Volunteer in the Parks

Let your park enthusiasm translate to volunteering! The 1,100 acres of the Emerald Necklace need willing hands and hearts to fully restore the vision of Frederick Law Olmsted. Join the Conservancy email list and you will receive invitations to programs, clean-ups and planting projects.

Muddy River Cleanup

Throughout the Emerald Necklace
April 20, 2024 | 10:00am – 12:00pm

Register Here

The Muddy River Cleanup is a part of the Annual Earth Day Charles River Cleanup throughout the Charles River Watershed and builds on a national effort as part of American Rivers’ National River Cleanup® which, to date, has removed over 25 million pounds of trash from America’s waterways. From 2016 to 2019, the Annual Earth Day Charles River Cleanup was recognized by American Rivers for the Most Pounds of Trash Collected and Most Volunteers Mobilized.​

The Muddy River Cleanup is a part of the Annual Earth Day Charles River Cleanup and builds on statewide and national cleanup efforts as part of the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation’s Park Serve Day and American Rivers’ National River Cleanup®. 

Corporate groups may register here with the following rates:

  • Groups of 1-10 = $2,000
  • Groups of 11-20 = $4,000
  • Groups of 21-30 = $6,000
  • Groups of 31-40 = $8,000
  • Groups of 41-50 = $10,000
  • Groups of 51-60 = $12,000
  • Groups of 61-70 = $14,000
  • Groups of 100+ = Please Inquire

“Day in the Dirt” Group Volunteering Events

Throughout the Emerald Necklace
Available by request
Give back to the Emerald Necklace parks with your team or group by assisting Emerald Necklace Conservancy staff with projects that can range from trash cleanups, invasive plant removal, plantings, and other ecological restoration tasks. All volunteers will be provided proper training and supplies. 

To learn more and to sign up for our “Day in the Dirt” volunteer program, contact volunteer@emeraldnecklace.org. 

There is no donation required for social or small nonprofit groups. The rates for corporate volunteer groups are: 

Groups of 10-24 = $1,500 

Groups of 25-49 = $2,000 

Groups of 50-74 = $2,500 

Groups of 75-99 = $3,000 

Groups of 100+ = Please Inquire 

Already a sponsor of the Conservancy? A group volunteer day is a benefit of participation in our Emerald Partners Program. Learn more about your corporate benefits or how to join here.

DIY Clean-Up Kits

Can’t join us for one of our volunteer events in the parks? The Conservancy’s DIY Trash Clean-up Kit lets you keep the Emerald Necklace trash-free on your own time!

Each single-use kit includes everything you need to do clean up in the parks: gloves, trash bags, an Emerald Necklace map, and instructions on how to track and send us how much trash you collect.

All winter, you can pick up your kit at the following times and locations:

Each Tuesday, 10am-4pm, at the James Michael Curley House in Jamaica Plain

ALL Weekdays, 10am-4pm, at the Emerald Necklace Conservancy Shattuck Visitor Center in Back Bay

Second Saturdays

Throughout the Emerald Necklace
Second Saturday of the month
Assist Emerald Necklace staff and volunteer leaders with park maintenance, ecological restoration and invasive species management work! Tasks can range from trash cleanups to invasive plant removal to plantings. We will work throughout the Emerald Necklace (from Charlesgate to Franklin Park) on various restoration and maintenance projects throughout the year. 

2024 Second Saturdays Schedule:

April 13: Jamaica Pond Park

May 11: Back Bay Fens

June 8: Franklin Park

July 13: Riverway

August 10: Olmsted Park

September 14: Franklin Park

October 12: Back Bay Fens

November 9: Jamaica Pond Park

Tuesdays with Roses

Kelleher Rose Garden, Back Bay Fens
June – September | Tuesday evenings, 5:30pm – 7:30 pm

Volunteers work in the Rose Garden deadheading and pruning roses and weeding the rose beds and borders. Training and tools are provided. 

The 2023 Tuesdays with Roses season has concluded–thank you to everyone who helped keep the roses healthy and beautiful this summer. Check back in spring 2024 for next season’s dates.

To Volunteer:

All volunteer opportunities adhere to the Conservancy’s most recent Volunteer COVID-19 protocol, which states that all volunteers must notify Conservancy staff if they feel ill during or after the event to ensure we are able to do proper contact tracing.

What to bring: Long pants, closed toe shoes, hat, all weather clothing, snack, sunscreen and a water bottle. 

What is provided: All necessary tools, gloves and instruction.

What to expect: Emerald Necklace Conservancy volunteer work days are typically 3 hours long and involve some type of ecological restoration work such as planting trees or wildflowers, controlling erosion, building trails, or managing invasive species. We’ll teach you everything you need to know about safety and technique, provide you with tools and materials, and help you make a difference in our amazing parks. Expect to have fun, meet people who love the outdoors, and get dirty!

What about the weather: Projects are weather-dependent.

Questions? Contact us at volunteer@emeraldnecklace.org for more information.



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