Lisa Lofland Gould Progam: Introducing the Rhode Island Plant Insect Community Network
2024-11-23 14:30 - 17:00 (America/New_York) | Rhode Island College, Gaige Hall – Auditorium 100
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.

REGISTRATION

SE New England Native Seed Exchange
2024-11-10 15:00 - 18:00 | Tillinghast Place, 230 Nyatt Rd, Barrington, RHode Island, 02806
SE New England Native Seed Exchange

November 10th, 2024
3:00 – 6:00 pm
Tillinghast Place, Barrington RI
231 Nayatt Rd, Barrington, RI 02806

Rhode Island Wild Plant Society (RIWPS) & Plant Community RI are pairing up with farmers and community scientists to get native seeds into the hands of growers around the area! Through its initiative, ReSeeding RI, RIWPS has been working with farmers in Rhode Island to grow out eco-typic seed for conservation efforts. This event will showcase these farmers, and help expand the reach of native seeds getting planted! An excellent opportunity to learn and network.

This event is for gardeners, students, conservationist, and farmers! Whatever your level or experience, we’d love you to come.

See all details & RSVP!

Identifying Common Invasive Plants Walk - Narragansett
2024-10-26 13:30 - 15:00 | Narragansett, RI
Asian Bittersweet, photo from Invasive Plants: The Threat They Pose
On 26 October 2024, from 1:30 to 3 pm, Tom Hoagland, President, Friends of Canonchet, and Alan Woodmansee, Master Gardener, will lead this guided trail walk in Canonchet Farm, a 124 acre second growth woodland that has become infested with invasive plants, shrubs and vines.
These plants are increasingly popping up in home gardens due to their prevalence in South County. Birds spread the seeds. Learn how to identify and control common invasive plants, such as knotweed, porcelain berry, bittersweet, multiflora rose and privet. The trail is easy but does have protruding roots and can sometimes be wet. Appropriate footwear should be worn.
Click here for more information about invasive plants including link to the pamphlet Invasive Plants: The Threat They Pose by the Friends of Canonchet Farm
This walk is free and open to the public. Donations are appreciated. DONATE
Space is limited. Register Below. We will email the meet up location and directions to those who register a few days before the walk using either office@riwps.org or communications@riwps.org. (Be sure to check your spam/junk folder if you do not get this email.)
Cancellations. We always have more people who want to attend a walk than can be accommodated. If you find that you cannot attend, notify office@riwps.org as soon as possible.
As with all our walks, sturdy footwear, clothing appropriate for the weather and for protection against sun exposure, ticks and other insects, briers, tree root etc. as well as a sufficient supply of water and nourishment are essential. Dogs are not permitted.

Following the Seasons at Haile Preserve - Fall Walk
2024-10-15 10:00 - 12:00 | Warren, RI
Anne Raver’s series of three walks along the trails of the Haile Farm Preserve in Warren, focuses on how the landscape changes with the seasons. We invite those who participated in the spring and/or summer walk along with new walkers to join Anne on October 15, 2024 from 10 am to noon to explore the preserve in its fall attire.
Because Anne walks this preserve of the Warren Land Trust a few times a week, she has become familiar with the cycles of particular trees, shrubs, ferns, grasses and herbaceous plants. That familiarity extends to watching how the marsh has changed with rising sea level, more powerful tides and stronger winds. Though not a botanist, Anne learns more each time she returns to this varied 60-acre preserve which hugs the east side of the Palmer River. The trails traverse a hardwood forest with many fern species, as well as meadow and salt marsh.
Anne has also written and published widely on topics related to gardening and plants. She is a previous editor of RIWPS’ publication, Wildflora RI.
Additional information
Article from WildfloraRI written by Garry Plunkett on the Haile Farm Preserve
Warren Conservation Land Trust’s website
This walk is free and open to the public. Donations are appreciated. DONATE
Space is limited. Register Below. We will email the meet up location and directions to those who register a few days before the walk using either office@riwps.org or communications@riwps.org. (Be sure to check your spam/junk folder if you do not get this email.)
Cancellations. We always have more people who want to attend a walk than can be accommodated. If you find that you cannot attend, notify office@riwps.org as soon as possible.
As with all our walks, sturdy footwear, clothing appropriate for the weather and for protection against sun exposure, ticks and other insects, briers, tree root etc. as well as a sufficient supply of water and nourishment are essential. Dogs are not permitted.

