Watch a short film on Habitat Restoration at Lake Canonchet
On Protecting Canonchet #1
The Master Plan
On Protecting Canonchet #2
Appropriate Uses
On Protecting Canonchet #3
Management of the Park
On Protecting Canonchet #4
Finance Issues
Photos:
Cleanup at Lake Canonchet
September 10, 2011
Charlie Lee Remembrance
February 6, 2011
Canonchet History
Who was Canonchet?
by Richard Vangermeersch
Canonchet Farm Master Plan
Town Council Holds Workshop on Planning Board Report
Our Response
October 21, 2010
Our Vision and Recommendations for Canonchet Farm
April 2009
Pictures
Guided Walks Fall 2010
Beech Grove Cleanup Complete
Cleanup - Day 4
October 31, 2009
Beech Grove
Cleanup - Day 2
October 9, 2009
Tom Wessels
Guided Walk
October 10, 2009
Other Links
Narrow River Preservation Association
Posted September 23, 2024; Updated October 3, 2024
Three Walks this Fall at Canonchet Farm
The Colors of Canonchet Farm:
A Walk and Talk about Dye Plants
in New England
Saturday, October 5 at 1:00 p.m.
Come join us for The Colors of Canonchet Farm: A Walk and Talk about Dye Plants in New Englandwith South County Museum's Executive Director and Curator Rebecca Kelly. The talk begins in South County Museum's fiber shed. Rebecca will share information about her ongoing research and natural dye practice. The museum is currently dyeing linen fabric in preparation for its community quilt project. The fall is a great time to forage for dye plants. Come and join the fun.
This talk and walk is sponsored by Friends of Canonchet Farm and is free and open to the public. For more information and to register for The Colors of Canonchet, visit the event listing on EventBrite.
Identifying Our Local Forest Trees
Saturday, October 19, 1:00 p.m.
Paul Dolan, Board member of the Rhode Island Tree Association, will lead a walk along the Canonchet Farm Trail and identify the trees encountered including Oaks, Maples, Sassafras and Beech and share his knowledge with participants. The trees should be in full Fall foliage, so this walk promises to be quite beautiful.
This in-person event will take place at the South County Museum and Canonchet Farm Nature Trail in Narragansett R.I.where you'll have the opportunity to explore the beautiful grounds and put your newfound knowledge to the test. Whether you're a nature enthusiast or just curious about the world around you, this event is perfect for anyone interested in trees and the environment. Don't miss out on this exciting opportunity to deepen your understanding of the natural world.
We will meet and begin our walk at the South County Museum parking lot. This talk and walk is sponsored by Friends of Canonchet Farm and is free and open to the public. For more information and to register for Identifying Our Local Forest Trees, visit our event listing on EventBrite.
What’s New Along the Nature Trail 2024
Saturday, November 2, 1:00 p.m.
Friends of Canonchet Farm President Tom Hoagland and Trails Chair Alan Woodmansee will lead a walk along the Canonchet Farm Trail and showcase the work of our volunteers, including removing invasive plants and cutting new trails. We will also see the rebuilt stone walls and boardwalks, and discuss what further initiatives will be undertaken in the next several years. Friends of Canonchet Farm is sponsoring this talk and walk, and it is free and open to the public.
Posted August 30, 2024
Join us for a Mushroom Walk!
Guided Walk at Canonchet Farm,
Sunday, September 8, 2024
10:00 a.m. to Noon
Get ready to explore the fascinating world of mushrooms! Ryan and Emily Bouchard of The Mushroom Hunting Foundation will lead the group along the farm's trails to find diverse summer mushrooms in their natural habitats, demonstrating helpful tools and techniques for collecting. They will discuss mushroom science and safety rules, putting special emphasis on the edible summer species that are considered "safe for beginners" to cook with. Don't miss out on this unique opportunity to connect with the natural world and discover the wonders of mushrooms! Meet at Metz Hall at the South County Museum.
This walk is sponsored by the Friends of Canonchet Farm and is free and open to the public.
Sign up for the event today; visit our post on Event Brite.
