Press Release: MetroWest & Middlesex County Environmental and Conservation Organizations Back “YES on 6” Ballot Campaign to Protect Water and Nature

For Immediate Release

October 13, 2026

Contact: Andrew Farnitano, 925-917-1354, andrew@acfstrategies.com

MetroWest & Middlesex County Environmental and Conservation Organizations Back “YES on 6” Ballot Campaign to Protect Water and Nature

Local Conservation Groups, Land Trusts, & Community Organizations Endorse Ballot Question 6 to Create Dedicated Nature for All Fund for Water and Land Conservation in Massachusetts — Without Raising Taxes

Concord, Mass. — More than a dozen local conservation groups, land trusts, and community organizations across the MetroWest region and Middlesex County are endorsing 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.

“In our area, where the supply of open space is limited and demand is high, it is vital that we have the ability to move quickly when land becomes available for protection. Access to ready pools of funds for land protection is the single most important factor to help us protect land in our region,” said Davnet Conway, Executive Director of Sudbury Valley Trustees. “Unless we act rapidly, many of the beautiful natural areas we know and love will disappear, not just in our children’s lifetimes, but in ours. Passing this measure will meaningfully help us act competitively to accelerate the pace of land protection today.”

“As we develop more, and build even more housing, which is much-needed and coming, it’s even more important that natural spaces are preserved forever, not only for their ecological value, but for our residents to have a place to access nature,” said Emily Norton, Executive Director of the Charles River Watershed Association. “Question 6 is a vital way to protect our forests, wetlands, biodiverse habitat, and wild spaces that protect water quality in our aquifers.”

“YES on 6 brings so many environmental, public health, and economic benefits to the region, from the access of safe green spaces to a clean and swimmable Charles River. Despite popular belief, Massachusetts’ local and state investments in parks and recreation are at or near the bottom of all US states, relative to its population, income, and total government spending,” said Laura Jasinski, Executive Director of the Charles River Conservancy. “With the much-needed funding provided by a Yes on Question 6, this investment will produce dramatic returns in conservation and recreation without additional taxes. As someone who grew up in Western Mass and lives in Medford, I encourage everyone across Massachusetts to protect nature and water: Join me in voting "Yes on 6" with confidence, determination, and joy.”

“OARS is proud to endorse the Question 6 ballot initiative to protect our watershed's water and nature. We stand committed to ensuring that everyone deserves clean drinking water and access to nature, including rivers free from pollution. We envision a not-distant future where the Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord rivers thrive with cool, connected and swimmable water and healthy ecosystems that more than 800,000 residents and the more than two million annual visitors can enjoy for generations,” said Rob Munro, Executive Director of OARS. “A Yes vote on Question 6 would dedicate as much as $100 million each year—without raising taxes—towards making that vision a reality across the entire state of Massachusetts. It's a no-brainer! OARS joins over 100 environmental and community organizations in supporting Question 6 this November. We encourage you to vote YES on Question 6 to protect the rivers and streams we all love.”

“Our forests, family farms, and community parks are part of what makes Massachusetts so great, from the smallest urban walkways and community gardens to the largest rivers and town forests,” said Susan Hughes, President of The Groton Conservation Trust. “The Groton Conservation Trust says YES on Question 6 and nature for all!”

The following MetroWest and Middlesex County organizations are supporting Question 6:

Arlington Land Trust

Brookline GreenSpace Alliance

Charles River Watershed Association

Concord Climate Action Network (ConcordCAN)

Concord Land Conservation Trust

Friends of Cold Spring Park

Friends of the Middlesex Fells Reservation

Green Newton

Groton Conservation Trust

Lincoln Land Conservation Trust

Mystic River Watershed Association

Newton Conservators

OARS 3 Rivers

Sudbury Valley Trustees

The Walden Woods Project

Waltham Land Trust

In supporting Question 6, the local groups join a broad coalition of more than 125 organizations led by 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. Also supporting Question 6 are sporting and outdoor recreation groups such as Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, Surfrider Foundation Massachusetts, and the New England Mountain Bike Association, and farming and gardening advocates including the Northeast Organic Farmers Association, American Farmland Trust, Grow Native Massachusetts, and Native Plant Trust.

Individual endorsers include current and former elected officials like Governor Maura Healey and former Governor Deval Patrick, and environmental leaders like former U.S. EPA Administrator and White House National Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy and author, environmentalist, and activist Bill McKibben. A full list of Question 6 endorsements can be found at natureforma.org/endorsements.

This month, the YES on 6 campaign began airing an ad titled “Naturally” on television and digital channels across the state. The ad features Mass Audubon wildlife biologist Lyra Brennan and The Trustees park ranger Matt Zieper addressing how Question 6 would protect clean drinking water; conserve forests, family farms, and natural wildlife habitat; and create more parks, trails, and greenspaces for all to enjoy — without raising taxes.

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.

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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.