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Neponset Watershed
Advocacy
"They
always say time changes things, but you actually have to
change them yourself."
-
A. Warhol
At
Left: Volunteers
Ignacio Alvarez and Joe
White excavate a dumped tire from the Walpole Neponset riverbank.
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June
is Rivers Month! |
Governor
Patrick Declares June “Rivers Month” in Massachusetts
BOSTON – As the warm summer months draw visitors,
outdoor enthusiasts and residents to the Commonwealth’s
waterways, Governor Deval Patrick has declared June as
Massachusetts “Rivers Month” to kick-off a month of
river-related recreation and educational events.
In his annual proclamation of Rivers Month for the
Commonwealth, Governor Patrick declared, “After
centuries of enjoying the benefits of abundant water
resources, the Commonwealth recognizes the importance of
protecting and restoring our rivers and streams.”
In celebration, the Massachusetts Department of Fish and
Game’s (DFG) Riverways Program has posted its 2009
Massachusetts Rivers Month Calendar, which contains
detailed information and links to more than 170 events in,
along or about the rivers of the Commonwealth. Upcoming
events include kayaking trips, riverside picnics, canoe
races, fly fishing contests, river cleanups, overnight
camping trips, and nature hikes.
“This month we celebrate the glory of Massachusetts’
rivers and the people who act as stewards of these
valuable natural resources,” said Energy and
Environmental Affairs (EEA) Secretary Ian Bowles. “Not
only do rivers and streams provide critical habitat for
wildlife, they are also focal points of summer recreation
for residents and visitors.”
Since 1988, the DFG has published the Massachusetts Rivers
Month Calendar each year as part of the national
celebration of Rivers Month.
“Local citizen action is essential to protect our rivers
and the important fish and wildlife habitat in
Massachusetts rivers and streams,” said DFG Commissioner
Mary Griffin. “These events draw attention to the
importance of our rivers, and help to get people involved
in protecting rivers and the species that depend on
healthy waterways.”
Events, which run until Sunday, July 5, are designed to
appeal to everyone from families with small children to
whitewater enthusiasts. A sampling of activities and
locations covered in the 2009 Rivers Month Calendar
include:
· Urban whitewater rafting on
the Concord River in Lowell;
· Paddle trips on coastal creeks
such as the Westport River in Westport, where changing
tides enable boaters to paddle with the current in both
directions;
· Flatwater and whitewater
paddling, including Chinese-style Dragon Boat Races on the
Charles River;
· Family-friendly river
festivals along the Hoosic River in Williamstown, the
Deerfield River in Charlemont, and in the Sudbury-Assabet-Concord
Rivers watershed;
· Hikes along rivers and streams
to see old-growth forests in Monroe or dramatic waterfalls
in Middlefield;
· Overnight camping trips along
the Connecticut, Taunton, Charles and Merrimack Rivers.
For more information on the 2009 Rivers Month
Calendar, visit www.mass.gov/dfwele/river/
riversmonth2009.htm.
The Riverways Program partners with citizens, municipal
officials, state and federal agencies, businesses and
others on river and riverine land protection, restoration
and stewardship projects, and to promote public access to
and along rivers and streams consistent with resource
protection.
“We’re pleased to celebrate the great work our
partners are doing to raise public awareness about the
values rivers bring to the Massachusetts landscape,”
said Riverways Acting Director Tim Purinton. “We
encourage the public to invite their friends and family to
clean up, paddle, protect, enjoy and celebrate their
favorite rivers and streams, or experience new ones.”
The Department of Fish and Game (DFG) is responsible for
promoting the enjoyment and conservation of the
Commonwealth’s natural resources. DFG carries out this
mission through land preservation and wildlife habitat
management, management of inland and marine fish and game
species, and enforcement of the Massachusetts Endangered
Species Act. DFG promotes enjoyment of the Massachusetts
environment through outdoor skills workshops, fishing
festivals and other educational programs, and by enhancing
access to the Commonwealth’s lakes and ponds.
###
Kate Plourd
Assistant Press Secretary
Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental
Affairs
100 Cambridge Street, Suite 900
Boston, MA 02114
(617) 626-1809 (office)
(617) 571-6235 (mobile)
(617) 626-1027 (fax)
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ADVOCACY
POINTERS
Ways
to Contact the Governor:
Phoning
is the most effective method of getting your message
across.
Call 617-725-4005 and ask to speak with a Constituent
Services Aide.
Write:
Office of the Governor, State House, Room 360,
Boston
,
MA
02133
Fax:
617-727-3666
Email:
To send an email, go to “mass.gov/governor,” then
scroll to the very bottom of the page and click on
“Contact Us.” You must send your email from that page.
QUESTIONS?
Contact NepRWA Advocacy Director Steve Pearlman at
781-575-0354 x304 or pearlman@neponset.org.
We
invite you to join NepRWA's electronic news list to stay
up-to-date on upcoming advocacy opportunities,
environmental events and volunteer activities: write to rocklen@neponset.org.
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