Mystic River Watershed Association, Inc.
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Cities need nature. The rivers, lakes, ponds and parks create oases of blue and green. They provide homes to plants and animals, are an important part of keeping our water clean, can help combat climate change and can help people be healthier and happier. For our communities, this blue, green ribbon is the Mystic River and the 44 lakes and ponds plus thousands of acres of parks. The watershed is home to 600,000 community members in 21 cities and towns. More than 75% of residents in the Mystic River watershed live in areas described as having poor water quality, disconnected parks and paths, and increased temperatures. These residents are more negatively affected by climate, pollution, and other environmental injustices. With the impacts of climate change—even more pristine areas of our watershed are facing growing threats to their water quality, flooding and habitat health.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Water Quality Monitoring Program
Safe water for recreation and for wildlife depends on identifying potential water-quality issues and using this data to develop shared solutions. Our water quality program focuses on:
1) Collect and share data on pollution sources including bacteria, road salts, cyanobacteria and trash--to both protect public health and pinpoint areas of needed improvement.
2) Advocate for improved policies to address water quality--including Combined Sewer Overflows--whereby raw sewage is dumped into our river after heavy rainfalls.
3) Work with Town and City engineers on nature-based solutions to improve water quality. From infiltration trenches—which can help address phosphorous to constructed wetlands that also address climate risks.
Herring Monitoring and Assessment Program
Annually, an estimated half a million river herring swim seven miles up the Mystic River from the sea, past some of the most densely populated land in the United States, to spawn, largely out of sight and unknown to local residents. River herring are important forage fish in marine ecosystems that have experienced dramatic population declines in recent decades due to overharvesting, loss of freshwater habitat, and other factors. The Mystic River hosts one of the largest herring run in the Commonwealth. The Mystic River Watershed Association: 1) works with 200 volunteers to document this migration and advocate for habitat improvements; 2) has an underwater "fish cam" that allows people to see these migrating fish and participate in citizen science, 3) educates youth by working with dozens of schools and community groups to provide in-class and out in-the-field education experiences; and 4) is expanding breeding habitat through advocating for fish passages.
Greenways Initiative
The Mystic Greenways Initiative will connect 25 miles of paths, improve hundreds of acres of parklands and engage thousands of community members from the Mystic Lakes to the Boston Harbor. A high-quality network of greenways for active transportation and recreation will enhance climate resiliency, provide sustainable mobility, and improve physical and mental health outcomes for the more than 600,000 residents. The Mystic River Watershed Association is leading this vision and creating a roadmap to transforming these waterfront parklands with full participation from area residents. There are dozens of projects in design and construction, from a brand new waterfront park with athletic fields to a shared-use path completing the missing link of the recreation and transportation network along the Mystic.
Climate Resilience
The Mystic River watershed is facing growing climate-related challenges including flooding, drought and heat. One of the most developed watersheds in New England, the Mystic is home to a half-million residents, including many who are disproportionately vulnerable to extreme weather due to low incomes, health concerns and/or language barriers. We partner with government, business and community stakeholders throughout the watershed to help its people and places not only survive but thrive in the face of climate challenges.
Education and Engagement
We reach approximately 2,000 local students per year in providing in-person and virtual STEM education on stormwater, river herring, and other locally relevant experiences. Teachers highly value this place-based education that connects their students to local scientists and field experiences. Interwoven within all our programs are our efforts to engage and educate the community—providing opportunities for them to volunteer, learn more and participate in the leadership of the organization. The volunteer opportunities include: removing invasive plants, clean up litter, monitoring herring and water quality, and serving on the policy committee. Additionally, we host education and fun events along the river—such as the Herring Run and Paddle. This engagement is important as only if people value and understand our local environment will they be committed to protecting it and our planet.
