For Immediate Release
October 27, 2026
Contact: Andrew Farnitano, 925-917-1354, andrew@acfstrategies.com
What Voters Need to Know About Question 6: the Protect Water and Nature’ Ballot Initiative
130+ 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
BOSTON — With one week until Election Day, here’s what voters need to know about Question 6 on the ballot, which aims to create a dedicated source of funding for land and water conservation in Massachusetts.
What Would Question 6 Do?
Question 6, the Protect Water and Nature ballot 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.
Who Is Supporting Question 6?
The YES on 6 campaign is 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, along with influential local groups like Brookline GreenSpace Alliance, Charles River Watershed Association, and Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust.
Also supporting Question 6 are:
Clean water advocates including American Rivers Action Fund, Clean Water Action, and more than a dozen local watershed and ocean protection groups from across the state.
Local conservation groups, land trusts, and community organizations in Western Mass, Central Mass, the North Shore and Merrimack Valley, MetroWest & Middlesex County, Southeast Mass, the Cape & Islands, and Greater Boston.
Sporting and outdoor recreation groups such as Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, Ducks Unlimited, Surfrider Foundation Massachusetts, and the New England Mountain Bike Association.
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, former Governor Deval Patrick, and the members of the Boston City Council, as well as 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.
What are Supporters Saying About Question 6?
“At the end of the day, voting YES on Question 6 just makes sense. Creating a dedicated annual funding source to protect clean water and preserve the nature of Massachusetts that we all rely on and benefit from at no additional cost to taxpayers is the right decision for which our grandchildren’s grandchildren will thank us. It’s imperative that we take care and preserve the places we love before they’re gone forever.” — David O’Neill, President and CEO, Mass Audubon
“Question 6 will help close a critical gap in protecting the forests, farms, parks, and open spaces that sustain our communities. By protecting nature, we can keep our water clean, reduce flooding and storm damage, and support wildlife. This measure will help conserve the special places we love, create new parks and trails, and ensure everyone has access to the outdoors. Question 6 is about caring for our planet — our only home — for people today and for future generations.” — Katie Theoharides, President and CEO, The Trustees
“The urgency and importance of approving Question 6 has been amplified by cuts in environmental funding and programs at the federal level, especially for communities and neighborhoods with the fewest resources. A dedicated funding source would allow us to protect forests, farms and wetlands, improve parks and trails, and expand access to nature while advancing the state’s climate and conservation goals. And passing Question 6 would remind our elected officials that support for clean air, clean water, and access to nature is common ground for residents across the Commonwealth.” — Brad Campbell, President and CEO, Conservation Law Foundation
“Protecting Massachusetts’ natural resources and creating new parks and trails requires sustained investment. Question 6 would provide dedicated funding to safeguard clean water, conserve forests and open space, and help communities create and improve the parks, trails, and outdoor spaces that connect people to nature. It’s an opportunity to invest in the long-term health of our communities, expand access to the outdoors for everyone, and protect the landscapes that make Massachusetts special.” — Jodi Valenta, Associate Vice President and Massachusetts State Director, Trust for Public Land
“We know that Massachusetts residents care deeply about our natural spaces including our rivers, lakes and ponds. Passing Question 6 will ensure we have additional resources necessary to protect these vital waterways that are under threat from PFAS, stormwater runoff, sewage discharges and more.” — Emily Norton, Executive Director, Charles River Watershed Association
“At AMC, we see every day how time outdoors changes lives, and we also see the barriers that keep people from getting there. Distance, transportation, and trails that aren’t built for everyone all stand in the way. Question 6 gives Massachusetts a dedicated way to break down those barriers, with new and improved places to get outside in cities, suburbs, and rural towns alike.” — Anna Darrow, New England Policy Manager, Appalachian Mountain Club
Does a Policy like Question 6 Exist Anywhere Else?
Other states including Virginia, Georgia, and Texas have already dedicated a similar sporting goods sales tax to conserve land and water, providing them with hundreds of millions of dollars annually to preserve, restore, and improve their land, water, forests, parks, greenspace, and outdoor recreation spaces. A similar proposal is also on the ballot this November in Colorado as Proposition 137.
Since Georgia began dedicating funds from its sporting goods sales tax to conservation in 2019, the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Program has allocated over $175 million to 88 conservation and outdoor recreation projects across the state. Grantees have committed more than $257 million in matching funds, for a total investment exceeding $433 million. The program has helped build or improve dozens of parks and trails across the state and helped acquire and permanently conserve at least 69,000 acres of Georgia land.
What are Voters Seeing About Question 6?
This month, the YES on 6 campaign is airing two ads on broadcast television and digital channels across the state: “Naturally,” featuring Mass Audubon wildlife biologist Lyra Brennan and The Trustees park ranger Matt Ziepe, and “Simple,” featuring Arlington resident and Executive Director of the New England Mountain Bike Association Nicole Freedman.
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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.