MISSION
The Charles River Conservancy works to amplify community voice and catalyze bold solutions, to make the Lower Charles River and its parks more vibrant, healthy, and welcoming now and in the future.
We CONNECT organizations, people and communities to each other and the river and its parks.
We CREATE bold, impactful solutions that elevate and strengthen the river and its parks as an essential ecological foundation and cultural asset for Greater Boston.
We CELEBRATE the river and its parks and the intersection of people and nature to inspire involvement.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
CRC BOARD:
The CRC is actively expanding our board of directors. Learn about the leadership opportunity here.
READ OUR 2025 ANNUAL REPORT:
With the help of our supporters, we had a great year increasing volunteer engagement, investing in unique ecological programs, and centering our work on the communities around the Charles. Check out our FY25 Annual Report to learn more.
E-NEWS:
Our October 2026 News Stream is out! Read about the latest happenings at CRC. Browse recent issues and sign up for upcoming e-newsletters.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:
Our work is carried out across traditional territory of the Massachusett, Nipmuc, and Wampanoag Nations, and homelands of the Pawtucket peoples. Read our history page for a detailed acknowledgement and resources to learn more about Indigenous territorial history and existing Native-run groups
IN SOLIDARITY:
Our work depends on equity, and we therefore cannot stay silent to racism and police brutality. Read our statement of solidarity with Black Lives Matter protestors in Boston and around the country.
Lead photo by Aaron John Bourque
A Generational Victory for Massachusetts!
Question 6 has officially passed! Thanks to voters across the Commonwealth, Massachusetts is establishing the Nature for All Fund, securing as much as $100 million annually to protect clean drinking water, conserve forests and family farms, and expand local parks—without raising taxes. This historic victory belongs to our children, grandchildren, and every community that will enjoy cleaner rivers and protected open spaces for decades to come. As proud members of the 130+ organization coalition supporting Question 6, we want to thank you. Whether you signed the petition, knocked on doors, made calls, or cast your ballot, this historic victory was powered by grassroots action across Massachusetts.
The Year’s Last Riverbend Park is Sunday!
Through the second Sunday of November (that’s November 8, 2026!), a stretch of Memorial Drive in Cambridge is closed to vehicular traffic from 11am to 7pm, creating a large stretch of open space alongside the parklands to accommodate cycling, skating, running, and a range of other activities.
Due to ongoing construction associated with the Memorial Drive Greenway Improvements, Phase III project, Riverbend Park will be temporarily modified throughout the 2026 season. Learn more.
Here’s Your Sign to Visit the Floating Wetland #WinterIsComing
Come say hi to the Charles River Floating Wetland (AKA “FWed”) at its usual spot near Broad Canal. Visit often to see its raft of native plants change colors and textures throughout the season, mirroring the change in trees and shrubs along the riverbanks.
Catch the last few weeks of its fall splendor at its anchored location next to Longfellow Bridge. On November 16, the Floating Wetland will be towed upstream and temporarily sheltered in the relatively balmy circulating waters at MIT Sailing Pavilion through Spring 2027. Until then, FWed will dutifully hold down the fort right along Cambridge Parkway!
ICYMI: Watch DCR’s social video spotlight on the Floating Wetland.
We are thrilled to celebrate a landmark win for Massachusetts! On Election Day, voters across the Commonwealth overwhelmingly passed Question 6, establishing the Nature for All Fund to protect clean drinking water, conserve forests and family farms, and expand local parks and trails.
As proud members of the coalition of 130+ organizations supporting Question 6, we know this victory belongs to our children, grandchildren, and future generations who will enjoy cleaner rivers, protected wetlands, and vibrant open spaces for decades to come.
Thank you to everyone who knocked on doors, made calls, and voted YES to protect the natural places we all cherish!
#YesOn6 #ProtectWaterAndNature #NatureForAll #MApoli #CleanWaterMA @nature4ma
Nov 4
Today’s #artistscenespotlight: Empty @wishyouthebest021!
His mantra? Work. Eat. Make art. Care for others. As “art is meant to be seen,” Empty is always experimenting with his craft: “I love to try out different mediums and things to learn things so I can expand my practice and understanding of the fundamentals. I fell in love with spray paint and writing on things. This pushed me to expand what I know and could do.” That even includes sculpting at a recent @mfaboston First Friday: “I’ve never made a 3D sculpture the way that I attempted it and I thought it was ok, but loved the process and experimentation it took to get there.”
With local opportunities, his creative seed was planted early and flourished over time. Empty recaps his journey: “Some summer programs through Boston exposed me to art as a kid and I kinda just went for it. Even when it didn’t make sense I still felt it was the right thing for me. I eventually attended @lesleyuniversity for illustration and fell in love with creating whatever I could do.”
