How did you hear about MyRWA and how were you involved?
I heard about MyRWA through my ecology professor at Brandeis, Professor Hitchcock, while searching for a local summer internship. Interning at MyRWA was an incredibly hands-on experience that brought my Environmental Studies education to life. Along with my fellow intern, then Tufts student Kate Lamberti, I helped run water-chestnut and bittersweet removal events, collected and analyzed water samples from all over the Mystic, worked with local youth groups to plant and water trees, and so much more. Andy taught us about the watershed, birding, local species, and water quality. I wrote an article on MyRWA’s river-herring monitoring project for Discover Magazine (here). Every day of that summer, we were in a new location doing something new!
What is one thing you want readers to know about the watershed?
I'm almost two years out of Brandeis now, living in Somerville and working in data science at a healthcare startup. When it's nice, I still enjoy visiting Foss Park, Macdonald Park, and the bridge between Upper and Lower mystic lakes, to enjoy the view and reminisce. I follow MyRWA on social media, celebrating the continuous feed of greenways, parks, and bikeways that are being cleaned and opened up for the public to enjoy. Each of these victories brings more people outside and connects them with their local environment, which is even more important than ever during the pandemic, when it's all too easy to never leave the apartment. The more people are outside, the more attached they become to nature, and feel the need to protect it. Often, during the summer of my internship, Macdonald Park was empty except for the bittersweet removal crew ourselves. Now, it's usually bustling with visitors when I'm there—which is such a joy to see.
What inspired you to become a monthly donor?
Even though my career so far has led me elsewhere, the environmental cause is still extremely important to me—especially at a local scale. While larger national or multinational organizations might have more name recognition, it is the smaller organizations that build from the bottom up and do the hard work of restoring ecosystems piece by piece. Having seen and been part of MyRWA's work, even for a summer, has shown me just how much two or three people with a car and some equipment can accomplish. I donate to keep these efforts going - cleaning up water and land, and educating the masses of people who live in the most populated watershed in Massachusetts on how they too can become involved.
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You too can support improvements to the Mystic River watershed! Learn more about monthly giving here.
