ROSE FITZGERALD KENNEDY GREENWAY CONSERVANCY INC

SCH O-MAINTENANCE, HORTICULTURE, AND RANGERSTHE GREENWAY IS A CONTEMPORARY PUBLIC PARK IN THE HEART OF BOSTON, WELCOMING MILLIONS OF VISITORS TO ENJOY OPEN SPACE, GORGEOUS GARDENS, PUBLIC ART, AND FREE PROGRAMMING. THE GREENWAY CONSERVANCY IS THE NON-PROFIT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MANAGEMENT AND CARE OF THE GREENWAY. THE MAJORITY OF THE PUBLIC PARK'S ANNUAL BUDGET IS GENEROUSLY PROVIDED BY PRIVATE SOURCES. IN 2024, THE CONSERVANCY CONTINUED ITS EXCEPTIONAL CARE AND IMPROVEMENT OF THE GREENWAY: -THE HORTICULTURE DEPARTMENT IS FOCUSING ON UNDERSTANDING THE COMPLEXITY OF THE GREENWAY'S ECOLOGY, TAILORING MAINTENANCE EFFORTS TO ITS NEEDS, REDUCING INPUTS, AND CONSERVING WATER WHEREVER POSSIBLE. WE ARE DEDICATED TO FINDING A BALANCE BETWEEN SOUND HORTICULTURE AND INNOVATIVE ECOLOGICAL PRACTICES TO CREATE AND MAINTAIN RESILIENT LANDSCAPES WHICH HELPS TO ENHANCE BIODIVERSITY IN DOWNTOWN BOSTON. -MAINTENANCE AND CAPITAL PROJECTS TEAMS CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN AND IMPROVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE THROUGHOUT THE GREENWAY. WITH THE FEEDBACK WE RECEIVED FOLLOWING A ROBUST COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS, ENHANCEMENTS TO MARY SOO HOO PARK WERE COMPLETED IN THE SPRING. -THE GREENWAY WAS ONCE AGAIN FULL OF PROGRAMMING AND FESTIVALS, WITH 400+ EVENTS THAT WERE FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. THE GREENWAY CAROUSEL, BEER GARDENS, MARKETS, OUR FITNESS PROGRAM, AND SLATE OF RETURNING AND NEW SPECIAL EVENTS, MOVIES, MUSIC, AND MORE, ATTRACTED DIVERSE AUDIENCES TO GATHER IN OUR BEAUTIFUL AND WELCOMING SPACE. -THE CONSERVANCY PRESENTED A ROBUST SEASON OF PUBLIC ART FEATURING 6 PROJECTS THAT ENGAGED RESTORATIVE HISTORIES AND CHARTED NEW COSMOLOGIES THAT CENTERED JOY, INTERDEPENDENCE, ABUNDANCE, AND WONDER, ASKING BOSTON TO RECONSIDER AND REIMAGINE ITS SENSE OF SELF AS A CITY. TOGETHER, THESE WORKS SPOKE TO THE POWER OF COLLECTIVE IMAGINATION TO ENVISION AND CREATE MORE JUST AND INCLUSIVE WORLDS, BEGINNING WITH OUR PUBLIC SPACES.HORTICULTURE THE CONSERVANCY CONTINUED TO ENHANCE THE GREENWAY'S GARDENS AND LANDSCAPES BY USING ECOLOGICAL HORTICULTURE MANAGEMENT AND INTENTIONAL DESIGN APPLICATIONS. AS ONE OF THE FIRST PUBLIC PARKS IN THE UNITED STATES TO BE MANAGED ORGANICALLY, THE CONSERVANCY IS A LEADER IN ECOLOGICAL HORTICULTURE. THESE INNOVATIVE PRACTICES PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT AND PARK VISITORS, AND THEY HELP THE PLANTS BE MORE RESILIENT TO URBAN STRESSES INCLUDING POLLUTION, COMPACTION, AND