Waves of Change: The Report of the Metropolitan Beaches Commission.

On Tuesday June 3, 2014 the Metropolitan Beaches Commission (MBC) released its’ report “Waves of Change” on the Boston Harbor region’s 15 public beaches in Nahant, Lynn, Revere, Winthrop, East Boston, South Boston, Dorchester, Quincy and Hull owned by the Commonwealth and managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR). The MBC is Co-Chaired by Senator Tom McGee of Lynn and Representative Carlo Basile of East Boston, and is led and managed by Save the Harbor/Save the Bay.

Copies of the Commission’s report “Waves of Change” and the hearing minutes, public comments, the budget analysis and other technical reports and appendices on which the report is based are available online at www.savetheharbor.org/MBC2014 

The Commission held ten hearings at the State House and in each of the region’s waterfront neighborhoods and beachfront communities to examine the progress made on these beaches since it released its first report in 2007. “The investments we have made on these beaches strengthen our communities and the economy, improve people’s lives and demonstrate that government can work,” said Senator Tom McGee of Lynn, who Co-Chairs the Commission.

The report identifies a number of continuing challenges and opportunities that need to be addressed to move these beaches from good to great. These include staffing levels at the beaches, which increased after 2007, but declined in recent years to the point where the Commission believes “that the beaches will inevitably reenter a cycle of decline, undermining the progress that has been made and failing to meet public expectations, as was the case before 2007”.

“The Commonwealth’s investments in the Boston Harbor cleanup, the Boston Harbor Islands and our region’s public beaches have already resulted in dramatic improvements in the quality of life for residents in Boston and the region’s coastal communities,” said MBC Commissioner Paul Grogan, President and CEO of The Boston Foundation. “To protect those investments we must continue to find ways to fund the incremental changes that are necessary to further improve our beaches.”

Much of the Commission’s effort in 2007 and again in 2013 has focused on the basic issues of beach management, maintenance and programming. To address these challenges and take full advantage of new opportunities will take continued independent oversight by the Commission. It will also take additional funds for capital projects, new equipment and continued investment in improved water quality to meet the growing need of the more than one million people who live within a short drive or ride to the beach.

Other key challenges and opportunities identified in the report include: water quality and beach flagging, coastal resiliency and sea level rise, water transportation, improved information technology and management systems, parking and public safety, dog management and piping plover nesting areas. The Commission also called for DCR to invest additional funds to support free events and programs that are so important enhancing the public’s enjoyment of the beaches.

“Local friends groups and Save the Harbor have helped jumpstart free events on these beaches, but government has a responsibility to provide direct financial support of these volunteer efforts to make them sustainable,” said David Spillane of the award winning planning firm Goody Clancy, who helped Save the Harbor manage the hearings and produce the report.

The Commission recommends that DCR’s budget for full-time operations and seasonal staffing be increased by $3.5 million per year, and that the DCR make at least $190,000 per year available in matching grants to beach friends groups in waterfront neighborhoods and beachfront communities to support free events and programs.

According to Bruce Berman of Save the Harbor/Save the Bay, the non-profit who helped lead and manage the inquiry and author the report, “These beaches contribute directly to the competitiveness of our region, making our cities and beachfront communities better places to live and work. Moreover, the combined economic impact of millions of residents enjoying these beaches also makes them important economic engines for the region’s waterfront neighborhoods and beachfront communities, creating new jobs and economic opportunity.”

“The region’s public beaches, like Constitution Beach in East Boston, are much more than a great place to spend the day,” said Representative Carlo Basile of East Boston, who Co-Chairs the Commission. “They are portals to the environment, remarkable recreational resources with the potential to improve the quality of life for all our residents.”

The Commission would like to thank the nearly 1,000 people who took part in the hearings and helped to shape the findings and recommendations contained in their report. 

Copies of the Commission’s report “Waves of Change” and the hearing minutes, public comments, the budget analysis and other technical reports and appendices on which the report is based are available online at www.savetheharbor.org/MBC2014

About the Metropolitan Beaches Commission

The Metropolitan Beaches Commission was created in 2006 by the Massachusetts Legislature to take an in-depth look at the metropolitan region’s public beaches in Nahant, Lynn, Revere, Winthrop, East Boston, South Boston, Dorchester, Quincy and Hull that are managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation. You can download a copy of their 2014 report “Waves of Change” at www.savetheharbor.org/MBC2014.

Co-chaired by Senator Tom McGee of Lynn and Representative Carlo Basile of East Boston the Commission reconvened in 2013 to examine the impacts of the reforms and recommendations made in its first report and issue additional findings and recommendations to better leverage these resources for residents in the future. The MBC is comprised of 22 elected officials and community, civic, nonprofit, and business leaders from Boston and the metropolitan region's waterfront neighborhoods and beachfront communities. It is led and managed by Save the Harbor/Save the Bay. 

