Canoe the Fort River

The Ocean River Institute assists groups closest to wildlife and natural areas to educate more widely, to preserve flora & fauna, to conserve landscapes & seascapes, to advance ecosystem-based adaptive management, and to remediate environments.

Fort River Festival, Amherst MA, Saturday, May 30th 2009

Getting Ready

Set Go Ducks!

ORI Duckies go down the Fort River to Victory

Common School students raise funds in support of the Rushing River Institute

The Fort River Festival is designed to be a day of river science, family fun, and a look into the history and function of the Fort River for the communities of Amherst, Hadley, and the surrounding towns. Special attention will be paid to watershed education, community use and river conservation opportunities, and the shared history that the entire community, particularly Amherst and Hadley, have with this beautiful resource.

Look Out! Duck Lookout, Got Duck?

To the Horizon, Duck and Paddle Notes

About the Fort River:

The Fort River is the longest free-flowing tributary of the Connecticut River in Massachusetts. Its watershed provides all the water supply for the town of Amherst. With heavily forested uplands and a relatively high degree of land protection in the watershed, water quality is sufficiently good that the Fort provides core habitat for native fish (including species of special concern such as bridle shiner), invertebrates such as the federally listed endangered dwarf wedgemussel, and at least four other state-listed mussels species (Ethan Nedeu, unpub. data). The river provides "habitat" for residents of Amherst and Hadley as well: several public recreation areas are situated along the river including swimming holes, the Groff Park playground, and the Norwottuck Rail Trail and bike path. Its accessibility and central location within the Five College area make it a prime resource for research, education, and public outreach.

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