MORE.THE CONSERVANCY INVESTED IN OUR HORTICULTURE DEPARTMENT MEMBERS AND PROVIDED AVENUES FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, GROWTH AND INSPIRATION. THE HORTICULTURE TEAM PARTICIPATED IN SPECIALIZED TRAINING PROVIDED BY RADIANT LEAF, TO BETTER UNDERSTAND PRUNING MAINTENANCE OF WOODY TREES AND SHRUBS. WE ATTENDED THE NATIONAL ANNUAL AMERICAN PUBLIC GARDENS ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE HELD IN BOSTON IN JUNE; HOSTED TWO TOURS IN THE PARK TO MORE THAN 60 ATTENDEES OF THE CONFERENCE; TOOK IN OVER 12 HOURS OF LECTURES AND SEMINARS AS A TEAM AND PRESENTED ON ONE OF THE PANELS AT THE CONFERENCE. IN AUGUST, THE TEAM WENT ON A FIELD TRIP TO NEIGHBORING NATIVE PLANT TRUST - GARDEN IN THE WOODS TO FIND NEW INSPIRATION, AND ATTENDED THE MASSACHUSETTS NURSERY & LANDSCAPE ASSOCIATION'S "PLANT GEEK DAY" TO NETWORK WITH OTHER LOCAL GREEN INDUSTRY PERSONNEL. THE CONSERVANCY'S INVESTMENT IN PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, INCLUDING MAINTAINING ACCREDITATIONS AND LICENSES FOR THE HORTICULTURE TEAM WAS OVER $6000 IN 2024.THE HORTICULTURE DEPARTMENT IS DEDICATED TO SUPPORTING OUR STAFF AND THEIR WORK SO THAT IT ALIGNS WITH POSITIVELY IMPACTING CLIMATE CHANGE RESILIENCY. IN THE SPRING OF 2024, WE DECOMMISSIONED FUEL POWERED EQUIPMENT THAT HAD AGED OUT AND SWITCHED TO BATTERY OPERATED TO USE FOR LANDSCAPE CARE, INCLUDING STRING TRIMMERS, HEDGE TRIMMERS, LEAF BLOWERS, AND A CHAINSAW. THIS WAS AN INVESTMENT OF $5500 AND WILL HELP THE TEAM SAFELY MAINTAIN THE PARK FOR THE NEXT 5-10 YEARS BEFORE NEEDING TO BE UPGRADED OR REPLACED. THE BATTERY POWERED EQUIPMENT PRODUCES NO EXHAUST THAT WOULD NEGATIVELY IMPACT AIR QUALITY AND IS QUIETER TO OPERATE WHICH IS BETTER FOR OUR HORTICULTURE TEAM, PARK VISITORS AND THE WILDLIFE ALONG THE GREENWAY.POLLINATORS LIKE BEES, BIRDS, BUTTERFLIES, BEETLES, WASPS, BATS, AND SMALL MAMMALS ARE VITAL TO THE POLLINATION OF 85% OF CROPS WORLDWIDE. THE GREENWAY DEPENDS ON OUR POLLINATORS FOR THE FLOWERING AND FRUITING OF THE PLANTS GROWING IN THE PARK. ON THE GREENWAY, 16 POLLINATOR HOTELS AND A 7,200 SQ.FT. WILDFLOWER MEADOW SUPPORT NATIVE BEES IN THE PARK. THE 2 BEEHIVES PROVIDE FOOD AND SHELTER FOR HONEY BEES THAT HELP WITH POLLINATION IN THE GARDENS AND LANDSCAPE. IN 2024, THE TEAM DESIGNED AND PLANTED HERBACEOUS PERENNIALS AT THE BASE OF OAK TREES IN THE PARK, KNOWN AS A "SOFT LANDING." THE SOFT LANDING PROVIDES HABITAT AND FOOD FOR CATERPILLARS WHICH WILL MATURE INTO NATIVE BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS. THE HORTICULTURE DEPARTMENT ALSO COLLABORATES WITH A PH.D CANDIDATE