Boston Harbor
The vision for the Green Harbors Project, which started in Boston, encompasses the stewardship of the water flowing from the upland watersheds, through the harbor, and out to Stellwagen bank. Using a whole system approach, the sites on the map follow the course of the rivers, the coastal salt marshes, and water quality within the harbor itself.
Click on a map icon to learn more about each site.
View Green Harbors Project (GHP) in a larger map
GHP restoration efforts strive to recognize and incorporate the traditional ecological knowledge of native communities, both locally and globally. This approach has included our participation in the building of an educational fish weir on Thompson Island in the spring of 2010. Thompson Island was historically a summer fishing site for the local native communities, at the meeting point of the harbor's three main rivers: the Neponset; the Charles, and the Mystic.
We understand traditional ecological knowledge to be holistic, including observations, stories, and ceremonies. This inspires our own work in establishing a more holistic science here at UMass Boston, and our dream for the restoration of shellfish, salt marsh and eelgrass.
We have several research and community-oriented projects currently underway, and more to come. Our projects include salt marsh monitoring and restoration, monitoring of invasive species, monitoring harbor water quality, native shellfish restoration, green roofs development, and pumping out commercial boaters.
Please join us as we re-imagine a harbor teeming with lobster, boaters, swimmers, eelgrass, and native shellfish.