This natural area is home to beautiful woodlands, wetlands, heritage trees, and miles of wandering trails. However, it needs our help to stay healthy and remain an important park for us and future generations. We hope that by bringing people together to work towards restoring the ecological health of the Wilderness, we can showcase this area's beauty and potential.

Event details 

American Legion Highway Entrance to Franklin Park: We will gather near the Bluebike station at the Playground to start the day. Location pin.

Parking 

There is limited street parking near the entrance we are meeting at, and there is also limited public parking lot at the William Devine Golf Course Clubhouse, which is about a 7 minute walk to the playground entrance. Spots may be sparse on weekends, so we also encourage people to bike, walk, or take public transit.

The focus of the event is to remove invasive understory plants like knotweed, and to cleanup trash and glass from the site, all of which are done to improve overall forest health and increase visibility through the woods. There will be lots of learning opportunities about Urban Ecology and park care for residents of all ages and backgrounds. 

The event will happen, rain or shine. We will cancel in the case of extreme weather such as thunderstorms or extreme heat.

Staff will provide all the tools, supplies, and instruction needed for the project(s). Please dress in comfortable & weather-appropriate clothing, as well as closed toe shoes. We recommend participants bring their own water, snacks, sunscreen, and bug spray. All ages are welcome, we just ask to note if any children will be joining for the day!

For the understory plant removal aspect, expect to be utilizing hand cutting tools like loppers and pruners, moving brush, raking, and maybe even kneeling/crouching. Please let us know in the form if you have any special accommodations or needs in order to joyfully participate! 

Mayor Wu’s Neighborhood Coffee Hours are a unique opportunity to speak directly with the Mayor and staff from City departments about open space and their neighborhoods. If there are inclement weather conditions, the time and location may change to an indoor location and will be reflected on boston.gov/events.

A neighborhood staple known for bringing the community together over a cup of coffee, Dunkin’ is back to fuel the conversation with iced coffee and donuts. Dunkin’ will also provide lawn game activities for attendees, gift card giveaways, and the opportunity for residents to win a raffle prize. Free flowering plants will be provided by the Boston Parks and Recreation Department and fresh fruit will be provided by Star Market, while supplies last.

The purpose of this meeting is to get community input and listen to the resident's positions on this proposal. This is a virtual meeting via Zoom. 

Meeting ID: 165 185 2283

Please note, the City does not represent the occupant(s)/developer(s)/attorney(s)/applicant(s).

The purpose of this meeting is to get community input and listen to the resident's positions on this proposal. This is a virtual meeting via Zoom. 

Meeting ID: 165 444 7095

Please note, the City does not represent the occupant(s)/developer(s)/attorney(s)/applicant(s).

The purpose of this meeting is to get community input and listen to the resident's positions on this proposal. This is a virtual meeting via Zoom. 

Meeting ID: 165 659 1249

Please note, the City does not represent the occupant(s)/developer(s)/attorney(s)/applicant(s).

The purpose of this meeting is to get community input and listen to the resident's positions on this proposal. This is a virtual meeting via Zoom. 

Meeting ID: 165 969 1337

Please note, the City does not represent the occupant(s)/developer(s)/attorney(s)/applicant(s).

The purpose of this meeting is to get community input and listen to the resident's positions on this proposal. This is a virtual meeting via Zoom. 

Meeting ID: 165 670 2572

Please note, the City does not represent the occupant(s)/developer(s)/attorney(s)/applicant(s).

The purpose of this meeting is to get community input and listen to the resident's positions on this proposal. This is a virtual meeting via Zoom. 

Meeting ID: 165 983 9601

Please note, the City does not represent the occupant(s)/developer(s)/attorney(s)/applicant(s).

Mayor Wu’s Neighborhood Coffee Hours are a unique opportunity to speak directly with the Mayor and staff from City departments about open space and their neighborhoods. If there are inclement weather conditions, the time and location may change to an indoor location and will be reflected on boston.gov/events.

A neighborhood staple known for bringing the community together over a cup of coffee, Dunkin’ is back to fuel the conversation with iced coffee and donuts. Dunkin’ will also provide lawn game activities for attendees, gift card giveaways, and the opportunity for residents to win a raffle prize. Free flowering plants will be provided by the Boston Parks and Recreation Department and fresh fruit will be provided by Star Market, while supplies last.

This meeting follows our May 2026 public meeting which focused on a Housing Feasibility study for the Jackson Mann site. At this August meeting we will share the results of survey feedback about the future of the site, share data on BPS enrollment and demographic trends, and discuss options for the future of the site.

Language Access: Please note, to request live meeting interpretation in Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Chinese, or another language, please request interpretation in your selected language by emailing francis.mendozamccarthy@boston.gov by no later than Friday, August 7th, 2026.