First ( well.... Second )Thursday Botanizing Walk - Succotash Marsh State Management Area
2024-10-10 10:00 - 12:00 | South Kingstown, RI
Join Beth Dickson from 10am to noon on Thursday, 10 October 2024 for a leisurely walk within the Succotash Marsh State Management Area in South Kingstown, RI. The 182-acre management area is located between Potter Pond and Point Judith Pond near the village of Jerusalem. The tide reaches the salt marsh system though a connection via the Point Judith breachway. The margins of the salt marsh receive different levels of tidal fluctuations, creating zones of vegetation types.
(Hudsonia tomentosa (sand false heather, woolly beach-heather), photo DMcGrady)
We will see that the dominant species is Spartina alterniflora (salt marsh cordgrass) at the lower, more regularly flooded areas of the marsh. At higher more irregularly flooded areas, Distichlis spicata (saltgrass) and Spartina patens (saltmeadow cordgrass) predominate. On slightly higher areas, salt scrub vegetation survives, which includes Baccharis halimifolia (groundsel-tree) and Iva frutescens (maritime marsh-elder). Other plants we will see are Solidago sempervirens (seaside goldenrod), Symphytotrichum tenuifolium (saltmarsh aster), Hudsonia tomentosa (sand false heather), Limonium carolinianum (sea-lavender), and Ammophila breviligulata (American beach grass).
Be prepared to get your feet wet. There are no bathroom facilities.
This walk is free and open to the public. Donations are appreciated.DONATE
Registration Below. We will email the meet up location and directions to those who register a few days before the walk using either office@riwps.org or communications@riwps.org. (Be sure to check your spam/junk folder if you do not get this email.)
Cancellations. We always have more people who want to attend a walk than can be accommodated. If you find that you cannot attend, notify office@riwps.org as soon as possible.
This walk is a part of our First Thursday Botanizing Walk Series which is free and open to the public. See our Botanizing Walks home page for important information about these walks.
As with all our walks, sturdy footwear (for this walk – footwear for wet terrain), clothing appropriate for the weather and for protection against sun exposure, ticks and other insects, briers, tree root etc. as well as a sufficient supply of water and nourishment are essential. Dogs are not permitted.

First Thursday Botanizing Walk - Sprague Farm Town Forest
2024-09-05 10:00 - 12:00 | Chepachet, RI
Acer pensylvanicum (goosefoot maple, striped maple), photo DMcGrady
Note: Details of this walk have been updated as of August 6 to reflect a change from the original planned route of the walk.
On 5 September 2024 from 10 am to 12 pm join Tysh McGrail, long time RIWPS member, landscape designer and lover of native plants, at the Sprague Farm Town Forest, a 1,278+ acre Glocester Land Trust Property. Our walk will pass along the edge of a White Cedar swamp, a vernal pool, colonial era farmstead remnants, fieldstone bridges over streams and many stone walls.
We will be walking under oaks, white pine, beech, birch, shagbark hickory, hemlock, and tupelo. There is also a “rare for Rhode Island” stand of striped maple (aka Moosewood) to see. The understory includes stand upon stand of mountain laurel, sweet pepper bush, and huckleberry. The ground layer will reveal wild calla, narrow leaf mountain mint, royal fern, and the American groundnut vine among many other Rhode Island Natives. Mosses, lichen and mushrooms are everywhere as are signs of the pileated woodpecker.
If you have additional time for exploring after our walk Tysh recommends heading over to the Atlantic Cedar Swamp.

This walk is free and open to the public. Donations are appreciated. DONATE
Registration Below. We will email the meet up location and directions to those who register a few days before the walk using either office@riwps.org or communications@riwps.org. (Be sure to check your spam/junk folder if you do not get this email.)
Cancellations. We always have more people who want to attend a walk than can be accommodated. If you find that you cannot attend, notify communications@riwps.org as soon as possible.
This walk is a part of our First Thursday Botanizing Walk Series which is free and open to the public. See our Botanizing Walks home page for important information about these walks.
As with all our walks, sturdy footwear, clothing appropriate for the weather and for protection against sun exposure, ticks and other insects, briers, tree root etc. as well as a sufficient supply of water and nourishment are essential. Dogs are not permitted.

