From Plant to Paper: Art, Ecology, and Community

What happens when art meets ecological restoration? Along the Woonasquatucket River Greenway, even invasive plants can become an opportunity for creativity while doing something good for you local habitats. 

On October 18, the Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council (WRWC) welcomed approximately 50 community members to Plant to Paper: Papermaking and Ecological Stewardship, a hands-on workshop creating connections between art, plants, and environmental care.

Hosted along the Greenway in Providence, the event brought together WRWC’s Nuestros Bosques program, local artists Vic Xu, Katelyn Lipton, and MJ Sanqui, and community partners, including the Northern Rhode Island Conservation District (NRICD) and Interlace Commons, for an afternoon of creativity and ecological stewardship.

Turning Invasive Plants Into Paper

Using plant materials collected along the Greenway, participants learned how to transform tree of heaven, glossy buckthorn, and mugwort into handmade paper.

The workshop began with WRWC’s Kuno Haimbodi introducing participants to the ecological challenges posed by invasive plants, particularly mugwort, which thrives in disturbed soils and can prevent native trees and shrubs from naturally reestablishing themselves.

Through Nuestros Bosques, WRWC is working to restore these landscapes by removing invasive vegetation and planting hundreds of native trees and shrubs this fall.

Participants even had the opportunity to contribute directly to these restoration efforts, pulling remaining mugwort from a nearby planting area before bringing it to the papermaking stations.

Under the guidance of Vic, Katelyn, and MJ, participants experienced the entire papermaking process, from boiling and breaking down plant fibers to blending, screening, pressing, and drying their own sheets of handmade paper.

The artists shared their personal relationships with these plants, exploring their histories of migration, their connections to human movement and colonization, and the ways artistic practices can encourage more thoughtful relationships with the natural world.

Rather than viewing invasive plants solely as problems to eliminate, the workshop invited participants to consider how creativity, ecological understanding, and acts of care can work together.

Bringing People Together Along the Greenway

With the workshop taking place directly along the Greenway, neighbors walking and biking past were able to stop, observe, participate, and learn more about the restoration work happening in their community.

The afternoon demonstrated how public green spaces can serve as places for much more than recreation. They can become outdoor classrooms, creative studios, and gathering places where people connect with their environment and one another.

Through programs like Nuestros Bosques, WRWC continues to create opportunities for community members to participate in urban forest restoration while building lasting relationships with the land.

Celebrating Our Artists and Partners

A huge thank you to Vic Xu, Katelyn Lipton, and MJ Sanqui, whose creativity, knowledge, and thoughtful approach made this workshop possible. Their work demonstrated how art can help us reconsider our relationships with plants, landscapes, and the histories that shape them.

We are also grateful to our partners at the Northern Rhode Island Conservation District (NRICD) and Interlace Commons for supporting this collaboration, and to everyone who joined us to learn, create, and care for the Greenway.

Special thanks to Kuno Haimbodi and the Nuestros Bosques team for connecting this artistic experience with WRWC’s ongoing restoration efforts.

This project was made possible in part through support from the Interlace Grant Fund, a regranting partner of The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, and the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts, through an appropriation by the Rhode Island General Assembly, a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, and private funders.

From invasive plants to handmade paper, this workshop reminded us that environmental stewardship can take many forms, and that creativity and community are powerful tools for caring for the places we share.

Interested in getting involved? Explore upcoming restoration events, workshops, and volunteer opportunities at wrwc.org/events.

Connect With Our Artists & Community Partners

A special thank you to the incredible artists and community partners who helped bring Plant to Paper to life! We encourage you to explore their work, follow their projects, and stay connected.

Katelyn Lipton

Vic Xu

MJ Sanqui

Northern Rhode Island Conservation District (NRICD)

Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council (WRWC)

Keep Learning: Resources & Further Reading

Interested in learning more about the plants, restoration practices, and papermaking techniques explored during the workshop? Our artists and community collaborators shared these resources to help you continue learning.

Invasive Plant Management & Ecological Stewardship

These resources were shared by Robyn Graygor, who is working with the Invasive Plant Brigade.

Plant Identification & History

Handmade Papermaking

What’s Next? Help Us Grow the Greenway!

Reforestation Planting Day / Día de Siembra de Reforestación

Sunday, November 22, 2026 | 12:00–4:00 PM

Location: Painted shipping containers along the Greenway, 133 Aleppo Street, Providence

Rain Date: December 6

The restoration work continues! Join WRWC’s Nuestros Bosques team for a community planting day as we bring new life to an area of the Greenway where invasive mugwort was recently removed.

Together, we’ll plant native tree saplings and shrubs to help restore forest habitat, support local wildlife, and strengthen Providence’s growing urban forest.

No experience necessary! All tools, materials, and refreshments will be provided. This event is free, bilingual (English and Spanish), and open to everyone.

REGISTER FOR REFORESTATION PLANTING DAY

Interested in helping plant even more trees? We’re also recruiting volunteers for upcoming bare-root tree planting opportunities. Join our tree planting contact list!

Through Nuestros Bosques, WRWC brings neighbors together to care for urban forests, learn from nature, and build stronger communities. We hope to see you on the Greenway again soon!