Dedicated to stewarding and connecting Boston's waterfront, harbor and islands. Two powerful advocates for Boston's waterfront and islands — The Boston Harbor Association and the Boston Harbor Islands Alliance — have joined forces to become Boston Harbor Now. At the heart of our plan to “Navigate Our Future” is a bold vision to maximize recreational, cultural and social opportunities; promote an integrated water transportation system and to foster mixed economic development that will be a model for climate change resiliency. Working in collaboration with public and private partners, our mission is nothing less than to be the primary steward of the city's next great social, economic and cultural public space. Boston, Massachusetts

The Buzzards Bay Coalition is a membership-supported nonprofit organization dedicated to the restoration, protection, and sustainable use and enjoyment of our irreplaceable Bay and its watershed. The Coalition works to improve the health of the Bay ecosystem for all through education, conservation, research, and advocacy. New Bedford, Massachusetts

Established in 1985 as the Buzzards Bay Project, our mission is to protect and restore water quality and living resources in Buzzards Bay and its surrounding watershed through the implementation of the Buzzards Bay Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan. Mattapoisett, Massachusetts

A non-profit organization protecting the Charles River and its watershed. One of the country's oldest watershed organizations, Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA) was formed in 1965 in response to public concern about the declining condition of the Charles. Since its earliest days of advocacy, CRWA has figured prominently in major clean-up and watershed protection efforts, working with government officials and citizen groups from 35 Massachusetts watershed towns from Hopkinton to Boston. Initiatives over the last four decades have dramatically improved the quality of water in the watershed and fundamentally changed approaches to water resource management. Weston, Massachusetts

The Connecticut River Watershed Council works to protect the watershed from source to sea. From alpine forests to tidal estuaries, rural farmlands to urban riverfronts, spotted salamanders to bald eagles and mussels to salmon, the Connecticut River watershed unites a diversity of habitats, communities and resources. Greenfield, Massachusetts

Working on behalf of these special places, providing recreational and educational experiences, tours, trail maintenance, and advocacy to ensure that the islands remain protected and accessible for all. The Volunteers and Friends of the Boston Harbor Islands is a non-profit (US IRS granted 501c3 organization) environmental and educational organization that encourages public use of the islands, balanced with the need to protect their fragile ecosystem and historic environment. Our diverse membership provides services to the Boston Harbor Islands National Park Area through volunteer programs, public education and advocacy efforts. Hingham, Massachusetts

The Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment, created in 1989 by the governments of Maine, Massachusetts, New Brunswick, New Hampshire and Nova Scotia, works to foster environmental health and community well-being throughout the Gulf watershed. The mission of the Gulf of Maine Council is to maintain and enhance environmental quality in the Gulf of Maine to allow for sustainable resource use by existing and future generations.

The Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM) is a part of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA). CZM's mission is to balance the impacts of human activity with the protection of coastal and marine resources. As a networked program, CZM works with other state agencies, federal agencies, local governments, academic institutions, nonprofit groups, and the general public to promote sound management of the Massachusetts coast.

The Department of Environmental Protection is the state agency responsible for ensuring clean air and water, the safe management of toxics and hazards, the recycling of solid and hazardous wastes, the timely cleanup of hazardous waste sites and spills, and the preservation of wetlands and coastal resources.

The Massachusetts Sierra Club is the state chapter of the largest, oldest, and most influential environmental grassroots organization in the country. With a small staff supporting volunteer leaders and over 100,000 members and supporters across the state, we are volunteer-driven with a mission: To explore, enjoy, and protect the planet; to practice and promote the responsible use of the earth's ecosystems and resources; to educate and enlist humanity to protect and restore the quality of the natural and human environment; and to use all lawful means to carry out those objectives. Boston, Massachusetts

