Happy National Rivers Month and Great Outdoors Month! Pictured here is the Blackstone Valley Paddle Club celebrating its first launch in its 21st season at Stump Pond (also known as the Woonasquatucket Reservoir) in Smithfield, RI.
The Blackstone Valley Paddle Club is an award-winning Volunteers-In-Parks program lead by seasoned paddlers. Paddles are held on Tuesday evenings at 6 p.m. at locations throughout the Blackstone River Valley between May and September. To learn more, click here.
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Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor |
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In This Edition: June 4, 2021
- BHC Office is open!
- Heritage Centers/Visitor Centers are open!
- National Rivers Month and Great Outdoors Month
- Canoe/Kayak Launch Sites Added to BHC's Interactive Map
- Blackstone Valley Paddle Club Celebrates 21 Years
- BRWC/FOB Hosts "Connecting With Canoes"
- Join WRWC On the Water and the Trails
- BHC Hosts Trash Responsibly Cleanups for Rivers Month
- Plein Air Painting - Saturday, June 5 - Alternatives' Whitin Mill
- BHC Celebrates Pollinator Week
- June 19 - Pollinator Craft and Nature Tour with Mass Audubon Broad Meadow Brook
- June 22 - Pollinator Walk Along the Woonasquatuket River Greenway
- June 24 - Protecting Pollinators Skills Workshop with the Audubon Society of Rhode Island - On Zoom
- June 26 - Native Pollinator Garden Tours at the Kelly House Museum with the Rhode Island Wild Plant Society
- June 26 - Bike Ride Between Pollinator Gardens - Lincoln, RI
- Corridor Chats - June 26 - at the Blackstone River Watershed Council/Friends of the Blackstone
- Congrats To Our Volunteer Grads - Abigail Epplett and Eric Harris!
- BHC's Public Input Survey Extended to June 30th
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The Blackstone Heritage Corridor office is now OPEN! Office hours will be Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. If there is a particular staff member you wish to see, it's best to call ahead at 508-234-4242. If you need to reach us outside these hours, consult our staff directory to send an email.
We look forward to seeing you soon, perhaps at our Corridor Chats event on Saturday, June 26 (see info below)!
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VISITOR CENTERS ARE NOW OPEN! |
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Use our interactive map to navigate to all of the heritage centers/visitor centers! |
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Blackstone River Valley Heritage Center at Worcester
3 Paul Clancy Way, Worcester, MA
Open: Saturdays and Sundays, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Phone: 508-234-4242 (Blackstone Heritage Corridor office phone)
River Bend Farm Visitor Center at Blackstone River & Canal Heritage State Park
287 Oak Street, Uxbridge, MA
Open: Visitor Center Open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., 7 days a week. Park open dawn to dusk.
Phone: 508-278-7604
Museum of Work & Culture
42 S. Main Street, Woonsocket, RI
Open: 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.
Phone:401-769-9675
Capt. Wilbur Kelly House Transportation Museum
1075 Lower River Road, Lincoln, RI
Open: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., 7 days a week (during the summer). Note: this museum is seasonal.
Phone: 401-333-0295
- In addition, Rangers from Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park will be set up in the Kelly House Replica Barn Thursdays through Sundays, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., weather permitting.
I-295 Visitor Center at Blackstone River State Park
1-295 North, Lincoln, RI
Open: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.,7 days a week
Blackstone Valley Visitor Center
175 Main Street, Pawtucket, RI
Open: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., 7 days a week.
Phone: (401) 724-2200
- In addition, Rangers from Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park will be set up in tents outside Slater Mill (across the street from the Blackstone Valley Visitor Center in Pawtucket), Thursdays through Sundays, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., weather permitting.
Roger Williams National Memorial
282 N. Main Street, Providence, RI
NOTE: The visitor center is CLOSED due to construction, however, the grounds are open. There will be an outdoor visitor services tent Thursdays through Sundays, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., weather permitting.
