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Marine Debris Cleanup Project
Thanks to funding from the MWRA, Massport, the City of Boston, and Eastern
Salt Company, The Boston Harbor Marine Cleanup Project is in its ninth
summer of making Boston Harbor and its surrounding areas cleaner and more
accessible for swimmers, boaters, and marine species. From July through
September 2008, The Boston Harbor Association's on-water contractor Boston
Line & Service Co. spends eight hours a day, five days a week removing
floatable debris from the Inner Harbor, Fort Point Channel, Chelsea Creek,
and most recently, Pleasure Bay. Since the program's start, over 200 tons
of debris have been retrieved.
Typical types of debris include
plastic bottles, cups, wrappers, and cigarette butts, particularly in
high-activity areas like Long, Central, India, and Rowes Wharves, Piers
Park in East Boston, and Jeffries Cove. Wooden pilings that have come
loose from piers around the harbor are also found regularly.
As part of TBHA's sustainability
efforts, all plastic bottles removed from the harbor will be recycled.
Plastic bottles comprise more than 20% of the marine debris collected.
Further harbor cleanup efforts by
TBHA include distribution of Boaters' Guide to a Cleaner Boston to marinas
throughout the harbor, and working with Conservation Commissions to
minimize the amount of construction debris and trash overflow entering the
harbor.
For more information on TBHA's
Marine Debris Cleanup Program, or to obtain a copy of The Boston Harbor
Association's 2007 Marine Debris Final Report, please contact The Boston
Harbor Association at 617-482-1722.
> Learn more about Marine Debris Cleanup
Project
Complimenting TBHA's Marine
Debris Cleanup Project, the Charles River Clean-Up Boat is proud of
their ongoing efforts to keep the Charles River free of floating trash.
For the last five years, the Charles River Clean-Up Boat has operated
from Watertown to the locks at the mouth of the Charles. Four days a
week, the 20-foot boat cruises the river as the volunteer crew looks for
trash. Funding is from private donations. Those interested in making a
difference for the Charles River can volunteer. Please visit www.cleanupboat.org.
Working
Port Advocacy and Education
Sustainability of the working port of Boston is critical to the long term
health and prosperity of the Boston Harbor and economy. Long a champion of
sound environmental practices, The Boston Harbor Association continues to
support measures taken by various port entities to reduce their
environmental impacts. Steps taken to date by the Massachusetts Port
Authority, for example, include the usage of less polluting Tier II
engines for gantry cranes in Conley Terminal to proposed future expansion
of shore power electric plug-ins to all thirteen berths at the Boston Fish
Pier. At The Coastal Society's 21st Biennial Conference in June 2008, TBHA
presented on efforts underway to realizing a Green Port of Boston.
> Download the "Sustainability of the Port
of Boston" PowerPoint Presentation
> Learn more about Working Port
Education Programs
TBHA offers unique and exciting programs for the general public, as well
as organized groups and classes that educate and engender a sense of
stewardship. Each year, these events and programs create opportunities
that bring aspects of the Harbor to life for children and adults.
> Learn more about our Education Programs
HarborWalk
Thanks to the
efforts of The Boston Harbor Association, Boston Harbor's waterfront is a
wonderful area for walking, sightseeing, fishing, or simply enjoying
spectacular views of the Harbor! Join The Boston Harbor Association in
celebrating this unique resource by attending one of our programs,
exploring the bostonharborwalk.com
website, or go on your own with a free
downloadable audio tour.
> Learn more about HarborWalk
Back to the Beaches
For the first time in more than two decades, the public can now enjoy
greatly restored and enhanced Boston Harbor beaches. The Boston Harbor
Association's work with Department of Conservation and Recreation's
"Back to the Beaches" has been a critical component in the
continuing improvements to local beach water quality and facilities.
In addition to ongoing monitoring
of water quality of local beaches, TBHA has organized several community
service projects to enhance Boston Harbor beaches, most recently at Carson
Beach in South Boston. Further efforts include sponsoring free "Back
to the Beaches" programs at Spectacle Island, home of Boston's newest
swimming beach. During summer 2008, more than 2,000 people, including many
children, participated in free programs "Back to the Beaches"
programs at Spectacle Island organized by The Boston Harbor Association.
> Learn more about Back to the Beaches
The Boston Harbor Islands
Visitors to Boston have a
unique opportunity to view the Boston skyline from the Boston Harbor
Islands, which host a variety of activities including hiking, swimming and
fishing. The islands are home to such unique features as the oldest
operating lighthouse in the country, one of the largest wastewater
treatment plants in the country, and a spectacular new park on top of
capped landfill.
>Learn more about the Boston
Harbor Islands
Policy Positions
The Boston Harbor Association gets results! TBHA's policy positions are
carefully developed by TBHA Trustees, TBHA Committees, and staff who have
technical expertise. Consequently, these highly regarded comments make a
dramatic impact in planning and development on Boston's waterfront.
> Learn more about TBHA Policy Positions
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