Charles River Watershed Association Removes Over 53,000 Pounds of Invasive Plants from Red Wing Bay (Press Release)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 28, 2025
Contact: Carly Sherman, Communications Associate
Email: csherman@crwa.org

NEEDHAM, MA–Twice a week throughout the summer, Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA) led hand–pulling efforts to remove invasive water chestnuts in Red Wing Bay of the Charles River. The organization held its last invasive pull of the season on Monday, August 18, and compiled its final count of invasive water chestnuts removed: 53,589 pounds, equivalent to the weight of 18 sedans. 

Water chestnut, or Trapa natans, is a fast-growing aquatic invasive plant species. Native to Europe and Asia, it was introduced to the Cambridge Botanical Garden at Harvard University in the late 1870s. The species was unintentionally introduced to Northeastern waters, where it quickly began outcompeting native species. Their triangular leaves quickly spread across the river’s surface, blocking out light for other aquatic life and making recreation (kayaking, canoeing, paddle boarding) nearly impossible. The plants also reduce biodiversity and impair water quality by decreasing oxygen availability.

Since 2008, CRWA has partnered with Paddle Boston and the local Needham group Citizens Alliance for Noxious Weed Eradication (CANoE) to bring together thousands of volunteers, community members, and corporate groups to hand-pull–the most effective removal method–invasive water chestnuts in the Charles River. To date, volunteers have removed over one hundred tons of water chestnuts from the river.

“The removal of water chestnuts from the Charles is vital to ensuring a healthy and robust ecosystem in our favorite river. These plants could easily take over large swathes of the river, making life for the native plants and animals harder, and recreation nearly impossible. But thanks to the hard work of our volunteers, we won't need to worry about that in Red Wing Bay!” said Ryan Smith, CRWA’s volunteer and outreach associate. 

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Charles River Watershed Association’s mission is to protect, restore, and enhance the Charles River and its watershed through science, advocacy, and the law. CRWA develops science-based strategies to increase resilience, protect public health, and promote environmental equity as we confront a changing climate.