Events

WP Watershed-wide Calendar of Events

December 3, 2024

  • Stewardship Networking Event with RILTC

    December 3, 2024  6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
    Ragged Island Brewing Company, 54 Bristol Ferry Rd, Portsmouth, RI 02871, USA

    Sharing on behalf of the RILTC. Registration required.

    We're talking all things stewardship! Are you dealing with trespassers? Do you have questions about monitoring? Invasives getting you down? This event is for you!
    Date: Tuesday, December 3rd
    Time: 6-8 p.m.
    Location: Ragged Island Brewing (54 Bristol Ferry Rd, Portsmouth, RI 02871)

    Register here.

    See more details

December 5, 2024

  • Dr. John Champlin Glacier Park, Westerly RI

    December 5, 2024  10:00 am - 11:30 am

    Sharing on behalf of the Westerly Land Trust. Sign Up Required: Sign up with listed hike leader so they know how many are coming. If no one signs up the leader may not show up. Thursday hike is FREE.

    A walking tour of the WLT’s Glacier Park preserve featuring wooded trails with gentle  hills and some rocky sections. This site’s unique geological features are worth the trip.  Meet at the trailhead off of Tom Harvey Road just outside the entrance to Winnapaug  Cottages. Please park in the designated area outside of the Winnapaug Cottages gate or in  the parking lot across the street.

    Email d.bprigmore@gmail.com to sign up.

    See more details

December 8, 2024

  • Avalonia Annual Meeting 2024

    December 8, 2024  3:00 pm - 5:00 pm

    Sharing on behalf of Avalonia Land Conservancy. Registration required.

    Join us for Avalonia’s Annual Members Meeting on Sunday, December 8 from 3 pm – 5 pm at the La Grua Center in Stonington Borough. Catch up with friends while you hear what Avalonia’s been up to, and what we have planned for 2025. Light refreshments will be served.

    Please RSVP by November 24, 2024.
    Email avalonialc@yahoo.com
    call (860) 884-3500
    or
    REGISTER HERE

    See more details

December 10, 2024

  • Volunteer Networking Event with RILTC

    December 10, 2024  6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
    South Kingstown Land Trust, 17 Matunuck Beach Rd, South Kingstown, RI 02879, USA

    Sharing on behalf of RILTC. Registration required.

    We'll be discussing volunteers: recruiting, managing, designing meaningful volunteer events, and more!
    Date: Tuesday, December 10th
    Time: 6-8 p.m.
    Location: SKLT Barn (17 Matunuck Beach Rd, South Kingstown, RI 02879)
    Register here.

    See more details

December 12, 2024

  • Municipal Land Trust Networking Event with RILTC

    December 12, 2024  6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
    1315 Chopmist Hill Rd, Scituate, RI 02857, USA

    Sharing on behalf of RILTC. Registration required.

    This is an opportunity for municipal land trust board members to gather, network, share experiences, and address the unique challenges of municipal land trusts. 
    Date: Thursday, December 12th
    Time: 6-8 p.m.
    Location: Chopmist Community Center (1315 Chopmist Hill Rd, Scituate, RI 02857)
    Register here.

    See more details

December 28, 2024

  • WP Wild and Scenic Rivers Hike with Friends of Pachaug Forest

    December 28, 2024  10:00 am - 1:00 pm
    Narragansett Trail Trailhead, Camp Yawgoog Rd, Rockville, RI 02873, USA

    Celebrate the end of the year with a fun and challenging hike with the Friends of Pachaug Forest and the WP Wild and Scenic Rivers Stewardship Council to explore the nationally designated Wild and Scenic Green Fall River! The Narragansett Trail to Green Fall Pond Hiking loop is a bit of a hidden gem within Pachaug Forest. This hike includes views of a bi-state marker, travels along the Connecticut-Rhode Island board, large rock formations, a gorge, waterfalls, and a variety of ecosystems as you walk along this ~4.8 mile moderate hike. There will be some rock scrabbling, but the scenery makes it completely worth the effort!

    We will be capping this adventure at 15 people. Please RSVP before December 23rd so we can plan accordingly!

    RSVP and Parking instructions here

    See more details

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)

Exeter Public Library, RI Wild Plant Society
The Mushroom Hunting Foundation
South Kingstown Land Trust
Louttit Library, West Greenwich
Event Leads were given Wild and Scenic hats as a “thank-you!”
Painted Turtle,
Hewitt Farm, North Stonington
Newly acquired Cottrell Family Preserve, Westerly Land Trust
Shunock River, North Stonington
Westerly Land Trust
Westerly’s River Days,
Southern RI Conservation District
​Musicians including Emmye Vernet and Will Platt at Westerly’s River Days,
Southern RI Conservation District
Save the Bay at Westerly’s River Days, Southern RI Conservation District
North Stonington Milltown Arts

“Fresh Water Fly Tying” with
RI DEM, Division of Fish and Wildlife
(Photo Credit: Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed 7 Rivers Festival)
North Stonington Milltown Arts
Stewardship Council Member provides education at Westerly’s River Days
“Sheets Family Forest Grand Opening,” Avalonia Land Conservancy
“The Rivers Connect Us” with Cassius Spears and the Tomaquag Museum (Photo Credit: Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed 7 Rivers Festival)
“Narragansett Trail Hike” with Appalachian Mountain Club and
The Nature Conservancy
(Photo Credit: Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed 7 Rivers Festival)
“Muddy Amphibians” with
Mystic Aquarium
(Photo Credit: Hugh Markey)
“Stream Insects in our Neighborhood” with the Hopkinton Land Trust
(Photo Credit: Hugh Markey)
Kenyon’s Grist Mill Co-Owner provides a lesson and “Free Paddle” with
Queen’s River Kayaks
Viewing moths captured with the Southern RI Conservation District
(Photo Credit Hugh Markey)
Baby bats hidden in the shingles, Audubon Society of RI
(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

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