What Grows On in Rhode Island News

Norman Bird Sanctuary’s 35th Annual Harvest Fair ~ October 3-4, 2009

From Norman Bird Sanctuary:

Celebrate the Harvest!

Cross the monkey bridge, brave the mud pit, scale the greased pole, ride the “Mabel Express”, paint pumpkins…just a few of the activities at the Norman Bird Sanctuary’s 35th Annual Harvest Fair! Featuring over 80 crafters, a Home and Garden competition, field games, contests of strength and skill, food, and family-oriented entertainment, this weekend-long event is a good old-fashioned country fair. Come celebrate the fall season and see why so many have made the NBS Harvest Fair a favorite family tradition!

EVENT: Norman Bird Sanctuary’s 35th Annual Harvest Fair
LOCATION: Norman Bird Sanctuary, 583 Third Beach Road, Middletown, RI 02842
DATE & TIME: Saturday, October 3rd, and Sunday, October 4th 2009
10am – 5pm

TICKETS: $6 Adults $3 Children (ages 3-12) Under 3 free
For further information please call 401-846-2577

Environmental Volunteer Opportunities ~ September-October 2009

FYI, there are several volunteer opportunities in Rhode Island for environmentally minded folks. Go to What Grows On in RI and limit "Intended Audience" to "Volunteers" for the following:

• Water Quality Monitoring (Tomorrow, Sept 23)
• RI Wild Plant Society's Stiltgrass Pull (Sept 26)
• Save the Bay's Exploration Center Aquarium Volunteer Training (Sept 26)
• light pumpkins at the zoo (sign up now -- Jack o'Lanterns lit Oct 8-Nov 1)
• Norman Bird Sanctuary Harvest Fair (sign up now -- Fair is Oct 3-4)

I'm sure many environmental groups could use your help, and they'd all be glad if you joined! Everyone is struggling as donations lag, but there's still a lot to do even if the funding dwindles. Check out the video from Save the Bay's Exploration Center -- you could be there this fall, guiding children's discovery of marine life!

Upcoming RI Environmental Events ~ September 23 - October 1, 2009

From What Grows On in Rhode Island Calendar:

RI Wild Plant Society events for the fall and the URI Landscape Architecture Lecture Series for the school year are now in the Calendar. RIWPS has a seed exchange workshop on the 30th, and the Landscape lecture is Thursday night on caring for athletic fields.

The Ocean State is the perfect place for the third public meeting of the national Ocean Policy Task Force, September 24, 2009 at the Convention Center in Providence, 4-7pm. This hearing is for the entire East Coast. The link takes you to the meeting's press release, which includes another link to the task force website where you can submit comments.

Everyone is looking forward to Apeiron's First Sustainable Living Festival in Providence next Saturday, the 26th. It will be fun and informative. Also around the state on the 26th, you have several opportunities to unload hazardous stuff, e-waste, and even get documents shredded.

• Water Quality Monitoring Workshop ~ Sept 23
• Ocean Policy Task Force Meeting ~ Sept 24
• Sustainable School Summit ~ Sept 24
• Sustainable Living Festival (Providence) ~ Sept 26
• The Economical Historic Home ~ Sept 26
• E-Waste Fest ~ Sept 26
• Farmer's Daughter Harvest Festival ~ Sept 26-27
• Carnivorous Plant Show ~ Sept 26-27
• Weetamoo Woods Tour (Tiverton) ~ Sept 27
• Blackstone River Wilderness Tour ~ Sept 27

Also note:

• Electober Fest is October 1, brought to you by Clean Water Action.
• Interbike Fesitval OutDoor Demo East is at Roger Williams Park on Oct 10-11.
• Bioneers by the Bay is in New Bedford, MA, Oct 22-23
• Several International Day of Climate Action (350.org events) are planned around the state for October 24.

All of these events and more are listed in the Calendar.

Much more is in the Calendar than I can possibly mention here, so take a moment to check it out again. Bookmark, set up an RSS feed, subscribe to it.... See what's growing on in Rhode Island in the next few weeks.  Remember that you can also forward individual events information to your friends DIRECTLY THROUGH THE CALENDAR.

E-Waste Fest 2009 ~ September 26, 2009

FIRST ANNUAL E-WASTE FEST 2009 ANNOUNCES RECYCLED ITEMS LIST AND ENTERTAINMENT SCHEDULE
 
 
WEST WARWICK, R.I. On Saturday, September 26, Internet broadcast history will be made as worldwide mover, Arpin Group, joins forces with ABC6 (WLNE), Rhode Island News Channel 5, and Cartridge World to produce a televised festival focused on saving the environment.
 
E-Waste Fest 2009 is a folk festival and e-waste recycling collection event which will be broadcast live on http://www.ewastefest.com from the Arpin Group campus in West Warwick.  This daylong campaign will feature musical acts, entertainment and family activities.  A percentage of all donations received from electronic waste collections at E-Waste Fest will benefit Save The Bay, a Rhode Island-based non-profit committed to protecting, restoring and exploring Narragansett Bay.

