WP Watershed-wide Calendar of Events
- October 4, 2024
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Guided Hike at Crawley Preserve with SKLT/RILTC
October 4, 2024 9:00 am - 11:00 am
Crawley Preserve, 198, 150 Glen Rock Rd, West Kingston, RI 02892, USAFor this event, SKLT requires that you register directly with them. Please register here.
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- October 5, 2024
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Bird Walk at Bush Hill and Wilson Park
October 5, 2024 8:00 am - 10:30 am
44 Main St, North Kingstown, RI 02852, USAJoin the Land Conservancy of North Kingstown for a casual walk through Bush Hill looking for fall migrating birds. If time and interest allow, we’ll continue our walk across the Mill Cove footbridge into Wilson Park to the boat ramp. Bring your binoculars!
The walk is on relatively flat terrain, with one small slope. Paths are gravelly with some exposed roots so appropriate footwear should be worn. Walk will be about a mile and a half if we go all the way to the boat ramp and is relatively easy.
Meet/park at the trailhead in the rear of the parking lot of the First Baptist Church. No dogs allowed.
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Chestnut Hike with FOPF
October 5, 2024 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Colbridge Road, Colbridge Rd, Plainfield, CT, USA -
Cranberry Thanksgiving with the Tomaquag Museum
October 5, 2024 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm
St James Chapel, 2079 Matunuck School House Rd, Charlestown, RI 02813, USASharing on behalf of Tomaquag Museum.
Get ready for an amazing time at the Cranberry Thanksgiving celebration with the Tomaquag Team THIS SATURDAY!
Join us at St. James Chapel from 12 PM to 4 PM for an unforgettable experience featuring artist demos, mouthwatering food, exciting games, captivating storytelling, TEK Walks, and an artist market for some fantastic shopping!
Don't miss out – we hope to see you there!
DATE: Saturday October 5th, 2024
TIME: 12PM - 4PM
PLACE: St. James Chapel, Charlestown, RI
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- October 9, 2024
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Stewardship Planting Day with WLT/YMCA
October 9, 2024 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Grills Preserve, 198 Bowling Ln, Bradford, RI 02808, USAWhen: Wednesday, October 9th from 4pm to 6pm
Where: Grills Preserve, 198 Bowling Lane, Bradford
What to Bring: Comfortable clothing, sturdy shoes, gloves, water, and any personal gardening tools you’d like to use. We’ll provide refreshments and all necessary materials.This is a wonderful opportunity to connect with nature, meet like-minded community members, and contribute to the stewardship of our local environment. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just want to lend a helping hand, all are welcome! Let’s work together to create a thriving ecosystem for future generations.
Hosted by the Westerly Land Trust and Ocean Community YMCA
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Charlestown Land Trust Annual Meeting
October 9, 2024 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm
Kettle Pond Visitor Center, 50 Bend Rd, Charlestown, RI 02813, USASharing on behalf of Charlestown Land Trust.
This event is free and open to all. We encourage you to join us and be part of the ongoing conversation about land (and water!) conservation in our community.
Event Details:
📅 Date: Wednesday, October 9th
⏰ Time: 5:30 PM
📍 Location: Kettle Pond Visitors Center, 50 Bend Road, Charlestown, RI
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- October 19, 2024
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Mt. Misery Hike with FOPF
October 19, 2024 10:00 am - 1:00 pm
Pachaug State Forest Parking, Cutoff Rd, Voluntown, CT 06384, USA -
Charlestown Land Trust S’mores Social
October 19, 2024 3:30 pm - 6:30 pm
Mill Pond Preserve, 4968 S County Trail, Charlestown, RI, 02813For this event, CLT requires that you register directly with them. Please register here.
Join the Charlestown Land Trust on Saturday, October 19th at 3:30 PM at Mill Pond Preserve for an evening of fall fun! We'll kick things off with a guided trail walk, followed by a cozy gathering around the fire to enjoy s'mores and conversation with fellow Charlestown nature lovers.
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- October 22, 2024
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Fall Foliage Paddle with WPWA
October 22, 2024 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Sharing on behalf of WPWA. Register here.
Join WPWA to view spectacular fall color from Frying Pan Pond and beyond. This paddle is great for beginners and wildlife viewing. The date of the paddle trip is dependent on the weather forecasted on Monday morning.
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- October 24, 2024
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Fall Foliage Paddle with WPWA
October 24, 2024 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Register here.