Empty gives a shoutout to his professors + his crew Flava Unit @_sobek_6, @sonofearth617, @artbyprop, NOW, JAYO, AEONS, GKID, Chicago CMK homies + artists @Aoasupply @anandatoulon @thirteenvicarchive @kobk617. “I’ve been blessed to meet amazingly talented artists and creatives along my journey who have inspired me. Just by being my friend.”
On having fun on Free Walls at Lynch Family Skatepark: “I enjoyed other skaters who stopped by and chatted. The layout is unique and requires good problem solving.”
Empty in his own words: “I don’t think I’m really a part of the actual graffiti community but somewhere adjacent to it. I don’t try to change the perception of people who already made their decision to misunderstand me. That being said, I still love connecting with fellow graff heads to chat and collaborate on cool things. My advice for newer people trying to get into is: Create for you and the rest will follow.”
Do you know of an artist we should feature in the next spotlight? DM us or nominate folx in the comments.
Artists are always welcome year-round to paint on the free walls at Lynch! Learn more in our bio. 🎨
#graffiti #streetart #boston
Nov 2
Raw sewage in the Charles River? Stuff of nightmares!!!
Don’t ghost this opportunity to speak up for clean rivers, public health, and climate resilience. Midnight at Friday, October 30, 2026 is the LAST call for public comment on the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) Draft CSO Control Plan.
ANYONE can write a comment letter! Keep it short, honest, and personal. Tell the MWRA why sewage has no place in our rivers, why a clean Charles matters to you, and why Massachusetts should invest in the strongest long-term solution—not a plan that could come back to haunt us.
Take a moment to write in before the deadline vanishes into the night.
Email UpdatedCSOControlPlan@aecom.com by 11:59 p.m. Friday, October 30, 2026.
See link in bio for more information and latest updates, including how @cityofboston @cambridgemass @somervillecity Councils all respectively filed statements to MWRA that the Draft Plan needs to be stronger, more ambitious, and must deliver “higher levels of control, ensuring that CSOs in the year 2050 are truly a rare occurrence.”
#cleanwater #cleanrivers #publichealth #infrastructure #cutthecrapcharles
Oct 30
It’s the 🤘 final countdown! Election Day is this coming Tuesday, and the future of Massachusetts’ drinking water, farms, forests, and local parks is on the ballot.
💚 Let`s secure dedicated funding for conservation by voting YES on Question 6! 💚
From the smallest urban parks and community gardens to our largest rivers and forests, all of Massachusetts`s natural spaces deserve protection. Because of a lack of funding, our state isn`t protecting these outdoor spaces as it should.
Let`s be clear: Question 6 (the Protect Water and Nature initiative) does not raise taxes or create a new tax. It simply takes the standard sales tax we already pay on sporting goods—like camping gear, golf clubs, and fishing equipment—and dedicates it directly to water and land conservation.
What Voting YES on Question 6 Accomplishes:
✅ Protect Clean Water: Safeguards rivers, lakes, and drinking water sources state-wide.
✅ Preserve Natural Areas: Keeps family farms, forests, and wildlife habitats intact.
✅ Expand Parks: Creates and restores neighborhood parks, trails, and greenspaces.
✅ Zero New Taxes: Funded by the existing sales tax on sporting goods with strict public oversight.
Every single vote counts on statewide ballot questions. See you at the polls!
#YesOn6 #UrbanParks #ForestConservation #NatureForAll #NoNewTaxes #Conservation @nature4ma
Oct 28
Give it up for today’s #skatescenespotlight featuring skateboarder @dimitri_dower!
Repping the South Shore, he was born in @citybrockton, raised in @townofplymouth (where he started skating in middle school), and then moved back to Brockton freshman year where he leaned more into basketball during high school.
After high school, Dimitri moved to @cityoftampa for about 5 years and picked up his love of skating again in Florida after visiting the SPoT (Skatepark of Tampa @spottampa). As he recalls, it was “just a surreal experience growing up watching videos of #TampaAm @DamnAmSeries and then being able to skate there.”
These days, as a current resident of @cityofboston, Dimitri works in Plymouth doing masonry and landscaping work with his uncle during the week, and then dons a chef’s hat in @seaportbos on weekends, and his passions for skating, basketball, and community remain a huge part of his day-to-day. Dimitri proudly shares, “I’ve been in a men’s league @plymouthhoopacademy this past year at @boysgirlsclubofplymouth run by a good friend from high school @quando32_4” and also gives a shoutout to skate buddy @cuh_hit_cuh: “My boy always down to pull up after work nowadays—we’ve been skating together heavily since Covid.”