Phone: 401-521-7266
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Celebrate National Rivers Month and Great Outdoors Month
With Our Interactive Map
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How will you celebrate National Rivers Month and Great Outdoors Month? If you don't know where to begin, we have a handy tool to get you started! Check out our interactive map, which now lists Canoe/Kayak Launch Sites, in addition to Blackstone River Bikeway/Greenway parking areas, and a list of 100 Parks & Trails! Use it for National Trails Day on Saturday, June 5th! And now that visitor centers are back open, we've added a category for those too!
Looking to rent a canoe, kayak, or paddleboard? Fin & Feather Sports in Upton, MA, rents all of those! And in Rhode Island, you can rent a kayak through Providence Kayak in Providence and now at Lincoln Woods State Park in Lincoln, RI. Watch for more announcements soon!
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Blackstone Valley Paddle Club Celebrates Its 21st Season |
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Congratulations to the Blackstone Valley Paddle Club,
a Volunteers-In-Parks program celebrating its 21st season!
A group of volunteers with an interest in canoeing and kayaking formed the Blackstone Valley Paddle Club in 2000 in partnership with the Blackstone Heritage Corridor and Rhode Island Canoe & Kayak Association (RICKA).
The Paddle Club meets weekly from May through August on Tuesday evenings at different sites throughout the Blackstone River Valley. Volunteers act as members of the land crew, paddle club guides, and sweep on the weekly paddles. They provide an important link to the exploration of the natural resources within the Blackstone Heritage Corridor. Paddle Club volunteers also assist with other events throughout the year, lending their expertise and safety skills.
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Photo at Hopedale Pond by Cheryl Thompson |
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Photo at Hopedale Pond by Cheryl Thompson |
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2021 Season Schedule
Tuesday evening paddles: Meet at 6 p.m., launch at 6:15 p.m.
· June 8: Nipmuc River, Burrillville, RI
· June 15: West River, Uxbridge, MA
· June 22: Lackey Dam/Mumford River, Sutton, MA
· June 29: Rice City Pond, Uxbridge, MA
· July 6: Slatersville Reservoir, North Smithfield, RI
· July 13: Blackstone Gorge, Blackstone, MA
· July 20: Lincoln Woods, Lincoln, RI
· July 27: Blackstone River at the Manville Dam, Cumberland, RI
· August 3: Singletary Lake, Millbury, MA
· August 10: Bowdish Lake, Chepachet, RI
· August 17: Valley Falls Marsh, Central Falls/Cumberland, RI
Find details for each trip here.
If the trip is canceled due to weather, it will be offered the next day (Wednesday), weather permitting. Check the message board for changes and cancelations to trips.
To participate in the Blackstone Paddle Club's events, a RI Canoe and Kayak Association membership fee of $15.00 is required, as is a $10.00 membership fee for the Blackstone Valley Paddle Club. These fees provide a family membership and are good for the entire season. If you are a current RICKA member, you may join for the additional $10.00 membership fee. If you are not yet a RICKA member, you may join and pay your dues for both RICKA and Blackstone Valley Paddle Club by going to the membership page for payment options. Please note: The Paddle Club will not be taking payment for dues at the paddle locations this year. Please pay your dues in advance. To pay for a membership, click here.
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Canoe/Kayak Launch Sites Added to BHC's Interactive Map |
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Volunteers of the Blackstone Valley Paddle Club are helping to build an inventory of canoe/kayak put-ins throughout the Blackstone River Valley with details to help you enjoy a safe and comfortable paddle. Check out some locations on our interactive map and watch it grow over the summer. If there are locations you wish to see listed, or if you'd like to help in this effort, please reach out to BHC's Volunteer Coordinator, Suzanne Buchanan, at volunteer@blackstoneheritagecorridor.org.
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Blackstone River Watershed Council/Friends of the Blackstone
Hosts "Connecting With Canoes" This Summer
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Connecting With Canoes:
Saturday, June 19
Saturday, July 17
Saturday, August 21
Saturday, September 18
Location: Blackstone River Watershed Council/Friends of the Blackstone
Sycamore Landing, 100 New River Road, Manville, RI
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"Connecting With Canoes" travels the border of Cumberland and Lincoln for 1.5 miles to a take-out on the Cumberland side of the Blackstone River above the Albion Dam.
