DCR Honors Artists Who Painted Iron Rangers in State Parks Across the Commonwealth Including Scusset in Sagamore

Celebration in honor of ten artists who painted wildlife & landscape scenes on Iron Rangers

The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) has scheduled a celebration to honor the 10 artists who donated their time and talent to paint wildlife and landscape scenes on metal contribution containers, known as Iron Rangers, in 12 state parks. The event is scheduled for this Friday, November 7, at 11 a.m. at DCR’s Purgatory Chasm State Reservation in Sutton.

DCR has installed 153 Iron Rangers in 94 state properties across the Commonwealth. The 42-inch-high, steel containers are designed to accept financial contributions from park users that are then used to fund educational programs and conservation projects in the state parks system through the Conservation Trust.

“This program is an important part of DCR’s larger effort to improve park service and enhance the visitors’ experience while promoting partnerships in the parks,” said DCR Commissioner Richard K. Sullivan Jr. “By facilitating contributions to the Conservation Trust, the Iron Ranger program also highlights DCR’s message of ‘It’s Your Nature.’ We thank all the artists very much for the time and effort and talent that they put into this project.”

The Rangers generate a total of about $19,000 annually. When painted, they attract further attention and patrons contribute more generously. In some cases, donations have more than doubled over the previous year after an Iron Ranger has been painted. 

“This program is an important part of DCR’s larger effort to improve park service and enhance the visitors’ experience while promoting partnerships in the parks,” said DCR Commissioner Richard K. Sullivan Jr. “By facilitating contributions to the Conservation Trust, the Iron Ranger program also highlights DCR’s message of ‘It’s Your Nature.’ We thank all the artists very much for the time and effort and talent that they put into this project.”

The Iron Ranger Painting Program provides an opportunity for artists to display their work in a DCR park while helping to enhance the look of the Iron Rangers, and thus, of the park itself. Although artists are not paid for their work, they are invited to sign the back of the Iron Ranger and leave business cards and brochures with park personnel to distribute upon request. To date, 36 Rangers have been painted during the four years of the Iron Ranger Painting Program.

The Iron Ranger Painting program, now in its fourth year, advances DCR’s priorities of investing in the parks and properties and strengthening partnerships.  The artists have given the Iron Rangers a fresh new look, which has generated increased interest in and support for the state’s parks, beaches, and forests.

The Iron Rangers painted this year are in Bradley Palmer State Park, Topsfield; Dighton Rock State Park, Berkley; Ellisville Harbor State Park, Plymouth; Maudslay State Park, Newburyport; Mt. Sugarloaf State Reservation, South Deerfield; Myles Standish State Forest, South Carver; Pearl Hill State Park, West Townsend; Purgatory Chasm State Reservation, Sutton; Quinsigamond State Park – Lake Park and Regatta Point, Worcester; and Scusset Beach State Reservation, Sagamore. 

The artists being honored, and the DCR park where they painted an Iron Ranger, are:

• Brenda Atchison of Boston, Scusset Beach State Reservation, Sagamore
• Gail Belanger of Belchertown, Mount Sugarloaf State Reservation, South Deerfield
• Laura Bishop of Belchertown, Mount Sugarloaf State Reservation, South Deerfield
• Milton Brightman of New Bedford, Dighton Rock State Park, Berkley
• Kim Codner-Nelson of Beverly, Bradley Palmer State Park, Topsfield
• James House of Merrimac, Maudslay State Park, Newburyport
• Sarah Leon of Watertown, Pearl Hill State Park, West Townsend
• Linda Malis of Braintree, Ellisville Harbor State Park, Plymouth, and Myles Standish State Forest, South Carver
• Renee Weihn of Whitinsville, Purgatory Chasm State Reservation, Sutton
• Leonard Wos of Worcester, Quinsigamond State Park, Regatta Point and Lake Park, Worcester

Release courtesy of the MA DCR.

The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), an agency of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, oversees 450,000 acres of parks and forests, beaches, bike trails, watersheds, and dams, in addition to 278 bridges and miles of roadways. Led by Commissioner Richard K. Sullivan Jr., the agency’s mission is to protect, promote, and enhance our common wealth of natural, cultural, and recreational resources. To learn more about DCR, our facilities, and our programs, please visit www.mass.gov/dcr. Contact us at mass.parks@state.ma.us.