For more information, visit www.savetheharbor.org

Great Times, Great Memories, Lasting Friendships

Hello, my name is Edlyn Chavez and I am the Development Intern at Save the Harbor/Save the Bay. I have been with Save the Harbor since the fall and continued into the spring, but like all internships they all come to an end. Working at Save the Harbor/Save the Bay has been such an amazing experience and I will miss the amazing staff and friends who advocate for the well-being of the Boston Harbor as well as the regions public beaches. 

Looking back to when I started I was nervous and did not know what to expect from my internship, but at the same time I was excited to be a part of a great organization. Everything was new to me especially working for an environmental non-profit organization. As I began little did I know that I would be included in so many things related to foundation fundraising and submitting my very first online grant application!

During my time here I have been learning a little bit about foundation fundraising. My internship has allowed me to see how non-profits work year round securing funds and making sure they have enough to run their programs. I was able to work along with great staff like Amy Davidson and learned so much from her experiences and skills as a grant writer. Thanks to Save the Harbor/Save the Bay I have had the opportunity to attend many of Associated Grant Makers workshops that taught me about the introduction to grant writing, how to research foundations, write winning proposal letters, and meet-the-donors talk panels. Other than that I have been responsible for creating and managing the 2014 Grants Calendar, where I kept track of important dates for foundations. I also managed to use what I learned from the workshops and guidance from Bruce to write my very own proposal for funding. This assignment was a challenging one because I have never written one before.

I would like to take this moment to thank the staff and especially to Patty and Bruce for everything they have done for me. It’s such a bitter sweet moment, but I know I will continue on to do great things. As I begin a new chapter in my professional life I will always remember and thank Save the Harbor for giving me the opportunity to grow and continue learning.

Have a great summer Save the Harbor/Save the Bay! 

Edlyn S. Chavez 

The Story of the Invasive Asian Shore Crab

      Hi! My name is Christian Herbosa. You may remember me from the blog post on the American Eel. Here's what I have to say about the Asian Shore Crab:
      The Asian Shore Crab is one of many invasive species that have successfully established colony populations in North America. An invasive species is an introduced species or a non-indigenous species that invades a habitat outside of their native range. These invasive species can have a negative environmental, ecological, or economic affect on the habitats they invade. Invasive species can come in all life forms: animals, plants, or in this case crabs.
      The Asian Shore Crab is native to the Western Pacific from Russia to Hong Kong including the Japanese Archipelago. Their enormous native range is largely due to their diet. They are opportunistic omnivores meaning they'll eat most things: microalgae, salt marsh grass, larval/juvenile fish, invertebrates, and more. Their flexible diet is also one of the main reasons why they were able to successfully invade the Eastern Seaboard of North America, despite the differences in ecology from the Western Pacific.

      It was first seen in North America in 1988 on the shores of New Jersey. It is widely believed that these critters found their way to the East Coast in the ballast water of a shipping vessel. Ballast water is held at the bottom of cargo ships in the ballast tank. The ballast water is used to lower the center of gravity of the ship in order to provide adequate stability after they drop off their cargo. So cargo ships will take on large amounts of coastal water into their ballast tank after they unload their cargo, then discharge their ballast water at their next port of call.

      The first Asian Shore Crab colonizers were probably taken onto a cargo ship in ballast water from the Western Pacific. These individuals then journeyed across the Pacific to the Atlantic in the ship's ballast tank to be discharged on the East Coast. This is the story of many invasive marine species including: the Zebra Mussel, several strains of Cholera, the European Green Crab, and many more.

Nonnative Range of the Asian Shore Crab

      Since their invasion in 1988 the Asian Shore Crab has grown in population and range. Similar to their vast native range, these invasive crabs have established a extensive nonnative range on the East Coast stretching from North Carolina to Maine. Their introduction to the coastal ecosystems of North America has had a negative affect on the populations of the native marine species. The Asian Shore Crab threatens native species directly through predation and indirectly through competition for limited food sources. By disrupting the balance of the food chain, they pose a serious threat to a wide variety of native species including commercially viable crabs, shellfish, and fish. The overarching threat that Asian Shore Crabs and other invasive species pose is a threat to the biodiversity of the invaded habitats, which is crucial to the health of the native ecosystem. Invasive species in worldwide threaten biodiversity on a global scale. The aggregate quantity of invasive species has increased along side of our increasingly globalized society. A decrease in the global levels of biodiversity could have disastrous effects on the global ecosystem.
      So what do we do?!?! Well, once an invasive species has established itself, it is incredibly difficult (if not impossible) to get rid of them. So the best environmental policy response should be a forward thinking one. First, we should prevent the spread of invasive species in the future. Ballast water has been identified as the cause for a number of invasive species introductions. We must prohibit or treat the discharge of ballast water in nonnative areas.