Dimitri’s favorite thing about skating is getting everyone together and being yourself while experiencing and feeding off each other while trying new tricks: “I see my boy do a crooked, now I have to learn a crooked. We build each other up! Always good vibes and good energy when a group of skaters get together!”
What’s next in his journey? “Just survive and maintain. Love those that surround me and enjoy life while I’m here 💜”
Do you know of a skater or group we should feature in the next skate scene spotlight? DM us or nominate folx in the comments. We advocate for all park users, and the CRC proudly supports the local skate community. All are welcome at Lynch Family Skatepark, tucked within North Point Park along the Charles River. Learn more in our bio. 🛹
#bostonskate #lynchfamilyskatepark #skatecommunity #skatewithfriends
Oct 26
This is not a drill 🚨 Don`t want raw sewage in the Charles? NOW is the time to speak up for clean rivers and call for the strongest level of CSO control.
Give public comment at the LAST Public Hearing:
✅ Wednesday, October 28, 2026, 6pm-8pm [HYBRID]
Zoom & Somerville City Hall, Council Chambers, 93 Highland Ave, Somerville, MA
Context:
The Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA), @cambridgemass, and @somervillecity have submitted the Draft Updated Combined Sewer Overflow Control Plan (Draft Plan), and the crucial public commenting period is open through Oct. 30, 2026. (For more information on the Draft Plan, our advocacy priorities, and how to submit written comments, see “Get the facts” in our link in bio.)
This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Massachusetts to invest in clean rivers for the public health benefit, quality of life, and climate resilience of future generations.
Please help us share the word. We encourage everyone, regardless of background or level of expertise, to share your personal experience with the river and why a clean, swimmable, healthy Charles River matters to you!
#cleanrivers #cleancharles #publicmeeting #takeaction #cutthecrapcharles
Oct 23
FREE family-friendly event alert! And did we mention free pizza? 🍕🍕🍕
Get excited for STEAM It Up 2026, Cambridge’s annual city-wide K-8 family STEAM night. On Thursday, October 29, 2026, from 6-8pm at Cambridge Street Upper School (850 Cambridge St), enjoy over 30 exciting, hands-on activities designed to spark curiosity and creativity in science, technology, engineering, arts, and math.
Stop by for free refreshments and a plethora of interactive activities! Make sure to say hi to Scott at the @charlesriverconservancy table for fun river facts and the unique chance to build your own floating wetland 💚
Thank you Cambridge STEAM Initiative (a joint initiative by @cambridgemass @cambridgepublicschools @cambridgepubliclibrary) for organizing and sponsoring this event.
#freeeventcambridge #kidsprogramming #steam #STEAMactivities
Oct 21
Let’s get into today’s #ArtistSceneSpotlight with Dorchester’s Propa @artbyprop!
Propa’s mission as an artist is to create vibrant visuals using spray paint and other mediums that inspire his community to grow and believe in the possibilities of life. Describing his art journey, he explains: “My roots in art come from graffiti when I was in high school, then life made me make choices and decisions, so I put down my focus on art for quite a few years until I got an opportunity to work at a community center in Cambridge! At the community center, as I was forging relationships with the children, they would find out that I knew how to do graffiti and would always ask me to draw their names, and that’s what really got me back into drawing and creating art!” The quest to do art, be better, and grow started from there.
With gratitude, Propa credits “so many people who have been in support of me and my progress” and is also very inspired by all forms and aspects of art: “I can find the same skill and intent from an MFA art piece as well as a doodle from my five-year-old son. Like the saying goes, ‘beauty is in the eye of the beholder.’”
A notable accomplishment is when Propa got to paint his largest ever solo wall (over 65’ x 15’!). Overall, he’s “extremely proud of the progress my crew and I have made 🙌🏾💪🏾” Shout out to FLAVA UNIT!
Propa appreciates that the Free Walls at Lynch give artists a space to express themselves freely as well as practice and grow. He also notes the trial-and-error nature of both skating and art: “You try something, mess it up, try it again, and eventually it will come together!!”
What’s next for Propa? In addition to continuously leveling up his skills, he’s committed to be part of the movement to bring more community artwork to Dorchester, bringing it all home.
Do you know of an artist we should feature in the next spotlight? DM us or nominate folx in the comments.
