The Emerald Necklace Conservancy

Olmsted Summer Sundays with a Visiting Park Ranger
2022-07-03 10:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | Shattuck Visitor Center, 125 The Fenway, Boston, MA, 02115, United States
For Frederick Law Olmsted’s Bicentennial in 2022, park rangers from Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site in Brookline are partnering with the Emerald Necklace Conservancy on a new interpretive program.
Stop by the Shattuck Visitor Center from 10AM to 4PM each Sunday this summer to meet a park ranger and learn about Olmsted’s “most important work,” the Emerald Necklace park system!

Olmsted Summer Sundays with a Visiting Park Ranger is an interpretive program by Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site hosted by the Emerald Necklace Conservancy as part of Olmsted Now: Greater Boston’s Olmsted Bicentennial. Learn more at olmstednow.org

Charlesgate Park Tour
2022-07-13 15:30 - 17:00 | “The Grove” at Charlesgate Park, 4 Charlesgate East, Boston, MA, 02115
Join the Emerald Necklace Conservancy for a tour of Charlesgate Park!
Charlesgate is the start of Frederick Law Olmsted’s Emerald Necklace. We hope you’ll join us to learn about the park’s history, as well as present restoration efforts designed to repair park access issues, improve the water quality of Muddy River and create new park amenities.
This tour will be led by Conservancy President Karen Mauney-Brodek and Charlesgate Alliance Co-Founder Parker James. The exact meeting location for this tour will be provided upon registration.

Second Saturdays: Volunteer Stewardship in the Back Bay Fens
2022-07-09 15:00 - 17:00 | Shattuck Visitor Center, 125 The Fenway, Boston, MA, 02115, United States
Join Emerald Necklace Conservancy staff and volunteers with land stewardship and invasive species removal work in the Emerald Necklace parks on Saturday, July 9! We will be removing brush, debris, and invasive species from the Back Bay Fens.
Registration is required in order to participate in this event. Those who register will automatically receive an email from Alyx Britton, the Land Stewardship Coordinator, with further details, including the necessary waivers to sign and specific information on where to meet and what to expect on the day of the event.
This event has reached capacity. Please email volunteer@emeraldnecklace.org with inquiries on this event or other volunteer opportunities.

Fenway Porchfest Tour: Historic Treasures of the Back Bay Fens
2022-07-09 14:00 - 15:30 | Shattuck Visitor Center, 125 The Fenway, Boston, MA, 02115, United States
This tour is held as part of our July Parks as Platform event, in partnership with Fenway Porchfest.
What do a 17th-century Japanese Temple Bell, a bridge made of Roxbury puddingstone, and a tree once thought extinct have in common? They all reside in the Back Bay Fens. Learn about these and other treasures on a guided walking tour of the Back Bay Fens that is sure to bring out the history detective in you!
Registration required: sign up below!

Parks as Platform: Fenway Porchfest in the Back Bay Fens
2022-07-09 12:00 - 16:30 | Back Bay Fens, 100 Park Drive, Boston, MA, 02215, United States
For Olmsted Now, the Emerald Necklace Conservancy expands its annual free event series Summer on the Emerald Necklace into a shared resource for cross-neighborhood collaboration and community-generated public events from April through October 2022.
Each month, the Conservancy will collaborate with a site partner to anchor programming with extra support: securing permits, coordinating volunteers and providing amenities like signage, presentation/performance/convening space, portable utilities and restrooms, food trucks and more. The goal is to increase park access, amplify partner capacity to welcome expanded audiences and maximize impacts of diverse public offerings using the parks as platform.
July Parks As Platform:
Presented with Fenway Porchfest
Fenway Porchfest is a collaborative partnership among three Fenway organizations —Fenway Community Development Organization, Fenway Civic Association, and the Fenway Alliance. It is a free music festival that takes place in a wide range of diverse outdoor spaces in the Fenway, ranging from the Verb Hotel and 401 Park to Massachusetts Historical Society to the Emerald Necklace and the MFA!