FROM BOSTON UNIVERSITY AND MONITORS BUTTERFLY SPECIES IN THE PARK. THE MONITORING WAS PILOTED IN 2023 AND CONTINUED IN 2024. VOLUNTEERS ASSIST WITH COLLECTING DATA BY MAKING OBSERVATIONS OF BUTTERFLY SPECIES THEY SEE ON THE GREENWAY AND LOG THE LOCATION. THERE HAVE BEEN EIGHT SEPARATE SPECIES LOGGED THUS FAR. MONITORING OCCURS DURING THE WARMER MONTHS WHEN THE BUTTERFLIES ARE ACTIVE, TYPICALLY MAY INTO SEPTEMBER.DURING 2024, WE OBSERVED MASON BEES, GRASS CARRYING WASPS, RESIN BEES, AND LEAF CUTTER BEES IN THE PARK. WE ARE IMPLEMENTING STRATEGIES TO CREATE A BALANCE BETWEEN THE NATIVE BEES AND HONEY BEES. WE INTENTIONALLY PROVIDED RESOURCES TO SUPPORT BOTH SPECIES AND MONITORED THEIR INTERACTIONS. WE ARE WORKING ON INTERPRETATION TO HELP EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT HONEY BEES AND NATIVE BEES ON THE GREENWAY.MIGRATORY BIRDS THAT USE THE "ATLANTIC FLYWAY AND NATIVE SPECIES WHO RESIDE IN AND AROUND BOSTON RELY ON THE GREENWAY FOR FOOD AND HABITAT. USING DATA COLLECTED FROM BIRD SURVEYS THAT HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED IN THE PARK SINCE 2013, THE HORTICULTURE TEAM SELECTED AND INSTALLED PLANTS THAT ARE FOOD SOURCES FOR SPECIFIC BIRDS IN NEW ENGLAND. OUR ORGANIC PRACTICES PROTECT BIRDS AND ENSURE THEY ARE NOT EXPOSED TO PESTICIDES WHILE FEEDING ON PLANTS AND INSECTS ALONG THE GREENWAY. WE PLANTED SEVERAL NEW NATIVE SPECIES OF TREES AND SHRUBS, INCLUDING DOGWOODS AND VIBURNUM, WHICH PROVIDE HABITAT AND FRUIT FOR THE FEEDING BIRDS IN THE PARK.OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS, THE HORTICULTURE TEAM HAS BUILT THE PARK'S SOIL ECOLOGY BY BREWING AND APPLYING ORGANIC COMPOST TEA. THE AMOUNT OF COMPOST TEA BREWED AND APPLIED TO GARDEN BEDS AND LAWNS DECREASED FROM APPROXIMATELY 9,500 GALLONS IN 2019 TO 3,500 GALLONS AT THE END OF 2023. THIS PROGRAM WAS DISCONTINUED IN LATE FALL OF 2024. THE COMPOST TEA PROGRAM HAS SUCCESSFULLY INOCULATED OUR SOILS WITH MICROORGANISMS AND ENHANCED THE SOIL BIOLOGY. THE CONSERVANCY BREWS ITS OWN COMPOST TEA ON-SITE AND APPLIES IT TO THE GREENWAY 3-4 TIMES A YEAR. EACH YEAR, WE APPLY LESS AND LESS COMPOST TEA TO THE GREENWAY AS THE PARK INCREASINGLY SUSTAINS ITSELF. IN 2024, THE HORTICULTURE TEAM STARTED TO INCORPORATE A BLENDED COMBINATION OF MULCH AND COMPOST INTO OUR PLANTED BEDS. THIS PRACTICE HELPS TO BUILD SOIL STRUCTURE WITH ORGANIC MATTER AND PROTECT OUR SOILS FROM EROSION AND RETAINS MOISTURE. THE TEAM CONTINUED LEAVING LEAF LITTER IN GARDEN BEDS DURING 2024 AND MANAGED THE VOLUME OF LEAVES SO AS NOT TO IMPEDE PLANTS GROWING OR PROMOTE DISEASE. LEAVING THE LEAVES AND