Mystic River Watershed Association

10/24/2026

We aren't the only ones excited about improvements! These two red-tailed hawks were spotted keeping an eye on projects in Somerville last week 😄 .

Photo 1: Draw Seven Park - the revitalization of this important green space is nearing completion! Improvements include a living shoreline of salt-tolerant plants that will provide major flood protection, large areas of planted meadow and woodland, and upgrades to utilities running under the park.

Photo 2: Shore Drive Greenway at Blessing of the Bay Park - this Greenway is undergoing awesome safety and ecological improvements, including expansion of the path to a 12ft width, 1,520 square feet of native plantings, and underground green stormwater infrastructure.

More information about these projects at https://mysticriver.org/greenways

10/23/2026

A milestone day!! 🎉 This morning, volunteers planted our Urban Canopy Program's 1000th shade tree 🌳.

What does it mean to have 1000 more shade trees in the watershed? Over a 40 year lifespan, a single mature tree can sequester 1 ton of CO₂ (Arbor Day Foundation), uptake millions of gallons of stormwater (Green Infrastructure Center), cool the area below by up to 20ºF, provide habitat for wildlife, and provide benefits for our mental wellbeing. Now multiply that impact by 1000!

It takes a watershed-wide community to make this impact in just 3 years - thank you to the many partners, supporters, and volunteers that make this effort possible! DCR, EEA, USDA, Forest Service, Congresswoman Pressley, Takeda, Anonymous private foundation, Communities of Charlestown, Chelsea, Everett, Malden, Melrose, Medford, Somerville, GreenRoots, Everett Community Growers, TreesMedford, Green & Open Somerville, Groundwork Somerville, Earthwise Aware

Learn more about MyRWA's Urban Canopy Program at https://mysticriver.org/trees

📍 Lou Ann David Park, Somerville

10/22/2026

🍁 Fall colors are POPPING on the Mystic today! These views are from the Torbert Macdonald Park in Medford. What is your favorite place in the watershed to see the fall colors?

Come see the colors! Join us this weekend with Bike to the Sea on the annual Fall Colors Bike Ride this Sunday, October 25th! Register >>> https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd144AnQRvDGmBf23I2NDaYGAGoRq8MHO2em0_vLWPOdmgUCw/viewform

🚲 Bike riders should meet at 10:45am outside Night Shift Brewing at 87 Santilli Highway in Everett, Mass.
🕛 The free ride is expected to last 90 minutes.
🧠 Helmets are required for all riders.
8️⃣ Recommended for individual riders aged 8 and older

10/21/2026

At our Annual Meeting last week, we were thrilled to announce the addition of two new board members and the recipients of this year's Ripple and Volunteer of the Year Awards!

Read More >>> https://mysticriver.org/news/2026/10/21/mystic-river-watershed-association-adds-two-new-experts-to-board-of-directors-honors-volunteers-and-partners-at-annual-meeting

Céline Mukasine Bagley joins us from Malden, bringing decades of experience in nonprofit leadership at the intersection of finance, people, and culture.

Kaila Bachman Chavez of Medford brings extensive expertise in the community-oriented architectural design of public parks, open spaces, and affordable housing.

Our Ripple Award recipient was Thomas Green of the Massachusett Tribe at Ponkapoag for his extensive work highlighting and reclaiming indigenous cultural practices across the Mystic River watershed.

Our Volunteers of the Year, Alice Chen and Jon Kaufman, both serve as Administrative Volunteers, helping MyRWA process data and manage the vital administrative tasks that keep our projects and programs running.