Join WPWA to view spectacular fall color from Frying Pan Pond and beyond. This paddle is great for beginners and wildlife viewing. The date of the paddle trip is dependent on the weather forecasted on Monday morning.
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- October 26, 2024
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Stewardship Event with Avalonia
October 26, 2024 9:00 am - 11:00 am
Barrett Preserve, 904 Long Cove Rd, Gales Ferry, CT 06335, USASharing on behalf of Avalonia Land Conservancy. Register here.
Please consider joining us Saturday morning, October 26th from 9:00 -11:00 at Avalonia’s Barrett Preserve in Ledyard and be a part of our efforts at managing this beautiful 70+ acre preserve!
Whether you are new to Avalonia or a longtime volunteer this will be chance to get acquainted with (or reacquainted with) some of the basics of preserve stewardship in an informal and friendly setting. This particular event will focus on the removal of black birch trees that have begun to take over clearings and sections of early emergent forest. Consider setting aside time to hike the trails and explore the diversity of habitats, from fields to forests.
Volunteers are asked to bring gloves, sturdy footwear, and drinking water. If you have loppers, clippers and or handsaws feel free to bring them. Due to the short notice nature of this event, there is no registration. On street parking is available at Mt. Vernon Dr. or in the field at 904 Long Cove Rd. Please contact Director of Stewardship, Tobias Glaza at tglaza@avalonialc.org for more information.
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Fall Fungi at Bradner Preserve
October 26, 2024 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Bradner Preserve, Gardiner Rd, Richmond, RI 02892, USAFor this event, RRPLT requires that you register directly with them. Please register here.
Join us at the Bradner Preserve trailhead at 10 a.m. for a fun and educational fungal foray! We’ll divide into small teams and explore the trails, searching for the diverse fungi that call the preserve home. After about an hour of searching, we’ll reconvene at the trailhead to gather around the ID table. There, we’ll share our collections, record our discoveries, and discuss the fascinating fungi we’ve found.
Please bring water, a light snack for yourself, and bug spray. Wear appropriate clothing to protect yourself from ticks. Children are always welcome but please no pets at this fungal frolic — we would like to focus on the mushrooms!
Please be aware that this is NOT a foraging walk and we are not collecting mushrooms to eat them! This is to document species and their ecology.
Registration is limited to 20 participants. If you sign up and realize you cannot attend, please reach out, so we can give your space to another person.
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Hell Hollow Hike with FOPF
October 26, 2024 10:00 am - 1:00 pm
Hell Hollow Pond, Voluntown, CT 06374, USA -
Trails & Ales with WLT
October 26, 2024 1:30 pm - 4:00 pm
Wahaneeta Preserve, 118 Moorehouse Rd, Westerly, RI 02891, USASharing on behalf of the Westerly Land Trust. Registration required here.
Fall is here! It’s time to celebrate New England’s trademark season. We’ll be cozy company under the falling leaves at Wahaneeta Preserve, enjoying tasty local brews from Grey Sail Brewing of Rhode Island. Plan on hiking through the woods before gathering under the pavilion to enjoy what some might say is the best season of them all.
This event is $5 for members and $15 for nonmembers. Please register below: https://westerlylandtrust.org/event/trails-ales/
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- October 28, 2024
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LUNCH & LEARN "From Columbus to Indigenous" Virtual Program
October 28, 2024 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Sharing on behalf of the Tomaquag Museum. Register here.
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Check this webpage for upcoming events. You may also “follow” us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter!
Recent Events
River Stewardship Celebration – The Stewardship Council celebrated our Community Grant recipients and partners on Sunday, Sept 22 at Grey Sail Brewing in Westerly, RI.
Thank you to the Appalachian Mountain Club Narragansett Chapter, Avalonia Land Conservancy, RI DEM, Save the Bay, Southern Rhode Island Conservation District, Tomaquag Museum, Trout Unlimited Chapter 225, and the Westerly Land Trust. And huge thank you to Grey Sail Brewing for hosting all of us!
7 Rivers Festival – Hosted by the Wood-Pawcatuck Wild and Scenic Rivers program, the first 7 Rivers Festival was a success throughout the 12 towns of the Watershed. Many thanks to partners and local business owners who provided wonderful programming and special offers for the 500+ attendees. Thirty separate events celebrated the your rivers during the weekend of the Festival. Photos, press and a partners list highlighting the festivities are below.
