About

OARS is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to protect, preserve, and enhance the natural and recreational features of the Assabet, Sudbury, and Concord Rivers, their tributaries and watersheds, and to increase public awareness of the rivers’ values as important natural resources. Established in 1986 as the Organization for the Assabet River by a group of concerned citizens, OAR added the Sudbury and Concord Rivers to its mission in 2011, becoming OARS. Currently the organization has approximately 750 individual and family memberships, a 14-member Board of Directors, and 5 part-time staff. Together with our volunteers and partners, OARS has made significant progress over the past 30 years towards achieving our mission.

OARS’ three-pronged approach is to:

-Raise awareness of the rivers’ natural beauty, habitat value, and physical importance to the watershed communities, governments and other stakeholders as well as bringing attention to the threats to the rivers’ water and habitat quality;

-Collect data and advocate for additional information gathering in order to insure that decisions affecting the rivers are based on scientific research; and

-Work collaboratively with local and state governmental officials, community members, and others toward solutions that will help the rivers achieve their “fishable and swimmable” state standard.