Where we work
Awards
Environmental Merit Award 2012
United States Environmental Protection Agency
Urban River Stewardship 1996
American Rivers
Excellence in Capturing Local Knowledge 2012
MAPC Data Day
Adopt a Stream Program 1995
Department of Fisheries, Wildlife & Environmental Law Enforcement
"In Recognition of Thier Outstanding Efforts to Protect and Restore the Mystic River, Its Tributaries, Habitats and Natural Resources.'" 1993
Altria
Certificate of Appreciation - Adopt your Watershed 1997
US Environmental Protection Agency
Go Green Award, Outstanding Contribution to Environmental Protection 2012
City of Cambridge, Massachusetts
Emerald Award 2013
City of Medford, Massachusetts
Education and Public Service Award 2014
Board of Directors of the Universities Council on Water Resources
Social Innovator 2015
Social Innovation Forum
Affiliations & memberships
River Network 2009
External reviews
Photos
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of volunteers
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
Volunteers remove invasive plants in our parks and river, pickup litter, document the herring migration and monitor water quality.
Number of groups brought together in a coalition/alliance/partnership
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Climate Resilience
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
MyRWA leads the Resilient Mystic Collaborative to plan for climate change at the watershed level, as well as the Stormwater Collaborative that provides community education on stormwater.
Number of clients participating in educational programs
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
The education programs help students understand how people and other organisms live within natural systems using the Mystic River as a living laboratory.
Number of new donors
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Number of new donors contributing to MyRWA's mission.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Our vision is a healthy, vibrant, and resilient Mystic River watershed for the benefit of all our community members.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Our strategies for achieving the goals, are as follows:
• Protect water quality through our rock-solid science and advocacy program,
• Transform our Mystic Greenways by connecting 25 miles of paths and improving parkland from the Mystic Lakes to Boston Harbor,
• Build climate resiliency through a new initiative that will work to mitigate impacts on a regional scale
• Engage youth and community members through a growing education initiative and robust citizen science and stewardship program, and
• Restore habitat for a healthy river and herring population.
In all our projects and programs, MyRWA supports and upholds residents most affected by climate change, pollution and injustices as the leaders in the development of solutions.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
The Mystic River Watershed Association (MyRWA) achieves outsized influence in environmental management by partnering closely and receiving substantial support from a wide range of state and federal agencies, and all 21 of the municipalities within our watershed.
Beyond our agency partners, MyRWA leverages private-public partnerships to make on-the-ground improvements to parks and local infrastructure. We also have a long history of engaging community members and yearly we mobilize 1,500 plus community members to protect their local watershed.
Our staff and board have expertise in financial management, environmental protection, ecology, community organizing, law, fundraising, planning and design, education and outreach.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Highlights include:
- Creating the Mystic Greenways vision that has resulted in 2.5 miles of new trails with 5 more in-design, and creating three new parks.
- Engaging close to 2,000 individuals every year through park stewardship and activities.
- Educating 1,000 plus youth every year through effective place-based programs.
- Running a regional climate collaborative that brings 20 local municipalities together to address impacts of the changing climate--leveraging close to $100M in state and federal funding for projects.
- Implementing rock-solid science monitoring to track water quality and herring populations in the watershed.
-Partnering with municipalities to build nature-based solutions like infiltration trenches—which can help address phosphorous pollution to constructed wetlands that also address climate risks and provide important habitat.
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Mystic River Watershed Association, Inc.
Board of directorsas of 11/27/2023
Mr. Nasser Brahim
Woods Hole Group
Term: 2022 - 2024
Barbara Kessner Landau
Noble, Wickersham & Heart LLP
Karl Touet
Twin Elms
Erik Hansen
Wynn Resorts
Mark Jacobson
Paddle Boston
Marcia Manong
Bread of Life
John Reinhardt
Julie Ing Stern
Acupuncturist
Charles Holley
SouthCoast Community Foundation
Britney Satterlee
PricewaterhouseCoopers
Erga Pierrette
Licensed School Adjustment Counselor
Stephanie Carvalho
ADAGE Program, UMass Boston
Victor Castro
Mass General Brigham
Ryan Dings
ClimateHaven
Monica Gosh Drigger
Mass Rivers Alliance
Helen Quach
Harvard School of Public Health
Kelly Ryan
JPMorgan
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Transgender Identity
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data
Equity strategies
Last updated: 11/21/2023GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity.
- We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.