Senate overrides governor’s veto of DCR funding

On Thursday, Oct. 23, the state Senate voted 37-1, to override the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s veto of $400,000 in funding from the Department of Conservation and Recreation’s (DCR) operations account (Line # 2810-0100), from which the agency funds most of its day-to-day operations.

The action follows the House’s override earlier this month and restores the $113,820,049 the Legislature approved for this account on June 30. Ultimately, it gives DCR a $1.2 million increase in the account for FY2026, which started July 1. This represents a 3.5 percent increase above FY2025 funding, and accomplishes Mass Parks for All’s (MPA) modest goal to keep the account above the calendar 2024 state inflation rate of three percent.

If you are a regular reader of our blog, you know that MPA asked Sen. Jamie Eldridge to file a budget amendment when the Senate took up the budget. The original amendment sought a $1.0 million increase in the operations account. During the process, it was trimmed to $500,000 and passed via a unanimous roll call vote. But other Senators’ amendments for DCR projects totaling some $700,000 also passed, making the total increase $1.2 million. 

We are grateful to the House and the Senate, and to those of you who contacted your representatives and senators when we asked you to step up for our parks. You played an integral role in getting us here, as did the organizations that signed our letters to the Legislature and to the Administration seeking the increased funding. Many of you also reached out to thank your representatives for supporting the override in the House. Now we ask you to do the same for your senators. You can access the Senate roll call, scroll down to Roll Call #77, and download the vote, then find your senators and contact them directly.

In addition to that, if you are not in their districts, please take a moment to thank Senate leadership, including Sen. Pres. Karen Spilka (Karen.Spilka@masenate.gov), Sen. Pres. Pro Tempore Will Brownsberger (William.Brownsberger@masenate.gov), Sen. Ways & Means Chair Mike Rodrigues (Michael.Rodrigues@masenate.gov), Environment and Natural Resources Chair Becca Rausch (Becca.Rausch@masenate.gov), and Environment and Natural Resources Vice Chair Dylan Fernandes (Dylan.Fernandes@masenate.gov).

Finally, please thank Sen. Eldridge (James.Eldridge@masenate.gov), who rallied his colleagues to support the amendment he filed. 

Please mention your affiliation with Mass Parks for All when you thank your elected officials for supporting of our state parks.  

Because of the support you helped us generate for our parks inside and outside of state government, DCR will continue to have at least a small increase in its operating budget at a time when every dollar counts. This is especially important due to across-the-board cuts in federal funds coming to Massachusetts, including our national park assets such as the Boston Harbor Islands, where DCR shares stewardship with the National Park Service.

Beaver Brook Reservation

Nature for Massachusetts Signature Drive Continues in November

The Nature for Massachusetts Coalition’s signature drive to get the initiative petition, the Protect Water and Nature Initiative, on the November 2026 ballot continues. Both the ballot question and the companion legislation, An Act to Provide Nature for All, would divert the sales tax on certain sporting goods to a specialized fund to preserve land, protect water, improve parks, build trails, and support other outdoor recreation opportunities and assets. Based on current levels of economic activity in this area, we could raise some $100 million a year for these purposes.

The bill received a favorable recommendation from the Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources and is currently awaiting review in the Joint Committee on Rules. Meanwhile, we need considerably more than the 75,000 signatures required to get the initiative petition on the ballot, because many of the signatures we have collected will be ruled invalid for a variety of reasons.

That’s why we need to gather as many signatures as possible before they have to be turned in to city and town clerks by Nov. 19. If you want to get involved, you can find everything you need to know about this effort at the volunteer portal.  

As a member of the coalition, MPA encourages you to get involved and help get the signature drive across the finish line. Getting this question on the ballot will give Massachusetts voters who care about the environment a positive action to take during this period of what can often seem like an era of diminishing returns on the natural world.

Mass Trails Grant Applications for 2026 Start Nov. 1

MassTrails provides grants to support recreational trail and shared-use pathway projects across the Commonwealth. The award maximum depends on the project type and needs and is generally $100,000 for recreational trails projects and up to $500,000 for shared-use path projects demonstrating critical network connections of regional or statewide significance.

Eligible grant activities include project development, design, engineering, permitting, construction, and maintenance of recreational trails, shared-use pathways, and the amenities that support trails.

MassTrails grants are reimbursement grants, meaning grantees must first pay for expenditures and then submit for reimbursement using the required documentation. These are matching grants and require that proponents provide a minimum of 20 percent of the total project cost. Eligible projects require documented land owner permission submitted with the application and are subject to all applicable local, state, and federal laws and regulations. You can learn how to apply for a MassTrails grant here.

In 2025, the Healey-Driscoll Administration awarded $7.5 million in trails grants across the Commonwealth. You can see the full list of grants awarded here. This program is integral to creating, expanding and connecting trails.

As we move into the holiday season, your friends at Mass Parks for All wish you a happy Thanksgiving. Get out there and enjoy our parks in what is always the most colorful season of the year.

Doug Pizzi is the Executive Director of Mass Parks for All