Get Outside

Explore the Great Outdoors

Winter is a great time to explore Weston’s 100 miles of Weston’s beautiful trails through the 1,800 acres of Conservation Land.

Walking in nature is a stress-reducing activity; however, being unsure of where you are or how far you have walked, and how to get back to your car or home can cause some anxiety. But not so much anymore! By using free trail apps such as AllTrails, you can track your path in the woods and take the stress out of getting lost. You can make your time in the woods even more special by recording your hike, documenting special sightings with photos, and sharing with friends.

If you prefer, a large paper trail map documenting all of Weston's trails is available for $10 at Town Hall courtesy of Weston Forest & Trail Association (WFTA). Come visit the Conservation Department to pick up your copy

Guided Trail Walks

Weston Forest and Trail Association (WFTA) leads guided trail walks each month from October to May to help Weston residents and their friends enjoy and appreciate the wonderful nature that surrounds us. Walks start at 2 p.m. (rain, snow, or sunshine!) and run for 1–2 hours in different parts of town. Upcoming walks:

February 6: Highland Forest - Tour the grounds of the Paine Estate including the track used for both sulkies and cars. Park on Wildflower Lane near the trailhead.
March 6: Wayside Rail Trail - The Rail Trail will lead to some of the prettier woods of Weston. Park off of Concord Road at the Mass Central Rail Trail.

Members, visitors, children, and dogs are welcome, though dogs should be leashed and must be under control by their owners. Up-to-date information on upcoming walks can be found on WFTA's website

Animal Track Identification

A fun outdoor activity for kids and adults alike is animal tracking. You can do this on Weston’s Conservation Land or in your own backyard. This is especially fun and easy when the ground is covered in fresh winter snow. Visit this page for guidance and some examples of animal track photos.

Weston Ski Track

Charles River Recreation, in cooperation with the Department of Conservation (DCR), is dedicated to providing affordable and accessible outdoor recreational opportunities in the Boston area, including the Leo J. Martin Ski Track located at 190 Park Road in Weston. Reservations for skiing and snowshoeing are required. Visit this page for more information regarding skiing and snowshoeing in Weston.

Photo 1: Merriam Barn Stone Wall Photo 2: 9 Stewardship Saturday volunteers posing for the picture

December 2021 Stewardship Saturday, Merriam Barn Stone Wall, Weston.
Photo Credit, Kristin Barbieri

Protecting Weston's Valuable Assets

Stewardship Saturdays

Join the Weston Conservation Department and Weston Forest and Trail Association (WFTA) on the third Saturday of every month for stewardship and camaraderie as we work collaboratively to manage nearly 2,000 acres of conservation land and over 90 miles of off-road trails in Weston. Both organizations rely on volunteers to assist with the management of these incredible resources. Participants will get an overview of the Weston Trail System, and enjoy some quality time in one of Weston’s natural gems. Stewardship Saturday projects include invasive plant management, trail construction and maintenance, boardwalk and bridge construction, trash pickup, stone wall beautification, etc.

We invite you to our next Stewardship Saturday event on January 15, and you may sign up by emailing Conservation@WestonMA.gov. Children at least 13 years of age must have parental supervision, ages 16+ do not need parents in attendance. No previous experience is necessary. We will provide all the know-how.

Our December project involved clearing the invasive plants along the historic Merriam Barn stone wall and creating an easily walkable path to view this special spot. Thank you to our 11 volunteers who made this possible.

Clean Up, Clean Up, Everybody Do Your Share

Even with the winter weather here, we are happy to see lots of residents walking Weston’s 100 miles of beautiful Conservation Land trails. Help us to keep the trails safe for all. If you see branches or fallen trees blocking the path, please feel free to be empowered to move them, if safe to do so. If not, just let us know and we will take care of it. The Conservation Department can be reached at 781-786-5059.

Winter Trail Etiquette

Fresh air and peace and quiet do wonders, especially this year! When the snow is just right, take your cross-country skis, snowshoes, or fat tire bike out on our shared-use trails, and please follow these courtesies so all can enjoy the great outdoors.

Walk, snowshoe, or bike next to tracks that skiers have already laid out (footprints and bike ruts spoil the tracks).
If you create a divot, please repair it for everyone’s safety.
If you are on a fat bike and leave a rut deeper than an inch or are having a difficult time riding in a straight line, then the snow is simply too soft for riding.
Remember, bikes yield to skiers and everyone yields to horses.
Dog walkers must always pick up dog poop. Please don’t pollute the snow or trails with this unsightly waste.
Please respect other trail users and our wildlife.
Follow all COVID-19 regulations and guidelines.

