What Grows On in Rhode Island News

See the New Calendar!

What Grows On in Rhode Island has a NEW CALENDAR FORMAT, and I'm hard at work setting things up so we can all be in the know! It is already very useful, and I have many improvements in store.

I've made a subcalendar for the MOST RECENTLY ADDED EVENTS. I have added many more events to the Calendar in the past week than I have been posting in this blog, so be sure to take a look at the RECENTLY ADDED Calendar.

What Grows On in Rhode Island is also gathering all the Rhode Island (and neighboring Massachusetts and Connecticut) EARTH DAY & ARBOR DAY EVENTS into another subcalendar. Be sure to keep me posted on any and all Earth Day events so everyone can turn out and clean the place up in the last week or so of April ~ and plant some trees, too!

Audubon, Roger Williams Park Zoo, Clean Water Action, the West Warwick Jaycees, Apeiron Institute for Sustainable Living and some others are already submitting events. No cleanup or celebration is too small to be listed. The Calendar is updated daily so subscribe to it!

I have to go post some more events now ... ~ SK

REMINDER! ~ Land & Water Conservation Summit ~ March 15, 2008

From Apeiron (THERE ARE TWO BIG CONFERENCES ON SATURDAY THE 15th! This is one of them. The other is the Environment 2008 Conference in Boston):

2008 Land & Water Conservation Summit 

Saturday, March 15, 2008 8:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Location: URI Kingston Campus, Memorial Student Union Building
Sponsored By: 
  RI Land Trust Council
Narragansett Bay Estuary Program
RI Association of Conservation Commissions

Summit Program and Registration online at:
http://www.landandwaterpartnership.org

This day-long conference will provide You with the skills, information and connections you need to be effective!
- 30 Workshops with practical "how to" techniques and the latest information for community conservation leaders
- Networking with conservation leaders from across Rhode Island
- Keynote:  No Kid Left Inside - Commissioner Gina McCarthy, CT Dept. of Environmental Protection will discuss the importance of connecting families and children to the landscapes and watersheds that we are trying to protect.  No Child Left Inside is a response to the best selling book "Last Child in the Forest." The trend is that children don't go outside and play much anymore.  They don't ride bikes climb trees, or catch frogs as often as their parents did. The goal of No Child Left Inside is to unplug our kids and families from their computers, televisions, and electronic games and reconnect them to the natural world.

The Summit is THE Conference for Rhode Island's grass roots conservation leaders:  Land Trusts, Watershed Councils & Conservation Commissions
You Will Want to BE THERE!       Register On Line NOW!
Full Program & Registration:
www.landandwaterpartnership.org

REMINDER ~ Environmental Action 2008 Conference ~ March 15, 2008

From Apeiron (THERE ARE TWO BIG CONFERENCES ON SATURDAY THE 15th! This is one of them. The other is the RI Land and Water Summit):

Register now!
Environmental Action 2008
Saturday, March 15, 2008

New England’s largest conference for citizen activists protecting public health and the environment
ONE-ON-ONE TRAINING WITH THE EXPERTS – LEARN NEW SKILLS – NETWORK –BE INSPIRED

Join hosting organizations Toxics Action Center, Environment Massachusetts and the Massachusetts Climate Action Network, and dozens of cosponsoring organizations, including Clean Water Action and Alternatives for Community and Environment at the Environmental Action 2008 conference on March 15, 2008 at Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston.

Keynote Speaker: Gary Cohen is a founder and Co-Executive Director of Health Care Without Harm, the international campaign for environmentally responsible healthcare.  He is also the Executive Director of the Environmental Health Fund, which works on domestic and global chemical safety issues. He is the co-author of Fighting Toxics (Island Press, 1990) and the groundbreaking report, "The U.S. Military's Toxics Legacy."   

