What Grows On in Rhode Island News

Annual RI Envirothon Competition ~ May 18, 2012

2012 Annual Rhode Island Envirothon Competition at Goddard Memorial State Park in Warwick, RI; U.S. Senator Sheldon WhitehouseWill Present at Awards Ceremony

Rhode Island Envirothon, Inc. will hold its annual competition on Friday, May 18, 2012 beginning at 8:30 a.m. and ending at 1:30 p.m. at Goddard Memorial State Park in Warwick, RI. U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse will speak and present the awards at the awards ceremony.

The one-day event marks the culmination of a year of dedicated, hard work for high school students from around the State who will compete in teams of five to address environmental issues in four subject areas which include aquatic ecology, forestry, wildlife, and soils and land use, plus one special environmental issue which changes annually.

For 2012, the environmental issue is the “Low impact development and non-point source pollution”. Schools participating in this year’s event include The Blackstone Academy, Coventry High School, The Greene School, Narragansett High School, Scituate High School, and The Wheeler School. The winning team has the opportunity to represent Rhode Island in the Canon North American Envirothon which will take place in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania July 22-27, 2012.

Envirothon is an environmental education program available to high school students where they take classes and participate in workshops on subjects including aquatic ecology, forestry, wildlife, and soils and land use. The mission of RI Envirothon, Inc. is to cultivate a desire in students to learn more about our natural environment, develop a greater appreciation of our dependence on the environment, and promote a sense of personal stewardship of natural resources to enhance the quality of life for all in Rhode Island.

RI ENVIROTHON ANNUAL COMPETITION
Friday, May 18, 2012 8:30-1:00
Goddard Memorial State Park, Warwick, RI

Schedule of Events

8:30-8:45 Registration - Pavilion
8:45-9:00 Welcome/Orientation - Pavilion
9:00-9:25

• Written Test – Low Impact Development - Pavilion
• Judges Meeting - Carousel
• Advisor Workshop on Rangeland – Boat House

9:30 Advisor Share Out - Pavilion
9:30-9:55 1st Test Station
10:00-10:25 2nd Test Station
10:30-10:55 3rd Test Station
11:00-11:25 4th Test Station
11:30-11:55 5th Test Station
12:00-12:30 Lunch - Pavilion
12:30-1:00 Awards Ceremony – Pavilion, Presented by Senator Sheldon Whitehouse

ROTATION: Soils → Aquatics → Wildlife → Forestry → Orals

Fall Fishing Classes ~ September - October 2011

DEM'S AQUATIC RESOURCE EDUCATION PROGRAM OFFERING SALTWATER AND FRESHWATER FLY-FISHING WORKSHOPS, A FLY-TYING PROGRAM, AND FLY-FISHING TRAIN SAFARI ON AQUIDNECK ISLAND THIS FALL

 
            PROVIDENCE - The Department of Environmental Management’s Division of Fish and Wildlife will hold several fishing programs this fall. Hosted by the Division's Aquatic Resource Education program, the fee-based programs include an introduction to saltwater and freshwater fly-fishing, a fly-fishing trip via train around Aquidneck Island, and fly-tying. Pre-registration is required for most programs.

            The introduction to saltwater fly-fishing program will be held on Saturday, September 24 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the US Fish and Wildlife Service's Kettle Pond Visitors Center in Charlestown.  Premier fly-fishing instructors will teach participants fly-tying, casting techniques, and knot-tying. All materials and equipment are included with the $35 per-person registration fee. Lunch is not included, so participants should pack a lunch. The program is open to adults and children age 10 and older.
 
            The introductory workshop on freshwater fly-fishing will be held at Addieville East Game Farm in Mapleville on Saturday, October 8 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.  Whether you are a beginner or need a refresher course, this workshop will cover all the basics on freshwater fly- fishing. Top Rhode Island fly-fishing instructors will teach casting techniques, fly-tying, tackle needs, and knot-tying. Participants will also put their skills to work on the water.  The workshop is open to everyone 10 years of age and older.  All materials and equipment are included with the $35 per-person registration fee. Lunch is not included, so participants should pack a lunch.

            A fly-fishing safari around Aquidneck Island on the Old Colony Train will be held on Saturday, October 15 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The train will stop at several remote public access fishing areas around the island. Fly-fishing instructors will offer advice on the best flies and fly- fishing tactics. The program is designed for advanced beginner, intermediate, and advanced fly- fishing anglers, and is perfect for those who have already participated in the Introduction to Saltwater Fly-Fishing workshop and would like to hone their fly-fishing skills while fishing.  Pack a lunch and your chest waders and join other anglers on this fishing adventure.  All other equipment, including flies, is provided with the $35 per-person registration fee.