      The second step is to mitigate the damage done by the these invasive species. We can limit or reverse the growth of invasive species by intervening in a number of ways. However these mitigation efforts can be costly. For example, removing the invasive water chestnuts from the Mystic and Charles Rivers has involved an enormous amount of volunteer and local government effort. As with many invasive species mitigation efforts, it is an consistent uphill battle with no end in sight.
      One solution that has been suggested for the Asian Shore Crab and many other invasive species is to eat them. Introducing invasive species to our diets could be one of the more commercially viable and tasty solutions. The members of this new environmentally responsible food movement to eat invasive species call themselves invasivores. Asian Shore Crabs are even on the menu at Miya's Sushi, a restaurant in New Haven Connecticut. You can find recipes for Asian Shore Crabs here.
       Another commercially viable option for the mitigation of the Asian Shore Crab is to use them as a replacement for Horseshoe Crabs in the bait industry. Thi Tran, one of Save the Harbor/Save the Bay's former Harbor Explorers, found Asian Shore Crabs as a useful replacement bait on one of our summer excursions to George's Island: read about it here! Asian Shore Crabs have attended many of Save the Harbor/Save the Bay's youth beach programs. While they represent a fun part of our summer youth programs, we feel that it is important to educate the youth and the general public about the environmental threat that they represent. In the summer of 2011, we conducted a research project to find out how the Asian Shore Crab has established its populations in the Boston Harbor. Our findings are pictured above to the right. To lean more about our research on Asian Shore Crabs in the Boston Harbor click here.

To learn more about Asian Shore Crabs and the Invasive Species Problem, explore these links:

• More information about the Invasive Asian Shore Crab
• Wikipedia page on Ballast Water and Environmental Concerns
• Wikipedia page on Invasive Species
• Wikipedia page on Biodiversity
• Recipes for Invasivores
• I personally recommend Eating Aliens by Jackson Landers a book about hunting and eating invasive species

Sea, Sand and Dog Poop?

The street where I grew up

Hi, my name is Yudan Jiang. I come from an inland city of China, and my hometown is sitting near the nation’s longest river, Yangtze River. I studied Environmental Science in college, and with the desire to experience American education and culture, I came here for master program in Environmental Engineering. It is great experience in general, even those days struggling with deadlines and finals. My favorite thing about graduate school here is that everyone around me is really into what he/she is doing, which confirmed my enthusiasm for an environmental career. 

A lake near my house

During my program at Tufts, I worked on a team project of Stormwater Management with students from Urban Planning and Policy, and this is the first time I got to know how people from non-engineering background approach problems. Now I am an Environmental Policy Intern at Save the Harbor/Save the Bay, working to help improve water quality in Boston Harbor. Here I see how non-profit runs and secure funds, and when my cousin heard that I was with non-profit, he said, “Oh, so it is the same with the organization that Claire (Frank’s wife) is running in House of Cards?” I felt amused at what he said. In China, we also have many non-profits, but they haven’t caught much of the general public’s attention yet. The government started to realize the amazing role that non-profits could be, and I believe that there is increasing room for non-profits to develop and prosper now.

My first project here was to familiarize myself with the concept of beach water safety and flagging system. The Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) tests Enterococcus (a bacterial which can be an indicator for harmful bacteria in water) level in beach water daily or weekly, and if the amount exceeds a standard, then the water is deemed as not swimmable; the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) advises the public’s beach activities by posting flags on beaches from the tested results. It sounds a perfect system, but I was surprised that the beaches were flagged based on the samples taken on the previous day. However, it is unavoidable because it takes the lab 24 hours to process the sample and release the result. Given the fact that marine water is unlike fresh water—the tides could entirely change the water quality, it is unlikely that today’s water quality remains consistent with that of the previous day. This puts the flagging system on a questionable ground, which speaks for the reason that the flagging accuracy for existing system is needed. However, the good news is that most of the time the water is clean during the swimming season (May-Sep). For example, only 1 day exceeds the standard during the swimming season of 2012 for Pleasure Bay in South Boston.

The other project I’ve worked on is sanitary survey, and the goal is to investigate the potential contamination source for Enterococcus in beach water. Sewage leakage from old and broken pipes, illegal connections to the pipeline, or even the storm water runoff carrying pollutants could make their contributions to the bacterial level in the nearby water body. But for some beaches, like Pleasure Bay, the infrastructure problem was pretty much settled but there were still occasionally bacterial exceedances in the water during the swimming season, like I mentioned earlier. How did this happen? Is there any neglected pollution source? And the answer is YES! As audience mentioned that Pleasure Bay was quite popular among dog walkers at 2014 Metropolitan Beaches Commission public hearing, we paid a visit to Pleasure Bay in March. Unsurprisingly, we found numerous dog poop piles left behind on the beach and quite a few dogs walked by their owners during weekends, which provides us a reasonable guess that dog may cause the problem!

