Massachusetts Environmental Collaborative
About the Collaborative
Initiated by ELM in 1997 with 20 environmental groups, the Massachusetts Environmental Collaborativehas grown to over 40 member organizations — from the Berkshires to Cape Cod. These members provide valuable local knowledge and expertise on a range of environmental issues.
Together, ELM and Collaborative members share knowledge, pool resources, discuss priorities and strategies, and provide a strong advocacy voice on key environmental concerns.
Twice a year the Collaborative convenes for information and strategy meetings, featuring key speakers from among Collaborative members and a guest speaker from the Massachusetts legislature or government.
State Representative Anne Gobi, House Chair of the Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture — pictured at right with ELM Managing Director Ken Pruitt — was the featured speaker at the Fall 2012 meeting held at the New England Wild Flower Society's Garden in the Woods, in Framingham, MA.
To learn more about the Environmental Collaborative, including how your organization can become a member, contact ELM Managing Director Ken Pruitt.
Member Organizations
American Planning Association
The APA Massachusetts chapter offers leadership and support for the diverse groups in Massachusetts involved in local, state, and regional planning. They advocate for rational planning processes, promote education and citizen inclusion, and provide tools and support necessary to meet the challenges of change and growth in achieving vital communities.
http://www.massapa.org/
Appalachian Mountain Club
AMC works to protect the mountians, rivers, and trails in Massachusetts and the Northeast because these environs contribute to our physical and mental well-being as well as the economic health of our region. AMC actively encourages people to enjoy and appreciate the natural world first-hand, believing that successful conservation depends on the actual experience of enjoying nature.
http://www.outdoors.org
Arborway Coalition
A community group working to improve traffic safety and park access along the parkways of the Emerald Necklace.
http://www.arborway.org
Association to Preserve Cape Cod
From its beginnings in an Eastham kitchen, APCC has grown to a 5,700-member organization with the reputation as Cape Cod's leading environmental educator, advocate and watchdog organization.
http://www.apcc.org/
Bay Circuit Alliance
A partnership of individuals and organizations, the Bay Circuit Alliance works to complete the Bay Circuit concept: an outer emerald necklace linking parks, open spaces, and waterways from Plum Island to Kingston Bay. BCA helps local communities with planning and technical assistance on route identification, land protection issues, and trail building and management.
http://www.baycircuit.org/
Boston Harbor Island Alliance
The mission of Island Alliance is to assist in public education leading to the designation of the Boston Harbor Islands as a National Recreation Area.
http://www.islandalliance.org/
Charles River Conservancy
The CRC is dedicated to the renovation, maintenance and enrichment of the Charles River Basin and its surroundings, particularly its parks, parkways, and bridges. The Conservancy promotes good planning and management practices of the basin through educational programs and public dialog, and seeks funding for public-private partnership initiatives. Guiding the work of the Conservancy is 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.
http://www.charlesriverconservancy.org/
Charles River Watershed Association
One of the country's oldest watershed organizations, CRWA is dedicated to protecting and enhancing the health, beauty and enjoyment of the Charles River and its tributaries. To raise awareness of the watershed, CRWA uses education, conservation, scientific research, and recreational programs, and advocates with local, state and federal agencies, corporations, and individual decision-makers.
http://www.crwa.org/
Emerald Necklace Conservancy
Working with public sector initiatives, this conservancy builds partnerships with community, business, government and institutional representatives, localassociations, and interested citizens to build upon public sector initiatives to protect the Emerald Necklace.
www.emeraldnecklace.org
Esplanade Association
The Esplanade Association works to restore, preserve, and enhance the historic Charles River Esplanade as a vital urban park to be enjoyed by all.
http://www.esplanadeassociation.org/
Essex County Greenbelt Association
A land trust that has conserved nearly 13,000 acres, the Greenbelt Association works with local communities and landowners to acquire and protect ecological areas, farmland, and scenic vistas such as river, trail, coastal sytems, and other natural intact landscapes.
http://www.ecga.org/
Franklin Land Trust
The Franklin Land Trust does not own land, but instead encourages private stewardship, working to assist farmers and other landowners find ways to protect their land from unwanted development.
http://www.franklinlandtrust.org/
Friends of the Blue Hills
The Friends of The Blue Hills has fought successfully since 1976 to preserve the Reservation for hikers, cyclists, horseback riders, and skiers.
