
If you are interested in becoming a water testing volunteer, go here: https://savethetaunton.org/get…/volunteer-opportunities/
If you are interested in becoming a water testing volunteer, go here: https://savethetaunton.org/get…/volunteer-opportunities/
This year’s Tide Calendar Photographers are:
Cover
“Blue Eyed Lady,” TRWA Watershed Center, Dighton, MA – Ellenor Simmons
January:
“Taunton River Snow Scene,” Berkley, MA – William Gibson
February:
“If Peaceful was a Photo,” Sweets Knoll State Park, Dighton, MA – Kathleen Tasca
March:
“Reflections at Memorial Park,” Taunton, MA – Kerri Deptula
April:
“Forest Adventure,” Woodward Forest, Norton, MA – Gloria Bancroft
May:
“I Look Pretty Darn Good,” Tamarack Park, Lakeville, MA – Mohamad Ojjeh
June:
“Sunset Bay Shores,” Assonet, MA – Adam Baker
July:
“Riding Along the River,” Fall River, MA – Kerri Deptula
August:
“Snails, Insects and Worms, oh my! Macroinvertebrate Workshop,” War Memorial Park, W. Bridgewater, MA – Sally Spooner
September:
“Taunton River Golden Hour,” Berkley, MA – Ruth Langlan
October:
“October on the Snake River,” Lakeville, MA – Sally Spooner
November:
“Cooper’s Hawk,” Taunton, MA – Anna O’Keefe
December:
“Winter Skies are Anything but Bland,” Taunton River, Somerset, MA – Kathleen Tasca
The calendar also features the photographic work of: Kathie Wing and Jennifer O’Keefe
Calendars will be available for $20 at TRWA’s Watershed Center at Sweets Knoll State Park starting November 4th. 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 12th at Bristol County Agricultural High School from 4PM-7PM.
Calendars are always available print-on-demand. The TRWA is excited to use all the options of this new technology. The print-on-demand calendars can be printed from any month of the year with the tide data from the Taunton River or any other of the 3,500 NOAA tide stations. Or, if you like to write appointments onto your calendar, you can order a calendar printed without the tide data. People purchasing the calendar can even customize their calendar with their own photographs. Half the proceeds from the online $19.95 purchase price goes directly to the TRWA to support its ongoing mission protecting and restoring the Taunton River watershed, its tributaries, wetlands, floodplains, river corridors and wildlife.
To order our TIDE calendar, follow this link: http://www.calendarlink.org/trwa/home.html.
For a step by step guide on navigating the customizations of the order form, click on this link. how_to_order_online_flier
2023 commemorates 35 years that the TRWA has been a voice for the river, an advocate for environmental protection, sustainable development and responsible stewardship of our precious water resources. We are an Alliance of concerned residents, businesses, and organizations united to restore and properly manage water and related natural resources within the Taunton River Watershed. Your purchase of our calendar helps to support our work. Thank you!
World Turtle Day was started in 1990 by the American Tortoise Rescue organization to help people celebrate and protect turtles and tortoises and their disappearing habitats around the world. At the Taunton River Watershed Alliance (TRWA) we like to celebrate World Turtle Day the best way possible, by releasing head-started threatened Northern Diamondback Terrapins back into the wild.
The Bristol Aggie NRM Junior Class getting ready to measure their charges one more time before release
The TRWA is working with the MA Division of Fisheries and Wildlife to conduct a population study: a multi-year project looking at the numbers, age and distribution of the Diamondback in the Taunton River Watershed. All work is conducted under a State Endangered Species Permit and will ultimately help the State manage and conserve this threatened species. This spring will be the seventh year that TRWA volunteers have collected, documented, tagged and released individual Diamondback Terrapins in the Taunton River Watershed. To date, 299 terrapins have been tagged. For the last two years, two private property owners have allowed TRWA volunteers access to their land to collect and tag females after nesting. In 2021, four nests were screen protected to prevent predators from eating the nests. Half of the hatchlings that came from those four nests were released in August and the other half were sent to be head-started at the Natural Resources Management (NRM) Department at the Bristol County Agricultural High School (BCAHS.)
Head-starting is a conservation practice that helps dwindling turtle species. Eggs or hatched young are raised for a season in artificial, protected conditions to give them a “head start.” When released, they are often large enough to escape any further predation.
These turtles believe it or not are the same age
At BCAHS, the 19 hatchlings were assigned to NRM Head Start project managers Grace Jackson, Faithanne Lackie, and Shanna McCarty. Wild Diamondback Terrapins normally spend the winter in a semi-dormant state. But Jackson, Lackie, and McCarty spent all of their senior year trying to trick the hatchlings into thinking it was summer and eating as much as they possibly could. Faithanne Lackie, who will be attending Bridgewater State University in the fall, said the greatest challenge was the unknown. The three girls could tell several head starts were ailing. Despite their attempts to change temperatures, diet, and care, four terrapins died. Shanna McCarty, who will be studying to be a Water Quality Technician at Bristol Community College, said they didn’t know whether it was illness or infection or malnutrition. She holds up a tiny terrapin with the number 18 painted on its shell with bright pink nail polish. Its as small as the day it arrived and clearly has not responded to all their doting care. Right next to number 18, Grace Jackson, who will be studying Marine Biology and Aquaculture/Aquarium Science at Roger Williams University in the fall, holds up #1, which has thrived and is as big as her fist. “It was exciting getting to watch them grow.”
Bristol Aggie NRM Seniors Faithanne Lackie, Shanna McCarty, and Grace Jackson
On Friday, May 20th, National Endangered & Threatened Species Day, the three girls packed up their charges in bins with damp burlap to be sent back to the beaches where they hatched. They were joined by fellow NRM students, TRWA Terrapin Study volunteers, and the private landowners to send 5 of the head-start terrapins off. On Sunday, the 22nd, the remaining 9 were released in a second location. Head-start #1 and #13 were big enough to be pit tagged. Will #1 and #13 survive to return in seven years to lay a nest where their mother did? Many of the volunteers that day hope so.
Newly released head start heads towards freedom
Click here for a short video clip of one of the newly released head starts doing what Diamondbacks do best: IMG_3147
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We are pleased to pass along news of some upcoming events from our friends in the lower watershed.
QRRT
April 19 from 3:15 to 5:15
Come walk and learn about the QRRT (Quequechan River Rail Trail) and the history of the mills along the trail and the people that worked in them.
April 22nd from 9 -12
Earth Day River Clean UP
contact: Julie Kelly at jkelly@fallriverma.org
FRSTPP
SATURDAY, APRIL 22ND
8:30 AM North Park, Fall River
Earth Day Clean-up
Tree Planting at BCC (TBA)
FRIDAY, APRIL 28TH – ARBOR DAY!
11 AM Greater Fall River Children’s Museum
Mayor’s Proclamation and Tree Plantings
FRIDAY, APRIL 28TH – ARBOR DAY!
3:30 PM Fall River Public Library
Children’s Room: Please register for a
Reading and Craft Activity!
SATURDAY, MAY 6th
North Park and Highland Avenue
9:30 – 11 AM Tree Walk and ID
with the FR Garden Club and FRSTPP, Inc.
and . . . 10 community street plantings throughout the spring.
In April, we will begin planning our 2nd educational workshop, our ANNUAL CELEBRATION OF TREES, an outdoor workshop for families.
We welcome your participation and ideas.
contact: MaryAnn Wordell (508) 679–8887