Tuesdays With Roses
2022-07-05 17:30 - 19:30, 2022-06-28 17:30 - 19:30, 2022-06-21 17:30 - 19:30 | Kelleher Rose Garden, Back Bay Fens, Boston, MA, 02115
Join Emerald Necklace Conservancy staff and volunteers in the Kelleher Rose Garden to deadhead and prune roses and to weed the rose beds and borders. Training and tools are provided.
Registration is required in order to participate. Those who register will automatically receive an email with further details, including the necessary waiver to sign and specific information on where to meet and what to expect on the day of the event.
Please email volunteer@emeraldnecklace.org with inquiries on this event or other volunteer opportunities.

New Trees and a Brighter Tomorrow for Charlesgate
2022-06-28 09:30 - 11:30 | “The Grove” at Charlesgate Park, 4 Charlesgate East, Boston, MA, 02215
Come celebrate the latest milestone achievements and a bright future for Charlesgate Park, including 15 newly planted, community-sponsored trees and recently proposed investments by the Commonwealth’s MassDOT for transformation along the Charles River and over the Mass Pike.
(Rain Date: Wednesday, June 29 at 1:30PM)

Olmsted Now Public Dialogue: WHO Has Public Greenspace Been For?
2022-06-15 10:30 - 11:30 | District Hall Boston, 75 Northern Ave, Boston, MA, 02210, United States
In collaboration with King Boston’s Embrace Ideas Festival, Olmsted Now’s coalition co-organizers’ Emerald Necklace Conservancy and Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site present a free dialogue with today’s foremost scholars thinking about Boston’s park system-designer Frederick Law Olmsted at the intersection of greenspace, abolition and racial justice. Join Stephen Gray and Ethan Carr as they dig into the issues of Carr and Rolf Diamant’s book Olmsted and Yosemite: Civil War, Abolition, and the National Park Idea as they relate to the racial equity framework Gray developed for Olmsted Now: Greater Boston’s Olmsted Bicentennial. For Olmsted’s 200th, we will explore together key questions of who Boston’s and the Nation’s greenspaces have been for and how can we fully understand—and change—these narratives for the next 200 years.
The space will open at 10am for informal socializing. This free panel and audience Q&A will be recorded from 10:30-11:30, with time for attendees to continue dialogue with the speakers before the start of Embrace Ideas at the ICA Boston at noon at 100 Northern Avenue.
The recording of the presentation will be shared again for live Q&A from 6-7PM
Register for the 10:30AM session below. Register for the 6PM live Q&A by clicking here.

From Greensward to Putting Greens: Frederick Law Olmsted’s Influence on Golf Course Architecture
2022-06-14 13:30 - 15:00 | Franklin Park Golf Clubhouse, 1 Circuit Drive, Dorchester, MA, United States
To celebrate the US Open coming to Brookline, join Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site for a discussion on how Olmsted’s principles have influenced golf course design.
Register here
Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux’s “Greensward Plan” for Central Park both inspired the American park movement and provided the catalyst for the establishment of landscape architecture as a profession. Golf course design, whether for public or private use, combines knowledge of landscape architecture with understanding the unique requirements of a challenging game.
During US Open Week the world’s greatest golfers will compete at The Country Club, in Brookline, MA. This year we celebrate the 200th anniversary of Olmsted’s birth. Olmsted himself was a member even before the club decided to build a golf course. Join National Park Service staff from the Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site and four prominent members of the American Society of Golf Course Architects for a lively discussion of how Olmsted’s principles have influenced course design and shaped the profession of golf course architecture.

Parks as Platform: BAMS Fest in Franklin Park
2022-06-11 12:00 - 20:00 | Franklin Park Playstead, Circuit Drive, Boston, MA, 02121, United States
For Olmsted Now, the Emerald Necklace Conservancy expands its annual free event series Summer on the Emerald Necklace into a shared resource for cross-neighborhood collaboration and community-generated public events from April through October 2022.
Each month, the Conservancy will collaborate with a site partner to anchor programming with extra support: securing permits, coordinating volunteers and providing amenities like signage, presentation/performance/convening space, portable utilities and restrooms, food trucks and more. The goal is to increase park access, amplify partner capacity to welcome expanded audiences and maximize impacts of diverse public offerings using the parks as platform.
June Parks as Platform:
Presented with Boston Art & Music Soul Festival (BAMS Fest)
BAMS Fest triumphantly returns to Franklin Park’s Playstead for the first time since Covid-19. Experience the city’s fastest growing cultural event, founded to center and amplify Black artistry with multiple stages and artistic mediums that reflect the true diversity of Greater Boston.
BAMS Fest is a cultural movement led by Greater Boston Black and Brown artists, culture makers and creative entrepreneurs who are on the front lines of racial equity, spatial justice, and economic empowerment.

