Join the walking book club, Fowler Afoot, to read The Boatman: Henry David Thoreau's River Years by Robert Thorson. Enjoy a discussion of the book while strolling along the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail. Meet at Fowler Library and walk to the trail together. If the weather doesn’t cooperate, we will meet inside. 1322 Main St.

Let’s learn about our rivers! Join us for hands-on experimentation during this 2-hour drop-in. Pick up your own copy of the River Ranger book and start earning your Junior River Ranger badge and certificate. Designed for kids 12 and under. Fowler Library, 1322 Main St.

This slide presentation will feature wildlife from Well Meadow, the pristine wetland off Fairhaven Bay on the Sudbury River. Well Meadow was a frequent destination for Henry David Thoreau. Ron McAdow’s trail camera monitors traffic on a beaver dam that crosses the swamp. We’ll see images and videos of the wide variety of animals that use this bridge: mink, otter, bobcat, and many other species. Thoreau kept an appreciative eye on Well Meadow vegetation—we’ll hear his observations about some of the plants that anchor this rich natural community. Sudbury Valley Trustees, 18 Wolbach Rd. Sudbury.

About the presenter: Ron McAdow is the author of The Concord, Sudbury, and Assabet Rivers and other books. He served for a decade as Executive Director of Sudbury Valley Trustees.

Join Renata Pomponi, Senior Director of Mass Audubon, for a guided walk of their newest sanctuary, Brewster’s Woods. This historic property along the Concord River was once the home of William Brewster, a noted ornithologist and Mass Audubon’s first president. Learn about the history of the property as a place of inspiration and connection to nature during a 1.2-mile roundtrip journey along the Fisher Trail, an all persons accessible trail, looking for wildlife and passing through a diversity of field, forest, and wetland habitats. Pre-registration required.

Join Rachel Wheeler and John Myers for a guided loop walk in the Concord Land Conservation Trust’s Wright Woods beginning at the Fairhaven Bay Overlook and exploring the trails along Well Meadow and the Sudbury River. This 300 acre woodland is located between Fairhaven Bay and Walden Pond. In addition to appreciating local flora and beaver activity, you will learn about the history of the property, the stone terraces and boathouse, and the family that loved and preserved these woods. The 2-hour walk will cover approximately 2 miles of moderate terrain. Pre-registration required.

Family Fishing & Festivities at Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge. Join us for a fun-filled day of hands-on activities. Bring a picnic to enjoy overlooking the beautiful Sudbury River. Rain (some activities only) or shine at the Refuge Headquarters. 73 Weir Hill Rd. For Information call 978-444-4661.

Learn about the Middlesex Canal, the greatest work of its kind in the United States until the Erie Canal. Kayakers can take out above the Billerica Falls Dam at the canal entrance/parking lot at 2 Old Elm St. and walk part of the canal that Henry Thoreau traveled between the Merrimack and Concord Rivers. For children, a Lego® canal playground, a watered model lock and a scavenger hunt. Find the pigeon, squeezable beaver, muskrat and three mice. Free, Middlesex Canal Museum, 71 Faulkner St.

Brian Harris, Wayland’s Conservation Department Land Manager, will lead a morning bird and butterfly walk at Wayland’s riverside Sedge Meadow Conservation Land. Meet at the Black Cat parking lot, located down a gravel road between 42 & 48 Glezen Ln. For more information, email .

Travel back in time as you paddle with Brian Donahue, Brandeis University history professor and expert on the Sudbury River. Paddle to Sherman’s Bridge through the wide meadows that prompted the founding of Wayland and Sudbury and hear stories of a fascinating and often contentious past. Meet at the Rte. 20 boat launch in Wayland. Bring your canoe or kayak and life jacket (required). Cars will be available at Sherman’s Bridge Rd. to shuttle you back. For more information: (508)-358-2980.