The Charles River Conservancy, founded in 2000, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit citizens advocacy group dedicated to the renewal and stewardship of the Charles River Parklands from Boston Harbor to the Watertown Dam. The Conservancy works in partnership with the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), the agency responsible for the Charles River parklands, parkways, and historic bridges.
More than 2,500 Conservancy Volunteers help each year to revive and maintain the Charles River Parklands. The Conservancy also collaborates with other organizations and coalitions to advocate for increased state funding for better access and good planning and management practices to enhance the landscape, structures, and amenities of the Basin.
A leader in forming public-private partnerships, the Conservancy has successfully leveraged funds for many projects that make the Parklands more active and accessible for all—including building a world-class skate park under the Leonard P. Zakim Bridge, resurfacing Charles River pathways, illuminating four historic bridges, and hosting volunteer service days for area corporations.
For the past decade the Charles River Conservancy has worked to expand upon the legacy of Charles Eliot, whose vision of a comprehensive park system built on a grand scale has sustained and enriched us all with the creation of green space throughout greater Boston.
Mission
The Charles River Conservancy promotes the active and innovative use of the 400 acres of urban public parklands along the Charles River from Boston Harbor to the Watertown Dam. The Conservancy and its partners—the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and many other community groups—organize volunteers to beautify the Parklands and preserve the landscape, advocate for land uses that advance healthy living, public access, and physical parkland improvements, and build awareness about the Charles River.
Top Tier Sponsors