Beechwood Lecture: Growing and Enjoying Herbs
2024-08-28 14:00 - 15:00 | Beechwood Center, 44 Beach Street, North Kingstown, RI, 02852, United States
Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) with Great Spangled Fritillary (Speyeria cybele), photo credit Randi Eckel
On August 28, 2024 from 2 – 3 pm join Debbie Brodie, a Master Gardener since 2007 and Master Composter since 2008, to consider gardening for herbs and pollinators, diversifying your garden and providing food for yourself and the pollinators! She assured us that she is ready for lots of questions! Debbie has also been an avid beekeeper for over 13 years and raises chickens for their eggs. Debi’s Motto – Eat Green, Save Money by Growing Perennial Herbs, and Have More Garden than Grass!
Location: Beechwood Center, 44 Beach Street, North Kingstown, RI 02852
Beechwood Lectures are a joint effort of the URI Master Gardener Program and the Rhode Island Wild Plant Society. Master Gardeners receive credit for attending.
These lectures are free and open to the public.
Space is limited & registration is required.
Registration is through the Beechwood Center for Life Enrichment.
Sign up by contacting the Volunteer/Program Coordinator at The Beechwood Center for Life Enrichment at 401-268-1594; or via email at: mdubois@northkingstownri.gov. PLEASE REQUEST TO REGISTER FOR THIS LECTURE ONLY. These lectures are offered to members and the public, although if you have not attended past lectures and/or registered your contact information with the Beechwood Center in the last three (3) years, you may need to complete the Beechwood Center’s information form. This form will be provided by Beechwood staff when you arrive to attend the lecture. (A completed information form is necessary for participation in any and all Beechwood Center Programs.)

Upcoming Lectures
10/16/24 Q & A Gardening Informational Panel – RI Wild Plant Society Panel – Kevin Alverson, LA, Sue Theriault RIWPS Plant Sale Committee Chair, Linda Sollitto Beechwood Gardens and others

Following the Seasons at the Haile Farm Preserve - Summer Walk
2024-08-14 10:00 - 12:00 | Warren, RI
Anne Raver’s three walks along the trails of the Haile Farm Preserve in Warren, focus on how the landscape changes with the seasons. We invite those who participated in the Spring Walk and new walkers to join Anne on August 14, 2024 from 10 am to noon to explore the preserve in its summer attire. (The third walk will be scheduled in October.)
Because Anne walks this preserve of the Warren Land Trust a few times a week, she has become familiar with the cycles of particular trees, shrubs, ferns, grasses and herbaceous plants. That familiarity extends to watching how the marsh has changed with rising sea level, more powerful tides and stronger winds. Though not a botanist, Anne learns more each time she returns to this varied 60-acre preserve which hugs the east side of the Palmer River. The trails traverse a hardwood forest with many fern species, as well as meadow and salt marsh.
Anne has also written and published widely on topics related to gardening and plants. She is a previous editor of RIWPS’ publication, Wildflora RI.
Additional information
Article from WildfloraRI written by Garry Plunkett on the Haile Farm Preserve
Warren Conservation Land Trust’s website
This walk is free and open to the public. Donations are appreciated. DONATE
Space is limited. Register Below. We will email the meet up location and directions to those who register a few days before the walk using either office@riwps.org or communications@riwps.org. (Be sure to check your spam/junk folder if you do not get this email.)
Cancellations. We always have more people who want to attend a walk than can be accommodated. If you find that you cannot attend, notify communications@riwps.org as soon as possible.
As with all our walks, sturdy footwear, clothing appropriate for the weather and for protection against sun exposure, ticks and other insects, briers, tree root etc. as well as a sufficient supply of water and nourishment are essential. Dogs are not permitted.

Add to calendar

First Thursday Botanizing Walk -Grills Preserve (rescheduled from June 6 due to heavy rain)
2024-07-18 10:00 - 12:00 | Bradford, RI
red columbine
On Thursday July 18, 2024, from 10 am to noon, join Marc Doherty, Westerly Land Trust’s Land Stewardship manager, for a walk at WLT’s Grills Preserve. Located along the Pawcatuck River in Bradford, Grills has a wide variety of habitats and soil types, including a diversity of wetlands, rocky outcrops, pitch pine uplands and floodplain forest.

Plants of note include Nantucket shadbush (Amelanchier nantucketensis), pink lady slipper (Cypripedium acaule), red columbine (Aquilegia canadensis), and the funky hackberry (Celtis occidentalis). Learn more about Grills Preserve, including its history and trail maps, here. Pictures on flickr taken at Grills Preserve by Doug McGrady in April. Click here

Note: A composting toilet is available at the trailhead.

This walk is free and open to the public. Donations are appreciated. DONATE
Registration Below. We will email the meet up location and directions to those who register a few days before the walk using either office@riwps.org or communications@riwps.org. (Be sure to check your spam/junk folder if you do not get this email.)
Cancellations. We always have more people who want to attend a walk than can be accommodated. Please if you find that you cannot attend, notify the office@riwps.org as soon as possible.
This walk is a part of our First Thursday Botanizing Walk Series which is free and open to the public. See our Botanizing Walks home page for important details you should know about the walks in this series.
As with all our walks, sturdy footwear, clothing appropriate for the weather and for protection against sun exposure, ticks and other insects, briers, tree root etc. as well as a sufficient supply of water and nourishment are essential. Dogs are not permitted.

