The North American raccoon, Procyon lotor, trash panda—whatever you call them, this fuzzy family lives in your parks!

The 24th annual Opening Our Doors Festival is one week from today! Visit us at 125 The Fenway for games, an 11AM park tour, and more: www.emeraldnecklace.org/event/openin...

Next weekend on October 11, our field operations staff will be in Olmsted Park to lead our monthly Second Saturdays volunteer cleanup! As we work to keep the Daisy Field area clean and healthy, join us for a bright autumn morning caring for your parks. www.emeraldnecklace.org/event/second...

(THREAD) For our October Tree of the Month, we travel out into the waters of Jamaica Pond, where we find a small island covered in willow trees. These icons of the pond have been seen on the man-made island ever since it was constructed. That’s right—constructed in 1915. (1/4)

That's a wrap on our 2025 Tuesdays with Roses season! We are deeply grateful to all the volunteers who joined us this summer to help care for one of the Emerald Necklace's most vibrant treasures. You can keep these parks beautiful, too! Visit emeraldnecklace.org/volunteer to get involved.

Our Fall 2025 Canopy Classroom season begins this week! Canopy Classroom is a free nature-based field trip program for elementary students in Boston Public Schools, right here in the Emerald Necklace. You can support programs like this with a gift of any size! www.emeraldnecklace.org/donate

Don't forget: Tomorrow at 3PM, the Conservancy team will be at the Shattuck Visitor Center for its first community open house! We hope you'll visit us at 125 Fenway to learn about our work in the parks with tours, games & refreshments. Learn more & RSVP: www.emeraldnecklace.org/event/svc-op...

We'll be at the Mass Audubon Boston Nature Center tomorrow from noon to 3PM at their annual Rockin' with Raptors festival! Stop by and learn about our work alongisde free, bird-centric community activities. We'll see you there!

We'll be at the Curley House on Thursday, October 9 for our first fall Paint & Sip Night! Join us for a cozy evening looking out on the Emerald Necklace, as we paint an autumn scene of the Riverway over a glass of wine. Registration required: www.emeraldnecklace.org/event/paint-...

On this rainy #ThrowbackThursday, we've got a sight you don't see too much of these days: boating on the Muddy River! In 1920, before cars and culverts divided the Muddy, it was possible to row a canoe along the central waterway of the Emerald Necklace as it courses through Boston and Brookline.

On Monday, October 13, the Fenway neighborhood will be full of free activities for the annual Opening Our Doors Festival! Join us at the Shattuck Visitor Center from 10AM-4PM for games, a park tour, and more activities TBA. Register for the 11AM tour below: www.emeraldnecklace.org/event/openin...

We were grateful to have reps from Project Place at our annual Park Partners Picnic! They provide employment for unhoused residents, returning citizens & people in recovery, & have been conducting maintenance work with our friends at the Charlesgate Alliance. Thanks for keeping the parks beautiful!

Join the Conservancy for our first-ever Open House at the Shattuck Visitor Center in the Back Bay Fens! We'll have games, park tours, refreshments, and the chance to meet our team and learn about our work in the parks on Tuesday, September 30. RSVP: www.emeraldnecklace.org/event/svc-op...

It's the first day of fall! As the air turns crisp and the leaves start to change, there is no better time to explore all 1,100 acres of Boston's most magnificent parks. Head to www.emeraldnecklace.org to download our free digital map of the entire Emerald Necklace.

That's a wrap on our 2025 Park Partners Picnic! This annual lunch is one way we say thanks to our dedicated public partners in Boston, Brookline, and the Commonwealth who work every day to keep the Emerald Necklace parks beautiful. Thanks for all you do!

ICYMI: On Tuesday, September 30, enjoy refreshments, park tours, games, and more at our first-ever Shattuck Visitor Center Open House! Meet the Conservancy team at our Back Bay Fens visitor center, located in the historic Stony Brook Gatehouse. RSVP: www.emeraldnecklace.org/event/svc-op...

We're keeping Franklin Park clean & growing strong! Thank you to all the amazing volunteers who joined us for Saturday's Franklin Park cleanup. By mulching young trees & clearing trash, the crown jewel of the Emerald Necklace is looking a little more beautiful thanks to their work.

