WP Watershed-wide Calendar of Events
- April 8, 2025
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- April 19, 2025
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Restoration Planting at Parke Memorial Preserve along the Shunock River
April 19, 2025 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
16 Babcock Rd, North Stonington, CT 06359, USASharing on behalf of Avalonia Land Conservancy.
Please join Avalonia stewardship staff and volunteers at the Parke Memorial Preserve in North Stonington, on Saturday April 19 at 9:00 to help in the restoration of floodplain/riparian habitat along the Shunock River. This free event is open to all-comers!
Over the years great strides have been made at Parke Memorial in reducing the amount of Japanese knotweed and in encouraging native pollinators species along the dam. While the efforts to manage the knotweed continue, we have now reached a point where it is appropriate to plant native trees and shrubs east of the dam and along the Shunock River. Ninebark, sweetspire, spicebush, elderberry, basswood, and sycamore are just a few of the species we hope to reestablish on this site.
The parking area at the preserve can only safely accommodate 2 vehicles, so we plan to meet at the parking lot across from the North Stonington Town Hall (40 Main Street). Depending on the number of participants, we’ll either walk or carpool (less than a 1/4 of a mile) to the Parke Memorial Preserve, one of several that Avalonia stewards along the Shunock River. There is a fairly steep decline from the trailhead to the work site, but it is otherwise close to and visible from the road.
Gloves, sturdy footwear, bug repellent, and drinking water are recommended. While tools will be provided for your use, feel free to bring your own shovel or other planting implements.
We will begin at 9:00 and work as long as spirits remain high, and as weather allows (Rain date of Sunday April 20). Work at your own pace and stay as long as you wish.
Please consider registering as it will help us in planning for this free event.
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- April 23, 2025
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Stewardship Council Monthly Meeting
April 23, 2025 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Westerly Land Trust, 449 Westerly Bradford Rd, Westerly, RI 02891, USAHybrid optional. Email coordinator@wpwildrivers.org for zoom credentials.
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- April 26, 2025
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- April 27, 2025
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A Near-Earth-Day Wildflower, Amphibian, and Early Returning Songbirds Saunter at Benedict Benson Preserve with ALC
April 27, 2025 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Benedict Benson Preserve Trailhead, 101 Swantown Hill Rd, North Stonington, CT 06359, USASharing on behalf of the Avalonia Land Conservancy.
A Near-Earth-Day Wildflower, Amphibian, and Early Returning Songbirds Saunter at Benedict Benson Preserve
Benedict Benson Preserve Swantown Hill Road, North Stonington, CT, United StatesFREE
Register on their website!
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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