            From October 27 to December 8, fly-tying classes will be held each Thursday (except November 24) from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the North Kingstown Community Center. Professional fly-tyers will teach beginning and intermediate fly-tying techniques for both freshwater and saltwater fishing. Cost of the program is $6 for each class or $30 for all six sessions. Pre-registration is recommended, although walk-ins are accepted.

            For additional information and for registration materials, contact Kimberly Sullivan in DEM’s Aquatic Resource Education program at 539-7333 or via e-mail at [email protected].

Knowing Your Trees ~ September 10 & October 22, 2011

What tree is that? This is a familiar refrain that, unfortunately, has kept too many of us from enjoying a good night's sleep,  a second helping of pasta, or even a delicious double espresso as we ponder the mystery of the leafy specimen we just encountered while on our daily walk.  Well trouble yourself no more.  Thanks to RITree you can learn the plant's identity by attending RITree's "Knowing Your Trees" program- giving you plenty of time for these other delights!  "Knowing Your Trees" is a series of three workshops on the 100 most common shade trees, conifers and plant ornamentals found in Rhode Island.  Participants will learn how to identify these plants from their leaf, bud, fruit and flowering characteristics.  The cost for each workshop is $65.00 per member ($85.00 non-members) includes a workshop manual and lunch.  Only 30 seat are available per workshop, so please register as soon as possible to avoid missing out. 

Common Shade Trees of Rhode Island - Saturday, September 10, 2011  Location: FMM, 399 Fruit Hill Ave, North Providence, R.I.

Common Conifers of Rhode Island- Saturday, October 22, 2011     Location: FMM, 399 Fruit Hill Ave, North Providence, RI  

Common Plant Ornamentals of Rhode Island- February 2012 TBA

Source: RI Tree Council eNewsletter

The State of Our Oceans ! March 29, 2011

2011 Vetlesen Lectures in Celebration of the 50th Anniversary

of the University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography
 

The State of Our Oceans
 
Join us for the first in this series of lectures! The public is invited to attend these free events. If you cannot attend in person, watch the series live at uri.edu/vetlesen.
 
March 29 -- The Last Great Frontier -- Robert Ballard, professor of oceanography and GSO alumnus, shares his passion for the ocean’s depths and his quest to better understand and preserve our waters for future generations.
 
The world’s oceans once seemed too large to be affected by human activities.  But they have proven to be a canary in the coal mine regarding global change.  This series will explore recent advances in our knowledge of ocean environments and important questions about how to increase public understanding of the state of our oceans.
 
Events take place on Tuesday evenings at 7:30 p.m. in Edwards Auditorium on URI’s main campus in Kingston. Handicap accessibility is available via a ramped entrance on the east / Upper College Rd side of the building.
 
Please visit uri.edu/vetlesen for current lecture series information and directions, or contact the URI Honors Center at 401.874.2381 or [email protected].
 
 
Sponsored by the G. Unger Vetlesen Foundation and the URI Graduate School of Oceanography, with support from the URI Coastal Institute, Honors Program, College of Arts & Sciences, Harrington School of Communication and Media, and Rhode Island Sea Grant.

URI Master Energy Program Begins ~ April 4, 2011

URI to offer Master Energy Program to train residents
to save energy, protect environment

Six-session program begins April 4

 

Residents of East Greenwich, North Providence, South Kingstown & Warwick receive a 50% discount

KINGSTON, R.I. – March 10, 2011 – The University of Rhode Island Outreach Center is again offering its popular training program aimed at teaching Rhode Islanders how to save money, protect the environment and support RI’s green economy through energy efficiency measures and the use of renewable energy and alternative fuels.  The program also covers the latest information on state and federal incentives, legislation and policy, and cutting edge research. The six-session Master Energy Program, which begins Monday, April 4 at 6:00 p.m., will be held on URI’s Kingston campus.  Succeeding two-hour sessions will be held on Mondays and Wednesdays and one Thursday through April 21.
   
“This is a great opportunity for Rhode Island residents and business owners who are concerned about rising energy costs and want to learn concrete steps they can take to improve their buildings’ energy performance,” said Marion Gold, Director of the URI Outreach Center.  “After completing the program, not only will participants will be equipped to pluck the low-hanging fruit of the energy world, but they’ll also have a better sense of our big picture energy challenges and what’s being done to address them.”

