Watershed Events
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Thursday, 3rd April 2025 4:00 pm
Soak Up the Rain with Rain Gardens, April 3
Presented by: Gardening for Life, together with Concord Public Works Department and OARS.
Melissa Simoncini and Chris Olbrot, Concord Public Works, and Alison Field-Juma, OARS, will talk about how the rain garden at Junction Park works to absorb, infiltrate and treat up to 30% more water than the same size area of lawn. What a beautiful way to reduce flooding and improve water quality!
Meet at the Fowler Library, and then walk to Junction Park—or, join us at the Junction, and park at the West Concord Train Station. Please email RSVP by Wednesday, April 2. Space is limited to 15.
Read more about rain gardens.
Extra bonus: Learn how you can get your own Rain Barrel to capture water from your roof and store it for later use on lawns, gardens or indoor plants.
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Wednesday, 23rd April 2025 7:00 pm
Water Chestnut Mapping of the Assabet, Sudbury, and Concord Rivers (OARS' talk)
Sue Flint and Alison Field-Juma will present the results of two years of mapping the invasive water chestnut plant in the Assabet River, and one year of mapping it throughout the Assabet, Sudbury, and Concord Rivers.
Learn about the impacts of water chestnut, where it comes from, and the prospects for managing it. They will be providing several ways that residents can get involved in keeping this serious threat under control!
This is the Friends of the Assabet River NWR’s Annual Meeting. A brief business meeting will proceed the presentation. The talk is free and open to the public.
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Wednesday, 30th April 2025 7:00 pm
Wild & Scenic Film Festival
OARS is proud to host our 6th Annual Wild & Scenic Film Festival, a selection of 2014 award-winning films from the nation’s largest environmental film festival. The films share stories of love for the outdoors, activism, and an awareness of change in the natural world.
Join us on Wednesday, April 30 for an evening of humor, adventure, and inspiration.
The film festival is a great opportunity to bring our community together around local environmental issues, inspire advocacy, and offer people (like YOU) a way to get involved locally.
When: Wednesday, April 30, 2014
Time: 7 - 10 pm (doors open at 6 pm)
Where: Maynard’s newly renovated Fine Arts Theatre Place$12 General Admission, $30 Join OARS (new memberships) plus Admission
Maynard’s EJ Labb as emcee! Raffle Prizes! Sponsor Giveaways! Snacks, Soft Drinks, Wine, and Beer available for purchase!
Order Tickets (advance purchase recommended)
Ticket sales coming to Serendipity in Maynard soon!
Tickets will be sold at the door, first-come-first-serve.Thirteen films ranging from 3 to 40 minutes will be shown. Here’s a sneak preview:
A Brief History of the 5-cent Bag Tax: When your city is overflowing with plastic bags, how will you react? Jack Green, head of the Department of the Environment, is on a mission to rid the city of its plastic bag scourge. 
Hidden Rivers of Southern Appalachia: Southern Appalachia is a little-known hotspot for aquatic life and is home to some wildly diverse fish, mussels, salamanders, crayfish and other critters. Hidden Rivers takes an immersive look at the little-known creatures of these waters, their striking beauty and extreme vulnerability. The film reminds us all that biodiversity is everywhere and rivers are always deeper than you think! 
Momenta: Communities in the Pacific Northwest are at a crossroads—be a gateway for dirty coal, or say ‘NO’? You might not think it, but their choice will affect us all. Power comes in many forms. Can their actions help to ignite a clean energy economy? 
Field Spotlight: Monique Pool, founder of the Green Heritage Fund Suriname, finds herself “slothified” after an area of forest in Suriname is cut down. Monique rescues more than 200 animals, mostly sloths, and brings them to an emergency shelter, which also happens to be her home. National Sponsors
If you are interested in sponsoring this event, please contact or call 978-369-3956.
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Wednesday, 11th June 2025 11:48 pm
RiverFest
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Vestibulum id ligula porta felis euismod semper. Donec ullamcorper nulla non metus auctor fringilla. Morbi leo risus, porta ac consectetur ac, vestibulum at eros. Integer posuere erat a ante venenatis dapibus posuere velit aliquet. Donec sed odio dui. Nullam id dolor id nibh ultricies vehicula ut id elit. Nullam quis risus eget urna mollis ornare vel eu leo.
Maecenas sed diam eget risus varius blandit sit amet non magna. Fusce dapibus, tellus ac cursus commodo, tortor mauris condimentum nibh, ut fermentum massa justo sit amet risus. Praesent commodo cursus magna, vel scelerisque nisl consectetur et. Cras justo odio, dapibus ac facilisis in, egestas eget quam. Cras justo odio, dapibus ac facilisis in, egestas eget quam. Cras justo odio, dapibus ac facilisis in, egestas eget quam. Cras justo odio, dapibus ac facilisis in, egestas eget quam.
Cras mattis consectetur purus sit amet fermentum. Aenean eu leo quam. Pellentesque ornare sem lacinia quam venenatis vestibulum. Nullam quis risus eget urna mollis ornare vel eu leo. Nullam id dolor id nibh ultricies vehicula ut id elit. Duis mollis, est non commodo luctus, nisi erat porttitor ligula, eget lacinia odio sem nec elit. Integer posuere erat a ante venenatis dapibus posuere velit aliquet.
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Saturday, 20th September 2025 9:00 am
OAR’s Annual River Cleanup
Save the Date. Details coming this summer.
Soak Up the Rain with Rain Gardens, April 3
Thu Apr 3 16:00:00 2025
Presented by: Gardening for Life, together with Concord Public Works Department and OARS.
