Boston Flora

Tag: Charles River Conservancy

  • Max Rome Named Boston’s New Director of Green Infrastructure

    Max Rome is Boston’s Office of Green Infrastructure’s new Director of Green Infrastructure. Max lives in Allston and brings experience advancing nature based designs from his time with the Charles River Watershed Association, and from his research into the restoration of the Charles River during his Ph.D at Northeastern University. Max completed his Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Northeastern University in 2022. His dissertation “From Water Quality to River Health” focused on improved monitoring of algal blooms and understanding how urban rivers recover from eutrophication. As part of his research, Max worked with the Charles River Conservancy to deploy a floating wetland and document its potential as a tool for phosphorus removal and for supporting improved ecological function through the provision of novel habitats. He may be reached at max.rome@boston.gov after the first of the year.

  • Thursday, September 9, 2:00 pm – Garden Club of the Back Bay PopUp Event – Charles River Conservancy Floating Wetland Tour and Optional Kayak Outing

    As American Express says, membership has its privileges. Join the The Garden Club of the Back Bay and the Charles River Conservancy on September 9 at 2 pm for a lecture and optional kayak tour of their innovative climate resilience Floating Wetland project. Situated in the Charles River downriver of the Longfellow Bridge, the Floating Wetland is an ecological intervention designed to reduce harmful algal blooms in the river while simultaneously increasing biodiversity, supporting local ecological change, and providing needed green space in the water. Learn more about this exciting initiative from the CRC’s Executive Director Laura Jasinski followed by an optional kayak tour down the Broad Canal in Kendall Square to visit the Wetland up-close.

    Limited to 12 members only. If you are interested, please RSVP and indicate if you prefer just a lecture and small walk or a lecture and an optional kayak ride. If you are not yet a member of the Club, visit https://bostonflora.com/ to sign up.

    Meet at Paddle Boston, 15 Broad Canal Way in Kendall Square, Cambridge

    The lecture will last approximately 45 minutes, followed by a kayak ride of about the same duration. Kayaks are available for one or two people, depending on your preference. If enough participants choose to kayak, there may be an option to continue using the kayaks after the up-close viewing session concludes.

  • Saturday, July 12 – City Splash

    The Charles River Conservancy will once again host City Splash on July 12 at the Charles River. Spend the day on the Esplanade for the party of the summer. This year’s event is bigger and better, featuring more fun land activities and great local vendors, on top of the chance to swim in the Charles—one of the cleanest urban rivers in the country.

    Swimming registration is open with limited spots available, so be sure to subscribe to our e-newsletter linktr.ee/charlesrivercrc and follow on Instagram @charlesriverconservancy for updates.

  • Saturday, June 17 (Rain Date Sunday, June 18) – City Splash

    The Charles River Conservancy is excited to bring swimmers back to the Charles on June 17th (rain date June 18th) for our community swim, one of only two annual opportunities to swim in the river. The CRC works in partnership with Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) to obtain a Special Use Permit for this unique event. Due to important safety considerations, there are limited swimming slots and swimming in the Charles River is only allowed if a permit is obtained from DCR. City Splash is a community event that provides the public the rare opportunity to swim in the Charles River and raise awareness to bring river swimming back to Boston. This annual state-sanctioned swim allows the public to experience the joy of swimming in the Charles River—one of the cleanest urban rivers in the United States. The event is held in a demarcated deep-water area off the Fiedler Dock on the DCR Esplanade in Boston. The CRC has a vision to create a seasonal home for swimming in the Charles, but does not encourage swimming in the Charles outside of permitted events.  City Splash swim slots are currently SOLD OUT, but do come down to the Dock to cheer the swimmers on Thank you for everyone’s interest in making a big splash in the Charles. We’ll be making tickets available if swim slots open up. Follow us on social media and subscribe to our e-news so that you can get the latest details of the event.  For complete information visit https://thecharles.org/city-splash/

  • Saturday, October 4, 7:30 pm – 11:00 pm – Tango by Moonlight

    Join the Charles River Conservancy on Saturday, October 4 from 7:30 – 11 at the Weeks Footbridge in Cambridge for a free event, Tango by Moonlight.  By the light of the full moon shimmering over the rippling waters of the Charles River, dance the Argentine Tango, or just watch and listen.  The Weeks Pedestrian Bridge is near Harvard Square, at Memorial Drive just east of JFK Street, and across from DeWolfe Street.  Raindate Sunday, October 5 if necessary.  For more information visit http://www.bostontango.org.

  • Marathon Daffodils

    Marathon Daffodils is a collaboration of nonprofit organizations, gardeners, cities and towns, organizations, businesses, and citizens interested in preserving the spirit of the Boston Marathon and Boston Strong, while embracing the tradition of celebrating the arrival of Spring to Boston.

    Some of Massachusetts top horticultural organizations, partnering with communities and volunteers plan to plant daffodils along the 26.5 mile Boston Marathon route, to create a new event.  Tower Hill Botanic Garden, The Massachusetts Horticultural Society, The Garden Club Federation, The Charles River Conservancy and other groups have agreed to collaborate. The goal is to raise $1,000 per mile for a total of $26,500 from Hopkinton to Boston.

    “We want to do something to lift the spirits of the community, in support of Boston Marathon 2014 and Boston Strong,” said Diane Valle, volunteer and organizer.

    “We are excited to participate,” said Kathy Abbott, Executive Director of Tower Hill Botanic Garden, “because we believe Marathon Daffodils represent Spring and rebirth. This is a great community building opportunity.”