The Master Energy Program was launched in 2008 and was met with great enthusiasm from registrants.  Modeled after the URI Master Gardener program and the URI Master Composter & Recycler program, the Master Energy Program will be taught by a series of local experts in a variety of energy-related fields.  Past speakers have included representatives of Alteris Renewables, National Grid, RI Office of Energy Resources, University of Rhode Island, RI Energy Efficiency and Resource Management Council, Environment Northeast and Ocean State Clean Cities.

Included in the twice-weekly sessions will be lessons on measuring your consumption, surveying your building, implementing low-cost/no-cost energy solutions, taking advantage of financial incentives and assessing small-scale renewable energy installations.  Participants will also learn about trends in national and global energy consumption and production, current state and federal energy policy and “big thinking” efforts to move Rhode Island toward a sustainable energy future.

A course fee of $100 will be charged to each registrant. Residents of East Greenwich, North Providence, South Kingstown and Warwick are eligible for a 50% discount as part of the EPA Climate Showcase Communities project. For more details and registration, visit www.uri.edu/cels/ceoc .  For more information, contact Rachel Sholly at 401-874-5558 or [email protected].

 Download Master Energy Program Spring 2011 Brochure

RI Coverts Cooperator Class [Wildlife Habitat Preservation] ~ April 15-17, 2011

FOREST OWNERS NEEDED TO MANAGE FOR WILDLIFE HABIATAT

[Press Release]-- RIRC&D President Harriet Powell announced that the 4th annual RI Coverts Cooperator Class will be held at URI’s W. Alton Jones Whispering Pine Conference Center, April 15 - 17, 2011.

The RI Coverts Project is a program of the RIRC&D and its partners designed to educate woodland owners on sound forest management practices that can make wildlife healthier, more diverse and abundant. Its goals are to create a network of landowners and opinion leaders who are able to work on wildlife and forest management issues and serve as a source of information to other landowners, their organizations and communities.

A “coverts” (pronounced kuh-vert) is an old English word that refers to a thicket that provides sheltering cover for wildlife. This year, up to twenty woodland owners will be chosen to participate in the two and onehalf day workshop that focuses on forest ecology and stewardship, wildlife management and land conservation. The training consists of both indoor and field sessions, as well as informal time to learn from fellow participants. In addition, each participant is given materials to take home. All costs of the seminar including meals, lodging, and reference materials, are covered with the exception of the registration fee which is only $100.00. In exchange, we will ask participants to return to their communities and share what they’ve learned with others and to become part of a state-wide coverts cooperator network. Participants will be kept supplied with reference materials that allow them to either answer questions on forest and wildlife management, or direct the questioner to the proper professionals.

Now in its 4th year, the project has trained 57 landowners from across the state through its two and one-half day workshop that focuses on forest ecology and stewardship, wildlife management and land conservation. A model of a successful conservation, the participating landowners cumulatively own and manage 1,771 acres and manage another 6,199 acres for other people and/or groups.

Powell said that,”We hope that more woodland owners will participate in the project and serve to promote the sustainability of Rhode Island forests.”

Anyone interested in participating in the program, or who would like more information, should contact Paul Boisvert, RI Coverts Project Coordinator, at: 401-822-8878 or email at [email protected].

The RI Coverts Project is sponsored by the Rhode Island Resource Conservation & Development Area (RIRC&D), the University of Rhode Island - Department of Natural Resources Science (URI), the RI Chapter of the Ruffed Grouse Society (RGS), the RI Department of Environmental Management Division’s of Fish and Wildlife (DFW), and Forest Environment (DFE), USDA-NRCS, and the RI Forest Conservators Organization (RIFCO).

Become A FrogWatcher! ~ February 27, March 24, April 16, 2011

Did you know that frogs & toads are disappearing at an alarming rate across the globe? Get involved by becoming a FrogWatch Volunteer and help scientists keep an eye on Rhode Island frogs & toads.

Due to a number of factors such as habitat loss, pollution & disease, more than one-third of amphibian species are faced with possible extinction.  This has led to what many conservationists call a global amphibian crisis.  Though there don’t appear to be any immediate threats to the species found locally in New England, the monitoring & data collected through the FrogWatch program will help conservationists to keep tabs on these populations and react to any decline much more quickly.

Three Trainings at Roger Williams Park Zoo

February 27      12-2 pm
March 24             6-8 pm
April 16             10 am – 12 pm

To help defray the cost of running this important project, a $10 materials fee will be charged per participating household to cover training materials (a household covers up to 2 adults, and up to two children per adult).