Melissa Simoncini and Chris Olbrot, Concord Public Works, and Alison Field-Juma, OARS, will talk about how the rain garden at Junction Park works to absorb, infiltrate and treat up to 30% more water than the same size area of lawn. What a beautiful way to reduce flooding and improve water quality!
Meet at the Fowler Library, and then walk to Junction Park—or, join us at the Junction, and park at the West Concord Train Station. Please email RSVP by Wednesday, April 2. Space is limited to 15.
Read more about rain gardens.
Extra bonus: Learn how you can get your own Rain Barrel to capture water from your roof and store it for later use on lawns, gardens or indoor plants.
Water Chestnut Mapping of the Assabet, Sudbury, and Concord Rivers (OARS' talk)
Wed Apr 23 19:00:00 2025
Sue Flint and Alison Field-Juma will present the results of two years of mapping the invasive water chestnut plant in the Assabet River, and one year of mapping it throughout the Assabet, Sudbury, and Concord Rivers.
Learn about the impacts of water chestnut, where it comes from, and the prospects for managing it. They will be providing several ways that residents can get involved in keeping this serious threat under control!
This is the Friends of the Assabet River NWR’s Annual Meeting. A brief business meeting will proceed the presentation. The talk is free and open to the public.
Wild & Scenic Film Festival
Wed Apr 30 19:00:00 2025
OARS is proud to host our 6th Annual Wild & Scenic Film Festival, a selection of 2014 award-winning films from the nation’s largest environmental film festival. The films share stories of love for the outdoors, activism, and an awareness of change in the natural world.
Join us on Wednesday, April 30 for an evening of humor, adventure, and inspiration.
The film festival is a great opportunity to bring our community together around local environmental issues, inspire advocacy, and offer people (like YOU) a way to get involved locally.
When: Wednesday, April 30, 2014
Time: 7 - 10 pm (doors open at 6 pm)
Where: Maynard’s newly renovated Fine Arts Theatre Place
$12 General Admission, $30 Join OARS (new memberships) plus Admission
Maynard’s EJ Labb as emcee! Raffle Prizes! Sponsor Giveaways! Snacks, Soft Drinks, Wine, and Beer available for purchase!
Order Tickets (advance purchase recommended)
Ticket sales coming to Serendipity in Maynard soon!
Tickets will be sold at the door, first-come-first-serve.
Thirteen films ranging from 3 to 40 minutes will be shown. Here’s a sneak preview:
|
A Brief History of the 5-cent Bag Tax: When your city is overflowing with plastic bags, how will you react? Jack Green, head of the Department of the Environment, is on a mission to rid the city of its plastic bag scourge. |
|
Hidden Rivers of Southern Appalachia: Southern Appalachia is a little-known hotspot for aquatic life and is home to some wildly diverse fish, mussels, salamanders, crayfish and other critters. Hidden Rivers takes an immersive look at the little-known creatures of these waters, their striking beauty and extreme vulnerability. The film reminds us all that biodiversity is everywhere and rivers are always deeper than you think! |
|
Momenta: Communities in the Pacific Northwest are at a crossroads—be a gateway for dirty coal, or say ‘NO’? You might not think it, but their choice will affect us all. Power comes in many forms. Can their actions help to ignite a clean energy economy? |
|
Field Spotlight: Monique Pool, founder of the Green Heritage Fund Suriname, finds herself “slothified” after an area of forest in Suriname is cut down. Monique rescues more than 200 animals, mostly sloths, and brings them to an emergency shelter, which also happens to be her home. |
National Sponsors
If you are interested in sponsoring this event, please contact or call 978-369-3956.
RiverFest
Wed Jun 11 23:48:00 2025
Aenean lacinia bibendum nulla sed consectetur. Morbi leo risus, porta ac consectetur ac, vestibulum at eros. Duis mollis, est non commodo luctus, nisi erat porttitor ligula, eget lacinia odio sem nec elit. Vestibulum id ligula porta felis euismod semper.
Vestibulum id ligula porta felis euismod semper. Donec ullamcorper nulla non metus auctor fringilla. Morbi leo risus, porta ac consectetur ac, vestibulum at eros. Integer posuere erat a ante venenatis dapibus posuere velit aliquet. Donec sed odio dui. Nullam id dolor id nibh ultricies vehicula ut id elit. Nullam quis risus eget urna mollis ornare vel eu leo.
Maecenas sed diam eget risus varius blandit sit amet non magna. Fusce dapibus, tellus ac cursus commodo, tortor mauris condimentum nibh, ut fermentum massa justo sit amet risus. Praesent commodo cursus magna, vel scelerisque nisl consectetur et. Cras justo odio, dapibus ac facilisis in, egestas eget quam. Cras justo odio, dapibus ac facilisis in, egestas eget quam. Cras justo odio, dapibus ac facilisis in, egestas eget quam. Cras justo odio, dapibus ac facilisis in, egestas eget quam.
Cras mattis consectetur purus sit amet fermentum. Aenean eu leo quam. Pellentesque ornare sem lacinia quam venenatis vestibulum. Nullam quis risus eget urna mollis ornare vel eu leo. Nullam id dolor id nibh ultricies vehicula ut id elit. Duis mollis, est non commodo luctus, nisi erat porttitor ligula, eget lacinia odio sem nec elit. Integer posuere erat a ante venenatis dapibus posuere velit aliquet.
OAR’s Annual River Cleanup
Sat Sep 20 09:00:00 2025
Save the Date. Details coming this summer.
