The Norwalk River Watershed Association, incorporated in 1996, is a not-for-profit membership organization whose mission is to improve the water quality and aesthetic value of the 40,000-acre Norwalk River watershed; to encourage recreational use of the existing trails and open space; and to promote research, education, cooperation, and action on the part of the stakeholders in the seven watershed towns in CT (Ridgefield, Redding, Wilton, New Canaan, Weston, and Norwalk) and NY (Lewisboro).

Become a Norwalk River Watershed Association Member-Download Form. General members are invited to free programs and activities.  They also receive NRWA's newsletter "In the Mainstream," which lists activities and updates members on pertinent problems, progress, projects, and programs within the watershed.  Membership rates start at $30.  Please make your tax-deductable donation payable to NRWA, Inc., and send to the address below.

Norwalk River Watershed Association, Inc.
P.O. Box 197
Georgetown, CT 06829
877-NRWA-INFO

Email: info@norwalkriver.org

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NRWA Board Bios

Kristen Begor has lived in Wilton for 15 years and is currently serving as the interim Co-Chair of NRWA. Kristen holds a BS in Geology/Environmental Science from Dickinson College and an MS in Geology specializing in Hydrogeology from Syracuse University. After retiring from a professional career, Kristen has become actively involved with NRWA, Wilton Conservation Commission, Woodcock Nature Center, Wilton Garden Club, and Lake Sunapee Protection Association in Sunapee, New Hampshire.

David Havens has been a lifetime resident of Connecticut, splitting his time between Norwalk, Stamford and New Canaan. Dave is currently serving as the Co-Chair of NRWA. After growing up along the Norwalk River, Dave spent 6 years conducting full-time environmental fieldwork from 1971 to 1977, while also working for the Stamford Museum and Nature Center. Since 1977 Dave has worked as a science teacher for Pre-K students to Graduate Studies. He has been an active voice for environmental issues locally and nationally, working with several organizations such as Greenpeace, Earth First!, Audubon, Green Schools Alliance and NRWA. Along the way Dave earned two BS degrees and three graduate degrees in science as he continued to conduct research on a number of issues: Invasive Species, Open Space, Habitat Destruction, Breeding Bird Census and much more. Over the last few years, he designed and built a raised outdoor classroom and boardwalk through his school's wetlands, developed a plan to eliminate the 14 species of invasive plants that gained a strong foot hold on the property and taken his passion of teaching and environmental work to an international level with the Green Schools Alliance.

Louise Washer has lived in the Silvermine area, both in Wilton and Norwalk, for 17 years where she is raising three children. She graduated from Smith College and worked in magazine publishing in New York for 10 years. She is currently on the board of the Wilton PTSA, serves as Publicity Coordinator for the Wilton High School Band, and is the secretary of NRWA.

Mark Riser, a 15-year resident of Ridgefield, serves as Treasurer of NRWA. Mark works in private equity and holds a BS in engineering and an MBA. He is a life-long outdoors enthusiast and enjoys fishing and hiking Ridgefield's open spaces. Mark and his family live on Barry Road.

David Park was raised in the town of Weston and has lived in East Norwalk since 1985. He retired in 2006 after two careers including pollution control and safety engineer for several manufacturers. He now devotes his time to public service including chairman of the city of Norwalk Historical Commission and board member and secretary of the East Norwalk Improvement Association which operates the East Norwalk Library. David is an avid kayaker, an advocate for the stewardship of the Norwalk Islands and each year he documents the local active Osprey nests. In 2009, he authored a book titled, "Kayaking in and around the Norwalk Islands" which has become quite popular. He also enjoys canoeing all over New England and is a back yard bird watcher.

Dick Weisberg is a retired attorney. During his legal career he served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York and was an Assistant Regional Counsel in Region 2 of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which has jurisdiction over the states of New York and New Jersey, where he specialized in hazardous waste and water law.

Kitsey Snow has served on the NRWA Board for one year and on the Ridgefield Conservation Commission Board for four. A 20-year resident of Ridgefield, she is raising three sons and has been an active member of the PTA, serving in several positions. She helps oversee the many miles of hiking trails for the RCC and enjoys hiking and kayaking. She graduated from Wheaton College with a BA in psychology and worked in operations for Bankers Trust Co. in New York for seven years before moving to CT.

