crafts and a scavenger hunt while helping with an essential task: pulling up invasive weeds that threaten the Blue Hills.

Many plants look alike for most of the visitors to the 7,000 acre Blue Hills reservation, yet many of the plants that have expanded in recent years are not native to the park and threaten to crowd out naturally occurring species. Vigorous weeding during the warmer months helps maintain a healthy balance in the forest.

The Milton Garden Club is one of many groups who will be helping with the clean up efforts. According to MGC president Georgia Lee, one of the most invasive weeds in the Blue Hills is garlic mustard, which is easy to pull and can be used in many recipes. “This is a great foraging opportunity for the intrepid cook,” said Lee. “Garlic mustard makes amazing pesto, among other things. It’s not every day that your positive environmental impact also tastes great served over pasta.” The Milton Garden Club recently awarded a $500 grant to the Friends of the Blue Hills, half of which will go towards the Green Up event.

Milton Garden Club president Georgia Lee with son Jae demonstrates how to pick garlic mustard weeds for pesto

Volunteers should park at Temple Beth David, 1060 Randolph St. in Canton, and walk the 1/2 mile to the cabins. The event is rain or shine, and while some gloves will be available for weeding, volunteers are encouraged to bring their own gardening gloves if they have them. Please RSVP to Greenup@FriendsoftheBlueHills.org or 617-696-8248.

Friends of the Blue Hills is a non-profit organization working to protect the Blue Hills Reservation’s beauty, natural habitats, and recreational opportunities. The Blue Hills has 22 hilltops and spans six towns: Braintree, Canton, Dedham, Milton, Quincy and Randolph. For more information, please visit www.FriendsoftheBlueHills.org.