The conference will offer over 25 workshops to help you tackle climate change, ensure clean drinking water, phase out persistent toxic chemicals, and develop skills and strategies to create a healthy and safe community, including:

* Winning the Support of Elected Officials
* Fundraising 202
* Raise your Legislative IQ
* Detoxify Your House
* Interpreting Environmental Test Results
* The Update from Beacon Hill
* Local Activities to Combat Global Warming
*Water Privatization and Water Bottling

Roger Williams Park Botanical Center Educational Programs ~ March, April, May 2008

From URI Outreach Center at Roger Williams Park Botanical Center:

Orchids and Compost and Carnivorous Plants, Oh, My!

The URI College of the Environment & Life Sciences Outreach Center has outdone itself this spring with more than 25 classes for garden lovers, to be held in late March, April, and May at the Roger Williams Park Botanical Center in Providence.  There is simply so much in the Spring Catalog that I cannot list them here ~ I'm putting all the events in the new What Grows On in Rhode Island Calendar, so go there and do a keyword search on Botanical Center. [The photo is of one of the carnivorous plants in bloom last week, the American Pitcher Plants.]

I can't find a copy of the Spring Catalog online tonight, so I scanned the program calendar pages and  I am linking to the REGISTRATION INFORMATION and the REGISTRATION FORM.

Look through the Calendar and register soon. Space is limited.

Many of the classes are presented by Botanical Center partner groups: Gardening for Good, RI Orchid Society, the New England Carnivorous Plant Society., the RI Rose Society.... Other classes are taught by experienced horticulturists, URI professors of plant sciences, and URI Master Gardeners. Check the Calendar! Topics include lawn care, rose gardening, vegetable gardening, container gardening, tree and shrub planting and pruning, and  perennials.

Rain Barrels for Sale ~ Ongoing

From a post on the Summit Neighborhood (Providence) Association Email List:

[Ed. note: This year there are more sources of rain barrels in Rhode Island than ever before, giving us choices of size, color, style, etc.

Also see the Rhode Island Water Lady's website.

If you know of other local sources of rain barrels, add a comment to this post. SK]

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

The Narragansett Bay Commission is offering rain barrels for $68, 
which is about half of what other rain barrels go for. The barrels 
need to be ordered in advance, and can be picked up (in Providence) 
at the end of April. If you're interested, you can order one here: 
<http://www.nerainbarrel.com/Narragansett.html>

And here's a brief FAQ if you have no idea what I'm talking about:

What's a rain barrel?
It attaches to a downspout, and saves the rain water that falls on 
your roof. You can attach a hose, and use the water in your yard.

Can I drink or bathe in the water I collect?
No. Safe for plants, not for you.

Are these the pretty green ones I've seen in catalogues?
Nope, they're recycled blue ones, but you could paint them any color 
you want.

I have more questions! Where are you going?
Check the website for more information: <http://www.nerainbarrel.com/FAQ.html>

2008 Community Tree Conference - Working Outdoors Safely ~ March 11, 2008

From UMass Extension Landscape/Nursery/Urban Forestry Program:

2008 Community Tree Conference - Working Outdoors Safely ~ "Lets Be Careful Out There"

Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Stockbridge Hall
University of Massachusetts Amherst

A one-day conference for Arborists, Tree Wardens, Municipal Managers, City
Planners and Landscape Architects involved in the management of property, both
private and municipal. University of Massachusetts Extension, USDA Forest
Service - Urban Natural Resources Institute, and the Massachusetts Department
of Recreation and Conservation are sponsoring this annual conference.

Three pesticide contact hours available.
5.5 ISA, 5.5 SAF, and 1 MCA credits available. MCH and MCLP credits requested.

Sponsored by the University of Massachusetts Extension, the Massachusetts
Department of Conservation & Recreation (DCR), and the USDA Forest
Service.

For a registration form or to register online using a credit card, go to
<http://umassgreeninfo.org/>http://umassgreeninfo.org/

Hearing ~ Moratorium on Wind-/Wave-energy Project Applications ~ March 11, 2008

From Providence Business News:

CRMC Semi-Monthly Meeting. Narragansett Bay Commission, Boardroom, One Service Road, Providence, RI.
6:00 p.m.

