History

The Herring Run Watershed Association (HRWA) began in 1978 as the Friends of Northeast Parks and Streams. Originally a park-focused organization, HRWA has directed its attention and action to watershed restoration for more than ten years. HRWA is one of only five watershed organizations in the greater Baltimore area and serves approximately 150,000 people in northeast Baltimore City and parts of Baltimore County.

Mission

The Herring Run Watershed Association is a 501(c)3 organization whose mission is to improve the environmental and aesthetic quality of the Herring Run Watershed by conducting stewardship and education programs, and by mobilizing volunteers for monitoring, restoration and advocacy.

Restoration in progress

Our restoration activities are focused in the main branches and subwatersheds of the Herring Run watershed through the creation and implementation of watershed action plans. These plans may include actions that residents can take, riparian buffer planting and rain garden installation, and impervious surface reduction and removal where possible.

Making a difference

HRWA intends to continue making demonstrable improvements in our urban watershed by engaging citizens in learning about environmental issues and taking personal action for the preservation and restoration of the watershed. While we work in the entire watershed, currently we are paying special attention to our Baltimore home community of Belair-Edison, which we hope will become one of the greenest urban neighborhoods in Baltimore.