http://www.friendsofthebluehills.org/
Friends of the Middlesex Fells Reservation
Their mission is to protect and preserve the natural and historic resources of the Middlesex Fells Reservation. They also assist the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR - formerly the MDC) in educating the public about the natural, cultural and appropriate recreational features in the Fells.
http://www.fells.org/
Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts
Aiding in the protection and conservation of natural resources, the Garden Club Federation pomotes civic beauty and roadside improvements and encourages the art of gardening and study of horticluture, floriculture and the landscape.
www.gcfm.org
Green Decade/Newton
Green Decade’s mission is to create a city in better balance with the natural world by making significant, measurable improvements in the way people in Newton use resources. Programs are designed to build awareness, to provide opportunities for public dialog, and to educate and empower citizens to take personal and civic action.
http://www.greendecade.org/
Hilltown Anti-Herbicide Coalition
This grassroots organization began in Ashfield, late in 1997 to oppose Mass Highway’s first five-year plan to replace mechanical cutting of roadside weeds with herbicide spraying along nearly 3,000 miles of state roads. It then joined forces with Toxics Action Center in Boston, and later that year saw the program cancelled state-wide. The organization focuses on heading off the impacts such blind-sightedness would heap upon children’s health. And, as an approach to getting others motivated and involved, unifying this focus with both conviction and strategy.
http://www.wiserearth.org/organization/view/11cae2c2ce942d7112a739240d5d09b9
Jones River Watershed Association
The purpose of the JRWA is to maintain and improve the quality of local water and natural resources, through advocacy, education, scientific research, pollution remediation, the acquisition of sensitive riparian lands and restoration of species habitat so that this coastal watershed will be a sustainable resource for the growth and enjoyment of our communities now and in the future.
http://www.jonesriver.org/
Lakes and Ponds Association of Western Massachusetts
The primary goal of LAPA-West is to develop an active and effective network of stewards interested in improving water quality in the lakes and ponds of the watersheds of Western Massachusetts.
http://www.lapa-west.org/
Lincoln Land Conservation Trust
Since 1957 the LLCT has developed innovative land protection and stewardship initiatives which may be applied by grassroots organizations. Choosing to prosper as an all volunteer local land trust, the LLCT has preserved 1500 acres of land in Lincoln and currently manages an 80 mile trail system.
http://lincolnconservation.org
Lowell Parks & Conservation Trust
The mission of the Lowell Parks & Conservation Trust is to improve the quality of life for the people of Lowell by protecting its parks and open spaces.
http://www.lowelllandtrust.org/
Manomet Center for Conservation Science
As one of the nation's oldest independent environmental research organizations, Manomet is working to achieve a more sustainable future. We convene stakeholders and help develop science-based, enduring solutions that work in the real world and improve conditions for wildlife, habitats and people.
http://www.manomet.org/
Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions
Founded in 1961 to support, educate and advocate on behalf of conservation commissions, MACC’s mission is to foster environmental quality and the conservation of wetlands and other natural resources.
http://www.maccweb.org
Massachusetts Climate Action Network (MCAN)
The Massachusetts Climate Action Network is a coalition of locally organized groups fighting the climate crisis. Their work includes promoting carbon-reducing practices in homes and communities, supporting MCAN chapters and allied organizations to grow a focused statewide movement, communicating policy to members, and leveraging a collective voice at the state level to change and strengthen global warming policies in Massachusetts.
http://www.massclimateaction.org/
Massachusetts Congress of Lake and Pond Associations
The purpose of the Massachusetts Congress of Lake and Pond Associations is to preserve, protect, maintain and enhance the environmental, aesthetic, recreational and economic values of lakes and ponds, and to promote watershed management, within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
http://www.macolap.org
Massachusetts Horticultural Society
Founded in 1829, the Massachusetts Horticultural Society is dedicated to encouraging the science and practice of horticulture and developing the public's enjoyment, appreciation, and understanding of plants and the environment.
http://www.masshort.org/
Massachusetts Interfaith Power and Light
This non-profit initiative offers congregations of every religious tradition a comprehensive means of reducing energy consumption, lowering operating costs, and promoting clean, renewable energy in houses of worship and related buildings in our state.
http://www.mipandl.org/
Massachusetts Land Trust Coalition
An informal association of Massachusetts land trusts and conservation organizations.
