In 1994, the MA Executive Office of Environmental Affairs and the federal agencies of Coastal America signed a Resolution to Restore Massachusetts Wetlands, pledging their support for efforts to restore the Commonwealth’s wetlands. The state and federal signatories to the Resolution form the core of the Partnership To Restore Massachusetts Wetlands. The Partnership is rooted in the premise that effective restoration requires the support of many federal, state, and local partners from the public, private, and non-profit sectors. A Partnership Coordinating Committee meets regularly to discuss restoration projects across the state.

Since the resolution signing in 1994, Partnership members have collaborated to help restore hundreds of acres of wetlands, demonstrating the benefits that partnerships bring to restoration efforts. Whether developing regional restoration plans, providing technical services, assisting project coordination, funding construction activities, or conducting post-construction monitoring — partnerships make projects happen.

Federal Partners

Federal partners have provided the majority of resources for project implementation. They have also assisted in project development and the production of regional wetlands restoration plans. Partners include the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, U.S. Geological Survey, Army Corps of Engineers, NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service and Restoration Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and National Park Service.

State and Regional Partners

Numerous organizations and state government departments and programs collaborate to assist restoration projects. Partners include the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs, Office of Coastal Zone Management, Department of Conservation and Recreation, Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Marine Fisheries, Division of Conservation Services, Riverways Program, Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, Department of Agricultural Resources, MA Environmental Trust, Massachusetts Bays Program, Buzzards Bay Project, Cape Cod Commission, Eight Towns & The Bay, Salem Sound Coastwatch, Massachusetts Highway Department, and Executive Office of Transportation, along with numerous state senators and representatives, regional planning agencies, and mosquito control projects and districts.

Local Partners

Local partners are the driving force behind restoration projects. They include city and town governments, neighborhood and volunteer groups, and individual citizens. All restoration projects must have local support for success. Frequently, municipalities contribute substantial financial and in-kind resources, such as assistance from conservation and DPW departments, to help complete projects.

Non-profit Partners

Restoration projects often receive support from non-profit organizations at the national, state, regional, and local levels. Whether serving as the project sponsor, helping with coordination, providing resources, or offering volunteer services, non-profits have helped complete many important restoration projects. Partners include Ducks Unlimited, Conservation Law Foundation, Fish America Foundation, The Nature Conservancy, Gulf of Maine Council, Trustees of Reservations, Massachusetts Audubon Society, Restore America's Estuaries, Association of Massachusetts Wetland Scientists, and Association to Preserve Cape Cod.

Corporate Partners

In 1999, MA EOEA, U.S. EPA, and The Gillette Company established the first-of-its-kind Corporate Wetlands Restoration Partnership (CWRP), a highly successful public-private partnership that attracts financial and in-kind service donations from private companies in support of restoration efforts. To date, MA CWRP members have contributed over 1.5 million dollars worth of assistance to restoration projects in Massachusetts. In 2003, the MA CWRP became an independent non-profit organization. The program manager is Susan Redlich who can be reached at (617) 287-5568 / Susan.Redlich@umb.edu. View the MA CWRP web page.

Based on initial successes in Massachusetts, CWRP was expanded to a national program in 2000 and now includes 13 coastal states with fully established programs. The National CWRP is hosted by Coastal America. CWRP went international in early 2004. Click here to visit the ICWRP web site.