Thank you to all who joined President Karen Mauney-Brodek on Saturday morning for the second part of her annual walking tour of the entire Emerald Necklace! We had a great time exploring Charlesgate Park, the Back Bay Fens, and the Riverway.

Today, we honor the remarkable life and enduring legacy of Elma Lewis, on her 104th birthday. A visionary arts educator and tireless community advocate, Elma Lewis was a driving force behind the grassroots restoration of Franklin Park in the 1960s and ’70s. (1/2)

We hope we'll see you tomorrow morning in Charlesgate Park for the second half of President Karen Mauney-Brodek's annual Walking Tour of the Emerald Necklace! There's still time to sign up and get an up-close view at Boston's historic linear park system: www.emeraldnecklace.org/event/presid...

This week, urban planner Jan Henderson and our co-op Beck Mutka set out on an important mission: to track invasive Phragmites along the Muddy River. These reeds spread aggressively, outcompeting native plants, reducing biodiversity, and even changing the flow of our wetlands. (1/2)

On Tuesday, 9/30, we are excited to invite you to an open house at our Shattuck Visitor Center in the Back Bay Fens! Learn about our work stewarding the Emerald Necklace while enjoying tours, games, and more inside the historic Stony Brook Gatehouse. RSVP: www.emeraldnecklace.org/event/svc-op...

TODAY at 3:30PM: Join the Boston Women's Heritage Trail for the unveiling of a new marker at the Jamaica Pond Boathouse, honoring Ellen Swallow Richards, who revolutionized environmental science in Boston and beyond. Join and help to celebrate one of Boston's great scientists!

Don't forget: Join us this Saturday, 9/13, for the second leg of our annual Walking Tour of the Emerald Necklace! Sign up today: www.emeraldnecklace.org/event/presid... Can't join in-person? You can still support free parks programming with a gift of any size: www.emeraldnecklace.org/donate/

Thank you to all who joined us in Franklin Park on Saturday for our annual celebration of National Honey Bee Month! We hope had fun learning a little more about the buzzy pollinators that are so critical to our ecosystem, and we hope to see you again.

The story of our September Tree of the Month begins in another century and another continent. Metasequoia glyptostroboides, or the Dawn Redwood, is the genetic ancestor of the modern redwood trees found in the western United States. For many years, it was believed to be extinct. (1/3)

It's Back to School Day in Boston! As students return to class, we wish them a great year to come! We hope to see you at one of our all-ages education programs in the parks this year.

The Kelleher Rose Garden is entering its September bloom - you don't want to miss this colorful hidden gem! Join us tonight and every Tuesday this month as we prune and weed the rose garden with community volunteers. Space is limited, so sign up now: www.emeraldnecklace.org/event/tuesda...

Want an up-close view of Charlesgate Park, the Back Bay Fens, and the Riverway? Join Conservancy President Karen Mauney-Brodek on Saturday, September 13 for the second half of her annual walking tour of the Emerald Necklace! Space is limited, register today: www.emeraldnecklace.org/event/presid...

Summer may be winding down, but public health officials have raised Boston's West Nile Virus risk to "high" after multiple sampled mosquitoes were found carrying the virus. Here's how you can stay safe in the parks! Learn more at the City of Boston website: www.boston.gov/news/west-ni...

Did you know you can be a champion for the parks all year long? The Conservancy keeps Boston’s largest park system thriving—and it’s all thanks to our generous supporters. As a monthly donor, you’ll ensure our parks get the care they deserve, season after season: www.emeraldnecklace.org/donate/

On Tuesday, September 30, join us for a free open house at the Conservancy's Back Bay Fens Shattuck Visitor Center! Learn about our work stewarding the Emerald Necklace parks while enjoying tours, games, and more in the historic Stony Brook Gatehouse. RSVP: www.emeraldnecklace.org/event/svc-op...

Join us for a free Evening Garden Stroll on Wednesday, September 3! Learn about the historic park that gave Fenway its name, and visit landmarks like the Kelleher Rose Garden and the Fenway Victory Gardens. Register: www.emeraldnecklace.org/event/evenin...

