Rumney Marsh Conservancy

09/05/2026

"Sunset over the Pines River and Rumney Marsh"

📷 Ricci LaCentra

09/04/2026

🚨Please protect yourself, you are your first line of defense👊

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) announced a risk level increase to HIGH for West Nile virus (WNV) in Revere & Winthrop. Due to a human case in Suffolk County. WNV is transmitted to humans from the bite of an infected mosquito. The mosquitoes that carry this virus are common throughout the state and are found in both urban and rural areas. While WNV can infect people of all ages, people over the age of 50 are at higher risk for severe infection.

By taking a few precautions, people can help to protect themselves and their loved ones until heavy frost:

Avoid Mosquito🦟 Bites

• Apply Insect Repellent when you go outdoors. Use a repellent with DEET (N, N-diethyl-m-toluamide), permethrin, picaridin (KBR 3023), IR3535 or oil of lemon eucalyptus [p-methane 3, 8-diol (PMD)] according to the instructions on the product label. DEET products should not be used on infants under two months of age and should be used in concentrations of 30% or less on older children. Oil of lemon eucalyptus should not be used on children under three years of age. Permethrin products are intended for use on items such as clothing, shoes, bed nets, and camping gear and should not be applied to skin.

• Clothing Can Help reduce mosquito bites. Although it may be difficult to do when it’s hot, wearing long-sleeves, long pants and socks when outdoors will help keep mosquitoes away from your skin. 👖🧦

• Be Aware of Peak Mosquito Hours - The hours from dusk to dawn are peak biting times for many mosquitoes. When risk is increased, consider rescheduling outdoor activities that occur during evening or early morning. If you are outdoors at any time and notice mosquitoes around you, take steps to avoid being bitten by moving indoors, covering up, and/or wearing repellent.

Mosquito-Proof Your 🏠

• Drain Standing Water – Many mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water. Limit the number of places around your home for mosquitoes to breed by either draining or getting rid of items that hold water. Check rain gutters and drains. Empty any unused flowerpots and wading pools and change water in birdbaths frequently.

• Install or Repair Screens - Some mosquitoes like to come indoors. Keep them outside by having tightly fitted screens on all your windows and doors.

Local Health Departments continue to work closely with the MDPH, other agencies, and locally with the Northeast Massachusetts Mosquito Control District (NEMMC) to control mosquitoes in these towns. In response, NEMMC will continue to identify areas in the district that require treatment for larval control.

If you have areas of standing water around your home or any old passenger tires left outside, please Request Service for larviciding site inspection and/or Tire Removal.

Information about WNV and reports of current and historical WNV virus activity in Massachusetts can be found on the MDPH website at: https://www.mass.gov/mosquito-borne-diseases

09/04/2026

A highway was planned through Rumney Marsh. The highway was abandoned. The embankment stayed.

On October 3rd, walk the landscape with recently retired EPA scientist Ed Reiner and explore more than 50 years of restoration history.

See what was lost, what’s been restored, and what could still be recovered.

Saturday, October 3rd • 10 AM-12 PM
Rumney Marsh Reservation - 114 Bristow Street, Saugus, MA 01906
Free and open to the public. Registration required.

Register here: https://www.rumneymarshma.org/calendar/touring-the-rumney-marsh-restoration-areas-with-ed-reiner

09/02/2026

09/02/2026

Following up on our previous posts regarding ash staging at WIN Waste Saugus, RMC submitted its concerns to regulators at the end of July, including MassDEP, which conducted two unannounced inspections of the landfill in August.

We appreciate MassDEP taking our concerns seriously and following up. RMC continues to monitor conditions at the site, particularly wildlife access to the ash staging area.

09/01/2026

Gibson Park Recreation Expansion Project Construction Update

Work on the park improvements continues to move forward. Recent progress includes:

* Soil blending is complete and has passed drainage testing
* Stormwater chambers, irrigation systems, and electrical conduit have been installed.
* Remaining organic soil is being removed, with completion expected by September 2nd
* The new multipurpose field is scheduled to be planted in September.
* Parking lot paving is also scheduled for September.

Stay tuned for more updates on this project! If you have questions, please contact [email protected]

09/01/2026

Especially relevant locally as a proposed battery energy storage system (BESS) bordering Rumney Marsh moves forward. This free webinar is a good opportunity to learn more about Massachusetts’ new framework and what it means for communities reviewing these projects.

09/01/2026

Today is Massachusetts State Primary Day!

Communities are stronger when their members participate. Make your voice heard today. See you at the polls!

08/30/2026

Thank you to everyone who came out for this morning’s walk with

This one turned into a bit of a Yellow-crowned Night Heron walk. We started with an adult perched nearby, and by the end of the walk we had seen another adult along with three juveniles!

Yellow-crowned Night Herons are closely tied to productive coastal wetlands, and seeing multiple juveniles using the marsh is an encouraging sign of the habitat Rumney Marsh continues to provide.

They’re one of the many species that make Rumney Marsh one of the most biologically significant estuarine ecosystems north of Boston.

A big thank you to Mike for leading the walk and being such a fun and knowledgeable guide, as always. And thank you to everyone who joined us!

Our next walk is September 20th, and registration is open! Visit rumneymarshma.org