Photos highlighting 7 Rivers Festival partners
(Photo Credit: Gillian Gordon unless otherwise noted)
Hewitt Farm, North Stonington
Southern RI Conservation District
Southern RI Conservation District
“Fresh Water Fly Tying” with
RI DEM, Division of Fish and Wildlife
(Photo Credit: Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed 7 Rivers Festival)
The Nature Conservancy
(Photo Credit: Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed 7 Rivers Festival)
Mystic Aquarium
(Photo Credit: Hugh Markey)
(Photo Credit: Hugh Markey)
Queen’s River Kayaks
(Photo Credit Hugh Markey)
(Photo Credit: Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed 7 Rivers Festival)
Press around the 7 Rivers Festival
Photos: Inaugural 7 Rivers Festival a success (The Westerly Sun, June 30, 2022)
7 Rivers Festival emphasizes interconnected nature of the watershed (The Day, News from southeastern Connecticut, June 26, 2022)
Amy Russo tests the waters with a kayak trip on RI’s ‘wild and scenic’ Wood River (Providence Journal June 24 and Sunday, June 26, 2022)
Finding Paradise on the Wood River (Providence Journal, video, June 24, 2022)
One weekend + 12 towns + 7 rivers = 7 Rivers Festival (The Westerly Sun, June 23, 2022)
South County Has Rhode Island’s Only Officially “Wild and Scenic” Rivers (Rhode Island Monthly, June 21, 2022)
First ‘7 Rivers Festival’ Celebrates Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed (ecoRI News, June 20, 2022)
Seven Rivers Festival this Weekend (The Day, June 20, 2022)
Celebrating our rivers: 7 Rivers Festival, June 25-26 (What’s Up Newp, June 13, 2022)
Watershed Association Partnership during National Rivers Month! (Narrow River Notes, Newsletter of the Narrow River Preservation Association, June 2022)
RICKA/SNEP Joint Paddle at the 7 Rivers Festival (Paddler, Newsletter of the Rhode Island Canoe and Kayak Association, June 2022)
7 Rivers Festival – Hike At Carter Preserve (Charlestown Citizens Alliance, June 10, 2022)
7 Rivers Festival Highlights Wild and Scenic Rivers (SO Rhode Island, May 31, 2022)
Resiliency Radio Hour (WBLQ, April 21, 2022)
The First Annual 7 Rivers Festival (The North Stonington Quarterly, Spring 2022)
An event brochure was published by the 7 Rivers Festival coordinating team (May, 2022)
Partners of the 7 Rivers Festival
Coordinating events throughout the 12-town area would not have been possible without our partners who are listed below. Are you interested in more hiking, paddling or education programs? Be sure to look up these organizations, many host events throughout the year.
Organizations
- Appalachian Mountain Club, Narragansett Chapter
- Audubon Society of Rhode Island
- Avalonia Land Conservancy
- Cross’ Mills Public Library
- Cross Road Blues
- Emmye Vernet and Will Platt, Musicians
- Exeter Boy Scouts, Pack 45
- Exeter Historical Association
- Exeter Public Library
- Friends of Pachaug Forest
- Hopkinton Land Trust
- Kingston Free Library
- Leave No Trace RI
- Louttit Library
- Milltown Arts North Stonington
- Mystic Aquarium
- North Stonington Conservation Commission
- Ocean State Bird Club
- Queen’s River Kayaks and Kenyon’s Grist Mill
- RI Canoe and Kayak Association
- RI Department of Environmental Management, Fish and Wildlife
- Save the Bay
- South Kingstown Land Trust
- Southern New England Paddlers
- Southern Rhode Island Conservation District
- Stonington Free Library
- Stonington Human Services, Recreation Division
- The Mushroom Hunting Foundation
- The Nature Conservancy
- The Watch Hill Conservancy
- Tomaquag Museum
- Trout Unlimited, Narragansett Chapter
- Voluntown Public Library
- Westerly Land Trust
- Wheeler Library
- Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed Association
Local Businesses
- Knead Doughnuts, Westerly, RI
- Leyden Farm Vineyard & Winery, West Greenwich, RI
- Little Country Pizza & BBQ, Exeter, RI
- Mama Emily’s Sweet Treats, Stonington and surrounding towns, CT
- Mechanic Street Marina, Pawcatuck, CT
- Mia’s Cafe, Pawcatuck, CT
- Next to Nowhere Creamery, Exeter, RI
- Shaidzon Beer Company, West Kingston, RI
- St Clair Annex, Watch Hill, RI
- Stagecoach House Inn, Wyoming, RI