Press Release: Boston City Council Unanimously Endorses “YES on 6” Ballot Campaign to Protect Water and Nature
For Immediate Release
October 2, 2026
Contact: Andrew Farnitano, 925-917-1354, andrew@acfstrategies.com
Boston City Council Unanimously Endorses “YES on 6” Ballot Campaign to Protect Water and Nature
Boston City Councilors Join Statewide Conservation Groups, Local Land Trusts, Community Organizations and Businesses In Backing Ballot Question 6 to Create Dedicated Nature for All Fund for Water and Land Conservation in Massachusetts — Without Raising Taxes
BOSTON — The Boston City Council this week unanimously endorsed the “YES on 6” ballot campaign, which aims to create a dedicated source of funding for land and water conservation in Massachusetts. Question 6, the Protect Water and Nature ballot initiative on the November statewide ballot, would create a new Nature for All Fund and dedicate funds from the existing state sales tax on sporting goods to protecting and conserving water and nature — without raising taxes.
“Our natural resources are precious, and supporting continued public use and conservation of these spaces are important priorities. It has long been one of our priorities to conserve natural resources and expand access to greenspace and outdoor recreation for Boston residents, especially for our low-income residents and communities of color,” said Boston City Councilor Sharon Durkan, who introduced a resolution in support of Question 6 at Wednesday’s City Council meeting. “Question 6 would provide stable, long-term funding to protect and maintain our parks and recreational spaces, plan for climate resilience, and conserve natural resources while expanding access to outdoor recreation opportunities without raising taxes. Reliable funding is especially important when conservation and climate programs are jeopardized by tight state budgets and limited federal resources. It would allow communities to plan projects in advance that otherwise may not have been possible.”
“I’m looking forward to voting an easy YES on Question 6 in November,” said City Councilor Brian Worrell, who co-sponsored the resolution. “I believe such a dedicated funding source would grow quickly and effectively for the purposes of protecting clean drinking water, ensuring access to nature and outdoor recreation, and building more parks for our residents to enjoy.”
Background
Question 6, the ‘Protect Water and Nature’ initiative, would dedicate funds from the existing state sales tax on sporting goods to protecting and conserving water and nature — without raising taxes. Question 6 would create a dedicated Nature for All Fund with as much as $100 million each year to support the conservation and restoration of water and natural areas in Massachusetts, protect the quality of our drinking water and natural wildlife habitats, and support the creation and improvement of parks, trails, greenspaces, and other outdoor recreation spaces.
The Nature for All Fund would be funded by the state’s existing sales tax on sporting goods like camping gear, golf clubs, and fishing equipment — not by creating a new tax. Question 6 allocates just 0.16% of the state’s $63.4 billion annual budget, but it would make a big difference for land and water. Question 6 would also establish a public oversight board that would approve all expenditures from the fund, with strict annual reporting requirements to track every dollar spent.
Question 6 is supported by a diverse coalition of more than 100 environmental, conservation, and community organizations and businesses throughout Massachusetts, including the state’s leading nonprofit land and water conservation groups such as Mass Audubon, The Trustees, Appalachian Mountain Club, the Conservation Law Foundation, Massachusetts Rivers Alliance, The Nature Conservancy, and Trust for Public Land, as well as dozens of local and regional groups from every corner of the state.
Over the last year, the coalition collected more than 122,000 signatures from Massachusetts voters to put nature on the ballot. Volunteers from dozens of organizations within the coalition contributed to this tremendous showing of support by collecting thousands of signatures from their neighbors at farmers’ markets, festivals, trailheads, and wildlife sanctuaries.
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The YES on 6 campaign is led by Nature for Massachusetts, a large and diverse coalition of environmental, conservation, and community organizations that seek to create a dedicated, annual revenue stream to conserve water, land, urban greenspace, outdoor recreation access, and wildlife in Massachusetts. For more information, visit natureforma.org.