http://www.massland.org/
Massachusetts Rivers Alliance
A new nonprofit organization, the Massachusetts Rivers Alliance, has been formed to restore and protect the rivers and streams of Massachusetts and the ecosystems they support, by developing practical, effective policy solutions to provide a sustainable future for our rivers and the Citizens of the Commonwealth. This Alliance brings together organizations and individuals throughout Massachusetts, who are working together to improve river protection through advocacy and education, to apply an effective, unified statewide approach to the critical issues facing our rivers and streams.
http://www.massriversalliance.org
Merrimack River Watershed Council
The MRWC is committed to restoring and protecting the Merrimack River and its watershed through innovative and timely education, communication and action.
http://www.merrimack.org/
Nashua River Watershed Association
The NRWA is committed to the protection, sound management, and enhancement of the Nashua River Watershed ecosystem.
http://www.nashuariverwatershed.org/
Neponset River Watershed Association
NepRWA works to improve water quality, protect streamflow and water supplies, advocate for fisheries restoration, and help create increased open space and better land use practices.
http://www.neponset.org/
New England Wild Flower Society
The New England Wild Flower Society is a leading regional advocate and steward of our floral heritage. Founded in Boston in 1900, its membership now includes thousands of native plant enthusiasts from New England and beyond. The mission of the New England Wild Flower Society (NEWFS) is to promote the conservation of temperate North American flora, through education, horticulture, research, habitat preservation and advocacy.
http://www.newfs.org/
North and South Rivers Watershed Association
The NSRWA was created by a handful of river-lovers bound together by an intense devotion to the natural beauty of the area and a strong commitment to protect these natural resources for their own and future generations. The mission of the NSRWA is to preserve, restore, maintain and conserve in their natural state, the waters and related natural resources within the watershed.
http://www.nsrwa.org/
OARS: For the Assabet, Sudbury, and Concord Rivers
OARS is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to protect, preserve, and enhance the natural and recreational features of the Assabet, Sudbury, and Concord rivers, their tributaries and watersheds, and to increase public awareness of the rivers’ values as important natural resources.
http://www.oars3rivers.org/
Salem Sound Coastwatch
Salem Sound Coastwatch is a coastal watershed association that works in partnership with local governments, businesses, non-profit organizations and citizens from the communities of Marblehead, Salem, Peabody, Danvers, Beverly and Manchester, dedicated to taking cooperative action to protect and enhance the environmental quality of Salem Sound.
http://www.salemsound.org/
Save the Harbor/Save the Bay
SH/SB works to foster a positive vision of Boston Harbor and Massachusetts Bay and to build a broad-based constituency to promote the restoration and protection of these valuable resources.
http://www.savetheharbor.org/
Sheffield Land Trust
The Sheffield Land Trust works to protect the three-state Berkshire Taconic Landscape, which is globally significant for the conservation of our natural heritage. It contains one of the largest extant contiguous forests in the Northeast and an unusually high concentration of rare species and natural communities.
http://www.sheffieldland.org/
Sudbury Valley Trustees
The Sudbury Valley Trustees is dedicated to protecting the wildlife habitat and the ecological integrity of the Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord Rivers for the benefit of present and future generations. SVT carries out its mission through land acquisition and stewardship, advocacy, and education, working cooperatively with the towns, watershed associations, and other environmental organizations within the greater Concord Basin.
http://www.sudburyvalleytrustees.org/
Taunton River Watershed Alliance
Comprised of concerned individuals, businesses and organizations, the TRWA is dedicated to protecting and restoring the Taunton River watershed, its tributaries, wetlands, floodplains, river corridors and wildlife.
http://www.savethetaunton.org/
The Nature Conservancy
TNC works to preserve the plants, animals and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive. http://www.nature.org/
The Trust for Public Land
TPL works nationwide to conserve land for people. TPL specializes in conservation real estate, applying its experience in negotiation, public finance, and law to protect land for public use. Working with private landowners, communities, and government agencies, TPL has helped protect more than 1,000 special places nationwide for people to enjoy as parks, playgrounds, community gardens, recreation areas, historic landmarks, and wilderness lands.
http://www.tpl.org/
The Trustees of Reservations
The Trustees of Reservations is dedicated to preserving for public use and enjoyment properties of exceptional scenic, historic and ecological value.
http://www.thetrustees.org/
WalkBoston
WalkBoston promotes walking for transportation and recreation. Our mission is to create and preserve walkable, livable communities through education and advocacy.
http://www.walkboston.org/