Respect the Wilderness

Are you still looking for a New Year's resolution? If you plan on exploring the outdoors in 2022, make yourself a goal to ‘leave no trace’. Visit this page to learn more about easy actions to take to keep Massachusetts wild.

Please do not dump your Christmas tree (or anything else!) on Conservation Land.

Don't Feed the Wildlife

Each winter, MassWildlife receives inquiries from the public about whether or not to put food out for wildlife. Feeding wildlife can do more harm than good and disrupts how wild animals naturally adapt to winter conditions. Visit this page to learn more about how feeding can hurt wildlife.

Deadwood is Good Wood

Deadwood is an essential component of forests and wetlands. In addition to providing habitat for a myriad of organisms, deadwood is critical to the health of the forest. Forest health revolves around decomposing wood and leaves. Whether a standing oak that is riddled with woodpecker holes or a fallen willow that has created a snag in a small brook, deadwood fosters forest life.

Think twice before you “clean up” or clear out your wooded edge. Fallen branches also provide excellent protection for small animals and birds.

Stay Safe on the Ice

It's wintertime in Massachusetts, but is it safe to venture out on the ice? Ice rarely freezes uniformly and conditions are constantly changing. Always consider ice to be potentially dangerous. Visit this page to review ice thickness guidelines.

Group of Boy Scouts and Leaders posing for a photo.

Weston Boy Scouts and Troop Leader Completing an Eagle Scout Service Project

Weston Boy Scouts Improve Merriam Barn Site & Trails

Eagle Scout candidate Holden Langenhagen recently led an impressive project at the Old Merriam Barn. His team of fellow scouts, scout leaders, and town volunteers cut back brush and invasive plants surrounding the stone foundations of the barn, created a small trail along the stone wall from the main path to the stone foundations of the barn and plans to install signage at the entrance to this new trail describing the history of the Old Merriam Barn including an image of it when it was operational.

By completing this project, Holden’s goal is to turn the Merriam Barn from a place that one might pass by without even noticing its existence into a place that people would go out of their way to visit.

Do You Want to be a Bark Ranger?

Do you love walking trails? Engaging with others? Or have a passion for the environment? Help us keep Weston’s trails and open spaces enjoyable for everyone.

The Town of Weston is actively seeking volunteers to assist the Conservation and Animal Control departments in spreading awareness of the Town's rules and regulations for dogs and dog owners.

Volunteer responsibilities will include hiking our trails, greeting visitors at a trailhead, engaging and educating visitors about their dog walking habits, and collecting data, all while modeling good dog walking behavior. Note that during COVID, some of the Bark Ranger activities will be modified.

Learn more about the program at Weston.org/BarkRangers and fill out an online volunteer application today.

Time to Renew Dog Licenses

State law requires all dogs over 6 months to be licensed and tagged annually. Dog Licenses may be purchased by mail or at the Town Clerk's Office. Proof of rabies immunization must accompany the application and payment. Renewals may be done online so long as the up-to-date rabies certificate is on file with the Town Clerk. For more information, please visit WestonMA.gov/DogLicense

Bright Times Ahead

The Weston Facilities Department completed a project in October 2020 to replace exterior Town building lights with LEDs, promoting energy efficiency and providing better security of the facilities. These lighting upgrades, which were fully funded in 2021 through the Department of Energy Resources, Green Communities Program, are projected to save 812 MMBtus of energy each year, coupled with a cost savings of $50,566 per year in reduced maintenance and energy costs. For comparison, that 812 MMBTUs is the carbon absorption equivalent of nearly 3,000 tree seedlings grown for 10 years.

This project marked the start of a comprehensive replacement of all Town lights, a project currently pursued by the Facilities Department. The energy and cost savings of these projects align with the Town’s newly published Climate Action and Resilience Plan entitled “Weston Ahead,” which details bold emissions reduction goals to reach zero net carbon emissions by 2050.

Row, Row, Row, Down the Charles River

The Town of Weston and 14 other communities in the Charles River watershed worked together to develop the Charles River Flood Model to identify areas vulnerable to flooding under future climate conditions.

This collaboration resulted in an interactive display of model results showing areas in the upper and middle Charles River watershed at risk from projected flooding events. Results also show the impact of possible flood mitigation measures. Climate change will cause changes in precipitation in the form of heavy rainstorms and snowstorms that can cause major flooding events.

This model will help our community take steps to protect the people, property, and nature in our community. Visit this page to learn more about the Charles River Flood Model.