Elizabeth Craig lives in Wilton and joined the NRWA board after being a parent volunteer at Cider Mill School's River Study Program, which introduces fourth and fifth graders (and their parents) to the Norwalk River's rich fauna and flora, just a short walk from school. "As a runner, or just walking the dog, I enjoy being out on NRWA trails, the green spaces in Wilton certainly enhance the quality of life for residents and are well worth protecting". Formerly a librarian for Merrill Lynch, currently Wilton Garden Club Membership co-chair and secretary of the Wilton Track Association. Elizabeth works on the annual NRWA Photo exhibit which travels to libraries and community centers in the watershed towns and will be working with other NRWA board members to implement the America the Beautiful Grant NRWA and the Town of Wilton recently received for Allen's Meadows from the US/CT Forestry Dept.

From Our Annual Meeting on May 6th, 2009- See the recent article in the Norwalk Hour: Area rivers under yearly review.

Also, you can now view the presentations from the annual meeting, featuring our year in review photo slideshow, water quality updates from Dick Harris at Earthplace for the Norwalk River, and an overview of student projects in the watershed from Dave Havens at St. Luke's School.

Recent NRWA News

Grants - A series of helpful grants made a number of important projects possible.

• REI (Recreational Equipment Inc) grant of $5000 in 2009 to help fund work on the next proposed section of the Norwalk River Valley Trail that will extend from Union Park, north along Riverside Avenue to Route 123.

• America The Beautiful Grant, through the USDA Forest Service’s program on Urban and Community Forestry, of $5,425 in August 2010 to help fund the restoration and maintenance of meadow, forest and wetland habitat in Allen Meadows, a public park in Wilton, CT.

• Fairfield County Community Foundation grant of $10,000 in 2007 helped to fund the position of NRWA's part-time Executive Director.

• The Jeniam Foundation in 2007 gave a $5,000 grant to enable the Executive Director to add more hours each week for fundraising efforts.

• Connecticut DEP awarded a grant that made the printing and distribution of the brochure "How to Manage and Maintain Your Property" possible to Norwalk and Wilton residents this past June.

• Recently The Sounds Conservancy gave a grant of $250 to help NRWA revise its website - a summer project we hope to complete by September 2008.

Ongoing efforts during the past six months included work on the following projects:

• Funding for additional testing by Harbor Watch/River Watch to identify upstream sources of pollution in Ridgefield;

• Posting of the EPA 319 Grant data for water testing along the Norwalk River by Harbor Watch/River Watch at the site;

• More habitat restoration by removing invasive plants at the River Study Site and at Aldrich Park in Ridgefield;

• Poison Ivy control at the Geogetown Park site, deed wording, and plans for future work;

• Expansion of the River Ranger program;

• Organization of the spring show "Invasive Botanicals: Beauty and Beast," original art work by members of the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators;

• Continued negotiations to expand and improve the Norwalk River Valley Trail System; and

• Programs and hikes to educate the public about the watershed, its features, problems, and opportunies for action.

The Georgetown Eco-History Tour has become an annual event. Led by Brent Colley, the tour attracts huge crowds and includes stops all over Georgetown. Georgetown History slide shows are also presented by Brent Colley each year.

Heavily subscribed hikes prove that there is a great interest in the expanding trail system and that the trails are an effective way to get people's attention and to educate them about the proper ways to take care of the watershed and about the necessity for each person to do his or her part.

In addition to these ongoing outdoor projects NRWA signed on as an intervener on the Northeast Utilities proposal to expand its electical lines from Bethel to Norwalk in order to elicit more enviormentally sound plans and technology to provide additional service. The Sitting Council is still considering comments before making a decision on quantity, structures, and routes. NRWA has also given another grant to Harbor Watch/River Watch to expand its water-testing sites in Ridgefield farther upstream on Cooper Brook and on the Norwalk River near the Route 7 sewage treatment plant to monitor water quality and to pinpoint sources of sporadic pollution.