Jay Cordeiro, TRWA Board Member and Wildlife Conservation Biologist, will introduce children to the aquatic macroinvertebrate fauna found in fresh water. Aquatic macroinvertebrates include immature larval and adult forms of many insects, such as dragonflies, damselflies, mayflies, and caddisflies; as well as bottom dwelling animals, such as worms, snails, and mussels, among other organisms. Many of these organisms are sensitive to pollution and can provide important indicators of impaired water quality.   Children will collect samples of aquatic invertebrates and amphibians with nets, sieves and by hand. We will learn to identify, count and record their findings, and discuss the intricate…

Join Joe Callahan for a presentation on the origin, sources, and toxicity of PFAS.  Joe Callahan is a Massachusetts DEP Licensed Site Professional (LSP), Certified Hazardous Materials Manager (CHMM), and Toxics Use Reduction Planner (TURP) and is currently employed by Verdantas, LLC with over 30 years experience in the environmental consulting field. Mr. Callahan is currently Project Manager on behalf of the MassDEP Central Region in charge of investigating and if necessary mitigating potential PFAS in drinking water in a number of communities in central Massachusetts. Besides his professional responsibilities, Joe is also an active volunteer in our local community.…

    This beautiful 1-hour walk, led by TRWA member and volunteer Ellenor Simmons, will showcase one of Taunton's best kept secrets as we explore mowed meadows and mixed wood forest along the Three Mile River. Sturdy shoes recommended. Pups welcome. No restrooms available. Ellenor brings 32 years of state parks experience to TRWA as a former Southcoast Field Operations Team Leader and park supervisor with the MA Department of Conservation and Recreation. In her retirement, she enjoys leading walks and volunteering with our Diamondback Terrapin Population Research Project Limited to 15 participants. Registration required. Members free, non-members $5. Meeting…

Have you heard about our 200+ terrapin hatchlings born from 18 protected nests this summer? How has this year's excessive rain effected our water sampling results? Join us at our Annual Meeting to learn more! Main Speaker:  Steve Hurley,  Southeast District Fisheries Manager for the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, will speak on Fisheries Resources of The Taunton River Watershed: Changes and Challenges over the Past 30+ years. In addition to our main speaker, the meeting will include the election of 2024 Board members and officers, volunteer recognition awards and reports on TRWA’s many activities of the past year…

  Join us, along with the Old Colony History Museum, to learn about current efforts to establish a Sowams Heritage Area in East Bay Rhode Island and nearby Massachusetts. Project Coordinator David Weed will share the area's significance, including over fifty locations revealing the early history of Massasoit’s tribe, the locations where the King Philip War began and ended, and how the English nearly exterminated the native people who had lived in the area for over 10,000 years. Free and open to the public Location: Old Colony History Museum, 66 Church Green, Taunton Refreshments will be served at 5:3oPM, presentation…

  Join TRWA member and volunteer Ellenor Simmons as we explore this beautiful Norton property also known as Town Forest, located near the Three Mile River. This walk will wind us through a pine forest that has reemerged after a winter moth (Operophtera brumata) caterpillar outbreak ten years ago, killing many of the large oaks. A necessary timber harvest removed the dead wood and thinned the pine canopy to promote regeneration of native tree growth. Sturdy footwear recommended. Pups welcomed. No restrooms available. Ellenor brings 32 years of state parks experience to TRWA as a former Southcoast Field Operations Team…

Join us for a fascinating guided walk through the historic Copper Works site in Norton, MA. Our knowledgeable guide Ellenor Simmons will lead us along a canal by the Wading River sharing stories and insights about the area, vegetation, and wildlife, stopping to view a pond and remains from the copper refining industry. The copper works once rivaled Paul Revere’s own refining practice. Later in 1837, pennies from the US Mint were made here. This event offers a unique opportunity to explore the remnants of this once-thriving copper manufacturing site that contributed to the early pollution of the Taunton River.…

     For such a northern location, Massachusetts is home to many species of turtles. We'll discuss the anatomy, evolution, diversity, and conservation status of our Bay State turtles. Tips for those who want to help local turtles will also be covered. Learn all about our native turtles from Brian Bastarache during this free 1-hour presentation at Bridgewater Public Library.  No registration required. Brian, a TRWA Board Member, is chairman of the Bristol County Agricultural High School Environmental Conservation Department and field herpetologist for Oxbow Associates, Inc. He also leads a team conducting Northern Diamondback Terrapin population research with TRWA…

Help protect the water quality of the Taunton River and its tributaries Water Quality Monitoring Training Session March 23, 2022, 9:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. TRWA’s Watershed Center, Sweets Knoll State Park in Dighton, MA (on Rt 138 just South of the Bristol Aggie traffic light - 1387 Somerset Avenue, Dighton) The Taunton River Watershed Alliance has tested water quality in the Taunton River and its tributaries since its inception in 1988. This citizen collected data is an incredible tool as a historic picture of the watershed’s health.  It helps keep the spotlight on areas and actions needed for further…

Join us for a guided walk with Ellenor Simmons through Porter Pasture in Freetown, as we explore its hidden gems firsthand. A short walk uphill through a pine needle path will lead us to an old cemetery to learn of the local families and visit their resting place.  We will then continue to the shore of Shephards Cove to enjoy a view of Assonet Bay. Pups welcomed on leash. No restrooms available. Ellenor brings 32 years of state parks experience to TRWA as a former Southcoast Field Operations Team Leader and park supervisor with the MA Department of Conservation and…