HOLDING OFF ON GARDEN CLEAN UP SUPPORTS NESTING INSECT SPECIES AND ELEVATES BIODIVERSITY ALONG THE GREENWAY.WE CONTINUED TO ADMINISTER DEEP ROOT INJECTIONS TO THE GREENWAY'S TREES. BY INFUSING MICROBIOLOGICAL ORGANISMS INTO THE SOIL FROM WHICH THE TREES DRAW THEIR NUTRIENTS, WE WERE ABLE TO BUILD A HEALTHY SOIL ECOLOGY IN ADDITION TO FEEDING THE PLANTS THEMSELVES. MYCORRHIZAL FUNGI PLAY AN INTEGRAL ROLE IN NUTRIENT CYCLING. THEY EFFECTIVELY TRAVERSE THE ROOT ZONE AND HELP TRANSPORT NUTRIENTS AND WATER BETWEEN PLANTS AND SOIL, THUS FEEDING THE TREES FROM THE GROUND UP. THIS PRACTICE HELPS MAINTAIN THE HEALTH AND VIGOR OF THE TREES, AND WHEN COMBINED WITH CAREFUL MONITORING, FORTIFIES THEM AGAINST THE DESTRUCTIVE ELM BARK BEETLE AND DUTCH ELM DISEASE.THE CONSERVANCY PARTICIPATED IN AND PUBLICIZED PLANTLIFE'S "NO MOW MAY", AN INTERNATIONAL INITIATIVE MEANT TO SUPPORT POLLINATORS, REDUCE LAWN INPUTS, AND GROW HEALTHIER LAWNS. IN 2024, 83,000 SQ. FT. OF LAWN (ABOUT HALF THE TOTAL GREENWAY LAWN AREA) WAS LEFT TO GROW DURING THE MONTH OF MAY. AS A RESULT, WE CONSERVED ROUGHLY 200,000 GALLONS OF WATER IN MAY BECAUSE LONGER LAWNS RETAIN MORE MOISTURE. THIS SPRING, WE ALSO INTENTIONALLY CONVERTED APPROXIMATELY 3500 SQ FT OF LAWN TO A MICROCLOVER-GRASS BLEND IN 2024. THIS LAWN ALTERNATIVE IS MORE SUSTAINABLE, REQUIRING LESS WATER ONCE ESTABLISHED, NEEDS LESS MOWING, AND THE CLOVER PRODUCES USABLE NITROGEN THAT FEEDS THE GRASS WITHIN THE TURF.CONTINUED IN SECTION 4D.

- PROGRAMSPROGRAMS THE PROGRAMS DEPARTMENT SUPPORTED AND HOSTED MORE THAN 400 FREE EVENTS ON THE GREENWAY IN 2024, INCLUDING MARKETS, FITNESS CLASSES, MOVIES, AND PERFORMANCES. WE WERE THRILLED TO WORK WITH NEW PARTNERS, LIKE BSOCCAH & FRIENDS TO WELCOME KULTURE IN THE SQUARE, AND INTRODUCE NEW EVENTS ORGANIZED BY THE CONSERVANCY, SUCH AS THE WINTER WARMER, FALL FRIGHT MOVIE NIGHTS SERIES, WELLNESS WEDNESDAYS, THE CANINE COSTUME FESTIVAL, AND STORYTIMES AT THE GREENWAY CAROUSEL WITH BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY. FAVORITE FESTIVALS RETURNED, INCLUDING BAGLY'S MASSACHUSETTS YOUTH PRIDE EVENT, JAZZ IN THE PARK PRESENTED BY THE NORTH END MUSIC AND PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, FILMS AT THE GATE PRESENTED BY THE ASIAN CDC, THE LANTERN FESTIVAL PRESENTED BY CHINATOWN MAIN STREET, AND BOSTON LOCAL FOOD FESTIVAL PRESENTED BY THE SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS NETWORK. COOLIDGE ON THE GREENWAY BROUGHT FREE MOVIES WITH A SCIENCE ON SCREEN SERIES AND STREET STAGE RETURNED WITH LIVE OPERA PERFORMANCES. WE CONTINUED TO SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESSES