The Community Grants Program was initiated in 2006 by the RSC and the 2016 grant announcement and application is now available!  The purpose of the grant program is to support town efforts that help to protect and enhance river resources, and to strengthen relationships between the RSC and municipal entities which are on the front lines in protecting these resources. Any municipal entity (conservation commissions, historical commissions, libraries, schools, recreation departments, public works, etc.) is eligible, as well as community-based non-profit 501(c)(3) organizations.  These include local land trusts, garden clubs, art associations, churches, watershed and neighborhood groups. 

In 2016-2017, grants of up to $10,000 will be made through an application process, with the first round being reviewed as of November 11th. Take a look!

Thank you for a fantastic 15th annual Riverfest. Stay tuned for next year's event date!

The 15th annual Riverfest event was a huge success, with over 1,000 people coming out to enjoy walks and talks, hikes, paddles, kids events and historical reenactments along the Sudbury, Assabet and Concord Rivers.

Thank you to everyone who participated, and to the volunteers and partner organizations and towns who were crucial to making this event so fantastic.

Within the next month or two, we should have more information about next year's event. If you have ideas or feedback for us, or even great stories from this year's event, be in touch with Sarah Bursky, National Park Service Community Planner, at !

The Sudbury River Recreation Guide is a guide to the outstanding resources along 15 miles of the Sudbury River. It highlights natural features, ecological areas, historical sites and places described in literature, all of which help to tell the rich story of the Sudbury River. On the Trail you will pass through the Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge and its wide wetland floodplains which are habitat for many waterfowl. Near Heard Pond you will see Indian Point which once hosted the annual summer encampment of the Nipmucks and in Fairhaven Bay you will travel by the sites seen and written about by Henry David Thoreau. These sites, and many others, are described in the commentary on the Trail.

“A more lovely stream than this,” Nathaniel Hawthorne said of the Assabet River, “has never flowed on earth, except to lave the interior regions of the poet’s imagination.” Glimpses of the region’s early industrial past dot the remote sections with plentiful wildlife. In 1999, the last four miles of the Assabet were designated under the federal Wild and Scenic Rivers program.  The Assabet River begins in Westborough, flowing north for 31 miles [through Northborough, Marlborough, Berlin, Hudson, Stow, Maynard and Acton] until it joins the Sudbury River in Concord to form the Concord River, which flows north to join the Merrimack River in Lowell. The river is home to abundant wildlife, including bald eagles, great blue herons, river otters, painted turtles, largemouth bass and many other species of fish. The Assabet offers easy and interesting paddles for the beginning boater. There is also some whitewater in the spring, several dams, and limited water depth in the upper sections during the summer.  We especially recommend the three trips shown in purple on the map.

The Concord River Boater's Trail is a guide to the outstanding resources along 10 miles of the Concord River. It highlights natural features, ecological areas, historical sites and places described in literature, all of which help to tell the rich story of the Concord River. On the Trail you will pass through the Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge and its wide wetland floodplains which are habitat for many waterfowl.

Use this guide to pick an adventure that’s suitable for the whole family on the Wild and Scenic Sudbury, Assabet and Concord Rivers. The map shows 21 locations with descriptions including trails, suitability for baby strollers, dog restrictions, nearby activities, and more.

CELEBRATING THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE’S 100TH ANNIVERSARY & OUR LOCAL WILD AND SCENIC RIVERS

This year, the River Stewardship Council welcomed award winning storyteller Tony Toledo for a series of four performances, celebrating the fascinating history and special places along our rivers. 

Performances occured in Wayland, Lincoln, Sudbury, and the Assabet National Wildlife Refuge.

Thank you, Tony, and thanks to our generous funders: These performances were possible through the generous support of the National Park Service, grants from the Lincoln, Sudbury & Wayland Cultural Councils, local agencies which are supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, and by the US Fish & Wildlife Service.