Built for communities, by communities, the Emerald Necklace is Boston's backyard for daily life. From restoring critical habitat to influencing waterway health to advocating with partners and neighbors on social justice—our work in landscape conservation is critical to the future wellbeing of the neighborhoods that live in them.
Join us in making this habitat a habit.
our work
Care starts by considering seven generations ahead.
We bring together public and private park partners to prioritize, fund, and implement restoration initiatives to keep the park systems thriving for years to come.
01
Restoration
Land renewal is at the heart of our mission. We restore waterways, remove invasive plant species, and conserve pollinator landscapes to create a healthy ecosystem.
02
Maintenance
Dedicated care enlivens the naturalistic beauty of Olmsted's parks. We maintain pathways, prune tree canopies annually, and build accessibility for all.
03
Capital Projects
Our parks are natural buffers against climate change. We build and develop green infrastructure to cool nearby neighborhoods, mitigate urban flooding, and improve daily commutes.
04
Advocacy
Olmsted believed parks are for everyone. We champion underrepresented communities and advocate for social justice on behalf of the neighborhoods around the Emerald Necklace.
the team
We're turtle enthusiasts, fresh air lovers, and horticulturalists that can't do this alone.
Alongside dedicated partners and volunteers, we are committed to preserving Olmsted’s historic legacy and ensuring that the Emerald Necklace continues to serve the community.
Internal Team & Staff
Board of Directors
Park Advisors
join the ecosystem
Want to get involved, but not ready for the board yet?
Our Park Advisors’ Working Groups are focused task forces that actively impact park habitats. Each working group includes representatives of our member organizations and institutions, with meetings open to interested parties, stakeholders, or experts. We gather six times a year (and sometimes more) to discuss and take action on critical topics like access, education and outreach, and restoration and maintenance.
01
Access
The Access Working Group acts as a convener and facilitator, in coordination with all levels of government, to increase non-motorized access to the parks of the Emerald Necklace. The group also looks for solutions to missing links in the Emerald Necklace path system and for delineating paths to connect the Emerald Necklace parks with other park path systems, such as Charles River Esplanade and the Southwest Corridor Park.
02
Education & Outreach
The Education and Outreach Working Group builds stewardship, conservation, and public awareness by supporting our diverse educational programming for all ages across nearly 3,000 environmental education, nature connection and environmental career exploration engagements for Boston Public Schools students to date.
03
Restoration & Maintenance
The Restoration and Maintenance Group limits the negative effects of invasive species within the Emerald Necklace park system and preserves Olmsted's carefully engineered and historic landscape. This group also explores best care practices in soil rejuvenation and tree canopy health.