I was surrounded by dogs at Victory Park

We also visited Victory Park, a park on the shoreline and locating north of Tenean Beach. Tenean Beach is not as clean as Pleasure Bay, and infrastructure (pipe) failure still remains a problem here. During our visits, we found that commercial dog walkers regularly visited to walk the dogs, and tremendous dog poop were left behind. This is the first time I was surrounded by so many dogs which were NOT-ON-LEASH. As my grandparents live in the suburbs, I spent lots of time there before I went to college in China. There dogs are mostly kept as guard dogs, they would bark at people they don’t know, chase after bikes and cars. I always held my breath when I walked past a dog, avoiding making eye contact. I was told that dogs would be scared if they see you bending, because that makes them think you want to pick something and hit them. And of course I tested it when the dog was on a firm leash attached to an iron bar, and it worked; the dog would back up when I bent, and that was super cool! However, when I was in Victory Park, there was no way to keep calm. 40 dogs were around, and almost all of them were off leash. I heard dogs barking everywhere and only 4 people watching them, and suddenly I saw 10 dogs running to me. You have no idea how terrified I was at that time, as they stopped to smell me, and spread their muddy paws onto my knees! I stood there, trying to be graceful, quickly putting on my thick gloves, thinking that at least I could protect myself a little bit if they bite me. Fortunately, they left me unhurt, and I survived. I am still proud of myself being surrounded by so many dogs!

When we had those preliminary clues for dog problems, another thing needed to work on is to get an idea of how much pollution dog poop can generate. Take Pleasure Bay as an example, I performed calculations to estimate the required amount of dog poop to raise the entire bay’s Enterococcus level to the swimming standard, assuming that all bacterial released and mixed thoroughly in the water. As a result, 54 pounds of dog poop or 288 dog poop events is needed. It is not a huge amount of poop, and the common sense tells us that it couldn’t be the reality that 54 pounds of dog poop is washed into the ocean, mixed uniformly and stay for long time. However, it is likely that one or several dog poop piles would have the ability to pollute a stretch of beach for many hours. This is what the general public may not be aware of, when they are walking their dogs on a sunny day, not cleaning up after the dogs, probably thinking that a poop event won’t have much impact on the water quality, however, they are wrong. And this is why we are doing the work, using scientific knowledge to educate the public, and to make a better world! 

Yudan Jiang

The American Eel

            As an Environmental Policy Intern here at Save the Harbor/Save the Bay, I felt compelled to write a blog post about one of the most important creatures in the Boston Harbor, the American Eel. While these may be among the most slippery and slimy critters you've ever seen, they also play a crucial role in the ecosystem of the Boston Harbor as well as an important source of income for many New England fishermen. My name is Christian Herbosa, and I speak for the eels.
             The American Eel is a migratory species of eel that can be found along the North American East Coast. American Eels are also known as the “glass eel”, “elvers”, or (if you’re a sushi eater) you may know them as unagi. These Eels spend most of their lives in freshwater rivers and estuaries along the East Coast, however they leave these habitats and travel thousands of miles to spawn in the Sargasso Sea. In the Sargasso Sea, a region of the North Atlantic, these eels lay eggs in a massive seaweed mat located east of the Bahamas. After these eggs hatch they make their way back to the freshwater rivers and estuaries along the East Coast where they can mature from juveniles to adult American Eels. These eels have a relatively slow rate of maturation needing 24 or more years before they reach sexual maturity.

           Eels are collected from their freshwater habitats on the East Coast in their juvenile stage. As juveniles they are generally 3 inches long and have translucent skin. After they are collected, they are sold to eel farms in China and other Asian countries where they mature to be about 3 feet long. Once they reach an ideal size they are harvested and sold for human consumption. American Eel is popularly served in the sushi dish unagi or in the grilled eel dish called kabayaki. Additionally, juvenile eels are also useful as fish bait.
            Until recent years there were only a handful of fishermen in Maine and South Carolina who were interested in the American Eel. However the demand for American eels increased after two developments in the eel trade. First, the global supply of eels available for trade decreased sharply after the 2010 European Moratorium on Exporting Eels. Second, a tsunami hit Japan in 2011, which severely damaged their eel stocks. After these events the price of juvenile American Eels skyrocketed. The price of baby American Eels increased from $25 per pound in 2003 to $1,997 per pound in 2012.

