Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA), the leading science and advocacy organization for the Charles River and its watershed, announced it will highlight its programs and progress helping Massachusetts communities better withstand climate change at its annual meeting on March 8th at the Boston Marriott Newton.
At the meeting, executive director Bob Zimmerman will review CRWA’s recent accomplishments and current efforts to improve neighborhoods’ resiliency to the extreme storms and frequent droughts brought on by the warming of the earth’s climate system.
The keynote speaker will be noted environmental activist Alexie Torres-Fleming, who will demonstrate the power a community has in shaping its own environmental destiny. Drawing from her experience in spurring restoration of the Bronx River in New York City, Torres-Fleming will help frame CRWA’s work in climate resilience through the lens of community empowerment. “At a time of retrenchment in federal environmental policy, Torres-Fleming’s insights on activism are particularly instructive,” said Bob Zimmerman, CRWA executive director.
CRWA will honor several of the state’s leading environmental activists for their work protecting the Charles River. George Bachrach, the past president of the Environmental League of Massachusetts and a former state senator, will receive this year’s Anne M. Blackburn Award for his career-long contributions to improving the Charles. State Sen. Cynthia Stone Creem (D-Newton) and state Rep. Kay Kahn (D-Newton) will be awarded the Rita Barron Public Service Award for their efforts championing the eradication of invasive weeds from the River. Bruce Houghton, president of the Houghton Chemical Corp. in Allston, will receive CRWA’s Citizen Activist Award for his on-going advocacy for improving access to the Charles River and increasing open space for the North Allston residential community.
CRWA will recognize Michael Hornbrook of the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority and Boston Duck Tours for their dedication to the Charles River. CRWA will also pay tribute to citizen scientist volunteers who have served 10 and 15 years in the organization’s monthly water monitoring program.
The CRWA Annual meeting is open to the public and will begin with a reception at 5:30 p.m. For more information or to purchase tickets please visit www.crwa.org.
About Charles River Watershed Association
Charles River Watershed Association’s mission is to use science, advocacy and the law to protect, preserve and enhance the Charles River and its watershed. One of our country’s first watershed organizations, CRWA formed in 1965 in response to public concern about the declining condition of the Charles River. Since its earliest days of advocacy, CRWA has figured prominently in major clean-up and watershed protection efforts that have dramatically improved the health of the Charles.