This training will be led by RWPZoo Director of Conservation, Lou Perrotti.  Training will include details on the FrogWatch program, how to identify RI frogs & toads by their calls and FrogWatch procedures.  A test on frog and toad calls is required to complete certification as a FrogWatch volunteer.

Register and more information

 

New Green Course for Teachers and Educators ~ January 25 - May 3, 2011

Registration Deadline is Jan. 21!  The Teaching and Practice of Environmental Sustainability for K-12 Educators Course at RI College will begin on 1/25.

Taught by Dr. Mark DeMoranville, Apeiron's Director of Sustainable Business Training & Education, this course will:

• explore a selection of the classics of environmental literature,
• discuss and debate the concept, in theory and practice, of sustainable living from a range of perspectives,
• examine arguments pro and con for moving towards more sustainable patterns of economy and socio-cultural values,
• demonstrate examples of effective lesson plans and activities on sustainability

The course will be held Tuesdays from 4:00-7:00 pm at RIC starting January 25 and running through May 3.

Teachers will be challenged to draw from their own expertise, using their content knowledge and classroom experience to design innovative units that integrate the lessons of sustain-ability in ways that will inspire students. Further, they will be asked to consider ways they can advocate, in their schools and districts, and among colleagues, students and the larger school community, for moving towards a greater emphasis on sustainability as a teaching and learning priority.

For workshop information please contact Mark DeMoranville at [email protected].

RI Tree Stewards Education Course ~ May 3 - June 7, 2011

It may be January, but if you want to take the popular tree stewards course from the RI Tree Council in May, it's time to sign up! The course, usually offered each spring and fall, is limited to 30 people and it will fill up!

This is a must take course for either the plant novice or plant professional who wants to learn how to properly plant and care for trees.  Class topics will include planting, pruning, tree identification, soils management, plant health care and tree biology.  The skills workshop will feature the actual execution of planting, pruning and tree inventorying skills learned in the classroom.

The course will be held in North Providence on Tuesday evenings from May 3 to June 7. Registration is $95.00 and includes course manual.  Course size is limited to 30 persons.  Or call the RI Tree Council office at 401-764-5885 to register by phone.  Visa, Master Card and checks accepted.

Watershed Science for Educators Course ~ Registration Deadline is January 21, 2011

Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed Association (WPWA) and Narrow River Preservation Association (NRPA) are offering a 3-Credit, Graduate Level Course to teachers
 
NRS 591 WATERSHED SCIENCE FOR EDUCATORS
Instructor:  Denise J. Poyer, WPWA Program Director
 
Formal and informal educators of all levels are invited to learn about your local environment in this lively course - Watershed Science for Educators.  The course will cover topics ranging from early geological processes to recent and predicted global change, based on the best available scientific resources.  Each participant will receive an Active Watershed Education (AWESome!) curriculum guide, GIS watershed maps, and other resources, along with many interactive classroom lessons.  Materials have been designed for use by grades 4th through 8th, but educators of all grades are encouraged to participate and adapt materials to suit their needs.  And you don’t have to be a science teacher to take this course!  Emphasis is placed on understanding the natural processes of a watershed and the results of human interaction with these processes through many “hands-on” activities. The study of watersheds can include disciplines from earth science to social science; history to current events; biology to language arts.
 
The course will take place on Wednesdays during the 2011 spring semester, beginning January 26 and ending April 27 (not including school vacations).  Educators will attend ten weekly three-hour classes and two Saturday field trips.  Times will likely be from 4:30 to 7:30 pm at the URI Bay Campus.  Course work requirements consist of a number of readings, one research project and class presentation on a watershed issue, and a final paper on an extension to current classroom curricula based on the Watershed Science course information.  Regular attendance and participation in class is also important.
 
All costs for the course, including materials and handouts, are covered by WPWA and NRPA.  Teachers may elect to receive three graduate level credits for this course through the URI’s Feinstein College of Continuing Education by paying a credit fee registration of $190.  This is a great opportunity to earn credits, beef up your science content, and gain valuable resources for your classroom.  For more information or to register contact the instructor at 401-539-9017 or send an email to [email protected] with your name, mailing address, daytime and evening phone numbers, school or organization, grade(s) taught, preferred email address for correspondence and whether or not you wish to receive credit.  Registration deadline is January 21, 2011 or until the course is full.   Enrollment will be limited to twenty-five participants and will be first come first served.
 
Funding for this program is provided through a grant from the Rhode Island Rivers Council.