The Trustees of Reservations has been stewarding many of Massachusetts’ scenic, natural, and historic assets for over 125 years. 

As we have expanded our work in Boston in the last decade, we have become increasingly aware of the opportunities for positive change along the waterfront. The Trustees’ Boston Waterfront Initiative, One Waterfront, advances a bold vision for iconic, public open space on the Boston waterfront.

One Waterfront will contribute to the City’s quality of life by creating and managing significant parks that serve as world-class and welcoming destinations. In addition, One Waterfront seeks to create accessible, climate-resilient open space that serves diverse community needs and brings value to our vulnerable harbor city. The Trustees will draw on over a century of expertise in public open space management to deliver new signature destinations—for all to enjoy.

We invite you to explore this overview of our vision, and subscribe to receive updates as our initiative progresses.

The Vision

Over the past several years, The Trustees recognized the immense development initiatives taking place throughout Boston’s waterfront, and began to look for land preservation opportunities. As the Trustees explores potential locations to advance iconic, bold open space on Boston’s waterfront, sites are evaluated based on whether they align with the following four criteria:

• Create world-class destinations

• Support community need

• Bring value to Boston’s climate resiliency goals

• Are financially feasible, both in creation and long-term care

Boston’s developing waterfront demands havens of green amidst the gray; the kind of open space that attracts residents and visitors alike with diverse, neighborhood-building amenities. Intrinsic elements of what makes Massachusetts special, parks provide places for restoration and recreation; help an especially vulnerable coastal city meet the challenges posed by climate change; and enhance the quality of life and personal wellness in the Commonwealth’s capital city.

Green Solutions for Climate Resilience

The Trustees effort in Boston dovetails with our broader coastal strategy across our existing properties on the Massachusetts shoreline. The Trustees have long been involved in protecting vulnerable coastal areas and became concerned with the impact of sea level rise and storm impacts on Boston’s waterfront. 

We are in a unique position—by virtue of our incredible breadth of protected shoreline acreage, broad range of professional expertise, and deep connections to a diverse and committed citizenry—to develop innovative approaches and solutions to the challenges posed by sea level rise and a changing coast. We will promote forward-looking choices that anticipate and build resiliency, using green infrastructure solutions that serve as a buffer against flooding on the waterfront.

In an era of remigration from the suburbs back to cities and a cultural and economic rebirth in Boston, finding ways to add open space along the waterfront speaks to the identity that will define the city and its residents for decades to come.