The Boston Natural Areas Network (BNAN), founded in 1977 is a non-profit organization based in Boston, in the U.S. state of Massachusetts

Massachusetts

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...

, which works to identify and protect significant natural areas described as urban wilds and greenways

Greenway (landscape)

A greenway is a long, narrow piece of land, often used for recreation and pedestrian and bicycle user traffic, and sometimes for streetcar, light rail or retail uses.- Terminology :...

 in the metropolitan area.

Mission

The Boston Natural Areas Network works to preserve, expand and improve urban open space

Urban open space

In land use planning, urban open space is open space areas for “parks”, “green spaces”, and other open areas. The landscape of urban open spaces can range from playing fields to highly maintained environments to relatively natural landscapes. They are commonly open to public access, however, urban...

 through community organizing, acquisition, ownership, programming, development and management of special kinds of urban land–urban wilds, greenways and community gardens. In all of its endeavors, BNAN is guided by local citizens advocating for their open spaces and assisting them to preserve and shape their communities.

History

Originally named the Boston Natural Areas Fund, the organization was founded by a small group of citizens in response to a Boston Redevelopment Authority

Boston Redevelopment Authority

The Boston Redevelopment Authority is the municipal planning and development agency for Boston, working on both housing and commercial developments.The BRA was established by the Boston city council and the Massachusetts legislature in 1957...

 report titled Boston Urban Wilds. The report cited nearly 150 unprotected sites of natural beauty, undeveloped areas and under-developed areas, including community gardens, each of environmental significance, all of which faced encroachment form a rapid expansion in development taking place. Within five years, the organization, working with local neighborhood groups, had begun acquiring properties and setting in place protection from future development.

See also

• Emerald Necklace
  Emerald Necklace
  The Emerald Necklace consists of an chain of parks linked by parkways and waterways in Boston and Brookline, Massachusetts. It gets its name from the way the planned chain appears to hang from the "neck" of the Boston peninsula, although it was never fully constructed.-Overview:The Necklace...
  
  
• South End Lower Roxbury Open Space Land Trust
  South End Lower Roxbury Open Space Land Trust
  The South End Lower Roxbury Open Space Land Trust is a membership-supported, non-profit organization that owns, protects, and manages 16 community gardens and pocket parks in the South End and Lower Roxbury neighborhoods of Boston, in the U.S. state of Massachusetts...
  
  
• The Trustees of Reservations
  The Trustees of Reservations
  The Trustees of Reservations is a non-profit land conservation and historic preservation organization dedicated to preserving natural and historical places in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is the oldest regional land trust in the world and has 100,000 dues-paying members...