I try to document in images and writing conservation victories in my own backyard, particularly the Charles River. The river was one of the most polluted urban rivers in the United States from old industries and raw sewage. A half century ago, boaters who fell into the water were advised to get tetanus shots.
 
Today, because of a federally enforced cleanup that has won international environmental prizes, the Charles is clean enough that a herring run has been restored. At its peak in the late spring, the herring attract herons, osprey, cormorants and even an occasional bald eagle to feast. The spectacle at times can be as awe inspiring as anything you would see in a national wildlife refuge.