September E-newsletter

September 2021

Charles River Conservancy

Floating Wetland Virtual Event

On September 23rd at 4:30pm join the CRC for an informative virtual event that will share new and exciting updates on the Floating Wetland. Learn more about the new native plants installed on the wetland and hear about what we have learned from a year’s worth of weekly data collection and community engagement. Bring your questions for the CRC and Northeastern University research team!

We will kick off the event with CRC Executive Director Laura Jasinski for an overview of the floating wetland and hear about future plans for the project.
Catch up with researcher Max Rome and learn about new ecological findings at the floating wetland.
Find out about the ways the community has jumped right in to help celebrate the successes of the wetland and steward conversations about the river’s health, participate in conversations about the river’s health, and provide ideas for an expanded floating wetland installation.

Register in advance and tune in on September 23rd at 4:30pm in honor of World Rivers Day. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the event.

Support the Charles River Parks!

As our fiscal year comes to a close in September, please consider supporting the conservation and activation of the Charles River and its parks with a gift. Donate today!

Photo by Aaron John Bourque

Conservancy Volunteers

August Recap

Thank you to our wonderful partners and community members who volunteered with us in August! It was a busy, hot, and productive month.

Our longtime partners at Amgen worked in Magazine Beach mulching around trees, weeding and mulching garden beds, painting benches, and removing litter. The park and trees look great!
West End House Boys & Girls Club youth campers removed blackswallow wort pods and litter in Herter Park.
Community volunteers worked along Charles River Road in Watertown, cutting back invasives, weeding, removing litter, and painting picnic benches.
Boston University FYSOP students cut back vegetation from the pathway along Soldiers Field Road and removed blackswallow wort pods.
Hayden Consulting Group team members worked in Herter Park painting benches, weeding garden beds, and removing litter and blackswallow wort.

Open Volunteer Events

September

For the past 7+ years the Conservancy has participated in the COASTSWEEP initiative, and we are thrilled to announce our 2021 event, taking place on Saturday, September 18th. We have spots still available in 2 of our locations, Herter Park (Boston) and Charles River Road (Watertown). Please see below for more information on the COASTSWEEP event and click the links to register for your preferred event location. Hope to see you there!

Boston Cleanup – Herter Park – Saturday, September 18th, 9:30-11:30 a.m. - Learn more & register
Watertown Location – Charles River Road – Saturday, September 18th, 9:30-11:30 a.m. - Learn more & register

October

Join the Conservancy on Saturday, October 9th from 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. as we work in Squibnocket Park, Watertown. Volunteers will work to paint benches and remove litter. Please email Evan Penn at epenn@thecharles.org to register and for more information.

Schedule a Volunteer Event

Looking for a way to see friends and colleagues and do some good for the community? Consider scheduling a Conservancy Volunteers event for your company or group! Reserve your day and learn more about our event safety protocols by contacting Sasha at svallieres@thecharles.org.

Amgen volunteers and family members help to mulch around trees at Magazine Beach. Photo CRC staff

Advocacy

DCR Special Commission

The DCR Special Commission process has been extended to the end of 2021. This will allow more time for the commission consultant, the UMass Donahue Institute, to ensure the draft commission report is detailed and robust. Thanks to the advocacy of many, including DCR Special Commission member and CRC Executive Director Laura Jasinski, the extended timeline will also include a public comment period on the draft report and a public listening session. Stay tuned for more information and action alerts this fall!

Coalition for a Resilient & Inclusive Waterfront/Boston Mayoral Primary

In July, the Coalition for a Resilient and Inclusive Waterfront hosted a mayoral candidate forum at the New England Aquarium that included candidates John Barros, Annissa Essaibi-George, Andrea Campbell, and Michelle Wu. Each candidate shared thoughts on the accessibility of the waterfront and how to connect people of all backgrounds to Boston’s river and harbor. If you missed it, you can access the recording of the forum on the coalition’s Facebook page.

Looking to further inform your September primary vote after watching the forum? Stay tuned for community events and programming through November by following the coalition on Facebook and their website!

MathTalk Activation

Turn your weekday afternoons and weekends into a staycation filled with local adventures. Visit the Magazine Beach Footbridge in Cambridge and take a stroll across the MathTrail designed in partnership with MathTalk, a Cambridge-based organization. The MathTrail introduces playful math opportunities that interact with the environment. Enjoy a gigantic numberline, find animal footprints, and explore the free learning app, Measure! Everything!

Starting September 21st through October 19th, visit the Footbridge every Tuesday afternoon and select Saturday mornings to meet with CRC and MathTalk team members to explore the bridge, try out the app, and of course visit the water!

Visit on Tuesdays from 3 - 4 PM

September 21
September 28
October 5
October 12
October 19

Visit on Saturdays 10 - 11 AM

September 25
October 16

Park News

Little (Hu)man Made Island May Be Key to Improve Charles River

We are always excited to see the floating wetland making waves in the news! In this WCVB5 interview, our Executive Director Laura Jasinski and the wetland’s Northeastern researcher Max Rome were asked about how the floating wetland benefits the Charles River. They discuss the wetland’s plant growth this season, potential for water quality improvement, and opportunity for additional wetland installations in the future.

Revels Riversing Celebrates the Equinox with Music & Song

On Saturday, September 25th, the Charles River Conservancy will help bring family fun to the 17th annual RiverSing! Join us in welcoming fall at 5 pm in Herter Park for family activities followed by singing with the Revels in the Amphitheater at 6 pm.

The Environment: Boston's Mayoral Candidates Agree On The Problems. They Differ On The Solutions

Boston's five major candidates for mayor all agree that climate change will continue to challenge and compromise the city's future. The creation of sustainable housing; affordable transit; mitigating rising sea levels; planting more trees and striving for clean air all intersect under the umbrella of what a green city could look like. However, each candidate differs in their approaches to tackling climate change.

Instagram Action

Looking for more ways to stay connected to the CRC? Follow us on Instagram @CharlesRiverCRC for event updates, beauty shots on the Charles (taken by you!), and more.