The Nature Conservancy. Protecting nature. Preserving life.™

Alison Bowden

Freshwater Program Director, Massachusetts

Alison is a leader in The Nature Conservancy’s efforts to protect fresh water for people and for nature. She works to preserve rivers’ natural flows and to restore the fish that migrate within their banks up and down the East Coast of the US. She’s also a dedicated home gardener and sustainable foodie who lives green in Boston. See the links below to read recent pieces written by or featuring Alison.

Read Alison Bowden's Full Biography

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Read Alison Bowden's Full Biography

Alison Bowden

Freshwater Program Director, Massachusetts

Read Alison Bowden's Full Biography

Alison Bowden

Freshwater Program Director, Massachusetts

Read Alison Bowden's Full Biography

Alison grew up on the industrial Ten Mile River in East Providence and wanted to work in conservation since she can remember. She studied environmental science at American University and holds an MS in water resources from the University of New Hampshire, and has been with the Nature Conservancy since 2001.

She studies rivers’ natural cycles, and works to restore flows and floods to protect river habitat; informing Nature Conservancy projects to restore floodplain forests, remove dams that are no longer necessary and ensure that our rivers contain sufficient water all year long.

In addition to her work on freshwater water issues, Alison serves as a member of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission Shad and River Herring Advisory Panel, working to improve coast-wide management for these ecologically and culturally important species. She chooses to work at this juncture of science and policy because she believes that’s where problems are solved.

In her off-hours, Alison can be found working in her native plant garden in the Boston suburbs, kayaking the rivers she works to protect, browsing farmers’ markets and exploring the local vegetarian restaurant scene.