    Plans include outreach to supporters and volunteers from young to old; and novices to Master Gardeners; to plant daffodils. “Marathon Daffodil” donations are welcome, sent to The Cooperative Bank, 201 Main Street, Charlestown, MA 02129.

    “With the support of the communities, the planting of daffodils is to commence in October and continue through December, along the route, and hopefully throughout our communities,” said Kathy Thomas, Past Garden Club Federation President and horticultural activist.  Volunteers are welcome.

    For more information:

    Diane Valle
    dianevalle@gmail.com

    Kathy Thomas
    Kathymthomas@aol.com

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  • Sundays, June 16 – September 29, 3:30 pm – 6:00 pm – Sunday Parkland Games

    The Charles River Conservancy presents the 5th season of the Sunday Parkland Games, held in the Charles River Parklands close to the Weeks Footbridge, 948 Memorial Drive in Cambridge, every Sunday from June 16 through September 29, 3:30pm-6pm. The Conservancy, with its partner Knucklebones, provides athletic equipment and instruction for people of ALL ages and abilities. Games include everything from badminton to hula-hoop, (mini) basketball hoops to bean-bag toss. In addition, Karma Yoga will offer weekly yoga sessions from 5pm-6pm. The event is FREE and open to the public — they hope to see you there!  For information, visit www.thecharles.org.

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  • Monday, April 22 – 5% for Earth Day

    Boston has long been known for its commitment to preserving green space. The Boston Common, The Public Garden, the Emerald Necklace, the creation of the Charles River Basin, the clean-up of Boston Harbor, the revitalization of the Waterfront, the completion of Big Dig and the opening of the Rose Kennedy Greenway are but a few examples of the Commonwealth and the City’s dedication to public, open space throughout the years. All of these improvements were made possible through the commitment of a number of non-profit organizations that work hand in hand with our local, state and national government to keep our parks and open spaces in shape.

    For Earth Day 2013, five of these non-profits (the Charles River Conservancy, the Emerald Necklace Conservancy, the Esplanade Association, the Friends of Public Garden, and the Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy) are joining forces to bring 5% for Earth Day to Boston. The campaign, which has seen three years of success in Austin, TX and expanded to the Houston, TX area in 2012, will ask Boston-area retailers to donate 5% of their gross proceeds on Monday April 22, 2013 to a coalition of non-profits that support projects in Boston’s parks and open spaces.

    Kickass Cupcakes, Roxy’s Grilled Cheese, Momogoose, Mei Mei Street Kitchen, Henrietta’s Table, SkinHealth Centers, Shuckin Truck, and The Chubby Chickpea are among the participating businesses. Go to www.give5Boston.org for a complete list.

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  • Thursday, March 14, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm – Brooklyn’s Resilient Edge: The Transformation of Industrial Waterfront into Brooklyn Bridge Park

    Brooklyn’s Resilient Edge: The Transformation of Industrial Waterfront into Brooklyn Bridge Park, is a lecture by Nate Trevethan, Senior Associate at Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates and senior design team member for Brooklyn Bridge Park, sponsored by the Friends of Fairsted, to take place March 14, 2013, with reception at 6:00 pm, lecture at 7:00 pm, at Wheelock College, 43 Hawes Street, Brookline. Free and open to the public. Seating is limited. Reservations are requested: e-mail friendsoffairsted@gmail.com or leave a message at 617-566-1689, ext. 265.

    Ambitious and visionary goals guide the creative team in their transformation of Brooklyn’s former industrial waterfront into a new public landscape of diverse recreational, economic, ecological and social possibilities: to preserve the historic urban context and the way it is experienced in this dramatic waterfront site. The award-winning design by Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates gives voice to physical history, geography, industry, urbanity and evolving recreational needs as it transforms a challenging waterfront into a sustainable public park of monumental vistas and diverse landscape experiences.

    Friends of Fairsted gratefully acknowledges the support of the following co-sponsors: National Park Service, Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site; Wheelock College; Arnold Arboretum; Boston Society of Landscape Architects; Brookline GreenSpace Alliance; Brookline Historical Society; Charles River Conservancy; Emerald Necklace Conservancy; The Fenway Alliance; Friends of Mount Auburn Cemetery; Friends of the Muddy River; Friends of the Public Garden; High Street Hill Association; Historic New England; The Landscape Institute of the Boston Architectural College; Library of American Landscape History; Massachusetts Historical Society; Muddy River Restoration Project Maintenance and Management Oversight Committee; National Association for Olmsted Parks; New England Landscape Design and History Association; Society of Architectural Historians, New England Chapter; The Trustees of Reservations.

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  • Tuesday, June 15, 11:30 am – 2:00 pm – Charles River Conservancy’s 10th Anniversary Event

    Celebrate the Power of the Parklands at the Charles River Conservancy’s 10th Anniversary event on Tuesday, June 15, beginning with a reception at 11:30 am, followed by a luncheon at 12:30 pm, at the Washburn Riverfront Pavilion at the Museum of Science in Boston.  This year the Conservancy will honor Henry Lee, Founder of the Friends of the Public Garden, and Conservancy supporters Carolyn and Peter Lynch.  Guest speakers include Tom Ashbrook, host of National Public Radio’s “On Point,” and Fred Salvucci, former Secretary of Transportation.  The Conservancy gratefully thanks its principal supporters InterSystems, Fidelity Investments, and Bank of America, for their help with this event, as well as Equity Office, Harvard University, Polaris Public Relations and Novartis.  For tickets ($150 per person) and sponsorship information ($500 and above), call 617-608-1410, or email crc@thecharles.org.  You may also find details on the Charles River Conservancy’s website, www.thecharles.org.  Photo by Tom Christiansen.

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