The MBBA is a family oriented group, comprised of men, women and children who are concerned with beach conservation and access not only for our members but for the general public. We meet once a month and discuss any concerns or problems that may occur on the beaches, and how in any way, we can help the beach managers, our members and the general public coexist in the use of our beaches. During the spring months, and occasionally in the fall, we volunteer our vehicles and manpower to help the beach managers do whatever work needs to be done at the time, whether it be beach cleanups, pick up any debris deposited by mother nature’s storms and/or irresponsible people, or dune restoration projects. East Harwich, Massachusetts

Our mission is to protect, improve, and conserve the Merrimack River watershed for people and wildlife through education, recreation, advocacy, and science. We work to engage local communities in protecting, improving, and conserving the river. We coordinate paddling programs and encourage responsible enjoyment of the river. Lawrence, Massachusetts

Dedicated to the Preservation and Restoration of the Historic Middlesex Canal. North Billerica Massachusetts

The MIT Sea Grant College Program was initiated in 1970, and in 1976 the Massachusetts Institute of Technology was formally designated by congress as a Sea Grant College. Our rigorous research program, dedicated outreach programs and integrated educational projects are aimed at providing real-world solutions to coastal questions and at helping to create the coastal stewards of tomorrow. The MIT Sea Grant College Program is a Federal-Institute partnership that brings the research and engineering core of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to bear on ocean-related challenges. Funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Sea Grant College Program promotes the conservation and sustainable development of marine resources through research, education, and outreach. Cambridge, Massachusetts

The North and South Rivers Watershed Association, Inc. (NSRWA) is a non-profit grassroots environmental organization located on the South Shore of Massachusetts. The NSRWA was founded in 1970 and has grown to over 1,100 members today, comprised of individuals, families, businesses, and other environmentally-concerned organizations. The NSRWA was created by a handful of river-lovers bound together by an intense devotion to the natural beauty of the area and a strong commitment to protect these natural resources for their own and future generations. Norwell, Massachusetts

The PRCWA is a community-based, non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the restoration and protection of the waters and environment of the Parker River and Plum Island Sound Watersheds. The Mission of the Parker River Clean Water Association is to preserve and protect the river and its ecosystem through the development of community based objectives and coalitions based upon individuals, groups, businesses, schools and governments who understand their connection to the river and the watershed and who will act to protect it for future generations. Byfield, Massachusetts

A non-profit organization for research, conservation, and education in the coastal and marine environments. Marine biology and geology research and education, large whale rescue and conservation. Provincetown, Massachusetts

The Alliance is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit environmental organization dedicated to the long-term preservation of Nantucket Sound. Our goal is to protect Nantucket Sound in perpetuity through conservation, environmental action, and opposition to inappropriate industrial or commercial development that would threaten or negatively alter the coastal ecosystem. The Alliance supports formal designation of Nantucket Sound as a marine protected area. Hyannis, Massachusetts

Save the Harbor/Save the Bay is the region's leading voice for clean water and continued public investment in Boston Harbor, the region’s public beaches, and the Boston Harbor Islands. Our mission is to restore and protect Boston Harbor, Massachusetts Bay, and the marine environment and share them with the public for everyone to enjoy. Boston, Massachusetts

Off the coast of Massachusetts, it provides essential habitat for many species of marine mammals, including the endangered North Atlantic Right Whale; & it is the focus of a large tourism industry centered on whale watching. Stellwagen Bank is an underwater plateau at the mouth of Massachusetts Bay, formed by the same processes that formed outer Cape Cod. As the ice sheets of the last Great Ice Age retreated, they left behind sand, gravel and rock. At one point in time (perhaps 12,000 years ago), Stellwagen Bank was actually above sea level, but as sea level rose and the glaciers continued to melt, the bank gradually submerged beneath the sea. Scituate, Massachusetts

The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) Sea Grant Program. A part of the NOAA-funded National Sea Grant Program, Woods Hole Sea Grant supports coastal communities through research, extension and education. Our mission is to enhance the practical use and conservation of coastal and marine resources by developing and sharing science-based knowledge to create a sustainable economy and environment for the diverse communities of Massachusetts. Woods Hole, Massachusetts