Walk the Rim at Easton's Pond Reservoir
Saturday May 4, 10am-11am
Join the first stop on the Rhode Island Episcopal Creation Care Watershed Pilgrimage to learn about and discuss the watershed challenges on Aquidneck Island, led by Alex Chuman Conservation Director at Aquidneck Land Trust . Newport’s water system is fed by a system of reservoirs located in Newport, Middletown, Portsmouth, Tiverton, and Little Compton. It is one of the only regional services crossing several municipalities. We are eager to discuss how Aquidneck Island residents can help improve our water and protect the water quality of our reservoirs.
Organized by Norman MacLeod & Emily Skeehan
Norman MacLeod is a retired Episcopal priest working to make the connection between faith, spirituality and environmental action. Emily Skeehan is a marine scientist with deep expertise in the field of adaptation and resilience in the face of climate change.
Participant Reflection
This walk was combined with the Watershed Walk led by the Episcopalian diocese, and so around 25 people gathered in the parking lot by Braga Field. Emily read us poetry about water and then asked us to walk in pairs along the rim and talk about what water means to us. I was paired with Alison from Sachuest and we discussed swimming pools. The awe of being submerged. Unease being in water -- it’s not where we are in charge.
When we got to the fence, Norm and Emily brought in some new ideas and we also heard from Alex from Aquidneck Land Trust. Big community feelings surfaced while talking on the edge: Why can’t we walk all the way around? Pros and cons of access for supporting understanding. Humans shouldn’t walk along the edge because we’ll contaminate our water supply. But if we’re allowed to walk along the edge maybe we’ll understand more about protecting it. Actions that people are taking on the Middletown vs the Newport side including advocating for boardwalks and other more environmentally supportive infrastructure. How can we combine efforts? Cost and cleanliness.
Emily asked us: “What does it mean that we live downstream?” Walking back I was paired with a woman from the Episcopalian diocese who’s lived in Newport since 1986. She told me a story about dancing with a seagull while going for a run along First Beach until the seagull unexpectedly flew straight into a car.
