Author: Gloria Bancroft

Become a “Friend of the Festival”.

Help make this year’s Taunton River Festival the best ever!

Become a “Friend of the Festival” with a donation of $100.

In honor of the Taunton Wild & Scenic River, the TRWA hosts the Taunton River Festival each June during National Rivers Month. This year the Festival will be held June 8th from 11am-4pm, on the banks of the Taunton River at the Weir Village Riverfront Park, Taunton MA.

Each year the Festival brings people together from around the watershed and beyond for a fun family-friendly event. There is live music, great food, vendors, talented crafters, non-profits service groups, and environmental organizations sharing valuable information about the many natural resources in our watershed. 

Learn about:

• Our protected lands and conservation areas
• Where to hike or bike 
• Why bees are important 
• Ways to protect our rivers, lakes and ponds
• What actions you can take to reduce pollution
• How to identify wildlife and meet one of the Taunton River’s threatened diamondback terrapins

100% of the Festival’s profits go directly to fund our work. That means your $100 donation will help us advocate for the river’s protection, monitor water quality, provide educational programs for all ages and continue our conservation efforts.

Donate today and receive:

• 1 year TRWA membership
• Reduced program admissions
• Free guided walks
• Recognition at the Festival and on our website
• Satisfaction from knowing you are making an important environmental impact

Have a question?  Contact Gloria Bancroft at director@savethetaunton.org or  508-828-1101

A warm welcome to Ahnika DeGrace, TRWA’s new communications intern. She will be collaborating with us for ten hours per week from now until June. She is excited to be at TRWA, meeting new people, learning, and expanding her knowledge. She has a contagious enthusiasm for her internship and a willingness to help wherever she can. Her skills will expand our social media presence.

Exciting Communications Internship opportunity for a college student (undergraduate or graduate).

TRWA is seeking a part-time intern to assist with planning and marketing our 2025 educational programs and events. Intern will also focus on expanding our social media presence to reach a wider audience. This paid 6-month hybrid position will run from January to June 2025, with a flexible start date and work schedule.

Details:  TRWA CommunicationsInternDescription 2025

Join us for the TRWA Annual Meeting.

Guest Speakers-  The Great Canoe Loop Team:

Neil Benedict, Ryan Ranco, &  Fred Wilkinson.

Saturday November 2nd, 4:00-6:00 p.m.

 Bristol County Agricultural High School Student Commons Building, 135 Center Street, Dighton.

All welcome. Free, with $10 suggested donation.

Registration

AGENDA:

4-5pm General Business Meeting (see details below)

5-6pm Guest Speakers

Members of the The Great Canoe Loop team will share a multi-media presentation depicting their 1,800 mile paddle route circumnavigating the Northeast, including the entire 40 mile Taunton River, over 116 days. The Loop has existed for thousands of years as a series of shared waterways and portage paths connecting communities throughout the region. East to West, the Loop stretches from the Penobscot River by Old Town Maine to the mouth of the Oswego River on Lake Ontario. North to South, it reaches from St. Lawrence River near Quebec City to the mouth of the Hudson River in New York Harbor.

The Loop was paddled in 2023 by Neil Benedict (Oneida Nation), Ryan Ranco (Penobscot Nation), and Fred Wilkinson (National Geographic journalist). They began and ended at the North End of Indian Island on Penobscot Territory, next to present day Old Town, Maine.

Freddie is currently writing a book”Canoe Story”due out in 2025. Per Freddie: Canoe Story is more than an adventure. It explores the living history of North America’s greatest invention. The mission, called “The Great Circle” is a circumnavigation of the Northeast to rediscover the ancient waterways and recover the forgotten history of the region. The Great Circle is a subtly complex route, relying on indigenous knowledge to avoid exposed segments of coastline, rather than simply following the straightest line on the map. It’s likely been decades — or even centuries — since some sections of these waterways were last paddled. An unforgettable cast of indigenous paddlers, historians, activists, and educators not only co-led the expedition, but helped narrate a ground-breaking re-imagining of American history.

Freddie Wilkinson is an author,  professional alpine climber, and mountain guide.  In addition to having his writing published nationwide in the New York Times, the Huffington Post, National Geographic, and more, Wilkinson is the author of One Mountain Thousand Summits and the writer and co-director of the documentaries The Old Breed and The Sanctity of Space.

General Business Meeting Agenda:

• Welcome and President’s Report
• Treasurer’s Report
• Nomination and Re-election of Board of Directors and Officers
• 2024 Program Recaps: Bruce Spooner Education Center & Water Quality Monitoring
• Diamondback Terrapin Population Study Results by Jessie Power, Project Technician
• Volunteer Recognition Awards

Election: 

The following board members are up for re-election (two-year term): Brian Bastarache, Joseph Callahan, Bradford Gonyer, Richard Shafer, Stephen Silva

The following TRWA members have been nominated for the 2025 Board of Directors:  Bart Devine & Melissa Ramondetta

The following Officer nominations have been made for the 2025 Board of Directors: President: Joseph Callahan,  Vice President: Sally Spooner, Clerk/Secretary: Stephen Silva,  Treasurer: Richard Shafer

Nominations may be accepted from the floor. If interested in joining our Board, email Gloria Bancroft at director@savethetaunton.org.

