Emerald Necklace Conservancy Inc

Programs: Olmsted tree society - contributions to establish the olmsted tree society in 2013 provided close to $1 million to begin the important work of assessing the condition of trees in the emerald necklace and planning to ensure their healthy future. Guided by recommendations in emerald necklace tree conditions assessment and management plan, the initiative intends to preserve heritage trees in these historic parks, some of which are more than 100 years old. In addition, the project will protect healthy trees with selective pruning and soil enhancement and plant new trees where needed in the back bay fens, riverway, olmsted park, franklin park, around jamaica pond and along the parkways of the necklace. The effort will also help educate the public about the critical relationship between trees and a healthy urban environment.

maintenance, restoration and preservation - volunteer in the parks program staffs park maintenance and restoration projects with over 800 youth and adult volunteers who provided more than 2,500 hours on park projects.

youth programs - emerald necklace youth leadership and green team is a youth workforce development program that provides enviromental education, leadership training and "real work" in the parks on maintenance and restoration projects for up to 50 urban teens and young adults annually. Internships are staffed throughout the year by local college students seeking work experience in a nonprofit, park stewardship organization.

education and visitor services - visitor services at the shattuck emerald necklace visitor center in the back bay fens, including docent-led park tours, presentations, park information and programs. Emerald necklace conservancy annual meeting with a special parks presentation and recognition of the volunteers of the year. Community programs - maintenance collaborative program - a workforce development initiative that provides vocational training in landscaping to men in the corrections system who then staff dedicated maintenance crews in the parks. Tuesday's with roses weekly volunteer maintenance program of the arthur shurcliff-designed kelleher rose garden keeps this historic garden blooming and beautiful from june through october. Back bay fens - mother's rest slope restoration project is a model slope management project to restore and protect slope areas from erosion and harmful foot traffic. Spring pond wildflower meadow maintenance in olmsted park keeps this former skating rink maintained as a meadow habitat for butterflies, bees and other pollinators. Park overseers - the park overseers are the conservancy's primary collaborative advocacy and working group. Comprised of representatives of 22 community-based park groups and institutions abutting the emerald necklace, the overseers' mission is to help set our work agenda for the park, advocate for standards, policies, projects, and funding for the parks; and contribute to programming that supports the conservancy's mission, as well as the missions of its public partners. The overseers and their working groups meet a total of 22 times annually.