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In 2025 TRWA has grown at an unprecedented rate, and today we are asking you to support our continued growth in 2026 with a donation. Now more than ever, with the increasing threat to our environment, your support is so important. Because of you, our members, volunteers, and donors, our efforts to address these concerns, spread awareness, and provide educational programs have grown. Every contribution matters. With your generosity, we accomplished the following milestones in 2025:TRWA advocacy has resulted in the five upstream wastewater treatment plants being upgraded to remove the nutrients that cause algae blooms. The improvement in water quality has been dramatic. This improvement makes obvious the next water quality challenge we must advocate for which is better management of stormwater from both new and existing development.The TRWA Taunton River Festival at the Weir Village Riverfront Park on June 8th was a huge success! We were excited to have nearly 80 vendors, non-profit service organizations, and environmental organizations. We had a record number of attendees! New this past year was a children's scavenger hunt with prizes, boat tours offered by Riverhouse restaurant, additional food trucks, and a great line-up of diverse musical groups.As a member of the Taunton River Stewardship Council, we supported the creation of a new River Stewardship Grants program to assist communities in addressing blocked access points in the Taunton River and its tributaries. At our November 1st Annual Meeting we hosted a Special Presentation: Invasives Management and Habitat Restoration. With grant funding from the Taunton River Watershed Alliance, the towns of Easton and Mansfield implemented projects to address problematic invasives. Hear their project details including removals, native plant restoration, and the development of a comprehensive management program aimed at minimizing the spread. During the ten years of Northern Diamondback Terrapin Population Study we reached 481 tagged and documented individuals. These individuals were either trapped in the river or caught at the protection area. It is estimated that over 200 hundred nests are attempted by females at our primary protection area each year. Due to the size of the protection area we protect 20 nests, which have yielded 5 -30 hatchlings each. Over 900 hatchlings have been documented and released into the Taunton River.Our Bruce Spooner Education Center presented a record twenty-four programs and sponsored an elementary school program (linking saltmarshes to classical music) as a part of the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra’s Learning in Concert Program.Our Bruce Spooner Education Center’s Wildlife Series has grown with over 100 in attendance for Brian Bastarache’s talk on the Turtles of Massachusetts. We were grateful for our 2025 Communications intern Ahnika DeGrace from Bridgewater State who created valuable event graphics.We grew our recreational offerings with kayak lessons for children, a beautiful fall foliage paddle, and expansion of our popular guided walks. Many thanks to guides John Littlefield and Ellenor Simmons!We hired two new staff members, our Coordinator Melissa Benjamin and Education Center Program Manager Abby Abrahamson, as our growth has warranted more staff.And much, much more!We are in the midst of planning for an exciting 2026. You can expect continued water quality advocacy, climate change updates, and new educational programs, but we need your support to keep our forward movement going.Please consider a gift today! With sincere thanks,Richard L. ShaferPresident of the Board Taunton River Watershed Alliance