The Providential Gardener

Providential Gardener Has a Newer Website!

It may look like I haven't done much since last year, but I am hard at work developing another website that already has a RI Organization Directory with more than 850 listings, a News Service that brings together news feeds... Read more →

Implementing Rhode Island's Wildlife Plan

Yes, we are all preoccupied at the end of the year with parties, end-of-year activities, special events, and family get-togethers, and so who has time to read all of The State Wildlife Action Plan draft documents? There are 7 chapters... Read more →

Happy World Soil Day!

When you woke up today, chances are you didn't know that December 5, 2014, is designated as World Soil Day. So now you know! There are so many "Days" set aside to remember all sorts of things. Everyone (in the... Read more →

Public Meetings on RI 2015 Wildlife Action Plan ~ December 8, 9, 11, 2014

The Department of Environmental Management’s Division of Fish and Wildlife will hold a series of public meetings next week in South Kingstown, Smithfield, and Bristol to discuss the 2015 Wildlife Action Plan (WAP) and how it relates to conservation in... Read more →

Hearing on Ocean Habitat ~ December 2, 2014

The New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) is conducting a public hearing December 2, 6-8pm at the Radisson Airport Hotel, 2081 Post Road, Warwick, RI, to solicit comments on Draft Omnibus Habitat Amendment 2 including the Draft Environmental Impact Statement... Read more →

Buy Local RI

Rhode Island is famously at the bottom of the economic prosperity pile, with a stagnant business climate, so what's a Rhode Islander to do? Let's stop worrying about this and do something! Specifically, we can spend whatever money we have... Read more →

Threats to RI's Species of Greatest Conservation Need & Their Habitats

The RI draft Wildlife Action Plan is ready for review, and this week they've added a few more sections. I am briefly describing the content of each chapter, and I encourage you to review the plan and comment. Public attention... Read more →

How Providential Gardener Describes "The Environment"

Most of us never give this much thought -- the librarians* among us are most likely to think about this, but even many librarians find cataloging boring and tedious. The fact is that everyone automatically categorizes everything every waking moment.... Read more →

Rhode Island's Wildlife Habitats

Habitat is the subject of chapter 2 of the 2015 RI Wildlife Action Plan. The draft plan is ready for public comment and meetings in December. RI's key habitats are described in the context of the larger northeast region, which... Read more →

Thanksgiving Feasts and Winter Farmers Markets

The Rhode Island Community Food Bank is talking turkey these days. As we plan our celebrations, many of us also think of sharing with our neighbors who are having a hard time. Rather than bringing a real turkey to the... Read more →

Want a Flourishing Garden? Take Care of the Soil!

Farmers probably know this, but all gardeners may not: the most important thing about growing plants is to take care of the soil. When the soil is full of nutrients and microbes, your vegetables and flowers will thrive. Natural Resources... Read more →

Time to Comment on Rhode Island's 2015 State Wildlife Action Plan

The Endangered New England Cottontail Among the several plans that shape our state's development is the State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP), which is now being revised. Everyone has a chance to read it and to comment on it at public... Read more →

Love the Bay? Help Clean it Up November 15, 2014

The State of Rhode Island surrounds a spectacular body of water, Narragansett Bay, and all Rhode Islanders live less than an hour from our 400-mile coastline. We have just 39 cities and towns, but more than half of them have... Read more →

Public Access to the Rhode Island Coast ~ A Constitutional Right

Do you know that access to the shoreline is the constitutional right of all Rhode Islanders? It is, and although other state constitutions such as Hawaii's declare that shorelines belong to the public, Rhode Island goes further. According to Beachapedia,... Read more →

Rhode Island Passes the Transportation and Clean Water/Open Space Bonds

Once again, Rhode Islanders strongly supported infrastructure and environmental bond issues on the 2014 ballot. Thank you, forward-thinking Rhode Islanders! These are important, essential, investments in our future. The Transportation bond will do the following: Create more well-paid construction jobs... Read more →