Craig Wood honored with NRPA's Friend of the River Award

At the 49th Annual Meeting of the Narrow River Preservation Association (NRPA), Narragansett resident Craig Wood was honored with the W.E.R. Friend of the River Award.

Wood was honored for developing NRPA’s Osprey Education Program and bringing it to hundreds of students and community members, for being NRPA’s liaison to the Narrow River Land Trust, and for his service to the Narrow River Preservation Association.

The W.E.R. La Farge Friend of the River Award is given each year to an individual or organization whose work in protecting the river reflects the spirit of W.E.R. La Farge, a founding member of NRPA.

Five years ago, Craig Wood created and lead NRPA's Osprey Education Program. Since its inception in 2014, the program has grown from the fourth grade classes taught by Wood’s wife, Carolyn, to four local elementary schools in 2019: Monsignor Clarke School, Narragansett Elementary School, Peace Dale Elementary School and Wakefield School. Just this past year his educational program about ospreys reached more than 400 fourth grade students in local schools. Wood has also shared his program with camps and senior citizen organizations.

Wood initiated the purchase of NRPA’s own stuffed osprey, affectionately known as Pette, to enhance the osprey education program.

Furthering NRPA’s osprey program, Wood was the driving force behind a new osprey nest platform installed along the Narrow (Pettaquamscutt) River in March 2019, a collaboration between Narrow River Preservation Association and Narrow River Land Trust. The full realization of his vision will be the addition of a webcam to that platform giving everyone a 24 hour view of the osprey in their natural habitat with a wide panorama of Pettaquamscutt Cove in the background.

Wood serves on the Narrow River Preservation Association Board of Directors and on the Narrow River Land Trust Board of Directors, maintaining a strong link between the sister organizations.

Julie Sharpe, Narrow River Land Trust President remarks about Wood: “He didn’t sit on the sidelines of our Board meetings for very long. He is not one to consider Board meetings as a spectator sport. He listens well, and when he speaks, his thoughts and ideas are well-considered and helpful. He likes to get things done and he’s got lots of ideas, but he is patient. He is a consensus builder because he appreciates the efficiencies of working with a team and enjoys the shared success. He is humble and believes in the strength of collaboration.”

An active Board member in every way, Wood drives the informational poster about the animal featured in NRPA’s Road Race logo each year, heads up the 5K start of the Road Race and volunteers most years as a kayak spotter at the Narrow River Turnaround Swim. This year marks his tenth year as a volunteer monitor with NRPA's River Watch Program.

Wood’s wife, sister, brother and mother were on hand for the surprise honor last Thursday at the Coastal Institute Auditorium at the URI Graduate School of Oceanography. Wood credits his mother, Jean Wood, for inspiring his love of the environment.