Artists are always welcome year-round to paint on the free walls at Lynch! The CRC has secured a permit from DCR and MassDOT for the painting of the public skatepark and the pillars that fall under community guidelines. Learn more in our bio. 🎨
#streetart #graffiti
Oct 19
Learning on the water with friends is the best 💚
We’re commemorating @paddleboston ‘s official last boating days for the 2026 season with a memorable lookback!
Last week, @CharlesRiverConservancy ’s Impact Director Scott McCue and Park Resilience Project Manager Pablo Brenes Coto hosted a group with representatives from peer waterfront organizations to experience the Charles River Floating Wetland. In addition to kayaking out from Broad Canal to the fascinating little island, participants swapped ideas for innovative programming associated with the wetland, and they also shared experiences and strategies for permitting innovative green infrastructure. We’re proud and excited to have shared a productive and inspiring day on the Charles with our fantastic colleagues!
Who else is counting down the days to @paddleboston 2027 opening day? 👀
#floatingwetland #charlesriver #greeninfrastructure #Cambridge #Boston
Oct 16
Candy, costumes, AND community service all in one? You betcha! 🎃
What could be more New England than fresh Autumn air by the water? Volunteers of all ages are invited to join the @charlesriverconservancy on Saturday, October 24, 10am-12pm for a community cleanup at @massdcr Herter Park (@herterpark) in Allston/Brighton.
We’ll have treats for volunteers. Costumes encouraged for friends and family alike!
Did you know? At nearly 60 acres, Herter Park is the largest and the most heavily programmed park in the Charles River Basin. It`s a spectacular backdrop for all four seasons!
Gather your friends and family and spend a morning outdoors helping to keep the parks clean, welcoming, and vibrant for all to enjoy. We`ll work together as a group to pick up litter and spruce up the parks, making a positive impact in our community while having fun!
HOW TO SIGN UP: Email Sasha at svallieres@thecharles.org 💚 Spots are limited!
#communityservice #freefamilyactivities #bostonfreeevents #cleanparks #cleanrivers
Oct 14
Meet rollerskater Jacob Keven @speltlikeseven, today’s #skatescenespotlight!
Originally from Tennessee, they moved to the Boston area after finishing a master`s degree in chemistry, and that kicked off a 5-year-long (and counting) love of skating.
Starting out, Jacob mainly skated on paved bike paths and forward on flat land. Eventually, they started going to some of the regular skate groups and learning from other skaters. Once they learned how to transition from front to back, it really opened up a whole new world: "Skating really started to feel more like dancing. I`ve got a good sense of rhythm now which I really did not have before I started skating. I still love skating on the bike paths—I feel like I`m flying skating down them now!" Next goal? 3-turn in a year 🙌
Jacob’s favorite thing about skating is the found community: "The majority of friends I`ve made as an adult have been through skating. The community in Boston is really good. There`s so many groups, and everyone I`ve met has been so friendly and supportive!"
Jacob gives a shout out to @bostonmidweekskate and its friendly, helpful community as a huge part of their skating journey, which also includes its own creative perks: "I`m usually on aux so the music is always good in my opinion!"
Outside of skating, Jacob’s biggest goal has been building a professional art career. "I`ve been sewing regularly for about six years now and for the last two years I`ve focused on making wall art. The majority of my work has been artistic interpretations of queer pride flags. I`m hoping to provide queer people a more mature and stylish way to show pride in their identity!"
When not skating they’re usually sewing, drawing, taking care of plants, or learning a new skill. Simply put, they "really don`t like sitting still."
Do you know of a skater or group we should feature in the next skate scene spotlight? DM us or nominate folx in the comments. We advocate for all park users, and the CRC proudly supports the local skate community. All are welcome at Lynch Family Skatepark, tucked within North Point Park along the Charles River. Learn more in our bio. 🛹
#bostonskate #rollerskating #skatelife #skatepride
Oct 9
The Charles River Conservancy was invited to speak at the Living Water Cities Conference 2026 hosted by @biomatrixwatersolutions at @wearelondonmuseum Docklands! CRC’s Executive Director Laura Jasinski and Park Resilience Project Manager Pablo Brenes Coto not only got a chance to highlight our Floating Wetlands initiative on the Charles River, but also got a chance to learn from experts from all over the world, visit similar nature-based projects (like the @edenprojectcornwall @canarywharflondon collaboration in @London with fascinating Eden Dock history signage by @molarchaeology), explore the glorious free walls at @leakestreetarches, and even swim on the (refreshingly chilly!) River Thames at @sealanescw. And yes, let’s hear it for prominently labelled and accessible public bathroom facilities!
Thank you international friends! We’re honored to learn, explore, and innovate our cities along with you.
#cleanrivers #greeninfrastructure #swimmablecities #publicart
Oct 7