AND LONG-TERM PARTNERS, LAUNCHING THE FOOD TRUCK SEASON WITH 25 PARTNERS, INCLUDING 18 WOMEN- OR MINORITY-OWNED BUSINESSES. WE ALSO SAW AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF DOWNTOWN OFFICE WORKERS AND CUSTOMERS DURING LUNCH SHIFTS. CHINATOWN MAIN STREET CONTINUED THEIR BI-WEEKLY FARMERS MARKET IN CHIN PARK WHERE THEY PROVIDED THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OF FOOD COUPONS TO LOCAL RESIDENTS. THE GREENWAY ARTISAN MARKET CONTINUED TO SEE GREAT SUCCESS WITH OUR OPERATING PARTNER SOMERVILLE FLEA. TRILLIUM GARDEN ON THE GREENWAY WAS OPEN FROM APRIL TO OCTOBER, PROVIDING A BEAUTIFUL OUTDOOR GATHERING SPACE FOR BEER-LOVERS. WE ALSO WELCOMED A NEW BEER GARDEN PARTNER TO DEWEY SQUARE BY NIGHT SHIFT. NIGHT SHIFT OFFERS A VARIETY OF DRINK OPTIONS, INCLUDING BEERS, HARD SELTZERS, AND NA OPTIONS, AND PROVIDES A GREAT SPOT FOR AN AFTER-WORK DRINK IN THE HEART OF THE FINANCIAL DISTRICT. 2024 WAS ANOTHER HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL SEASON FOR FITNESS PROGRAMMING ON THE GREENWAY. THANKS TO THE GENEROSITY OF OUR PRESENTING SPONSOR BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD, THE CONSERVANCY CONTINUED ITS FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR FITNESS PARTNERS WITH A STIPEND OF $130 PER CLASS. WITH THE SUCCESS FROM EXPANDING OUR SEASON LAST YEAR, WE ENGAGED 21 PARTNERS, 18 OF WHICH WERE WOMEN- OR MINORITY-OWNED BUSINESSES, AND 1,931 PEOPLE PARTICIPATED IN 196 CLASSES. NEW OFFERINGS INCLUDED SELF-DEFENSE, KICKBOXING, FULL BODY WORKOUTS, AND SEVERAL ACCESSIBLE YOGA CLASS SERIES. WE ALSO HOSTED OUR FIRST ANNUAL FITNESS FAIR TO KICK OFF THE FITNESS SEASON WHERE PARTNERS GOT TO MARKET THEIR CLASSES AND BUSINESS, AND ATTENDEES WERE ABLE TO TRY A VARIETY OF CLASSES INCLUDING ZUMBA, GOAT YOGA, AND HIIT. WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THE SUCCESS OF THIS PROGRAM NEXT YEAR. THE GREENWAY CONSERVANCY CONTINUED ITS DEEP ENGAGEMENT WITH THE CHINATOWN COMMUNITY. OUR KEY PROGRAMMATIC PARTNERS INCLUDE THE ASIAN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, CHINATOWN MAIN STREET, THE CHINESE CONSOLIDATED BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION, PAO ARTS CENTER, ,CHINATOWN BUSINESS ASSOCIATION, AND THE GREATER BOSTON CHINESE GOLDEN AGE CENTER. OUR PARTNERS BROUGHT A WIDE RANGE OF ACTIVITIES TO THE PARK, SUCH AS FAMILY-FRIENDLY PLAY SESSIONS, CULTURAL FESTIVALS, OUTDOOR MOVIE SCREENINGS, FARMERS MARKETS, MUSIC PERFORMANCES, AND ARTS FESTIVALS, KEEPING THE PARK ALIVE AND VIBRANT ALL SEASON LONG. THE CONSERVANCY'S OWN WEEKLY CHIN PARK PLAY SESSIONS