Located in the diverse neighborhood of Mattapan and West Roxbury, just outside of downtown Boston, the Boston Nature Center is a community-based urban sanctuary. Trails and boardwalks traverse meadows and wetlands, home to over 150 species of birds, 40 species of butterflies, and more than 350 species of plants. Year-round programs help foster an appreciation for nature and the environment and include a Nature Preschool (ages 3-6), Vacation Week and Summer Camp (ages 3-18) and ongoing school group programming through a longstanding partnership with Boston Public Schools. Outdoor exploration, hands-on activities, and science education help participants of all ages grow and connect with the world around them.
Along with major funding from the City of Boston’s George Robert White Fund and several generous donors, the TernSOLAR challenge grant helped to initiate a multi-faceted campaign to fund a new solar energy infrastructure at the sanctuary combined with retrofitting buildings. Rooftop solar panels were added, along with a new 63.36 kW ground-mounted array erected nearby, perfectly complemented with the addition of an ever-growing pollinator garden.
Grant Amount: $100,000
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We are thrilled that Boston Nature Center is now completely powered by clean carbon-free energy, another significant milestone for the sanctuary, which already is home to the city’s first ‘green’ municipal building, our George Robert White Environmental Conservation Center. This project not only confirms Mass Audubon’s commitment to addressing climate change as a priority of our five-year Action Agenda, but we also hope it inspires others to take meaningful climate actions in their cities and towns, neighborhoods and homes.
— JULIE BRANDLEN, BOSTON REGIONAL DIRECTOR, MASS AUDUBON