The Providential Gardener

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 →

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 →

RhodeMap RI Economic Development Plan Hearings ~ October 27 & 28, 2014

The RhodeMap RI draft economic development plan is currently in a public comment period. This week, Mike Stenhouse published highly critical remarks about the initiative, and Greg Gerritt has also expressed critical views about the plan on his blog, Prosperity... Read more →

New Food Producers Network ~ Meeting October 21, 2014

Are you a small food business in RI? Want to meet others in your field? Join the New Food Producers Network & connect with your food entrepreneur peers to discuss all the opportunities and challenges. Next Gathering: Tuesday 10/21 6... Read more →

Neil Steinberg: The high cost of ignoring tomorrow

Neil Steinberg: The high cost of ignoring tomorrow. This op ed by the CEO of the Rhode Island Foundation appeared in the Providence Journal Monday, September 22. I hope you read it already, but if not, click the link above... Read more →

Time Banking Comes to Rhode Island

"A Time for Transformation: Banking on Families & Communities to be the Change" was the title of the 2011 TimeBanks USA conference held at Brown University this past weekend (August 4-7). More than 150 people attended from as far away... Read more →

Rhode Island ~ The Denmark/Sweden of the Northeast?

Recently I spent about two weeks in Denmark and Sweden. It's inspiring to see what can be done differently regarding environmental policy implementation. I think someone should arrange to send every Rhode Islander, and especially our political leaders, to Copenhagen... Read more →

Tom Horton, Ecosystem Restoration, and the New Economy

Sigh. We set goals, and then things happen. It always seems to take longer to achieve success than we can ever imagine. That's what struck me as I reviewed my notes from the 7th Annual Land & Water Summit held... Read more →