— Photos by Donald Norton

By Donald Norton

The Wilderness Inquiry Canoemobile, a fleet of vans each with six 24’ Voyageur canoes, delivers place-based education on urban rivers and waterways nationwide. As part of its national tour of 31 cities, the Canoemobile delivered two days of programming along the Mystic River and Neponset River from September 22-23.

During this time, as many as 600 minority and underserved youth in the Boston and Somerville areas experienced, enjoyed, and learned about their local rivers and watersheds.

Each canoe holds up to nine students/chaperones and one highly trained environmental educator, allowing participants who have never been on the water to have their first paddling experience.

In addition to the on-water program, the events also included land-based activities around the history, ecology, and water quality of the river. These activities were facilitated by both federal and local youth-serving organizations.

The event was coordinated by the National Park Service River’s, Trails, and Conservation Assistance Program, and hosted by Groundwork Somerville at the Blessing of the Bay Boathouse on September 22 in partnership with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’s Department of Conservation and Recreation and the City of Somerville, with education activities led by the EPA, National Park Service, Appalachian Mountain Club, artist Emily Bhargava with the MUSCRAT Bus, US Forest Service and Boston National Historic Park and implemented on the water by Wilderness Inquiry and a number of community-based organizations.

The event was attended by Senator Pat Jehlen, Alderman Tony LaFuente, Congressman Mike Capuano and Mayor Joe Curtatone.