Soaking Up the Last of Summer

As August comes to a close, we’re looking back on a summer filled with community, conservation, education, and plenty of time on the Westport River! In this issue, we’re celebrating highlights from our Gala & Silent Auction, sharing updates on our oyster monitoring efforts, and looking ahead to exciting education and community programs in the upcoming months.

There was so much happening throughout the watershed this summer, and we’re incredibly grateful to everyone who joined us to learn, participate, volunteer, celebrate, and support our work.

“With every drop of water you drink, every breath you take, you’re connected to the sea.”

— Sylvia Earle

A Special Day for the Westport River

What a wonderful evening! Our recent WRWA Gala & Silent Auction brought together friends, supporters, artists, and community members for a beautiful summer night celebrating the Westport River and the community that makes our work possible.

Guests enjoyed delicious food from The Westporter, fresh Spindrift Oysters, local beverages, and music from the Joe Mulholland Trio, along with an incredible Silent Auction featuring original artwork, unique experiences, and generous donations from our community.

A heartfelt thank you to our Gala Committee, artists, donors, and volunteers - and especially to Richard and Cece Armstrong for generously hosting us at beautiful Quansett Farm and helping make the evening so memorable.

We were honored to recognize former WRWA Board President David Cole and his wife, Betty Slade, for their years of dedication, and to celebrate a new chapter with the South Coast Osprey Project.

Thank you to everyone who joined us, donated, volunteered, and celebrated with us. It was a truly special evening honoring the Westport River and all those who care so deeply for it!

This summer, WRWA has been working with the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) to better understand oyster recruitment in the Westport River. This collaborative monitoring effort is an important first step in planning and evaluating future oyster reef restoration in the River.

The goal is to establish a baseline of oyster recruitment and environmental conditions before restoration takes place. By understanding what is happening naturally today, we will have a point of comparison for measuring changes after restoration projects are implemented.

Oysters begin their lives as free-swimming larvae in the water column. When they reach the point where they are ready to settle, they search for a suitable hard surface where they can permanently attach and develop into juvenile oysters, known as spat. Oyster larvae are particularly attracted to calcium carbonate, the material that makes up oyster shells and other shell material.

In natural oyster reefs, larvae commonly settle on the shells of older oysters, often referred to as cultch. Over time, generations of oysters build upon this shell base, creating the complex reef structure that supports continued recruitment. For this study, the recruitment tiles were specifically selected because they are made of calcium carbonate, providing a biologically relevant surface that mimics the shell material found on natural oyster reefs.

Click the link below to read more about the study and its findings!

Volunteer Spotlight: Joanne Chevrière

Sews with Love, Rooted in Community

This month, we are delighted to shine our Volunteer Spotlight on Joanne Chevrière, whose kindness, creativity, and generous spirit have made her such a wonderful part of the WRWA community!

Joanne has been part of Westport since 2013 and joined the WRWA volunteer team in 2022. After retiring in 2017, she began looking for meaningful ways to get more involved in her community. Joanne is also enjoying her time as a new grandmother.

Since joining us, Joanne has become a familiar and much appreciated presence at so many WRWA events. Always willing to lend a hand, she continually goes above and beyond, volunteering at Electronics Recycling Day, River Day, our Summer Concert, and annual Gala. Her generosity is matched by her skilled craftsmanship as Joanne is also a talented seamstress and has donated her beautiful handmade smocked dresses to our Gala Silent Auction each year.

Joanne’s love for community, creativity, and the natural world extends beyond WRWA. She is also involved with the Westport River Gardeners Club, where she enjoys learning more about plants while sharing her own knowledge and appreciation for ecology, as well as a local chapter of the Smocking Arts Guild in Wellesley.

Joanne says what first drew her to WRWA, and what has kept her coming back, is the warmth, appreciation, and welcoming spirit she felt from our team and community. We feel incredibly lucky that she found her way to us! Joanne brings that same warmth to everything she does, and her kindness and willingness to always pitch in have made a lasting impact on WRWA.

Thank you, Joanne, for all the time, talent, and heart you share with us. We are so grateful to have you as part of the WRWA team!

WRWA Calendar Contest 2027

Don't forget to vote!

Upcoming WRWA Events

LAST CHANCE TO REGISTER! 
Only 4 dates remain with limited space on each.

DUE TO STAFF AVAILABILITY TO PROVIDE TRIP INFORMATION
PLEASE REGISTER BY 2PM ON THURSDAY 9/3 FOR ALL REMAINING TRIPS

One to three spaces left per trip on:
September 2, 12, 18 or 19

These trips are meant for individuals or families who live in the watershed towns and don't have their own boat access to the Westport River.

• Up to 6 people allowed per trip
• Children ages 6 and up are welcome to attend
• Children 12 and under must wear a life jacket
• We have life jackets available but you are welcome to bring your own
• Departs from Cherry & Webb Lane

Electronics Recycling

Wednesday Oct. 7

9am - 11am

WRWA will host the very popular Electronics Recycling collection day, held at Westport Town Hall parking lot at 816 Main Road in Westport. We are pleased to once again partner with Indie Cycle to provide this service to the community. Indie Cycle accepts most electronic materials at no charge, with the exceptions listed in the link below:

Gooseberry Island Cleanup

Saturday, Nov. 7

10am - 12pm.



 Join the Westport River Watershed Alliance (WRWA) for a COASTSWEEP cleanup on Gooseberry Island to help keep this island free of trash and debris! Participants will be asked to record trash data along the way. Paper or app options are available. Bags and gloves will be provided. We will meet in the Gooseberry Island Parking lot. Download the Clean Swell App today to get started!​

FREE Open Days in the River Center

SAVE THE DATES



Fall Open Hours:

Friday and Saturdays, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

October 2-3: Spooky Adaptations - join us to learn about adaptations of animals we associate with Halloween. Activities on poison vs. venom, bat wings, spider webs, and more!

November 6-7: Dino Discovery Days - we'll take a journey through the Jurassic with activities on dinosaurs vs. birds, understanding climate from fossils, the great megalodon, and skeleton puzzles.

Community Events

Savor the Taste of Westport and Support WRWA!

Treat yourself to a Flight of Four Oysters featuring four signature varieties from Westport Sea Farms: Riptide • Beach Plum • Tabor Point • Spindrift

For every flight purchased, $13 will be donated to the Westport River Watershed Alliance, thanks to the generosity of Westport Sea Farms. You can purchase vouchers below, at our River Center (493 Old County Road, Westport, MA) or by phone 508-636-3016 ext. 1002., where you can then redeem it for your oyster flight at Westport Sea Farms.



You can visit Westport Sea Farm daily from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. at 2065 Main Road, Westport Point, and enjoy the freshest oysters harvested directly from our farms. Pair your oysters with locally selected beer and wine while taking in the charm of historic Westport Point.

Thank You to Our 2026 Business Sponsors