2025 TRWA Tide Calendars are now available!               

Limited copies of the 2025 TRWA Tide Calendar will be available for $15, featuring the work of local photographers who captured the beauty of the Taunton River Watershed and its wildlife.    Winning entries can be found at https://savethetaunton.org/2024/10/09/announcing-the-winners-of-our-2025-tide-calendar-contest/

The meeting is hosted by the Environmental Conservation Department and will be held in the Student Commons Building, 2nd Floor.  Light refreshments will be served.  

This is an in person meeting, all are welcome. 

The Student Commons Building is on the north side of Center Street.  Parking is located to the rear of the building .   The building is fully accessible.

Thank you to all the photographers who entered TRWA’s 2025 Tide Calendar Contest! 

With so many extraordinary entries, the judging was quite difficult.

We are pleased to share the following winners:

Cover:

“Taunton at the Weir Bridge,” Weir Bridge, Taunton, MA – Joseph Frizado

January:

“Walking in a winter wonderland,” Great River Preserve, Bridgewater, MA – Gina Guasconi

February:

“Lakeville Loon,” Lakeville, MA – Michael Ojjeh

March:

“Sunrise Reflections,” Assawompset Pond, Lakeville, MA – Carol Longo

April:

“The Three Stooges,” Assonet Bay, Assonet, MA – Daniel Sylvester

May:
 “Catch & Release….Give Nature Back for What She Gives Us!” Taunton River, Somerset, MA – Kat Tasca

June:

“Juvenile Red-Shouldered Hawks Branching,” Berkley, MA – David Ennis

July:

“Michael’s Treehouse,” Lake Nippenicket, Bridgewater, MA – Bernice Morrissey

August:

“Road Crossing Assist,” Lakeville, MA – Anna O’Keefe

September:

“My perfect pollinators,” Somerset, MA – Sandy Medeiros

October:
“Fall by the Forge,” Taunton River/Forge River, Taunton, MA – Aaron Correia

November:

“Cranberry Harvest Betty’s Neck,” Betty’s Neck, Lakeville, MA – Bud Morton

December:

“Winter Reflections,” Satucket River, East Bridgewater, MA – Shari Sprong

Reserve your calendar today by emailing director@savethetaunton.org.

Tide Calendars make a great gift for boating and fishing enthusiasts. Starting October 30th, calendars will be available for $20 at TRWA’s Watershed Center at Sweets Knoll State Park, 1387 Somerset Ave, Dighton.  Please call ahead at 508-828-1101 for times when the Center will be open.  A limited number of calendars will be available for a discounted price of $15 at the TRWA’s Annual Meeting on November 2^th at Bristol County Agricultural High School from 4PM-6PM.

Since 1988 TRWA has been a voice for the river as an advocate for environmental protection, sustainable development, and responsible stewardship of our precious natural resources.  

Your purchase of our calendar helps to support our work.  Thank you!

Concerns over climate change are growing each day. Impacts to our future are becoming more evident. Many are concerned about our coastlines, wildlife and loss of land. Increased storms and drought challenges are also gaining attention. We are just learning about the potential effects to our health, housing and communities. To learn more about this topic and ways to mitigate the impacts, join TRWA as we host a free discussion with local panelist experts in their fields on 9/28th. There will be a question and answer period as well.  Details and registration.

 We are pleased to share the following Taunton River Festival Schedule of Events to be held June 9th, 11am-4pm at the Weir Village Riverfront Park on East Water Street in Taunton. Enjoy live music, wildlife exhibits, great food, dancing, crafts, a historic walking tour, vendors and more!  Free with convenient parking at 391 West Water St and shuttle service.  

Join us on Saturday, June 1st at the North Attleboro National Fish Hatchery Open House!

Enjoy fishing on a stocked pond, fishing lessons for children, guided hikes on their woodland trails, and tours of their fascinating hatchery.  Stop by the TRWA table for children’s activities and visit other community organizations.

The Hatchery and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are in their third year of a five-year plan to release two million larval shad into the Taunton River each year to rebuild a self sustaining stock of this once plentiful fish. Tour the facilities to learn how shad and other fish are raised.

Cost:  FREE

Time: 10AM – 1PM

Address: 144 Bungay Road North Attleboro, MA 

Time to clean our parks and trails!  Join TRWA, The Friends of Dighton Rock Museum and DCR to clean up the marsh shoreline at Dighton Rock State Park during low tide. We are looking for individuals, families, scout troops, school clubs, civic organizations, and corporate and church groups to come out on April 20th help remove as much trash as we can from over 1,000 feet of marsh shoreline during low tide.  We estimate there are at least 20 tires, 3 steel drums, and bags and bags of plastic, paper, and styrofoam trash that have washed down the river and gotten lodged in the marsh.  

DCR will have a limited amount of work gloves and litter grabbers on hand but if you have your own tools and equipment, it would help the effort greatly.  We especially recommend wearing rubber boots and work gloves.  Small hand held clippers are great to bring for removing fishing line.  Children are welcome to help, but must have parent/guardian supervision. There will be tick repellent at the meeting spot, but please take every precaution to protect yourself (wear light colored clothing & be vigilant checking yourself afterwards.)  Water and snacks will be available.

Meet at the main parking lot picnic tables at 11:00 a.m. We will have volunteers on hand to direct people to the different areas in the park.  There are jobs for everyone, but we are especially on the look out for a few adventurous people willing to haul tires/heavy metal from two areas in particular.  

Pre-registration is not required, but will help us plan, especially if you are coming with a group.  Call the TRWA at (508) 828-1101 or email director@savethetaunton.org.