Posted June 19, 2024
As Seen at the 2024 Annual Meeting
May
16 at the South County Museum
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State Represenatives Carol Hagan McEntee (District 33, left) and Teresa Tanzi (District 34) present Tom Hoagland with a $3,000 Legislative Grant for Friends of Canonchet Farm. |
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Guest speaker Tom Rogers, President of the Rhode Island Land Trust Council, points out connections on the 
At the meeting, the Friends of Canonchet Farm recognized the efforts of Carol Prest and 26 other volunteers who in the last year put in more than 850 volunteer hours working on the trails, coastal ponds and gardens on Canonchet Farm.
Friends of Canonchet Farm Trustees: Sandy Menke, Alan Woodmansee, Bob Stepanian, Tom Hoagland, Marcia Izzi, Kevin McBride, Carol Prest and Beth Laliberte; not shown: Melissa Crawford and Richard VangermeerschPosted May 3, 2024; May 13, 2024; June 17, 2024
Thank you to all who participated in the walk and gathering
at the South County Museum on Saturday, May 11
to remember Kathie Kelleher.
It was a wonderful time!
Click here to see photos from the event.
Posted April 9, 2024
Eagle Scout Garret Murray Builds
a Bridge at Canonchet
(left) 9:00 a.m. a portion of a deteriorated boardwalk
on the Canonchet Farm Trail;
(right) 3:00 p.m. Garret Murray stands by a sturdy
replacement built under his leadership.
On Saturday, April 6, Eagle Scout candidate Garrett Murray of Narragansett led a group of scouts and dedicated parents in a long-needed and much anticipated effort to replace the old and deteriorating boardwalk along the Canonchet Farm Trail just east of the main vernal pond. The group began before 9:00 a.m. and wound up the work just after 3:00. Some segments of the old boardwalk have been salvaged and will be showing up along the trail in some of its notorious wet spots that currently do not have boardwalks to keep walkers out of the mud. We applaud and thank Garrett, his dad, Patrick Murray, and all the other folks who contributed to this community effort. And congratulations to Garrett, Narragansett's newest Eagle Scout!
Garret's crew at work on the boardwalk and then join him for a photo op.
Posted March 13, 2024; Updated April 5, 2024
Four Guided Walks for Spring 2024
Saturday, April 13, 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. (New Date)
The Naturalist Explores Amphibian Life
in Canonchet’s Vernal Pools
You won’t want to miss this afternoon talk and walk with noted science writer and environmental educator Bruce Fellman. We’ll start with an introductory talk inside South County Museum in Narragansett, followed by a walk to the vernal pools. While there are no guarantees as to what we’ll find, if you’ve explored with Bruce before, you know you can count on an entertaining and very informative experience.
Our walks are open to all ages, and school-age children (8 to 12 years) will especially enjoy this one!
Flashlights for looking into shaded pools and rubber boots might be a good idea. This guided walk is sponsored by Friends of Canonchet Farm and is free and open to the public. For more details and to register, click on this Eventbrite link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/bruce-fellman-explores-amphibian-life-in-canonchets-vernal-pools-tickets-861146701967.
Saturday, April 20, 10:00 a.m.
Canonchet Farm: A Tale of Money, Power,
and
the Public Good with Jim Crothers
Jim Crothers, former Executive Director of the South County Museum (and accomplished blacksmith!) brings a wealth of knowledge and interesting anecdotes to tell the story of Canonchet Farm. He’ll begin with the Narragansett Indians, colonial times, and take us through to the present day preservation of this woodlands treasure we have in the heart of Narragansett. Along the way, we’ll learn the changes made to the land by former users and owners.
Meet inside the South County Museum's Metz Building, 115 Strathmore Street in Narragansett. This is a rain or shine event and is sponsored by Friends of Canonchet Farm. It is free and open to the public. For more details and to register for this event, click on this Eventbrite link:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/canonchet-farm-a-tale-of-money-power-and-the-public-good-tickets-861747920227.
Saturday, May 18, 10:00 a.m.
