Each year, Sakonnet Preservation hosts several types of education outreach programs, whether in person or via Zoom. Please see the links below, and scroll down to learn more.
Upcoming Events
Environmental Movie Series
Speakers Series
Engagement at Wilbur-McMahon Schools
Upcoming Events
Bats in Rhode Island: Their Natural History & Importance to Society
DATE: April 10 from 6pm to 7pm. Little Compton Community Center. Admission is free and open to all. No registration is required.
Dr. August will explore the fascinating biology and behavior of Rhode Island’s bat species, offering insights into topics including global bat diversity, the annual cycles of local bats, white-nose syndrome and its ecological impact, and the remarkable economic value bats provide through pest control and pollination services.
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Stone Wall Workshop – Old Skills, Good Times: Hands-On Workshop
Rain Date: Saturday, April 25 — 9.30am – 12pm
Workshop Details
Join us for the second hands-on outdoor workshop focused on maintaining Little Compton’s historic dry stone walls. Led by experienced stonewaller and local historian Luke Driver, this 2.5 -hour session is designed for adults interested in both the heritage and practical techniques of traditional stone walling. Participants will continue restocking the existing stone wall, while learning to identify stones by shape, color, and texture and learn about cap-stones.
Not ready to lift stones? No problem!
If you’re interested in learning but not physically able to participate, please come along to watch. Observers are welcome and encouraged — there’s plenty to see, hear, and learn!
What You’ll Learn
- Safety practices and proper body mechanics for working with stone
- Basic techniques for diagnosing and repairing single-stack fieldstone walls
- History – Glacial melt and how to identify stones by shape, color, and texture.
- Cap-Stones – How to fabricate
Participants will observe live demonstrations, practice in small teams, and have the opportunity to work on their own section of wall. No experience necessary and observers are welcome.
This workshop is open to all—whether you’re eager to build or simply curious to learn more about this centuries-old craft.
All skill levels and physical abilities are encouraged to join. This is an inclusive, educational, and engaging experience for everyone.
Facilitator: Luke Driver
As a teenager in the 1970s, Luke Driver fell in love with Little Compton’s fieldstone walls, spending summers apprenticing with stonemason George Medeiros. After serving as a deep-sea diver in the U.S. Navy, Luke earned a BA in history from Brown University and a master’s in public education administration.
While building a career in public education, Luke kept stonewalling as a side business. In 2019, he left education to return to his roots as a full-time stonewaller. Now semi-retired, Luke is certified by the Dry Stone Walling Association of Great Britain and actively advocates for the preservation of historic stone walls. He’s passionate about passing on his skills to the next generation.
To register for this event, please click THIS LINK: EVENTBRITE
Past Events
WORKSHOP – Growing Together: All About Seeds Workshop
* Facilitator: Lizzie Hunt & Annie Bayer of Plant Community LLC
* Date: Saturday, January 24, 2026
* Time: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
* Location: Little Compton Community Center
Workshop Details
This 3-hour program will explore exciting ways to work and design with seeds to build habitat resilience, garden beauty, and deeper connections with our landscape. The hands-on portion will include activities to help you “read” a seed head, understand seeds through different ecological relationships, and practice seed cleaning and winter sowing techniques. This class is for all levels of adult native plant enthusiasts, whether you have experience and want to build a stronger relationship with the plants in our landscape, or if you are a total beginner who isn’t sure where to start. Seeds allow us to start from the beginning and relearn concepts that we may have overlooked.
We will be sowing native seeds for a Sakonnet Preservation project during this workshop, and participants are encouraged to bring a container to sow seeds to take home as well. Registration is required and space is limited to 30 participants. Once the workshop is full, a waitlist will be created.
Please click here to REGISTER – All About Seeds – Lecture & Hands-On Workshop
Facilitators: Lizzie Hunt & Annie Bayer of Plant Community LLC
Lizzie Hunt is the owner of Plant Community LLC, a plant nursery in East Greenwich, RI, focused on the propagation of plants that are genetically specific to her local region, and the community necessary to support them. She teaches in the Landscape Architecture department at Rhode Island School of Design, including a new course, ‘Site Work’ focused on creating a more attentive, and reciprocal relationship between people and local biodiversity through creative land care, and design experimentation. She has worked in several Landscape Architecture offices doing ecological design, at Denver Botanic Gardens collecting seeds from mountain tops, and on research grants from the National Science Foundation. Lizzie is endlessly in love with plants, and passionate about how beautiful and integral they are for life’s abundance.
Annie Bayer approaches her teachings by drawing from her experience of farming and ecology. She is currently leasing land on the Seapowet Marsh in Tiverton RI, where she is growing out native seeds and shrubs for propagation. These plants and seeds will primarily be used for restoration projects, as well as getting them into the hands of farmers to increase their diversity on the margins of their farm fields. She adores watching the Night Herons on the marshes as the sun is setting and has been joyfully learning and working with Lizzie at Plant Community for the past year.
Stone Wall Building Workshop with Like Driver.
Saturday, September 27, 2025
* Time: 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
* Location: 51 Willow Ave
* Parking: North side of Magan Way near the sweet sum trees or on the grassy area at Luke Driver’s property
Workshop Details
A hands-on outdoor workshop focused on maintaining Little Compton’s historic dry stone walls. Led by experienced stonewaller and local historian Luke Driver, this 3-hour session was designed for adults interested in both the heritage and practical techniques of traditional stone walling.