This isn't just any old dog-day afternoon—it's #nationaldogday🐶! The Emerald Necklace has miles of trails and paths from Franklin Park all the way to the Back Bay Fens - perfect for our four-legged friends to explore. Tag us in your favorite photo of your dog enjoying the parks!

We were honored this weekend to be able to chat about our work at the annual Pedal Power event at the Museum of Science! We had a great time celebrating the biking community & sharing our work stewarding the Emerald Necklace parks. Thanks to the @museumofscience.bsky.social & HubLuv for having us.

This week, we are truly excited to see the start of the long-awaited Charlesgate Revitalization! After years of planning, this project will reconnect Charlesgate Park, Commonwealth Avenue, and Kenmore Square to the Back Bay Fens for park users, pedestrians and cyclists for the first time in decades.

Can you believe it's already been three months since the 2025 Party in the Park in Jamaica Pond Park? It's always a good time when we come together in the Emerald Necklace to celebrate the parks that tie our communities together!

Today, the Conservancy and the Franklin Park Defenders unveiled a refreshed Public White Stadium Alternative for Franklin Park. This updated concept brings amazing new amenities and public facilities, at a fraction of the cost of the current plan. Read more: bit.ly/public-stadi... (1/2)

This Wednesday, August 13, join the Franklin Park Defenders for an open discussion at Dorchester's Lena Park Community Center, all about an updated public stadium alternative to the costly pro sports complex proposed for Franklin Park's White Stadium. RSVP: www.emeraldnecklace.org/event/frankl...

JP Porchfest is getting close—you can almost hear it! Join us at the Jamaica Pond Boathouse this Saturday, August 16, for an afternoon of free live music, games, community activities and more. Stay tuned later this week for performer details! www.emeraldnecklace.org/event/jp-por...

Spotlight on: the Riverway! This narrow park winds along the course of the Muddy River, serving as a natural border between Boston and Brookline. It is home to art installations, over 100,000 plantings and some of the most beautiful bridges in the Necklace. (1/2)

Our August trees of the month are the seven Shagbark Hickories planted by the Conservancy in Olmsted Park this past spring! 4 were planted on the Brookline portion of Olmsted Park between Allerton Overlook and Willow Pond Rd, and 3 were planted in the Willow Pond Meadow on the Jamaicaway. (1/3)

The Conservancy is excited to welcome its newest team member! Dananai Morgan joins us as our first-ever Chief Development Officer. Dananai brings more than 15 years of experience in fundraising and organizational development, with a background in growing mission-aligned philanthropy. (1/2)

Yesterday, the Franklin Park Defenders kicked off their weekly standouts at the northern tip of Franklin Park, rallying against a proposed $200M pro sports complex in the heart of our park. Learn more at www.franklinparkdefenders.com, and join them next Monday at 4:30 for another standout!

This week, teens from Boston and Brookline enrolled in our Green Team summer jobs program are camping out on the Cape! The 2025 cohort is in the middle of a 6-week program combining nature connection, environmental education, team building and professional development. (1/2)

As we prepare for another day of heavy rain, did you know about the Stony Brook Gatehouses? The Shattuck Visitor, located at 125 Fenway, stands above an underground river: the Stony Brook. The building once housed three gates that would control water levels in the Back Bay Fens. (1/2)

It’s a hot one! While we’re all trying to stay cool, don’t forget—our trees need water too. Thanks to our watering truck, dozens of young trees are getting through this extreme heat. Your support keeps the tree canopy healthy and thriving—a gift of any size helps: www.emeraldnecklace.org/donate/

Concerns persist with Franklin Park's White Stadium! It’s not too late to get this right—construction has not begun. Let's build a stadium that meets the needs of our student-athletes and neighboring communities. Visit www.franklinparkdefenders.com to learn more and get involved.

As you explore the parks this summer, keep an eye out for new signage promoting some of our upcoming free events in the Emerald Necklace! www.emeraldnecklace.org/calendar/ We're grateful to work alongside our public partners to steward these treasured community greenspaces.

We are proud to partner with Olmsted National Historic Site on Olmsted Summer Sundays at the Shattuck Visitor Center! Park rangers from Fairsted will be at 125 Fenway every Sunday from 11AM-2PM this summer, sharing information about the Emerald Necklace and its world-renowned architect.