Second Saturdays: Volunteer Stewardship in Olmsted Park
2022-06-11 10:00 - 12:00 | Olmsted Park, 217 Jamaicaway, Boston, MA, 02130, United States
Join Emerald Necklace Conservancy staff and volunteers with land stewardship and invasive species removal work in the Emerald Necklace parks on Saturday, June 11! We will be removing brush, debris, and invasive species from Olmsted Park.
Registration is required in order to participate in this event. Those who register will automatically receive an email from Alyx Britton, the Land Stewardship Coordinator, with further details, including the necessary waivers to sign and specific information on where to meet and what to expect on the day of the event.
This event has reached capacity. Please email volunteer@emeraldnecklace.org with inquiries on this event or other volunteer opportunities.

Memorial Day
2019-05-27
In observation of the holiday, Conservancy offices at the Shattuck Visitor Center are closed.

Charlesgate Park Tour
2022-05-25 13:30 - 15:00, 2022-04-20 13:00 - 14:30 | Charlesgate, Boston, MA, 02215

Canceled: Introduction to Animal Tracking
2022-05-21 10:00 - 12:00 | Franklin Park Tennis Courts, MA
THIS EVENT HAS BEEN POSTPONED TO A LATER DATE.
Come and learn how to identify signs of different animal life, some of which we share our parks with! In this fun, outdoor experience, we will look at animal tracks, scat, and other signs they leave behind, and learn how to identify which animal left them.
This experience will be facilitated by Bob Metcalfe. Bob is an excellent tracker with over 30 years of experience. Bob’s passion to share his love of nature permeates his teaching style. Do not miss this opportunity to learn from him!
Suitable for families and children age 12 and up.

Second Saturdays: Volunteer Stewardship in the Back Bay Fens
2022-05-14 14:00 - 16:00 | Shattuck Visitor Center, 125 The Fenway, Boston, MA, 02115, United States
Join Emerald Necklace Conservancy staff and volunteers with land stewardship and invasive species removal work in the Emerald Necklace parks on Saturday, May 14! We will be removing brush, debris, and invasive species from the Back Bay Fens.
Registration is required in order to participate in this event. Those who register will automatically receive an email from Alyx Britton, the Land Stewardship Coordinator, with further details, including the necessary waivers to sign and specific information on where to meet and what to expect on the day of the event.
Please email volunteer@emeraldnecklace.org with inquiries on this event or other volunteer opportunities.

InPUBLIC: Rest
2022-05-11 12:00 - 14:00
DS4SI’s very first “inPUBLIC Summer Series” is a series of events from May through August 2022 that focuses on creating experiences that provide the tools and inspiration for you to show up as your full self in public space.
On Wednesday, May 11th, inPUBLIC: Rest invites you to take a break from your routine and responsibilities of the day & rest with us in a variety of green spaces all over the city. Feel free to nap, daydream, read a book, listen to our curated soundscape or just simply exist. You deserve a break!
We provide the blankets, a peaceful soundscape, & quotes to encourage relaxation.

Location:
Rose Kennedy Greenway
Back Bay Fens
Jamaica Pond
Franklin Park (Shattuck Picnic Grove)

Want to create your own inPUBLIC: Rest experience?
Simply join us outside, wherever you are, every 2nd Wednesday of the month between 12pm – 2pm. Grab your blanket, your headphones, click on our soundscape & rest!