On this stretch, Bald Eagles, Blue Heron, and many other birds and waterfowl have been spotted.
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At the take-out, paddlers will hike a short distance to one of the most beautiful overlooks on the Blackstone River. The total distance of the paddle is three miles with a duration of two hours.
Arrive by 9:30 a.m. Doors close at 9:45 a.m. Launch at 10 a.m.
In the event of rain, the paddle will be held the following day.
Cost: $30 per person. Includes use of canoe, life jackets, paddles, and instruction. Experience is not necessary. Water shoes and hats are recommended. Three people maximum per canoe.
Space is limited. Reserve by calling Bob Charpentier at 401-688-4416 or John Marsland at 401-644-3215.
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Join the Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council
On the Water and the Trails
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Enjoy the Woonasquatucket River Watershed this summer by bike, boat, and foot!
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BHC Launches Trash Responsibly Cleanups for Rivers Month |
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Cleanup projects are still being planned and will be announced on social media and BHC's website. Here is what we have so far:
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Tuesday, June 8 at 5:30 p.m.: Costa Park in Woonsocket, RI
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Thursday, June 10 at 5:30 p.m.: Shore Drive in Blackstone, MA
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Monday, June 14 at 5 p.m.: Carrington Street in Lincoln, RI.
- More sites to be announced!
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Do you see a hot spot that needs cleaning? Want to volunteer?
Pictured above is Costa Park at the corner of Fairmount Street and First Avenue in Woonsocket, RI.
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BHC Celebrates "Arts in the Parks" With Plein Air Painting |
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Join us Saturday, June 5!
Plein Air Painting
at Alternatives' Whitin Mill
1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Come paint with us outdoors! Enjoy painting in the media of your choice at the historic Alternatives’ Whitin Mill complex in Whitinsville with views of Whitin Machine Works, the 1826 Red Brick Mill, the Granite Cotton Mill, the Mumford River, and more.
This will be a non-instructional event with limited space. Current social distancing guidelines will be in place. Rain date is Sunday, June 6. Pre-registration required.
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Corridor Chats Is Back on June 26 |
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Corridor Chats Is Back!
Join us Saturday, June 26, for an overdue, in-person celebration! We'll be paying tribute to Pollinator Week, National Rivers Month, and National Great Outdoors Month!
Thank you to our friends at the Blackstone River Watershed Council/Friends of the Blackstone for hosting Corridor Chats at their Sycamore Landing property in Manville, RI, situated perfectly between the Blackstone River on the back and the Blackstone River Bikeway on the front! They have also built a large garden area, including a turtle-shaped pollinator garden! The garden project was funded in part by a grant from the Rhode Island Foundation.
We're also excited to announce afternoon-long performances of native music by the Eastern Medicine Singers, who will bless the pollinator garden in a special ceremony.
- Bring your bike for a guided ride to the Native Pollinator Garden at the Kelly House Museum (six miles round trip).
- Bring your canoe or kayak for a paddle on the Blackstone River.
- Bring your walking shoes for a guided Blue Mind walk along the river with BRWC/FOB's John Marsland.
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BHC Celebrates Pollinator Week! |
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Thank you to the following Pollinator Pledge signers:
Rhode Island College, Mass Audubon at Broad Meadow Brook Conservation Center and Wildlife Sanctuary, Metacomet Land Trust, Downtown Providence Parks Conservancy, Upton Conservation Commission, Hi-on-a-Hill Herb Farm, North Smithfield Land Trust, Blackstone Conservation Commission, Uxbridge Conservation Commission, Roots in Nature, The Ecotarium, Southwick-Daniels Farm/Daniels Farmstead Foundation, Burrillville Conservation Commission, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-West Hill Dam, Worcester County Beekeepers Association, Uxbridge Community Gardens, Blackstone River Valley Volunteers-In-Parks, Blackstone River Watershed Council/Friends of the Blackstone, Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council, Audubon Society of Rhode Island, Riverzedge Arts, Rotary Club of Blackstone Valley, and Douglas Orchard & Farm.
