• The Division of Ecological Restoration works with community-based partners to restore aquatic ecosystems. The Division’s ecological restoration work brings clean water, recreation opportunities, healthy commercial fisheries, and other ecosystem services to the citizens of Massachusetts.

    DER is pleased to share a new tool to assess the Greenhouse Gas impacts of aquatic ecological restoration projects - Blue Carbon Calculator

    Wetlands Restoration during construction

     

    Building the Restoration Economy 
    DER river and wetland restoration projects produce an average employment demand of 12.5 jobs from each $1 million spent.
     

     

    Mill River After Whittenton Dam Removal

    Restoring Ecosystems
    DER’s award-winning projects include dam removal, salt marsh and freshwater wetland restoration, and urban river revitalization, to name a few.
     

     

    South Cape Beach Bridge at sunset

    Leveraging State Dollars
    DER projects attract millions of grant (federal & private) dollars each year at an average ratio of 1 to 7 (state to non-state). Projects evaluated in our Economic Impact Report averaged 1 to 12 (state to non-state funding).

     

    Happy Couple After dam removal

    Enhancing Quality of Life
    Abutters to a newly restored river in the Jones River Watershed tell us "People ask us 'where did your dam go?' - we tell them we traded it for a healthy river."
     

     

    worker watching large backhoe
    Improving Ecosystem Services
    The benefits of restoration multiply over time. Restoration generates substantial economic value by improving ecosystem services (i.e. flood protection)