The Mystic River Watershed Association’s commitment to the Mystic remains unchanged, however to accomplish our goals we are becoming more creative and resilient.
As is the case with most organizations, our staff is now working remotely. That means that although staff are not in our physical office space, they are ready and able to take your calls, answer your emails and continue to push projects forward. You can find staff roles and email addresses here, and I encourage you to reach out to them directly with questions, concerns or ideas.
Additionally, to comply with current “social distancing” protocols, we have cancelled larger events and moved others to virtual platforms. Both staff and the Board are developing creative ways to allow members and watershed residents to stay involved with the river. Our education manager, Marian Miller, will be developing content appropriate for youth and families, while Erica Wood, our outreach manager, will be partnering with staff to make our Earth Month Ecofest virtual—ensuring that the parks, paths and rivers still receive the TLC they need.
And of course, social distancing is a lot easier in the great outdoors! Study after study has shown the mental and physical health benefits of getting out in nature. We hope that you can use some of this enforced down-time to get to know some of the great hidden gems along the Mystic. Explore some of the new bike paths, run the Mystic River Herring Run & Paddle 5k course, do some paddling or check out the osprey nest at Macdonald Park—there are lots of great spots along the river to enjoy spring.
These are unprecedented times, and my colleagues on the Board of Directors and the staff at the Mystic River Watershed Association are committed to caring for the watershed and our communities. Thank you for being part of this. Together I know that we can continue to push forward a vision of a vibrant, healthy and resilient Mystic for everyone.
I wish you well as we work through this difficult situation together. You can always reach me at Larry Feldman at lawrence.feldman@gza.com or feel free to contact Patrick Herron, Executive Director, at Patrick.Herron@MysticRiver.org.
