The Andover Garden Club will host a free program showcasing the work of the Merrimack River Watershed Council at Memorial Library on April 8 at 7 p.m.
Executive director Curt Rogers and restoration program manager Matthew Cranney will share an update on current programming, including the results from 2024 water-quality monitoring, ongoing work to address failing culverts and dams, and a research project that will enable citizens to test their own tap water.
The Merrimack River Watershed Council (https://merrimack.org/) is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization that aims to improve and conserve the Merrimack River watershed for people and wildlife through advocacy, education, recreation, and science. The organization was founded in 1976 when the Merrimack was one of the ten most polluted rivers in the country, and the river turned green, or red, or orange, depending on the color dye that was used in the mills that day. Today, the waters are swimmable and fishable many days of the year, but rapid development, climate change, old dams, sewage overflows, and polluted stormwater runoff remain threats to the long-term future of this major water source and natural resource.
Founded in 1927, the Andover Garden Club (www.andovergardenclub.org) is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that encourages the study and practice of horticulture, landscape design, and floral design; aids in the beautification of the town of Andover; and helps protect and conserve natural resources. A member of the Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts, Inc., and National Garden Clubs, Inc., the club provides both financial and hands-on support to a variety of municipal, educational, and environmental organizations throughout the region.
The Andover Garden Club welcomes new members, and information about joining is available from AGC membership cochairs Cathy Starr ([email protected], 978-475-8473) and Donna Rudolph ([email protected], 978-475-7165).