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| Massachusetts Division of Ecological Restoration | |
|---|---|
| Name | Massachusetts Division of Ecological Restoration |
| Formed | 1996 |
| Jurisdiction | Massachusetts |
| Headquarters | Boston, Massachusetts |
| Parent agency | Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (Massachusetts) |
Massachusetts Division of Ecological Restoration
The Massachusetts Division of Ecological Restoration is a state agency within the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (Massachusetts) focused on restoring rivers, wetlands, and coastal ecosystems across Massachusetts. The division partners with federal entities such as the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the United States Army Corps of Engineers alongside local governments like the City of Boston and conservation organizations including The Nature Conservancy, Mass Audubon, and the Appalachian Mountain Club.
The division was established following conservation trends influenced by landmark efforts such as the Clean Water Act and directives from the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act era, with early collaborations involving the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and academic partners from Harvard University, University of Massachusetts Boston, and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Its evolution paralleled restoration movements exemplified by projects like the Charles River cleanup and the removal of dams on the Ipswich River and the Merrimack River basin initiatives, working with stakeholders including the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation and municipal partners such as Cambridge, Massachusetts and Newton, Massachusetts.
Its mission aligns with state-level environmental priorities set by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection to restore ecological function in aquatic systems. Responsibilities include coordinating dam removals in coordination with the National Marine Fisheries Service, conducting habitat assessments in partnership with the New England Aquarium and Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, and implementing science-based planning using methods from the Interstate Technology and Regulatory Council and the United States Geological Survey.
The division operates regional teams that coordinate with offices such as the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and regional entities like the Merrimack River Watershed Council and the SuAsCo River Stewardship Council. Leadership liaises with state commissioners and federal liaisons from NOAA Fisheries and the USFWS Northeast Region, while technical staff collaborate with universities including Boston University, Northeastern University, and Tufts University for monitoring and restoration science.
Programs include river and stream restoration modeled after work on the Ipswich River and Sudbury River, tidal marsh recovery in areas like the Buzzards Bay watershed, and culvert replacement initiatives coordinated with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and regional planning agencies such as the Metropolitan Area Planning Council. Initiatives also extend to climate adaptation strategies consistent with reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the Massachusetts Coastal Flood Risk Model, and employ practices similar to those advocated by the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Notable projects involve dam removals and fish passage restoration cooperating with groups such as American Rivers, the Sierra Club, and local watershed associations like the Charles River Watershed Association and the Ipswich River Watershed Association. The division has worked on tidal marsh restoration projects in partnership with NOAA programs, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Wildlife Refuge System, and regional nonprofits like The Trustees of Reservations. Cross-jurisdictional collaborations have included the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission and municipal partners in Salem, Massachusetts, New Bedford, Massachusetts, and Plymouth, Massachusetts.
Funding sources include state appropriations via the Massachusetts Legislature, grants from federal programs such as the National Coastal Resilience Fund, awards from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and cooperative agreements with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The division administers competitive grants to local partners, leveraging funding mechanisms similar to those used by the Environmental Protection Agency's Wetland Program Development Grants and fundraising partnerships with foundations like the Barr Foundation and the Cummings Foundation.
While not a permitting authority, the division informs policy and regulatory frameworks by providing technical guidance to agencies such as the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, the Massachusetts Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs, and regional planning entities like the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority on issues including dam safety statutes, municipal compliance under the Clean Water Act, and integration of restoration priorities into planning documents such as municipal open space and resilience plans. The division's science supports state participation in multistate efforts like the New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers initiatives and aligns with federal conservation strategies from the Department of the Interior and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
Category:Environment of Massachusetts Category:State agencies of Massachusetts