            As a result of the drastic increase in price, formerly small time fishermen were able to make a fortune. One fisherman allegedly made $200,000 in a night on the Penobscot River. The big profits sparked a gold rush of eel fishing. Unsurprisingly, these profits were followed by reports of historically low US eel stocks. In 2012 an assessment done by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission found that eel stocks were depleted in US waters. Since the Commission has passed several Addendums to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan to restore and protect the eel fishery on the East Coast using quotas to limit the harvest.

            The increased monetary value of these eels has created a very serious eel poaching problem along the East Coast. There have been several instances of large scale poaching in New England. In Massachusetts, it is illegal to harvest eels. The Massachusetts Environmental Police has deployed coastal officers to search for poaching activity in river from Cape Cod to the North Shore, nevertheless poaching persists. Part of the challenge in enforcing poaching restrictions is that it is relatively cheap and easy to catch baby eels. They are easy to intercept as they travel upstream from the ocean. Eel fishing gear often only includes mesh nets, waders, and a holding tank. No boat is necessary for eel fishing, which allows eel poachers to go about their business fairly discretely.

             Eels are also threatened offshore in their breeding grounds in the Sargasso Sea.  The Sargasso Sea is located within the North Atlantic Subtropical Gyre. The defining characteristic of the Sargasso Sea is that it is constituted of Holopelagic Sargassum, a free-floating algae. When the eels are sexually mature they migrate to the Sargasso Sea to lay buoyant eggs in this massive mat of seaweed. In the seaweed mat of the Sargasso Sea the eggs have a safe place to hatch. Once they enter their larval stage they begin their journey along the Gulf Stream to reach the coastal rivers and waterways along the East Coast where they can mature.

            These eel breeding grounds in the Sargasso Sea are threatened by a number of factors. As you may expect, major threats facing the Sargasso Sea include climate change and ocean acidification. Both land and sea based pollution are also a serious concern. Additionally, sargassum seaweed, which is an invaluable habitat for a number of marine species, is harvested to be used as a fertilizer and for the production of biofuels. The main impediment to protecting the Sargasso Sea and the marine life that it supports is the fact that the majority of the Sargasso Sea lies beyond the jurisdiction of any nation in international waters. The Sargasso Sea needs an international organization to conserve and protect its marine habitat.

            The Sargasso Sea Alliance, a partnership led by the Government of Bermuda, is leading the international effort to establish an institution to protect and manage the Sargasso Sea. The organization refers to the Sargasso Sea as “the golden floating rainforest of the Atlantic Ocean.” This organization fights for the international recognition of the Sargasso Sea as a habitat that serves a number of vital ecological functions for a diverse range of marine life including breeding grounds for the American Eel.

            In the Boston area, American Eels can be found in both the Mystic and Charles River.The Mystic River Watershed Association monitors American Eels as the pass the Upper Mystic Lake Dam. The MRWA recorded 2,908 eels in 2012, and they recorded 12,965 eels in 2013. One unique challenge that eels in the Mystic face are low oxygen levels that are created by the invasive Water Chestnut.
            The eels in the Charles have become celebrities at Save the Harbor/Save the Bay's youth summer programs. These slippery, slimy creatures are an integral part of the Boston Harbor Explorer's Community Boating event. Look at the eels that these harbor explorers caught at this link!
            Declining populations of American Eels can have negative ecological and commercial consequences. These eels constitute an important part of the diet of a wide range of fish and wildlife. They are a particularly important food source for commercial and recreational fisheries. Eel conservation is a particularly difficult task given their enormous migratory range.  Efforts to restore and protect American Eel populations must take place in both domestic and international forums. The survival of the American Eel is in everyone’s best interest.

To learn more, explore these links:

• Eels in the Boston Globe
• Eels at boston.com
• Pictures of eels
• Eels in the Mystic
• Eels in the Charles
• Eel poaching on Cape Cod
• Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries Report (eels on page 9)
• Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission American Eel Report
• ASMF American Eel Fishery Management Plan
• Sargasso Sea description
• Sargasso Sea Alliance

Dog Waste and South Boston Beaches

Earlier this year I was asked to take part in an investigative study to identify whether or not dog waste could be responsible for elevated enterococcus bacteria levels at Pleasure Bay, Savin Hill, Malibu Beach and Tenean Beach.   Last year nineteen beach closures were attributed to elevated levels of this bacteria.  Since there are no sewage discharges into the Harbor due to the completion of South Boston's CSO project it was concluded that there were no point sources responsible for this event.  This meant that either the test were not accurate or that the sources of elevated enterococcus were the result of some event that either took place on the beaches or directly in the water.  Since there were no sewage discharges into the harbor that left only animal waste as the possible source.  Of the animals that are present at these beaches only two could generate enough waste to create conditions in which enterococcus bacteria could exceed the safety standard  104 cfu , birds and dogs.