What You learned:
* The rich history of dry stone walling in New England and its European roots
* Safety practices and proper body mechanics for working with stone
* Basic techniques for diagnosing and repairing single-stack fieldstone walls
Participants will observe live demonstrations, practice in small teams, and have the opportunity to work on their own section of wall. No experience necessary, and observers are welcome.
Honoring Our Loved Ones, Honoring the Earth: Options Beyond the Conventional Funeral with Viennia Booth.
April 11, 2025. Doors open at 6.00 PM. The event starts at 6.30 PM
Learn about family-led post-death care through personal stories and practical guidance. This discussion will cover logistics, networks, and legal considerations for family and community involvement in post-death care. Discover meaningful, environmentally conscious alternatives that empower families to care for loved ones at their time of death.
Dr. Numi Mitchell – Fascinating Insights on Coyotes and How We Can Coexist Harmoniously – 
On February 14th, renowned researcher Dr. Numi Mitchell, co-creator of the groundbreaking Narragansett Bay Coyote Study, presented an informative program focused on coyotes—our often misunderstood wild neighbors—and how we can live harmoniously alongside them. With years of experience studying the behavior and ecology of coyotes, Dr. Mitchell provided valuable insights into their role in the ecosystem and shared practical strategies for peaceful coexistence. To view more information, please click HERE.
Native Plants & Seeds with Emily Dutra of Butterfly Effect Farm. – ‘Gardening for Wildlife with Native Plants’ took us through how to transform your backyard into a thriving wildlife sanctuary with simple, sustainable gardening practices! Emily Dutra, owner of Butterfly Effect Farm, revealed how native plants can create a vibrant ecosystem right outside your door. Garden choices can support local pollinators, attract birds, and contribute to biodiverse conservation while requiring less maintenance and fewer resources than traditional landscaping.
Documentary Double Feature
- “Green Buffalo – Building Homes Out of Hemp”
- “Misunderstood – A Brief History of Hemp in the US”
An enlightened evening of documentary films and expert discussion exploring hemp’s role in sustainable agriculture and construction.
Featured speaker Bill Braun, farmer at Ivory Silo Farm in Westport and co-founder of Freed Seed Federation, shared his firsthand experience growing hemp in the local region. As executive director of the nonprofit Freed Seed Federation, Braun leads initiatives promoting sustainable, community-based seed cultivation. Joining him as an unexpected but welcome addition was Zack Miller, who shared his experience of building a hemp house using blown hempcrete in Cape Cod. Together, their enthusiasm and firsthand insights provided valuable and insightful views of Hemp and its possible applications.
United Congregational Church of Little Compton – 63rd Annual Church Fair – Saturday 13th July, 2024.
We attended the Annual Church Fair on Saturday, July 24, 2024, and brought a large assortment of seasonal natural materials so that the children and adults attending could make a mandala. A small selection of the photos are below, but to view them all, please CLICK THIS LINK.
Earth Day Event – Little Compton Community Center – Saturday April 13, 2024.
On Saturday, April 13, 2024, we joined other local environmental groups at the Little Compton Community Center to celebrate and promote Earth Day, which this years fall on Monday, April 22, 2024. We brought a large assortment of natural materials that had been collected so that the children attending (and adults) could make a mandala. A small selection of the photos are below, but to view them all, please CLICK THIS LINK.
2023 Annual Meeting
July 19, 2023 | 7pm | Little Compton Community Center
The featured presenter will be Heather Holm, a nationally recognized expert on bees and wasps. Holm will address the fascinating world of these beneficial pollinators and the native plant communities that support them. She is active on Facebook and Twitter, and her website has a wealth of information. Start learning from Heather here.
Photograph by David Joles, Star Tribune (MN).
Environmental Film Screenings
Each winter, we sponsor a series of environmental film screenings at the Little Compton Community Center, free for all ages. The doors open at 6:30 PM and the films begin at 7 PM.
2023 films included:
- The Messenger (where to watch online)
- Seed: The Untold Story (where to watch online)
- Microcosmos (watch online through The Internet Archive with very brief French-language narration)
Speakers Series
Sakonnet Preservation has hosted many interesting speakers over the past few years, and recordings of these can be found HERE. Our most recent speakers were Greg & Weatherly Bates. To view a recording of the presentation, please click the picture below.
Greg & Weatherly Bates – Little Compton Raised to Raising Alaskan Mariculture
March 17, 2023
Engagement at Wilbur-McMahon Schools
2019 Field Trip to Simmons Mill Pond with Wilbur-McMahon students.
In collaboration with science and math teachers, 5th & 6th grade students visited the Simmons Mill Pond Preserve for their annual half-day visit for exposure to its public trails, local birds, plants, trees and habitat as part of their curriculum. Leadership was provided by Stewardship Director Adam Yorks, retired science teacher Sue Theriault, and birding expert Bob Emerson. Previous local guides have included conservation landscape architect John Gwynne.
This year’s 7th graders visited the PT Marvell Preserve. When they reach 8th grade, they will help us develop interpretive information for the Preserve that the public can enjoy.