PBN: "A public hearing on the proposal [of a one-year moratorium on applications from developers to build wind- and wave-energy projects in state waters] will be held at the Narragansett Bay Commission in Providence on Tuesday, March 11, at 6 p.m. All other business has been cleared from the meeting agenda, and the CRMC could vote on the proposal immediately following the hearing or could remand the proposal back to the agency’s staff for further study, CRMC spokeswoman Laura Ricketson-Dwyer said ..."

See the full Providence Business News article.

Winter Farmers' Market Providence ~ March 8, 2008

From Farm Fresh RI:

The warm temperatures of spring are upon, but it's not too soon to get Rhode Island's best fruits, veggies, and more.

Come to the Wintertime Farmers' Market in Downtown Providence for good food and fun.

Bread, cheese, apples, chocolate, coffee, spinach, Maine-grown heirloom beans, eggs, and more! Every week at the Wintertime Farmers' Market.

Every Saturday
AS220, 115 Empire St.
Downtown Providence
12-3 pm

Our friends at Johnson & Wales will be joining us this week, cooking up delicious recipes made with food you can buy at the market.

You can also enjoy the sounds of Old Time String Band as you peruse the tables for delicious treats.

We'll see you at the market!

Cheers,

Noah, Sheri, Jessica, and Sundeep

Organic Lawn Care Workshop ~ March 27, 2008

From Newport Restoration Foundation:

The Newport Restoration Foundation is hosting an Organic Lawn Care Workshop on Thursday, March 27 at Rough Point.

Want a beautiful lawn this spring? Come see new approaches to organic lawn care at Rough Point and discover how to grow healthy lawns and landscapes with a presentation by leading horticulture specialist, Chip Osborne. Enjoy an interactive workshop and a tour of Rough Point’s historic grounds, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. Learn how to keep your lawn healthy for you, your family, and the environment!

Thursday, March 27
10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.

Rough Point
680 Bellevue Avenue
Newport, RI 02840

Registrations required, contact:
Danielle Cavanna, 401-846-4152 or
[email protected]

$15 for Workshop
$10 for lunch (optional)

We appreciate your interest in the Newport Restoration Foundation. Thank you for your time.

Hearings on Cape Wind Draft Environmental Impact Statement ~ March 10, 11, 12, 13

From Bill Mott, The Ocean Project, and the Conservation Law Foundation:

Support Clean Energy:
Attend Upcoming Hearings on Cape Wind!

In the face of unprecedented warnings about global warming and the need to end our dangerous dependence on fossil fuels, Cape Wind presents an important opportunity to tap into abundant renewable energy. The 130-turbine Cape Wind project proposed for Nantucket Sound is the first large-scale offshore wind project in America. It can provide clean wind power for 75 percent of the Cape and Islands. 

This pioneering project has undergone more than six years of environmental and permitting review to date, and has been approved by the Massachusetts Energy Facilities Siting Board. But the environmental review of the project is still underway. In January, the U.S. Minerals Management Service (MMS) released a new Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the project. Click here to download the DEIS.

Now is your chance to voice your support for Cape Wind! Next week, four hearings will be held to gather public comment on the Cape Wind DEIS:

March 10:  Hyannis/Yarmouth, 6 pm, Mattacheese Middle School Auditorium, 400 Higgins-Crowell Road, West Yarmouth
March 11:  Nantucket, 5 pm, Nantucket High School Auditorium, 10 Surfside Road.
March 12:  Martha’s Vineyard, 5 pm, Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School Auditorium, 100 Edgartown-Vineyard Haven Road, Oak Bluffs.
March 13:  Boston, 6 pm, Campus Center Ballroom, University of Massachusetts-Boston, 100 Morrissey Boulevard, South Boston.

We encourage you to attend one or more hearings and let MMS know that clean renewable energy projects like Cape Wind are needed to begin to address the challenge of global warming. The environmental benefits of the project are expected to far outweigh any impacts.  MMS should move forward with fair and expeditious review and permitting so that this pioneering wind energy project can become a reality.

We hope that you will be able to attend!
- Sue Reid, Director, CLF MA Clean Energy & Climate Change Initiative