However, previously reviewed research comparing the concentrations of enterococcus in bird and dog waste concluded that the concentration of this bacteria in dog waste was greater by more than twice the magnitude.  Therefore we concluded our preliminary research and decided to focus our onsite beach investigations towards dogs and whether or not their caretakers were demonstrating responsible waste management practices on South Boston beaches.

What we observed on these beaches in March ranged from neglectful to deplorable.  Most of the beaches were riddled with dog waste and 95% of the dogs observed were not on leash.  At Pleasure Bay alone our group counted twenty-eight instances of dog waste left on the beach. 

Ironically enough, this was the only location that had a dog waste bag dispenser (although it was empty).   All of the locations we investigated had clear signs posting beach ordinances for dog waste removal and leash laws.   We also noticed dog walkers in clear violation of these ordinances and at one point counted over thirty dogs running amuck at Victory Park.

While the source of the elevated bacteria levels resulting in beach closures may very well be from dogs, it is the caretakers unconscionable or deliberate lack of responsibility that enables this sequence events to occur.  Despite the severe 

disrespect for the beaches and the law we never saw any authoritative personnel enforcing the ordinances.

I am certain from these observations that most of you would agree with me when I say, more has to be done in order to ensure the quality of these beaches.  As we continue our research investigation I hope what we found this winter does not reflect the behaviors of dog owning beach patrons throughout the entirety of the year.  Having owned dogs myself, I am aware of what goes into taking care of them, but at no point does the amount of work give us an excuse avoid our responsibility to them or our community.  Every time one of us allows our dog to crap on public property without picking it up, that crap is both literally and figuratively crapping on all of us.  So unless you are training your dog to pick up after itself please be prepared and responsible to pick up after your pet.

Dennis Poole

Environmental Policy Intern 

Seals and Songs - 2014 Marine Mammal Safaris

On Saturday, April 26, Save the Harbor/Save the Bay ran our annual Marine Mammal Safaris on Boston Harbor.  More than 800 people registered for the free event, and despite cold and rainy weather, hundreds showed up and took part in the two lively and exciting cruises.

 

Hundreds of brave souls joined us for a morning and an afternoon cruise

aboard the MV "Freedom" which departed from Mass Bay Lines' dock at Rowes Wharf.

 Some of the larger groups in attendance included
the Intergenerational Literacy Program in Chelsea, VietAID in Dorchester,
the East Somerville Community School, the South Boston Neighborhood House and
the West End House Boys and Girls Club. 

The weather was cool and a little wet - but everyone still had a great time!

         

For the record, we saw lots of harbor seals on this year's marine mammal safari,
including this one just off East Boston, photographed by Des and Terry.

We spent our time searching the sea and sharing stories and songs - including Haul Away Joe, 
which has been the official sea shanty of Save the Harbor/Save the Bay since 2009.

Haul Away Joe a very old song, but its message is still true today. If you want to get something done, we all have to pull in the same direction and "Haul Away" together. It is how we cleaned up Boston Harbor and created the Boston Harbor Islands National Park.

Here's an early version of the song - from Tall Ships 2009, led by
Save the Harbor's own David Coffin

This year we added a new element to the trip and asked people to write a new verse for the song. Nearly 50 people took part in the contest, and were each entered into this summer's "Simply Marble-ous Treasure hunt with a chance to win a round trip ticket on JetBlue Airways."

Save the Harbor's BayWatcher led the song on this year's trip.

"Bruce Berman is the BayWatcher, he works for Save the Harbor.
He looks real good in his red coat, but he sure could use a barber!"

Here are some other new verses from this year's Marine Mammal Safaris:

 

"When I was a little lass, the harbor was a sewer.

Now it is the city's gem, a joy to every viewer."

"The sea did roar, the sky did sway, the captain held the ship so steady.
And so we're told from a trip so bold, the harbor's got adventures plenty!"


"We came to see seals, we'll see wind and rain.
There were giant eggs of waste from what goes down the drain."

"Thompson, Lovells, Georges, and Spectacle that's new.
When you are at Boston Light you have an amazing view."

"To Boston Harbor, great and wide, through the sun and rain.
We'll sail with excitement to see the seals again."

"Though the day is cold and wet we could not stay away,
From an outing with our friends at Save the Harbor/Save the Bay!"

"It rained all day, but that's ok, we got to sail the harbor.
I see some seals and birds and whales, but I wish that I'd see some lobsters!"

"The harbor used to be a mess, it drove everyone away.
The cleanup was a big success, thanks to Save the Harbor/Save the Bay."

"Mahita and Rishi, they hail from India.
We asked them where that was, they told us is was faaahhh!"

"Arwa was a desert rose, she was sad and lonely.
When she came to Boston to find her one and only."

