Make 2025 a year of discovery with monthly walks organized by the Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council (WRWC). The organization is partnering with “15 Minute Field Trips,” to …
This item is available in full to subscribers.
If you are a current print subscriber, you can set up a free website account by clicking here.
Otherwise, click here to view your options for subscribing.
Please log in to continue |
|
By BARBARA POLICHETTI
Make 2025 a year of discovery with monthly walks organized by the Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council (WRWC). The organization is partnering with “15 Minute Field Trips,” to offer the community a year-long series of activities that will explore the Woonasquatucket River greenway in Johnston and beyond.
The walks offer hands-on activities and have something of interest for nature lovers of all ages – whether it’s learning about coyotes, mushrooms, bees, or how to preserve the watershed’s ecosystem.
“Our team is thrilled to collaborate with 15 Minute Field Trips to bring these exciting and educational opportunities to Johnston,” said Colleen Keenan, WRWC’s Events & Outreach Coordinator. “We hope families of all backgrounds will join us for these events to explore, learn, and connect with the amazing natural spaces in their own communities.”
15 Minute Field Trips is a nonprofit educational organization which combines art, community action and love of nature to offer hands-on education programs. The WRWC notes that the walks are more than just fun and a chance to get outside – they are also an invitation for the community to engage in local conservation efforts. Each activity is designed to help raise awareness about biodiversity and sustainability.
The organization has monthly walks scheduled through November 2025 and many will feature special guests, including experts from the Rhode Island Mycological Society and the Audubon Society of Rhode Island. Activities will include science experiments, observing moths and bats, discovering local wildlife such as turtles and coyotes, exploring pollinators at work, and crafting art from repurposed materials.
The walks began last fall and were well received, with people of all ages showing up to learn about the natural wonders that exist not far from their own backyards.
The Greenway is a 7-mile public, multi-use trail that runs alongside the Woonasquatucket River and is a popular recreational space for walkers, cyclists and runners. The trail begins at Lyman Avenue in Johnston and connects amenities such as Buttonhole Golf Course, Snake Run Skate Park, and fish ladders as it continues into downtown Providence.
The walks are free and start at the fish ladder off Goldsmith St. in Johnston. In general, each walk lasts about 1.5 hours. If people would like to register in advance, they can visit https://tinyurl.com/15MT2025. They can also keep up with the outings and other WRWC events by following the organization on Facebook and visiting https://wrwc.org.
The Woonasquatucket River begins in a swampy area in North Smithfield and flows southeast through increasingly populated communities to end in downtown Providence near the Providence Place Mall. It is nearly 16 miles long and drains a watershed of about 50 square miles. Its name is Algonquian for “where the saltwater ends,” and it is often called “the Woony” by locals for short.
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here