If our Annual Meeting made one thing clear, it's that we can't do our work alone! Keep in touch to learn how you can get involved in making a better future for the Mystic. Visit www.mysticriver.org/subscribe

Learn about our newest board members and the winners of our Annual Meeting awards

10/20/2026

Happening tonight! Help spread the word about Question 6 and the opportunity to get dedicated funding for natural resource conservation in Massachusetts WITHOUT raising taxes 🌱

Sign up here for the Zoom link: https://forms.gle/gXfnFrV9aiwstpg57

Nature For MA

Calling volunteers! MyRWA is excited to cohost a phone bank with the Yes on 6 campaign on Tuesday, October 20th from 6-8PM! We welcome you to join us that evening to make calls alongside MyRWA staff and other Mystic volunteers! Sign up at https://forms.gle/gXfnFrV9aiwstpg57

🌱 What is Yes on 6?
Question 6 dedicates the sales tax we already pay on sporting goods to a new Nature for All Fund to protect clean drinking water; conserve forests, family farms, and natural wildlife habitat; and create more parks, trails, and greenspaces for all to enjoy. More info at https://www.natureforma.org/.

📞 What is a Phone Bank Event?
As Election Day approaches on November 3rd, the campaign is calling for all hands on deck to engage and educate as many voters across the Commonwealth to Vote Yes on 6! One of the most important ways the campaign is engaging Massachusetts voters is through the Yes on 6 Phone and Text Banking Program.

For the phone bank, volunteers will join a Zoom meeting and will receive an introduction to the Yes on 6 campaign and a training on the phone bank dialer (Scale to Win) from campaign staff for the first 30-45 minutes of the program. Volunteers will then be able to log onto Scale to Win and begin making calls to voters! Phone bank staff will stay on the Zoom for the duration of each phone bank to answer any questions or concerns volunteers may have. About 15 minutes before the end of the phone bank, volunteers will get a chance to debrief that evening’s calls, share successes, and share tips with each other.

Nature For MA

10/19/2026

Join Clean Up Everett this Sunday to give Ferry Street a fall clean! 🧹

- keeping trash off city streets is one of the best ways to prevent it from blowing or flowing into rivers when it rains 🌧️

10/18/2026

Today is the Belle Isle Marsh Harvest Festival! 🌾

Come visit the largest remaining salt marsh in Boston Harbor and enjoy lots of fun fall activities 🎃 . Featuring pumpkin decorating, nature walks, live music and animal educators, and more!

Friends of Belle Isle Marsh Mass DCR

10/17/2026

Hey Charlestown! Come volunteer with us at the Little Mystic Channel next Saturday!

Join MyRWA, Charlestown Sprouts Community Garden, and Friends of the Boston Harborwalk for a trash cleanup at the Little Mystic Channel in Charlestown!

Date and Time: Saturday, October 24th at 8:30 AM
Location Details: We will meet at Charlestown Sprouts Community Garden, which is located adjacent to the Little Mystic Boat Ramp (90 Terminal Street, Boston).
Parking/Bus Info: Parking is available at the site. The 93 MBTA bus route has stops along Bunker Hill Street, which is a short walk from the clean-up area.

Learn More >>>

Join MyRWA, Charlestown Sprouts Community Garden, and Friends of the Boston Harborwalk for a trash cleanup at the Little Mystic Channel in Charlestown!

10/16/2026

TOMORROW! Learn with us about the Mystic River watershed through an indigenous lens!

🌳 Join us for a storytelling nature walk with Massachusett tribe member and indigenous educator Thomas Green. Thomas will share traditional ecological knowledge about our local environment, the Mystic River, and its watershed lands. The event will also encourage storytelling by participants about their relationship to rivers! Event details >>> https://buff.ly/qn8gO5J

10/15/2026

PUBLIC COMMENTS ARE DUE OCTOBER 30th! Demand the elimination of sewage pollution in the Mystic and Alewife Brook!

MyRWA Fellow Jasiah Ortega spent a big portion of his summer sampling water quality on the Mystic. His experience inspired him to submit a public comment on the Combined Sewer Overflow Long Term Control Plan demanding more from our rivers.

Join Jasiah in submitting public comments by visiting www.mysticriver.org/csos!