The Charles River Floating Wetland explores an ecological intervention to reduce harmful algal blooms in the river, which threaten the river’s health and limit the feasibility of swimming.
A video introduction to the project
In partnership with MassDCR, the Charles River Conservancy installed a floating wetland in the Charles River along Cambridge Parkway, just downriver of the Longfellow Bridge, near the mouth of the Broad Canal.
Reducing nutrient pollution from reaching the river remains a vital method for preventing blooms. In-stream interventions like floating wetlands offer a complementary strategy that can absorb and remove nutrients from the water, increase biodiversity, support local ecological changes, and provide other co-benefits, like additional green space.
Laura Jasinski, Executive Director of the Charles River Conservancy, will be presenting lessons from the first artificial wetland in the Charles River, including a vision for an expanded wetland hub in the Charles to increase biodiversity, research opportunities and access.
NOTE: Weather permitting, the presentation will begin with a viewing of the floating wetland from the Cambridge bank of the Charles at 6:00 PM with Laura Jasinski. From there, it's a 10 minute walk to The Foundry, where the scheduled talk will begin a 6:30 PM
