Mass Audubon

We have two pieces of AMAZING news. 1. MathWorks in Natick just announced a $25.5M donation for land conservation, climate resilience, and biodiversity. That's on top of the $25M they donated in 2023! This level of corporate giving to the environmental community is nothing short of game-changing and allows us to more than double our pace of land protection. 2. Earlier today, we officially announced our acquisition of 858 acres in Becket, MA, which will be named the Palmer Brook Wildlife Sanctuary and, when it opens, will be our second-largest property in the Berkshires. Formerly known as the Berkshire Fishing Club, this property will eventually be opened to the public to be enjoyed by all while the protected trees store carbon and provide a healthy habitat for plants and wildlife to thrive. This acquisition was made possible with the help of conservation partners including the Becket Land Trust, Berkshire Natural Resources Council, Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, and thanks to the generosity of MathWorks and many individual donors. Read more about this incredible gift, Palmer Brook Wildlife Sanctuary, and the impact it will have on protecting the nature of Massachusetts: https://lnkd.in/e5gJJ68B

A huge thank you to Office of Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey and Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll, and the teams at Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) and Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protections (DEP) for their efforts to expedite permitting for wetland restoration projects. This is a win for wildlife and communities, and a necessary step to reach the state’s biodiversity and climate goals. Mass Audubon supports these efforts wholeheartedly. https://lnkd.in/e9eF7HhN

July is Disability Pride Month, in which we commemorate the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a landmark law that protects people with disabilities from discrimination and ensures equal opportunity for them in the U.S. But Disability Pride Month is more than that—it is a celebration of life and a reminder that the more accessible we make our world, the more inclusive and welcoming it becomes. Here are 5 ways you can celebrate Disability Pride Month in nature with Mass Audubon this July > https://lnkd.in/gH7Bq9dc

Huge news for Massachusetts! We are officially launching the YES campaign to pass the Protect Water and Nature ballot initiative this November. Join conservation, outdoor rec, and parks advocates on Wednesday, July 22 at 11 AM on the Charles River Esplanade in Boston to kick things off. This initiative will secure as much as $100M annually for clean water, healthy forests, and local parks—without raising taxes. RSVP to join the launch rally: https://lnkd.in/gd_BDe5u

Last week, we were thrilled to celebrate Mass Audubon officially owning 18 acres of waterfront in Chelsea. And that, alongside our partners GreenRoots, Inc. and The Neighborhood Developers, we are working to transform the space into Chelsea Creek Sanctuary. When open, this will be a place where climate resilience, ecological restoration, and community investment comes together. Learn more about the vision, the property, and how you can help make it a reality: https://lnkd.in/ewXfjkiK

Nature connects us. The outdoors serves as a unifier and area of common ground. That's why it felt so wonderful to finally open the gates that have cut Chelsea residents off from their waterfront for too many years and share a peek at what's to come.  Mass Audubon now officially owns 18 acres of waterfront in Chelsea—one of the most densely populated cities in the state. Along with our partners, GreenRoots, Inc. and The Neighborhood Developers, we welcomed  more than 100 folks to see where up to 225 affordable homes will meet new nature trails and a totally redeveloped, climate-resilient waterfront offering Chelsea residents and their families opportunities to spend valuable time in nature and the outdoors.  When Chelsea Creek Sanctuary opens in a few years, it will be a place where people will walk along Chelsea Creek. Where children will discover nature for the first time. Where families will gather. Where affordable housing and conservation will exist side by side. Where climate resilience, ecological restoration, and community investment come together in one place.  Learn more about how we're transforming a former industrial site into a waterfront park. https://lnkd.in/ewD76qgg

"Building on Nature in the City’s goal of increasing access to nature, I have come to see that physical proximity to green space is not enough; access must also be cultural, relational, and grounded in community representation. My own experience in Franklin Park helped bring this research into focus." Tami Gordon, Nature in the City Fellow, writes in their recent blog post. Read more about how Tami's Caribbean heritage, experience stumbling upon Boston’s Trinidad-Style Carnival parade along Franklin Park, and researching the history of Elma Lewis, a Caribbean community leader who played a major part in reviving Franklin Park, all come together to tell a story. Read their blog post > https://lnkd.in/gaJq2KBp Image Source: Group of people at Elma Lewis Playhouse at rally in Franklin Park [Photograph]. (1968, September 25). Retrieved from https://lnkd.in/eesbUMw7

Rescue Raptors Update: The House did not include any provisions in its version of the Mass Ready Act – Over two days last week, more than 3,000 wildlife advocates contacted their State Rep in support of Amendment 10, which would phase out the overuse of harmful rodenticides. The Reps heard us, and 82 members cosponsored the amendment. Unfortunately, despite this level of energy and support, the amendment was not adopted, and the House passed its version of the Mass Ready Act without rodenticide policy. The process can be frustrating, but we are still making progress. Even with this disappointing outcome, it’s important for advocates to realize that our legislators, both in the House and Senate, are also still fighting for rodenticide policy to be included in the Mass Ready Act, or even for standalone legislation to move forward. It is essential that we support them by keeping the pressure on. Our voices need to be consistent, persistent, and louder than the opposition. This is grassroots people power in action—and it is the winding path to victory. Stay posted on the campaign: https://lnkd.in/eSPzV5Wt Red-tailed Hawk © Bryan Batley

Birding is having a moment among Gen Z and Millennials, and we are here for it 🤩 This recent story from The News & Observer highlighted the growing interest in birding in young adults across the country, and how both apps and technology, as well as the analog nature of birding, are spurring the uptick. Read the story 👇 https://lnkd.in/eGrX9ssX Enter your birding era with us: join one of our upcoming bird walks, download our birding checklist, and more 👇 https://lnkd.in/e6ZbN3X6

A thriving bird population is indicative of a healthy environment, so when their numbers start dropping it's literally the canary in the coalmine for our planet's well-being.   That's why the work from Mass Audubon's own John Herbert and Lyra Brennan is so vital. By safely tagging these birds and monitoring their migrations, we learn invaluable information that can reverse declining populations and help them recover and thrive. Our Coastal Waterbird Program's successful efforts with Piping Plovers and Saltmarsh Sparrows are proof that it can be done.   Thank you to WFXT Boston 25 News for shining light on a topic crucial to us all. #birdconservation https://lnkd.in/grpz9RXv