Party in the Park 2022
2022-05-11 11:00 - 14:00 | Pinebank Promontory at Jamaica Pond, Jamaica Pond, Boston, MA, United States
We are thrilled to welcome you back to the Party in the Park Luncheon in spring 2022!
Purchase your tickets or sponsorship today!
Explore sponsorship benefits and ticket levels here. Sponsorships and tickets are available through April 27. The deadline for inclusion on the printed invitation is March 15 and the deadline for inclusion in the program book and event signage is April 22.

Spring Fest 2022
2022-05-07 11:00 - 14:00 | Allerton Overlook, Olmsted Park, Brookline, MA, United States

Forest Bathing Walk
2022-05-07 09:00 - 11:00 | Valley Gates, Franklin Park, Boston, MA, 02130
Experience the healing benefits of The Emerald Necklace on a Forest Bathing Walk.
Discover one of Boston’s forested gems on this slow-paced guided therapeutic combination of leisurely walking, sitting, and observation. This is a chance to unplug, slow down, and de-stress through a series of gentle sensory-opening invitations that welcome us to deepen our connection with nature.
Forest Bathing is inspired by Shinrin-Yoku, a term coined in Japan in the 1980’s and there has been years’ worth of research and studies done demonstrating how the practice is an effective form of preventative healthcare and treatment for many stress-related illnesses. There is a long list of proven health benefits from increased cerebral blood flow to stronger immune defenses.
Tam Willey of Toadstool Walks is a Certified Forest Therapy Guide who believes the practice of Forest Therapy can deepen and broaden our relationships and guides Forest Bathing Walks for all.

Tour Olmsted’s Charlesgate Park: The Green Link to Boston’s Future [BOSTON DESIGN WEEK]
2022-04-29 17:00 - 19:00 | 39-45 Charlesgate East, 39-45 Charlesgate East, Boston, MA, 02215
Enjoy a 75-minute “cocktail-hour” tour of Olmsted’s Charlesgate Park, then toast Olmsted’s 200th birthday at Kenmore’s gem: Cornwall’s Pub!
Lace up your comfiest walking shoes and don your favorite party hat for this half-mile “cocktail hour” tour to mark the bicentennial of Frederick Law Olmsted, visionary landscape architect who created Charlesgate Park. Guided by leaders from the Emerald Necklace Conservancy and Charlesgate Alliance, you will learn how Olmsted designed this dynamic nexus of parkways, waterways and railways as a gateway to connect a rapidly urbanizing Boston to its green infrastructure future. Explore the eye-popping stories and traces of how the city built over this 19th-century design with 20th-century car culture, and discover current plans to revitalize the park’s role as a community convener, green-transit connector, and day-lit river for the city’s climate-resilience in the 21st-century. Following the tour, you are welcome to continue the discussion at a treasured Kenmore Square destination nearby: Cornwall’s Pub at 644 Beacon Street. Support a local family-owned business with a toast to Olmsted’s 200th birthday!
This collaborative event is offered as part of Olmsted Now: Greater Boston’s Olmsted Bicentennial for Boston Design Week.

Frederick Law Olmsted's 200th Birthday
2022-04-27 18:30 - 19:30 | Jamaica Pond Boathouse, 507 Jamaicaway, Boston, Massachusetts, 02130
America’s great place-maker Frederick Law Olmsted famously said his Brookline landscape architecture firm must “do the best for Boston all the time.”
Join us in honoring Olmsted’s 200th birthday. Due to inclement weather, we have moved this event to our rain date, Wednesday, April 27!
– Celebrate Olmsted’s legacy values of shared use, shared health and shared power in parks and public space with treats and toasts
– Cheer leaders in park advocacy and access recognized by Olmsted 2022
– Learn more about Olmsted Bicentennial events offered through October
Registration is not required, but strongly encouraged in order to track attendance and order enough treats for everyone!

Gerry Wright, founder of Olmsted 2022, will recognize local partners at the birthday event for their outstanding support of the community and public space.
Olmsted 2022 is a program under Community Service Care (CSC), Inc. aimed at protecting and preserving our parks and public space.
Special Recognition:
Olmsted 2022 annually recognizes local leaders for their parks access and advocacy work.
For the first time since Covid, they will publicly recognize recent awardees:
Kent Jackson, Director of Education, Emerald Necklace Conservancy
Kent is an experienced program administrator and a seasoned educator who has successfully created, developed, directed, facilitated and evaluated environmental education, nature connect and leadership programs for more than 20 years. Kent has previously worked with The Appalachian Mountain Club, Eagle Eye Institute, The Trustees of Reservations and the Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy.

