Nature for

Massachusetts

Massachusetts must be a leader on climate change, the conservation of nature, and the protection of wildlife: not only to reach the state’s desired climate goals, but to ensure a sustainable, safer future for all.

The time to act is now.

Advocating for an Equitable, Sustainable Commonwealth

Massachusetts is facing the triple-threat from climate change, the loss of biodiversity, and the fact that the benefits of nature are not accessible to all of our residents. Massachusetts lacks a significant statewide funding mechanism for nature conservation, and existing state-level programs are underfunded and oversubscribed. As a result, Massachusetts lacks sustainable and reliable resources to meet the Commonwealth’s goals of 1) protecting, managing, and restoring nature in order to reach net zero by 2050 and 2) protecting 30% of the state by 2030 and 40% by 2050.

About Our Legislation

An Act Providing Nature for All (H.901 / S.597)

Filed by Representatives Blais and Montaño and Senator Feeney

An Act Providing Nature for All would create a permanent Nature for All Fund for the purposes of acquisition, restoration, or improvement of nature to create parks and trails; protect forests, farms, wildlife habitat, and water resources; and advance climate resiliency and environmental justice goals. By setting aside just a portion of the revenue generated from the sporting goods sales tax, we would be able to dedicate as much as $100 million every year for the Nature for All Fund without any increase in taxes. With it, we could:

Create and improve parks, greenspace, trails, and outdoor recreation access, especially in environmental justice communities

Conserve and restore land to protect clean drinking water and the quality of streams, rivers, lakes, and coasts

Conserve land for climate resilience and restore the function and health of inland, wetland, and coastal ecosystems to advance biodiversity, climate adaptation, and resiliency

Conserve forests and farms to store carbon, preserve biodiversity, and achieve the Commonwealth’s natural and working land goals

Conserve important land parcels to provide connectivity between open spaces and habitats.

Conserve and restore lands of Indigenous cultural significance and restore access for Indigenous people

Provide on-going stewardship and management of these resources

Our Coalition

Nature for Massachusetts is a large and diverse coalition of environmental, conservation, and community organizations that seek to create a dedicated, annual revenue stream to conserve land, water, urban greenspace, and outdoor recreation access in Massachusetts.

Mass Audubon

Massachusetts Land Trust Coalition

Mass Parks for All

Massachusetts Rivers Alliance

Massachusetts Society of Municipal Conservation Professionals

Mattapan Food and Fitness Coalition

Mystic River Watershed Association

Native Land Conservancy

Neponset River Watershed Association

No Loose Braids

Northeast Organic Farmers Association (NOFA/Mass)

OARS

Regional Environment Council (REC)

Speak for the Trees Boston

Surfrider Foundation

The Compact of Cape Cod Conservation Trusts

The Food Project

The Nature Conservancy

The Olmsted Way

The Trustees

Tree Eastie

Trust for Public Land

American Farmland Trust

Appalachian Mountain Club

Arborway Coalition

Authentic Caribbean Foundation

Backcountry Hunters & Anglers

Bemis

Boston Food Forest Coalition

Boston Harbor Now

Brookline Greenspace Alliance

Charles River Conservancy

Charles River Watershed Association

Connecticut River Conservancy

Conservation Law Foundation

Environmental League of Massachusetts

Essex County Greenbelt Association

Garrison - Trotter Neighborhood Association

Greater Boston Trout Unlimited

Greater Mattapan Neighborhood Council

Groundwork Lawrence

Kestrel Land Trust

Land/Water Associates

MA Association of Conservation Commissions