You can find more pictures and videos from the Marine Mammal Safari here.

Save the Harbor’s youth environmental education programs are made possible with Leadership Grants from Bay State Cruise Company, The Coca-Cola Foundation, Distrigas/GDF SUEZ, the Ludcke Foundation, and the Yawkey Foundation II. 

Save the Harbor is grateful for Partnership Grants from Forrest Berkley and Marcie Tyre Berkley, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, The Fallon Company, John Hancock Financial Services, Inc., Massachusetts Port Authority, P&G Gillette, Schrafft Charitable Trust, Jay Cashman Inc., The Chiofaro Company, Circle Furniture, The HYM Investment Group, Massachusetts Bay Lines, Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, National Grid Foundation, and Clinton H. & Wilma T. Shattuck Charitable Trust.

Save the Harbor also appreciates funding support from Arbella Insurance Group Foundation, Inc., Blue Hills Bank Foundation, Blue Hills Bank Pavilion, Breckinridge Capitol Advisors, Clipper Ship Foundation, Inc., The Paul & Phyllis Fireman Charitable Foundation, Inc., Lovett-Woodsum Charitable Foundation, Mass Humanities, Red Sox Foundation, TD Bank Foundation, Boston Bruins Foundation, Thomas & Lucinda Foley, Reebok Foundation, Santander, South Boston Community Development Foundation, Andus Baker & Rowan Murphy Family Fund, Community-Suffolk, Inc., Goulston & Storrs, Matthew J. & Gilda F. Strazzula Foundation, Solo Produce, and hundreds of individual donors.
 
Save the Harbor would like to thank all of our Youth and Family Program Funders, Mass Humanities, and Massachusetts Bay Lines for their generous support of this event.

In keeping with the nautical theme, we would just like to say:

"Seals, porpoise and striped bass, Boston Harbor has them all.
We hope you’ll join us for another cruise, in the summer and the fall!"

 

Save the Harbor's Marine Mammal Safaris - Renewed Porpoise and Seal of Approval!

On Saturday, April 26^th, Save the Harbor will celebrate Spring with two free Marine Mammal Safaris that will depart from Rowes Wharf on Mass Bay Lines to Calf Bay and the Brewsters to look for the harbor seals and harbor porpoises who share the harbor with us in the spring.

 

Seals at Calf Island from our first Marine Mammal Safari in 1998

These FREE cruises are open to school groups, community groups, youth organizations, families, and friends of Save the Harbor/ Save the Bay. The morning cruise boards at 9:30 am, departs at 10:00 and returns by 12:30 pm; the afternoon cruise boards at 12:30 pm, departs at 1:00 and returns by 3:30.  

 Harbor porpoise off Constitution Marina in Boston Harbor.

The trips will be narrated by Save the Harbor/Save the Bay’s Bay Watcher, Bruce Berman. Though we can't promise that we will see them this year (though we usually do!), we can promise you a great time sharing songs and stories on the water, and taking in the sights, sounds, and smells of the harbor and the bay. 

Harbor Seals off Georges Island - 2013

Both trips depart from and return to the Massachusetts Bay Lines dock at Rowes Wharf (behind the Boston Harbor Hotel).  You can find directions at http://www.massbaylines.com/directions/

Tickets are free but space is limited, so RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED!

To make a reservation for your organization, family, or friends, please contact Amy Gaylord at (617) 451-2860 x1008  or gaylord@savetheharbor.org.  Please specify which cruise you would like to go on!

 We spotted this harbor seal just off Boston's Fish Pier!

  

Feel free to bring your binoculars to help us find the seals and porpoises!  Dress in warm layers as the weather is often cooler and windier on the water.  Snacks and beverages may be purchased aboard the boat, but you are also welcome to bring your own brown bag lunch.

For more information please visit www.savetheharbor.org, like us on Facebook  follow us on Twitter, send us an email us at info@savetheharbor.org or give us a call at (617) 451-2860.

Thanks to all of our Youth and Family Program Funders,
Mass Humanities and Massachusetts Bay Lines for their generous support of this event!

Lost, Confused, and Fortunate

Lost, Confused, and Fortunate

April 17th, 2014

When I began my internship at Save the Harbor/Save the Bay I was excited to jump head first into something I had been passionate about for many years. Since I was an environmental student in college, Save the Harbor/Save the Bay was and is a perfect opportunity for me to learn about non-profit organizations, environmental issues, and its protection and restoration methods.

During the first two months I researched national beach closings, coastal water quality and how to protect Massachusetts beaches from climate change. This particular project was interesting since it discussed material which was new and exciting.  After the completion of this project, my boss asked me what I wanted to work on next and about my future goals. That was when reality hit [again] and I realized I had some tough decisions to make and soon. For months I had been trying to dodge the question that needed my attention. I knew avoiding the questions was the worst thing to do, but I continued to do it. I would freeze when family members questioned my plans after graduation and the line of work I wanted to be in. I often feel suffocated; not knowing where to go and how to help myself.  

