Events

WP Watershed-wide Calendar of Events

July 13, 2026
July 14, 2026

  • I&E Committee Monthly Meeting

    July 14, 2026  5:00 pm - 6:15 pm

    Online

    See more details

July 22, 2026

  • Stewardship Council Monthly Meeting

    July 22, 2026  5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
    Westerly Land Trust, 449 Westerly Bradford Rd, Westerly, RI 02891, USA

    Hybrid optional. Email coordinator@wpwildrivers.org for zoom credentials.

    See more details

July 23, 2026

  • Summer Evening Kayak: A Delightful Way to Experience Wetland Flowers

    July 23, 2026  5:00 pm - 7:30 pm
    Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed Association, 203B Arcadia Rd, Hope Valley, RI 02832, USA

    https://riwps.org/exploring-natives/ RAIN DATE: Saturday, July 25, 5pm-7:30pm

    Join the Wood-Pawcatuck Wild and Scenic Rivers Stewardship Council, the Rhode Island Wild Plant Society, and the Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed Association for a series of summer evening paddles on the Wood River to discover aquatic flowers.  Besides plant identification we will also learn about the ecology of the Wood River and why it has been designated as a National Wild and Scenic River.

    In July we usually see native rhododendrons, sweet pepperbush, pickerel weed, and several types of floating water lilies. With any luck there will still be swamp rose and swamp azaleas still blooming.  In August we should be treated to Joe-pye weed, boneset, monkey flowers, bur marigolds and the spectacular cardinal flowers.

    These paddles will be led by naturalist Denise Poyer, former Program Director for WPWA and currently a member the Wild and Scenic Rivers Council and RIWPS.  The Wild and Scenic Rivers Council is subsidizing some of the cost of these paddles to help make them more available to the community.

    • Limit to 15 participants per paddle. The paddles are appropriate for beginner kayakers, 10 and over.

    • Fee: $30 per person, includes individual kayaks, paddles, life jackets, and paddle guides. Fee is due at time of registration. Fee  is non-refundable. No discount for bringing your own kayak and no refunds for no shows.  

    • Participants will be asked to sign a standard liability waiver at the event prior to participation. Participants under 18 must have a parent or legal guardian sign on their behalf.

    • General Guidelines for WPWA kayaking programs: What to Wear. What to Bring, What to Expect

    Links to register for this July 23 paddle or any of the other upcoming paddles in this series: https://riwps.org/exploring-natives/

    See more details

July 24, 2026

  • Summer Evening Kayak: A Delightful Way to Experience Wetland Flowers

    July 24, 2026  5:00 pm - 7:30 pm
    Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed Association, 203B Arcadia Rd, Hope Valley, RI 02832, USA

    https://riwps.org/exploring-natives/ RAIN DATE: Saturday, July 25, 5pm-7:30pm

    Join the Wood-Pawcatuck Wild and Scenic Rivers Stewardship Council, the Rhode Island Wild Plant Society, and the Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed Association for a series of summer evening paddles on the Wood River to discover aquatic flowers.  Besides plant identification we will also learn about the ecology of the Wood River and why it has been designated as a National Wild and Scenic River.

    In July we usually see native rhododendrons, sweet pepperbush, pickerel weed, and several types of floating water lilies. With any luck there will still be swamp rose and swamp azaleas still blooming.  In August we should be treated to Joe-pye weed, boneset, monkey flowers, bur marigolds and the spectacular cardinal flowers.

    These paddles will be led by naturalist Denise Poyer, former Program Director for WPWA and currently a member the Wild and Scenic Rivers Council and RIWPS.  The Wild and Scenic Rivers Council is subsidizing some of the cost of these paddles to help make them more available to the community.

    • Limit to 15 participants per paddle. The paddles are appropriate for beginner kayakers, 10 and over.

    • Fee: $30 per person, includes individual kayaks, paddles, life jackets, and paddle guides. Fee is due at time of registration. Fee  is non-refundable. No discount for bringing your own kayak and no refunds for no shows.  

    • Participants will be asked to sign a standard liability waiver at the event prior to participation. Participants under 18 must have a parent or legal guardian sign on their behalf.

    • General Guidelines for WPWA kayaking programs: What to Wear. What to Bring, What to Expect

    Links to register for this July 24 paddle or any of the other upcoming paddles in this series: https://riwps.org/exploring-natives/

    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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