RI Sustainable Schools Summit ~ September 24, 2009

From Apeiron Institute for Sustainable Living:

There is still room at the 2nd Annual RI Sustainable Schools Summit Thursday, September 24th 8:00am - 4:00pm at the URI Shepard Building at 80 Washington St., Providence, RI

 

Rhode Island Schools: Taking Strides to Sustainability
Attention Superintendents, Administrators, Teachers, Students, School Board Officials, Facilities Managers, Principals, Parents, School Green Teams and Community Members:
 
Join the Apeiron Institute for this FREE program as we take an in-depth look at some green initiatives in local schools and discuss ways to integrate environmental sustainability in school environments, school food systems, & curricula. 
Register for free at www.apeiron.org

Wildlife Flocks to Restored Salt Marsh ~ Gooseneck Cove, RI

From Save the Bay:

This great egret (photo by Jack Kelly) found an eel for lunch in the recently restored salt marsh of Gooseneck Cove.

He is just one of many species of wildlife returning to the cove since the completion
of a 13-year effort to restore a degraded salt marsh, which had sunk a significant three inches since 2004 and lost 14 acres of vegetation over the last 70 years.

See the results firsthand on this YouTube video.

On September 14, members of the state and federal delegations, including Senator Jack Reed and RI Senate President Teresa Paiva Weed, joined project partners and about 30 local Newport residents to celebrate the completion of this landmark project. Read the press release.

Visit our Gooseneck Cove Web page to learn about the history of this restoration project, view construction photos and a panoramic photo of the restored salt marsh, courtesy of Chris Blake, AerialVr.

Weekend Environmental Update ~ September 19-20, 2009

From Little Rhody's Biggest Environmental Calendar:

SATURDAY's (September 19th) menu includes:

• International Coastal Cleanup in more than 80 locations
• 3 other afternoon cleanups
• Open Garden Day in Providence (the poster has the wrong date because this event was postponded from last week)
• United Plant Savers Conference in Coventry
• 36th Harvest Fair at Coggeshall Farm in Bristol
• Waterfire

SUNDAY (20th) choices include::

• Coggeshall Farm's Harvest Fair continues
• Buffer Planting & Restoration Project
• Bird Banding (Audubon, Bristol)
• Blackstone River Wilderness Tour
• Autumn Advent at Kettle Pond Visitor Center
• Fish Ladder Groundbreaking Ceremony at Slater Mill Park, Pawtucket
• Wild Mushroom Walk at Kimball Wildlife Sanctuary
• The Impact of a Green Municipal Building in Tiverton

You can also keep up with news through the RI Feeds website which retweets on the ProvGardener's  Twitter. For more environmental news see:

• Feed of What Grows On in RI News Blog 
• Feeds of other RI environment-related feeds available for

• FOOD
• GARDENING, FARMING, LANDSCAPING
• NATURE/OUTDOORS
• GENERAL ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS

36th Coggeshall Farm Harvest Fair ~ September 19-20, 2009

The Harvest Fair at Coggeshall Farm is an annual event that began in 1973 and today attracts up to 5,000 visitors from across Southeastern New England.  Hours are 10am to 5pm on Saturday and Sunday, September 19 and 20, 2009.

Offerings at the Fair include quality vendors, traditional competitions, and unique entertainment.  At the heart of the Fair are live demonstrations of historic and traditional crafts and skills presented by artisans from across the Northeast.  It is this focus on artistry and craftsmanship that sets Coggeshall Farm’s Harvest Fair apart from other events, and makes it the valuable asset to the community it has proven to be for 35 years.

Admission

Adults $8.00
Member's, Seniors, and Children 6-12 $6.00
 Children under 6 - Free

Ocean Policy Task Force Public Meeting ~ September 24, 2009

Obama Administration Officials to Hold Ocean Policy Task Force Public Meeting
in Providence, RI, on September 24, 2009

PROVIDENCE, RI – Obama Administration officials will hold their third regional Ocean Policy Task Force Public Meeting in Providence, Rhode Island on September 24, 2009. The Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force, led by White House Council on Environmental Quality Chair Nancy Sutley, consists of senior-level officials from Administration agencies, departments, and offices.

Eclectoberfest ~ October 1, 2009

From Clean Water Action:

Thursday October 1, 2009    6-9PM

Hot Club 575 S. Water Street, Providence

Donation: $25 and up

Your support for our political programs is a long-term investment in preventing pollution, building an economy based on environmentally safe jobs and businesses, and empowering all Americans to take charge of our environmental future. Say YES to help educate and mobilize voters to elect pro-environment candidates!

RSVP to (401) 331-6972

Annie Costner and Sheila Dormody
Clean Water Action
www.cleanwateraction.org/ri/
741 Westminster St.
Providence RI 02903