Partnership Overview
The Merrimack Restoration Partnership (MRP) was founded in 2021 as one of the first three DER Restoration Partnerships supported by DER. MRP is located in North Central and Northeastern Massachusetts. The region's water flows into the Merrimack River from tributaries including the Nashua, Sudbury, Assabet, Concord, and Shawsheen Rivers.
Lead Partnership Sponsor: The Lead Partnership Sponsor, the organization which is contracted with DER and coordinates the Partnership, is the Merrimack River Watershed Council.
Core Partners: Core Partners are the individual organizations who receive funding from the Lead Project Sponsor to help advance the Partnership's ecological restoration work and are vital to the Partnership’s success. Core Partners for MRP include: Groundwork Lawrence, Lowell Parks & Conservation Trust, Merrimack Valley Planning Commission, Nashua River Watershed Association, and OARS.
The boundary of the Merrimack Restoration Partnership in Central and Northeast Massachusetts.
Partnership Vision
A healthy Merrimack watershed with rivers that are accessible, free-flowing, biodiverse and bountiful, that support robust ecosystems and our vibrant communities.
Partnership Actions
Merrimack Restoration Partnership is currently:
- Building regional restoration collaboration for the Merrimack watershed.
- Advancing 15 dam removals.
- Assessing culverts for aquatic connectivity with over 710 assessed in the past year.
- Working with 10 communities on prioritizing culvert assessments and replacements.
- Advancing 6 urban stream restoration projects.
Meet the Restoration Coordinator
Matthew Cranney, Merrimack River Watershed Council: Matthew is an ecological design and planning professional with experience in green infrastructure, ecological restoration, conservation, sustainable affordable housing, and environmental education. Not unlike the river herring, Matthew is a returned native to the Merrimack Valley, having spent the last decade working predominantly in Louisiana, Utah, and Colorado. He holds a BA in Latin American Studies & Portuguese from Tulane University, a graduate certificate in Public Interest Design/Build from the University of Utah, and an MS in Ecological Design from the Conway School of Landscape Design. He approaches his work through the lens of climate justice and utilizes design thinking to solve environmental problems. When not stuck behind a computer, Matthew can be found outside, preferably on the water.
Connect with Merrimack Restoration Partnership! Email Matthew at mcranney@merrimack.org.