Patrice Kish, Chief of Design and Engineering, Department of Conservation and Recreation

Patrice Kish has been involved in preserving Massachusetts’ significant cultural resources from Boston to the Berkshires for over 30 years. She began her career in preservation when she joined the Department of Environmental Management, now the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) in 1987 as staff for the Olmsted Program, the nation’s first statewide program to restore public landscapes designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and his firm.
Since joining the Department, she’s focused her attention on expanding the agency’s historic preservation mission, particularly in the area of landscape preservation. She built a team of preservation professionals, improved the agency’s regulatory compliance track record, and developed many of the agency’s preservation programs and innovative award-winning initiatives including the Historic Landscape Preservation Program; the Historic Cemeteries Initiative; the Massachusetts Heritage Landscape Inventory; and the Historic Curatorship Program. In connection with the centennial of the State Forests and Parks system, Patrice initiated a statewide survey of Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Resources in the Massachusetts State Forest and Parks. The initiative received the Paul A. Buchanan Award for Fieldwork and Interpretation from the Vernacular Architecture Forum. She has guided the development of several program publications, including Reading the Land; A Parkway is not a Road and the Terra Firma series.
Since 1996, she has served on the Massachusetts Historical Commission. Patrice served as a trustee of the National Association of Olmsted Parks (NAOP) from 2001–2007 and 2012 – 2021. In 2021, she joined NAOP’s Advisory Council. Patrice is the recipient of several historic preservation awards including the 2010 Paul E. Tsongas Profiles in Preservation Award from Preservation Massachusetts. Patrice is currently the Chief of Design and Engineering for DCR where she oversees the planning, design and construction of DCR’s capital projects.

For the bicentennial year, Olmsted 2022 spotlights prior awardees whose empowerment work exemplifies the themes of the Olmsted Now Bicentennial:
Carol Miranda, Director, Community Connections Coalition/Tree of Life/Arbol de Vida
Carol Miranda is the Director of the Jamaica Plain Community Connections Coalition/Tree of Life/Arbol de Vida and the Jamaica Plain Family Engagement Network, where she dedicates her time to anti-poverty initiatives. Carol works with low income families in the community providing family support, community engagement and school readiness. In addition, Carol’s program provides a weekly mother’s support group, a father’s support group, and grandparents raising grandchildren groups. Carol also created The Family Exchange Boutique, a physical space located inside of the Mildred C. Hailey Development, which offers free, gently used, household items and clothing. Carol engages families and connects them with opportunities and resources in collaboration with other community partners. Carol Miranda graduated from Springfield College with a Bachelor’s Degree in human Services and continues to work in the Jamaica Plain community.
Community Connection’s Coalition/Tree of Life, has been providing services to families since the beginning of the pandemic. Free kids meals and other food were distributed to the community on a daily basis along with personal protection equipment and other emergency items for the entire family. Two free pet vaccine clinics were provided for families and their furry animals in collaboration with the MSPCA, Mildred C. Hailey Apartments in Jamaica Plain and the Archdale Village Apartments in Roslindale.
Corey Stallings, Program Director, South Street Youth Center
Corey Stallings joined the South Street Youth Center (SSYC) as Program Director in February 2015 with 20 years’ experience in youth development, program management and fundraising. At SSYC Corey developed the South Street Clubhouse. He secured funding for an up-to-date computer-learning lab and reinforced skills development by engaging Youth Leaders as peer educators. He creates innovative digital media programs that engage students intellectually and artistically while providing a platform for exploring individual artistic visions as well as issues of racial, economic, and social justice. He collaborates with business and community leaders to create entrepreneurial opportunities for SSYC youth. South Street Youth Center’s programs include: entrepreneurship, photography, graphic design, video production, audio engineering, culinary arts, general arts, college prep and tours (nationally), health equity and social justice, annual 5k Fun Run, and Girl Scouts.
Corey is also on Boston Children’s Hospital Collaboration for Community selection committee. Awards include Adobe Lead Educator, Olmstead Healthy Community Award (Friends of Jamaica Pond), Community Service Award (William B. Evans, Boston Police Commissioner), and Community Service Award (Boston City Councilor Matt O’Malley). Corey sits on the board of The Centre for Faith, Arts, & Justice, as well as Community Service Care Inc.
Performance
Award-winning storyteller and JP resident Diane Edgecomb along with Celtic harper Margot Chamberlain will open Olmstead’s 200th birthday party with a story and music entertainment created for this special event. Well known locally for their annual Story and Music journey, Edgecomb and Chamberlain tour throughout the US with their unique blend of story, music and song.
For Olmstead 2022, this delightful program weaves a Shaker Hymn celebrating the healing power of nature with a native Iroquois creation myth on how this land – Turtle Island – came to be, a vocalized/sung poem of sunrise is then complemented by a beloved Ukrainian folktale and melody adapted to include iconic nature elements of the Emerald Necklace celebrating this living community of nature and people. The Ukrainian folktale, The Mitten, was specially chosen for this 200-year birthday celebration of Frederick Law Olmstead to honor the difficult times we live in as well as to honor Gerry Wright, long-time interpreter of Olmstead’s visionary life. Gerry’s long and important history with the Ukrainian people includes helping to establish the Boston/Kyiv Sister City Association which focused on the wonderful parks in both cities.
Learn more about Diane Edgecomb: www.livingmyth.com