Avian Life at Canonchet Farm with
Lauren Parmelee
The Audubon Society of Rhode Island comes to Canonchet Farm! Meet us inside the South County Museum’s Metz Building for a brief introductory talk, followed by a birding hike on our trails. Lauren Parmelee, Audubon’s Senior Director of Education, will share her vast knowledge of local birds and tips for learning how to identify them.
Bring binoculars if you have them or borrow a pair from Audubon. This guided walk is sponsored by Friends of Canonchet Farm and is free and open to the public. For more details and to register for this event, click on this Eventbrite link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/avian-life-at-canonchet-farm-tickets-861797548667.
Saturday, May 25, 10:00 a.m.
Silvermoon LaRose: Native American Heritage and Sustainability in Canonchet
We are delighted to host Silvermoon LaRose, Assistant Director of the Tomaquag Museum. For thousands of years, the Narragansett Tribe hunted, fished, gathered and farmed this area. She will share history, culture and traditional ecological knowledge. Her particular focus on this walk will be the ways Narragansetts revered and still practice sustainable use of the land.
Silvermoon will meet us and begin our walk at the South County Museum parking lot. This guided walk is sponsored by Friends of Canonchet Farm and is free and open to the public. For more details and to register for this event, click on this Eventbrite link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/native-american-heritage-and-sustainability-in-canonchet-tickets-861813275707
Remembering Kathie Kelleher
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Posted January, 3, 2024; Updated February 1 and March 1, 2024
March 24: History of the Watershed in Maps and Aerial Photos
Peter Stetson, President of Education Mapping Service, will show us interactive GIS mapping centered on the South County Museum and the Narrow River Watershed, and their history through aerial photography.
Click the Register button to reserve a seat at the March 24 presentation.
More information about the On Pettaquamscutt Winter Speaker Series
See the Friends of Canonchet Farm Home Page in 2023.
THE FRIENDS OF CANONCHET FARM was created in 2007 by a group of Narragansett residents who recognized this forgotten parcel of land could be preserved as a natural space for the community to enjoy. The group has evolved into a partnership with the Town to provide funding and volunteers for enhancing the property. We are committed to help create a natural park for the enjoyment and education of Narragansett residents and visitors.
Today Canonchet Farm is a green space unlike any other in Rhode Island. Comprised of 175 acres of fresh and saltwater wetlands, forests,brooks, and ponds abutting Pettaquamscutt Cove on Narrow River, the land is habitat for a wide variety of birds, plants, animals, and insects. The John H. Chafee National Wildlife Refuge owns ten acres of the land, while the remaining 165 acres belong to the Town of Narragansett. The original open fields of farmland have, over the years, grown into a thick forest of native and invasive plants and trees. Visitors and members will enjoy learning about the area on our popular guided walks, led by experts in the fields of nature, culture, and the sciences. With 1.5 miles of walking trails and proximity to the South County Museum, Canonchet Farm is a perfect venue for a day's outing.
HISTORY
Canonchet Farm's earliest inhabitants were the Narragansett Indians, followed by the first colonial settlers and farmers of the area. In 1865 Governor William Sprague and his wife, Kate Chase Sprague, purchased the property and constructed a sprawling sixty-eight-room mansion. They called the farm"Canonchet" after the renowned sachem of the Narragansett tribe. In 1909 the mansion burned to the ground. Now,only the stone framework remains from the original stable, which burned in 1960's.
LOOKING TO THE FUTURE
With the ongoing habitat restoration program, made possible by the support of donations and volunteers, the ponds are becoming visible from Boston Neck Road. A proposed linear park along the shores of both ponds with a landscape design of native plants begins to take shape. We also plan to install educational signage, offer programs for children, and hold courses in forestry management.
BECOME A MEMBER
Whether your interest is a quiet walk through the forest or the hands-on experience of preserving the environment, we invite you to join Friends of Canonchet Farm, and help support the natural development of this unique place in Rhode Island.
Photos by Bill Krul
The mission of the Friends of Canonchet Farm
is to improve, manage and
preserve Canonchet Farm
in partnership with the public
for the enjoyment
of present and future
generations.
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