New England's beaches deserve protection. Photo: EcoPhotography
Our gorgeous, varied, vibrant coastline is part of the fabric of life in New England. Whether you like foraging for beach glass on Maine’s rocky shores, fishing in Boston’s rejuvenated harbor, walking your pup along Rhode Island’s sandy shoreline, or taking your family on an annual pilgrimage to Cape Cod’s waters, visiting where the land meets the waves is a beloved part of many New Englanders’ lives.
Unfortunately, these beautiful spaces are under threat. Climate change, pollution, litter, and more are all damaging our beaches, with impacts to both the environment and the people who love these spaces. With that in mind, we’re sharing some of CLF staff’s favorite New England shores – and what we’re doing to keep these spaces safe, accessible, and thriving for future generations.
Lanes Island
Libby Etrie, CLF’s director of ocean policy, grew up visiting Lanes Island in Vinalhaven, Maine. She says, “That’s where my Mum first showed me and my sister the countless wonders the ocean holds. I slowly understood just how much hard work goes into making a living from the sea.” The experience taught her to respect Mother Nature and inspired her to get involved in environmental activism, so future generations can know that same wonder.
Sea level rise from climate change poses a major risk to Vinalhaven. CLF is advocating for both curbing the carbon pollution that’s warming the planet and making our coasts more resilient to rising waters.
Willard Beach
This beach in South Portland, Maine, is a favorite of Maine native Laurie O’Reilly, CLF’s Communications Associate Vice President. Willard is a small neighborhood beach that gives views of two lighthouses perched in Casco Bay. “My parents lived near that beach for more than 20 years, so it was my ‘home’ beach year-round. I always felt like I could breathe a little easier once I could set my feet on its sand,” says O’Reilly.
Local residents saw the dangers of climate change up close in January 2024 when a record high tide washed two historic fishing shacks off their ledge at the southern end of Willard Beach. Debris from the 150-year-old structures later washed ashore.
In 1989, CLF put out a report called “Troubled Waters,” highlighting the high levels of pollution in the Bay. This spurred the creation of Friends of Casco Bay, a grassroots, citizen watchdog group that protects the waters to this day.
Revere Beach
Communications Strategist Sarah White loves Revere Beach, located in (unsurprisingly) Revere, Massachusetts. She and her friends like packing a picnic and spending the day on the sand. Some people don’t love this beach’s crowds, but “it’s big enough to share,” says White.
One big plus? Public transit access. A quick hop on the Blue Line subway takes people within steps of the shore, without any planet-warming emissions. CLF is a proud advocate for public transportation, including Boston’s T.
Law Island
Coastal beaches may get most of the attention, but the shores of lakes and other inland bodies of water are just as precious. Law Island sits in Vermont’s beautiful Lake Champlain. According to CLF Senior Lakekeeper Julie Silverman, “It is so peaceful and feels wild and remote even though cyclists pedal along the recreation path just minutes away. Walking the rocky shale beach with flat, perfect skipping stones when no one is around is so peaceful.”
Law Island is accessible by boat, except during an extreme drought in 2025 when people walked to the island. A more serious obstacle to enjoying this space? Toxic blue-green algae, also called cyanobacteria, can sicken swimmers and kill pets. Silverman kayaks to the island to monitor the bright green scum, and a bad result can shut down the beach for days.
CLF is campaigning to cut down on the nitrogen pollution, from fertilizer runoff and other pollutants, that fuels these toxic outbreaks. “I’m home on Law Island,” says Silverman, and she’s not alone. Hundreds of thousands of visitors annually and countless critters countless critters rely on the lake’s clean, clear waters.
Thriving shorelines aren’t a luxury. They’re key to New England’s culture, history, economy, and way of life. Whether we’re protecting the waters, the wildlife, or people’s ability to reach them, healthy and accessible beaches are something CLF will fight for.