Walk: Useful Plants Among Us
2022-04-24 13:30 - 15:00 | Valley Gates, Franklin Park, Boston, MA, 02130
There are helpful and even edible plants all around us, especially in springtime. Learn how to identify and use helpful plants that grow in the wild on a leisurely stroll along the Emerald Necklace with Pam Kristan, author and wild food practitioner. Find out what is growing, where, when, which parts are edible or useful for other purposes, and preparation techniques.
Note: This tour is educational. No plants will be harvested or eaten. Plants in Public Parks are not for harvesting.

Parks As Platform - Olmsted Park
2022-04-23 12:30 - 15:00 | Allerton Overlook, Olmsted Park, Brookline, MA, United States
April Parks As Platform: Celebrate Earth Week!
Presented with Brookline Parks and Open Space and following the morning’s Muddy River Clean-Up (part of the Annual Earth Day Charles River Clean up and the State’s Park Serve Day), enjoy music, games, tours, a food truck, activities with our friends at Culture House, and more! We will be joined by environmentally-friendly partners in celebration of Earth Week to share how we can all be great stewards of our environment! Learn more about each of the partner organizations by joining the event below.
This event is free and open to all, we hope to see you there!
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Performer – Tareq Rantisi

Tareq Rantisi is a world percussionist, composer, and educator. Initially self-taught in the Arabic music tradition, he received a B.A. in Performance from Berklee College of Music in 2011 and a Master’s from the Berklee Global Jazz Institute in 2019.His studies and practice have brought him into deep dialogue with Jazz, Afro-Cuban, Indian, West African, Brazilian, and other traditions which continue to transform his approach to music, performing, and composing. Also a seasoned educator Tareq has offered master classes, workshops, and private lessons throughout the world in collaboration with Boston College, Brandeis University, The Center for Arabic Culture, and The Arabic Music Retreat.

Bootstrap Compost (Learn more)

Bootstrap Compost is one of the forefront composting services in the northeast, servicing Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire. Bootstrap effectively allows for residential, commercial, and restaurant communities to compost their organic waste. They also strive to educate community members on the composting process and how they can get involved.

Brookline Greenspace Alliance (Learn more)

The Brookline Greenspace Alliance advocates for environmentally-focused town policies, provides free learning resources to the public and and hosts community programs. The Brookline Greenspace Alliance pushes for ecologically-healthy, safe, and beautiful parks throughout Brookline.

Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site (Learn more)

The famed landscape architect, Frederick Law Olmsted, made his home and office in Brookline, Massachusetts. His estate, which he designed in 1883, now aims to engage the public with the deep history in the property. The Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site is co-leading Olmsted Now with the Emerald Necklace Conservancy.

GrowBoston! (Learn more)

GrowBoston!: Office of Food Justice is a new office within the City of Boston and will work to increase food production throughout Boston; develop and implement innovative food production strategies; provide technical assistance to prospective and existing gardens and farms; develop food production resources for gardeners, farmers, and other residents; and coordinate with other City departments to expand citywide urban agriculture. GrowBoston will also contribute to Boston’s efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change while addressing injustices inherent in the current food system.

Muddy Water Initiative (Learn more)

The Muddy Water Initiative’s goal is to advocate for the Muddy River and its surrounding communities. Through defending and restoring the Muddy River, a defining water feature of the Emerald Necklace, the Muddy Water Initiative has made changes that benefit the ecosystems and people along the river’s banks.

Speak for the Trees (Learn more)

Speak for the Trees advocates for tree health and the tree canopy cover in Boston. Recognizing how trees can benefit environmental health, the well-being of residents, and community ties, Speak for the Trees partners with groups across Boston to learn more and defend the tree population.

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Learn more about Parks as Platform
For Olmsted Now, the Emerald Necklace Conservancy expands its annual free event series Summer on the Emerald Necklace into a shared resource for cross-neighborhood collaboration and community-generated public events from April through October 2022.
Each month, the Conservancy will collaborate with a site partner to anchor programming with extra support: securing permits, coordinating volunteers and providing amenities like signage, presentation/performance/convening space, portable utilities and restrooms, food trucks and more. The goal is to increase park access, amplify partner capacity to welcome expanded audiences and maximize impacts of diverse public offerings using the parks as platform.

2022 Muddy River Cleanup
2022-04-23 10:00 - 12:00
We hope you will join us for this year’s Muddy River Cleanup!
The Muddy River Cleanup is a part of the Annual Earth Day Charles River Cleanup; this event takes place 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 Charles River Cleanup brings together over 3,000 volunteers each year to pick up litter, remove invasive species and assist with park maintenance along all 80 miles of the Charles River. Residents are drawn to the popular Charles River Cleanup from a desire to give back to their community while enjoying the beauty and wildlife along the river. Volunteers hold onto the connections they establish during this day of stewardship by returning to the Charles to exercise, play and enjoy nature throughout the year.
For corporate volunteer groups of 100+ people, please contact Land Stewardship Coordinator Alyx Britton at abritton@emeraldnecklace.org to inquire about pricing. For non-profit volunteer groups seeking to sign up, please contact volunteer@emeraldnecklace.org.
Thank you for your interest in keeping Boston’s parks safe and beautiful for all. Registration for the 2022 Muddy River Cleanup is now closed due to record interest. Please consider making a donation to the Conservancy or joining our first Second Saturday cleanup of the season on Saturday, May 14 (registration will open in late April) or emailing volunteer@emeraldnecklace.org to schedule a private Day in the Dirt.

"Making Space:" Olmsted Now Public Dialogue #4
2022-04-20 18:00 - 19:30
Each third Wednesday of the month, Olmsted Now welcomes all to a public online dialogue exploring bicentennial themes: shared use, shared health and shared power in parks and public spaces. Each session tackles a “big question” about park experience through the guiding perspectives of community voices.
Join us on April 20 from 6-7:30 PM for a public dialogue on Shared Power as we grapple with the question “How can we turn the idea of ‘park equity’ into action?” Educator Stephen Lin of Mass Audubon’s Boston Nature Center & Wildlife Sanctuary in Mattapan will open discussion with former students and local colleagues about how to harness greenspace access to center youth healing in the wake of the pandemic, especially in environmental justice communities. Joelle Fontaine, Art & Creative Placemaking Lead at Design Studio for Social Intervention will introduce the equity-centered work of Olmsted Now’s Committee of Neighborhoods with the community leaders who will select and fund park programming by focusing on under-represented creatives, cultural organizers and organizations to activate underutilized parks and green spaces.
Click THIS ZOOM LINK to register.
