Lisa Lofland Gould Program
Introducing the Rhode Island Plant Insect Community Network
Saturday, November 23, 2024
2:30 pm – 5:00 pm
Gaige Hall, Auditorium 100
Rhode Island College
600 Mt Pleasant Ave
Providence, RI 02908
Campus Map/Parking
This event is free and open to the public.
Register Below
Plants and insects are inextricably linked through pollination, herbivory, and innumerable other interactions, and, together with birds, are connected in a complex web of relationships that sustains life on Earth, including human life.
National attention to the ill-health of this plant-insect community has already inspired diverse initiatives in Rhode Island: some inventory insects or enhance pollinator habitat, some grow and promote native plants, create pollinator plantings, and promote sustainable food production, some raise public awareness.
But are our efforts as connected as the plants, insects, and other organisms? Now there’s a new initiative to support these diverse projects and create a community of mutual support: the Rhode Island Plant Insect Community Network.
The Rhode Island Plant Insect Community Network is a project of the Rhode Island Natural History Survey, funded by a grant from the One Hive Foundation. The goal is not to create one more program, but to lift up the many programs working on conservation of plants and insects and their ecological benefits.
A number of the network members including the Rhode Island Wild Plant Society, URI Bee Lab, URI Master Gardeners, PC’s Providence Pollinator Lab, Roger Williams Park Zoo, Rhode Island DEM, 15 Minute Field Trips and others will give rapid fire updates about their projects.
Beth Alaimo
The program will feature a presentation about Ocean Hour Farm in Newport, RI. Beth Alaimo, its Education Program Manager, and Brad Cheever, Ecosystems Manager, will talk about Ocean Hour Farm’s focus on the connection between healthy soil and healthy seas. Ocean Hour Farm’s mission is to utilize marine and climate science, experiential education and leadership development to enable students, scientists, farmers, and partners to interact closely with the watershed and regenerative stewardship activities through the lens of permaculture practices and learn to create ecologically sound, socially just, equitable systems for their communities, homes, and organizations.
Brad Cheever
Beth Alaimo is the Education Program Manager at Ocean Hour Farm, leading educational programming that bridges human and ecological communities. Ocean Hour Farm engages local youth, farmers, and community leaders in programming to strengthen connections to the land and inspire human-designed systems that compose with rather than impose upon earth systems.
Brad Cheever, Ecosystems Manger, oversees all aspects of environmental monitoring was a key member of the design process at at Ocean Hour Farm.
As the world’s ecology is networked, so should our efforts to conserve it. Our hope is that the Plant Insect Community Network will raise awareness about issues and many great projects already being tackled in Rhode Island and inspire even greater endeavors.
Come join us to learn and network!
The schedule – doors open at 2:30pm, program for 3 pm to 4:30 pm, conversation until 5 pm. Light refreshments.
ReSeeding RI, RIWPS multi-year initiative to increase the availability of ecotypic seeds and plants, has been harvesting its first “crop” of foundation plot seeds and is excited to be able to offer the seeds of six of its species for purchase at this event.
This program is underwritten by the Lisa Lofland Gould Native Plant Program Fund and is sponsored by Rhode Island Wild Plant Society, Rhode Island Natural History Survey and University of Rhode Island Master Gardener Program. Special thanks to Rhode Island College Environment Club for hosting this event.