ENGAGED FAMILIES FROM JUNE TO SEPTEMBER, AND WE AGAIN SPONSORED THE HANGING OF LANTERNS AROUND LANTERN FESTIVAL, AS WELL AS WEEKLY LION DANCES AT THE CHINATOWN GATE TO DRIVE WEEKEND TOURISM. WE CONTINUED TO PROMOTE OUR PARK AMENITIES SUCH AS THE GREENWAY CAROUSEL AT THE TIFFANY & CO. FOUNDATION GROVE, A BOSTON LANDMARK. THIS YEAR, WE HAD OVER 94,000 RIDERS TAKING A SPIN ON THE SEA TURTLE, RABBIT, LOBSTER, COD, PEREGRINE FALCON, SKUNK, AND OTHER CHARACTERS, ALL INSPIRED BY THE DRAWINGS OF BOSTON SCHOOL CHILDREN AND BROUGHT TO LIFE BY A LOCAL ARTIST. WE SAW AN INCREASE OF USERS THROUGH THE EBT CARD TO CULTURE PROGRAM AND PROVIDED OVER 8,100 FREE RIDES.ON JUNE 6, THE CONSERVANCY HELD ITS ANNUAL MAJOR FUNDRAISING EVENT, THE GALA ON THE GREENWAY, AT THE ICONIC RINGS FOUNTAIN. THE EVENT, CO-CHAIRED BY JESSICA HUGHES OF TISHMAN SPEYER AND JEROME SMITH OF AMAZON, HONORED STATE REPRESENTATIVE AARON MICHLEWITZ AND DREW A CROWD OF 430, NETTING MORE THAN $480,000 IN REVENUE TO SUPPORT THE PARK'S OPERATIONS. THE FOLLOWING NIGHT SAW OUR YOUNG PROFESSIONALS FUNDRAISING EVENT, GLOW IN THE PARK, DRAW 415 ATTENDEES AND NET MORE THAN $34,000. BUILDING ON THE SUCCESS OF LAST YEAR'S INAUGURAL FALL FESTIVAL, WE ADDED FALL FRIGHT MOVIE NIGHTS, A FOUR-WEEK HALLOWEEN THEMED OUTDOOR MOVIE SCREENING SERIES, IN COLLABORATION WITH THE CITY OF BOSTON'S DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM, SPORTS, AND ENTERTAINMENT. WITH OVER 1,500 ATTENDEES ACROSS ALL FALL EVENTS, WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THESE INITIATIVES AND OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF BOSTON.THE PROGRAMS DEPARTMENT CONTINUES TO SEE A DEMAND FOR EVENTS, WHICH HAS RESULTED IN A LONGER PROGRAMMING SEASON. WE WERE EXCITED TO PLAN NEW EVENTS FOR THE COLDER MONTHS OF THE YEAR THAT BROUGHT PEOPLE OUTDOORS TO ENJOY FRESH AIR, EVEN IN THE WINTER. IN EARLY 2024, WE WERE ABLE TO BRING THE FIRST PUBLIC SAUNA AND COLD PLUNGE EXPERIENCE TO DOWNTOWN BOSTON BY PARTNERING WITH MOKI SAUNA. IN ADDITION, WE CONTINUED TO HOST POP-UP MARKETS IN THE WINTER AROUND THE DECEMBER HOLIDAYS AND VALENTINE'S DAY, WHERE WE FEATURED LOCAL SMALL BUSINESSES AS OPTIONS FOR HOLIDAY SHOPPING. FINALLY, WE HOSTED A WINTER WARMER ON THE WINTER SOLSTICE IN DECEMBER, WHICH WAS A CELEBRATION IN COLLABORATION WITH BOSTON MUSIC PROJECT FOR MAKE MUSIC WINTER. THIS INCLUDED A DIY HOLIDAY TOY WORKSHOP, LIVE PERFORMANCES, AN INSTRUMENT PETTING ZOO, PHOTO BOOTH, CRAFT STATION, HOT CHOCOLATE BAR, AND MORE. WE LOOK FORWARD TO GROWING OUR AUDIENCE AND VISITORS TO THE PARK WITH WELCOMING, DIVERSE, AND FUN EVENTS ALL YEAR LONG IN 2025.