The one and only clear answer I now have is that I want to work and learn more about the environment and the strategies to protect it and the public. The environmental field encompasses many different areas of study and I am still struggling to focus my attention.  As a recent college graduate with minimal experience I know I am fortunate to have any experience in the environmental or non-profit field which ultimately may help me to determine my goals and interests.  

After 11 months since graduation and not having a clue to what comes next; I often feel I am behind my peers and it feels as though I am running a race trying to catch up to them. Many of my peers found jobs fairly quickly after graduation; which led me to doubt myself, my future, and interests. I have had a tough time realizing that every person is different and we are all capable of different things. More importantly, for the sake of our own sanity, we should never compare ourselves to our peers and friends.

I often think back to the times I have visited abroad and saw young children whose lives have already been planned -where they will work and live. In those moments I realized that I am fortunate to have the impossible task of figuring out my first job and my future. At the age of 22, I have a dozen opportunities that wait for me. I can't imagine my future working one type of job in only one particular field; and hopefully I don't have too.   Even though I want and like the idea of having options; I sit here today feeling anxious and scared.  

At the conclusion of my internship at Save the Harbor I desperately wanted answers or a sense clarity. I may not have an answer right now, but I know it’s important and I will no longer “dodge” the necessary questions and topics. For now, I need to keep learning important skills which will help me strengthen my candidacy as an applicant; I need to keep reading and find career paths that I might be interested in; and I need to go beyond my comfort zone and ask people for advice and build connections. 

I would like to thank the staff and interns at Save the Harbor/Save the Bay for helping and supporting me. I am so happy to have had this opportunity learning about environmental issues along with  meeting people who share the same interests. Finally, a special thanks to Bruce who forced me to think about things when I didn't want too. Interning at Save the Harbor/ Save the Bay has not only been a learning opportunity but it has been a growing experience both personally and professionally. 

On that note, I may still be a little lost and confused; but I am fortunate enough to have a network of friends and colleagues at Save the Harbor to support my struggle until I find my first full-time job and ultimately my career.  



Tanya Bhargava 

Making a Difference

My name is Dennis Poole and I'm an environmental policy intern with Save the Harbor/Save the Bay.  I joined this organization in January and have found my experiences thus far professional, educational and enjoyable.  Within the first three weeks I took part in two hearings with Metropolitan Beaches Commission (MBC) and I'm currently working on a project with two other interns involving water quality with beaches in Boston Harbor.

On February 1, 2014 I was fortunate to take part in a public meeting hosted by the Metropolitan Beaches Commission at the UMass campus in Boston.  It was interesting to hear the concerns of the resident beach patrons and the MBC commissioners plans on how to address their concerns and simultaneously improve the quality of our beaches.  At one point I was able to listen to and share ideas with committee officials from Nantasket Beach in Hull.  Beach Projects ranged from the construction of docks and ferry services in order to facilitate more transit to the islands. The information and goals presented by the MBC and the citizens who attended reflect the qualities I like to see in a community.

I am especially happy to be part of a team where I can apply the critical and analytical skills I learned in college in a way that benefits the greater community.  Researching ways to improve the quality of our environment with peers that share the same goal is personally rewarding and beneficial to the surrounding community.

The team here at Save the Harbor/Save the Bay consistently demonstrate their commitment to the well being of both its staff and the communities in which it serves.  The staff here is very attentive in training and guiding us in a conducive manner that develops our professional abilities with our personal goals.  The atmosphere here is both professional and fun, not only am I getting a chance to learn and experience the many professional aspects of environmental policy but I'm enjoying the journey.

Sincerely,

Dennis Poole,

Environmental Policy Intern with Save the Harbor/Save the Bay

Destination Boston Harbor 2014

On Wednesday evening, April 2nd Save the Harbor/Save the Bay will host our annual corporate fundraiser Destination Boston Harbor, which brings together 350 of our corporate and community partners and political and policy pals.

At our 25th Anniversary in 2011, Save the Harbor began a tradition of honoring Boston Harbor Heroes for their work to transform Boston Harbor from a liability into an asset for our residents and our communities.

This year the Leadership and Board of Directors of Save the Harbor/Save the Bay is proud to honor:

 Here's a preview of the video we will premier at the event,
produced by our youth environmental education program staff

There are still a few tickets available to Destination Boston Harbor, and some unique auction items including the chance to throw out the First Pitch at a Red Sx Game at Fenway Park thanks to our friends at JetBlue Airways.

For more information call us today at 617-451-2860.