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Saturday, June 19
1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Pollinator Craft & Nature Tour with Mass Audubon Broad Meadow Brook Conservation Center & Wildlife Sanctuary
414 Massasoit Rd.
Worcester, MA
Photo courtesy of Mass Audubon Broad Meadow Brook.
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Tuesday, June 22
9 a.m. - 11 a.m.
Celebrate Pollinator Week with a guided walking tour along the Woonasquatucket River Greenway. Join Eric Larson from the Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council (WRWC) for a morning stroll to see pollinators in action in the many plantings he designed and implemented.
From bioswales to rooftop gardens and from pollinator meadows to a custom-seed blend, there is much to see and learn from WRWC’s efforts to support healthy pollinator habitats.
Meet at Riverside Park, 50 Aleppo Street, Providence, RI.
Photos courtesy of the Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council.
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Thursday, June 24
6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
On Zoom
The pollinators of the world are losing ground at an alarming rate. Take a look at what you can do on your property to encourage, assist, and help save pollinators.
We will look at the food, nesting, and sheltering needs of pollinators, as well as simple changes you can make to your gardens, maintenance schedule, and use of pesticides.
This workshop is being presented by Kim Calgano, an Audubon Society of Rhode Island Refuge Manager at Powder Mill Ledges Refuge in Smithfield, RI, and Fort Nature Refuge in North Smithfield, RI. Learn more at asri.org.
Participate in this unique Skills Workshop from the comfort of your own device. RSVP at the link below and you will be signed up to attend the virtual Skills Workshop. You can record your volunteer time under training. This workshop is open to the public.
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Saturday, June 26
11:00 a.m.. to 4:00 p.m.
1075 Lower River Road, Lincoln, RI
Stop by the new native pollinator garden at the Kelly House Museum and meet with the Rhode Island Wild Plant Society volunteers to learn about the plants selected for this garden and the important role they play in the ecosystem.
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Saturday, June 26
2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Join us for a bike ride between two pollinator gardens along the Blackstone River Bikeway! We'll meet at the Blackstone River Watershed Council/Friends of the Blackstone, 100 New River Road, Manville, RI. We'll ride three miles south to the Kelly House Museum to see the native pollinator garden sponsored by the Rhode Island Wild Plant Society. Meet Ranger Tyler from Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park, whose vision created the garden, and meet volunteers from RIWPS who donated the plants and volunteer to maintain the garden.
Bring your bike, helmet, and water. The ride is six miles round trip.
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CONGRATS TO OUR VOLUNTEER GRADUATES! |
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Abigail Epplett
College: Tufts University, Graduate School of Arts & Sciences
Degree: MA in Museum Education
Job: GS-7 Educational Technician and Big Thicket National Preserve
Volunteer Since: January 2020
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Eric Harris
College: Westfield State University
Degree: BS in Environmental Science
Internship: Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission
Volunteer Since: June 2016
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BHC SURVEY EXTENDED TO JUNE 30th! |
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YOUR OPINION IS VITAL!
Help Guide Our Region
in the Next 10 Years and Beyond
Please share a few minutes of your time to provide feedback in our survey on how best to steward the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor’s natural, recreational, and historic resources into the future.
Your comments and suggestions will help us to re-envision how collective change can happen based on the values and priorities of those who work, live, and play here in the National Heritage Corridor.
Please complete the survey by Wednesday, June 30, to make sure your voice is heard. All responses are anonymous. As a token of our appreciation for your feedback, you can enter an optional prize drawing at the end of the survey.
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SHARING IS CARING!
Please share this survey with others.
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Become a GearHead Junior Ranger |
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"Explore, Discover, Protect, and GO!"
The Junior Ranger motto is recited by children around the country, each taking an oath of their own to protect parks, continue to learn about parks, and share their own ranger story with friends and family. Here in the Blackstone River Valley, Junior Rangers are called GearHeads. What's a GearHead, you might ask?
GearHead (n.): a kid, powered by the gears in their brain, who explores nature, discovers history, protects the environment, and goes on adventures throughout the Blackstone River Valley.
Click through the GearHeads website and claim your Junior Ranger status today! Submit a completed activity, and we'll send you a Junior Ranger badge!
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From all of us at BHC, we wish you well and look forward to seeing you soon! |
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