Category: TRWA Blog

 Thank you to all the photographers who entered TRWA’s 2026 Tide Calendar Contest! 

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

We are pleased to share the following winners:

2026 Cover:

“Sweet Merganser,” Burrage Pond, Halifax, MA – Laura Fitzgerald-Kemmett

January:

“River Wonderland,” The Old Colony Ave/South Street Bridge, East Taunton/Raynham line MA – Kevin Carr 

February:

“Red Fox snow scene”, Fall River, MA – Mark Maxwell

March:

“Eastern Screech Owl,” Berkley, MA – David Ennis

April:

“TRWA Paddle,” Nemasket River, Lakeville, MA – William Orphanos

May:

“Baby bunny breakfast,” Tamarack Park, Lakeville, MA – Arthur Morton

June:

“Old Man of the Nip,” Lake Nippenicket, Bridgewater, MA – Bernice Morrissey

July:

“Fiddler on the River,” Assonet River, Assonet Bay Shores, Assonet, MA – Carolyn DiFrancesco

August:

“Lily Pad,” Pratt Farm, Middleboro MA – Chad Lovett

September:

“Betty’s Neck Stroll,” Lakeville, MA – Carol Longo

October:

“Go for it!,” Wrentham, MA – Catherine Luce

November:

“Fall Morning on the Taunton River,” Somerset, MA – Kayla Setters

December:

“Hawk’s Eye View,” Norton Country Club, Norton, MA – Alison Kidder

Tide Calendars make a great holiday gift for boating and fishing enthusiasts.

Starting November 1st, calendars will be available for sale, $15 for members, $20 for non-members. Reserve your calendar today by emailing director@savethetaunton.org or calling 508-828-1101.  Calendars will also be available at the TRWA Annual Meeting on Saturday, November 1st from 4pm-6:30pm at Bristol County Agricultural High School.

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!

TRWA’s advocacy work, conservation efforts and educational outreach continues to grow, and so is our team.

Effective 1/1/26, our fabulous Coordinator Gloria Bancroft will be reducing her hours, working closely with the Taunton River Stewardship Council as our Grants Coordinator.

We are looking to grow our team by offering the following two job opportunities:

TRWA Coordinator

Bruce Spooner Education Center Program Manager

Interested candidates should email a cover letter and resume to director@savethetaunton.org

Join us for the TRWA Annual Meeting.

Special Presentation: Invasives Management and Habitat Restoration.

All welcome. Free, with $10 suggested donation. Light meal included.

AGENDA-

4-5pm General Business Meeting:

• Welcome and President’s Report,
• Treasurer’s Report,
• Nomination and Re-election of Board of Directors and Officers,
• 2025 Program Recaps: Bruce Spooner Education Center & Water Quality Monitoring,
• Diamondback Terrapin Population Study results by Sarah Copp, Project Technician,
• Volunteer Recognition Awards.

5-6pm Special Presentation: Invasive Management & Habitat Restoration

Many communities are faced with the rapid growth of invasive plant species. With grant funding from the Taunton River Watershed Alliance, the towns of Easton and Mansfield implemented projects to address problematic invasives. Hear their project details including removals, native plant restoration, and the development of a comprehensive management program aimed at minimizing the spread. Learn how their experiences can be beneficial to other communities. 

SPEAKERS

Jennifer Carlino     

Jennifer is the Land Use and Environmental Planner for the Town of Easton. She has worked in municipal conservation for more than 28 years in Norton, Billerica and Wellesley, where she has documented a variety of species on the Massachusetts Endangered Species List and certified over 120 vernal pools. Jennifer is presently on the Board of Directors of the Massachusetts Society of Municipal Conservation Professionals and the Vernal Pool Association, as well as a few state-agency working groups. She has contributed to Blue Spotted Salamander research for nine years with the Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program. Jennifer was awarded the 2024 Conservation Administrator of the Year Award presented by the Massachusetts Association of  Conservation Commissions. 

Katelyn Merrill Gonyer 

With over 25 years of experience in environmental site plan design and project implementation under the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act and local Bylaws, Ms. Gonyer brings extensive expertise from both the private and public sectors. She has worked on all sides of sustainable development near natural resources, both
coastal and inland. Ms. Gonyer has served as the Town of Mansfield’s Environmental & Conservation Planner since 2013. In this role, she has strengthened Mansfield’s regulatory framework by updating bylaws and regulations, streamlining residential project reviews, and partnering with homeowners and businesses to promote sustainable growth in this expanding Boston suburb. Ms. Gonyer earned her degree in Environmental Science with a concentration in Wetland Biology from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She is a Certified Soil Evaluator and recently completed her Certificate in Soil Science at the University of New Hampshire. Her professional focuses include climate resiliency planning and invasive species management.

Chris Slinko

Chris is a GIS and environmental science professional with a Certificate in Geographic Information Systems from Cape Cod Community College and a Master’s in Environmental Science GIS and Remote Sensing. She has experience working at the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection in water withdrawal and GIS, and volunteered with Save the Bay organizing geospatial data for conservation. Professionally, she holds GIS roles at Navionics and Cornerstone Engineering Services, and currently serve as the GIS Coordinator for the Town of Mansfield, managing municipal geospatial systems and supporting data-driven planning initiatives.

ELECTION 

The following board members are up for re-election (two-year term): Jay Cordeiro, Anne Morse, Bill Napolitano,  Sally Spooner, Carol Traverse

The following TRWA members have been nominated for the 2026 Board of Directors:  Kate Andrew, Bill Fitzgerald, Cheryl Graham, Jeff Morse 

The following Officer nominations have been made for the 2026 Board of Directors: President: Richard Shafer,  Vice President: Bart Devine, Clerk/Secretary: Stephen Silva,  Treasurer: Anne Morse

LOCATION

Bristol County Agricultural High School, Student Commons Building, 2nd Floor- 135 Center Street, Dighton.

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.

The 2026 TRWA Tide Calendar is now available and can be purchased at the meeting!               

The 2026 TRWA Tide Calendar, featuring the work of local photographers who captured the beauty of the Taunton River Watershed and its wildlife, will be available for $15 (members) and $20 (non-members).   These gorgeous calendars make great holiday gifts for the boating enthusiasts and fishermen/women in your family. Advance orders can be made by emailing director@savethetaunton.org. 

View list of winners!

WE WANT YOUR PHOTOS!

Announcing the TRWA’s 2026 Annual Photography Contest

13 winners will have their photographs featured in the TRWA’s 2026 Tide Calendar. Contest is open to all ages- professional and amateur alike! Photos must be taken within the last five years and taken within the Taunton River Watershed.

Photos must be submitted by September 2, 2025. Winners will be notified in October. 

For questions, email TRWACalendarContest@savethetaunton.org

Submission Guidelines and Entry Form

The TRWA Taunton River Festival at the Weir Village Riverfront Park on June 8th would not be at all possible without the generous support of our local Sponsors! Their support allows us to celebrate the Taunton Wild & Scenic River with the  community during National Rivers month. We are excited to have nearly 80 vendors, non-profit service organizations, and environmental organizations who will be sharing their work and resources.  New this year is a children’s scavenger hunt with prizes, boat tours offered by Riverhouse restaurant, additional food trucks, and a great line-up of diverse musical groups. Shuttle service will be available with parking at West Water Street across from the Weir Boat Launch. Come join the fun!

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.