First (well.... Second) Thursday Botanizing Walk - Fisherville Brook Wildlife Refuge
2024-07-11 10:00 - 12:00 | Exeter, RI
Due to the holiday we have moved this First Thursday Walk to the second Thursday in July!
On Thursday, July 11, 2024 join Audubon’s Director of Properties, Laura Carberry from 10 am to 12 pm for a morning walk at Fisherville Brook Wildlife Refuge, Exeter, RI. Come explore several different habitats including forest, fields and wetlands, observing birds, plants and butterflies. Who knows what we will discover! This hike is approximately 1.5 miles with some roots.
This walk is free and open to the public. Donations are appreciated.DONATE
Registration Below. We will email the meet up location and directions to those who register a few days before the walk using either office@riwps.org or communications@riwps.org. (Be sure to check your spam/junk folder if you do not get this email.)
Cancellations. We always have more people who want to attend a walk than can be accommodated. If you find that you cannot attend, notify office@riwps.org as soon as possible.
This walk is a part of our First Thursday Botanizing Walk Series which is free and open to the public. See our Botanizing Walks home page for important information about these walks.
As with all our walks, sturdy footwear, clothing appropriate for the weather and for protection against sun exposure, ticks and other insects, briers, tree root etc. as well as a sufficient supply of water and nourishment are essential. Dogs are not permitted.

Beechwood Lecture - Gardening with Pollinators
2024-06-26 14:00 - 15:00 | Beechwood Center, 44 Beach Street, North Kingstown, RI, 02852, United States
Eutrochium fistulosum (hollow Joe-Pye weed) with monarch, photo DMcGrady
On Wednesday June 26, 2024 from 2 to 3 pm join Barbara Donnelly at the Beechwood Center for Life Enrichment, 44 Beach Street, North Kingstown.
Barbara is the owner of Red Horse Farm, a small farm in Exeter. Barbara raises and sells annuals, perennials and herbs along with Shetland sheep, chickens, ducks, geese and eggs. She was a vendor at local Farmers Markets for many years and for the past five years has been working at The Rose Shack in North Kingstown. Barbara will talk about her life as a small farmer from a vendor’s view and the importance of pollinators. She will also answer our questions about interesting new natives/perennials available at local nurseries. She will bring some samples of these plants.
• Beechwood Lectures are a joint effort of the URI Master Gardener Program and the Rhode Island Wild Plant Society. Master Gardeners receive credit for attending.
• These lectures are free and open to the public. Note. All participants in any Beechwood Center Program must have completed the Beechwood Center’s information form. (See registration procedure below)
• Registration is required and space is limited.
Registration is through the Beechwood Center for Life Enrichment. Beechwood Center’s procedure
Sign up by contacting the Volunteer/Program Coordinator at The Beechwood Center for Life Enrichment at 401-268-1594; or via email at: mdubois@northkingstownri.gov. PLEASE REQUEST TO REGISTER FOR THIS LECTURE ONLY. These lectures are offered to members and the public, although if you have not attended past lectures and/or registered your contact information with the Beechwood Center in the last three (3) years, you may need to complete the Beechwood Center’s information form. This form will be provided by Beechwood staff when you arrive to attend the lecture. (A completed information form is necessary for participation in any and all Beechwood Center Programs.)

Upcoming Lectures
• 8/28/24 Growing & Enjoying Ferns – Debi Brodie, Master Gardener Presenter for the URI Master Gardeners Education Programs co-host URI Cooperative Extension @ “uricoopext”
• 10/16/24 Q & A Gardening Informational Panel – RI Wild Plant Society Panel including Kevin Alverson, LA, Sue Theriault RIWPS Plant Sale Committee Chair, Linda Sollitto Beechwood Gardens

Plant Identification Workshop
2024-06-06 09:00 - 12:00 | University of Rhode Island, Kingston RI
Join botanist Elizabeth Dickson for a workshop on how to key wildflowers using Newcomb’s and GoBotany. Bring a copy of Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide, a hand lens, and your cell phone, tablet or laptop and we will key out as many wildflowers as we can, and learn about the Mystery Plant challenge on the RIWPS Among-RI-Wildflowers website. The workshop will be on June 6, 2024 from 9-12 in the greenhouse classroom on the University of RI Kingston campus. Free parking is available in the Fine Arts Lot off of Flagg Road. A visitors parking pass is NOT needed. See URI campus map
Fee: $15.00 RIWPS Members $20.00 Non Members
Space is limited. Registration Required

2024 Best Native Plant Sale
2024-06-01 09:00 - 12:00
Find our largest selection of plants at this sale on June 1, 2024 at the URI Botanical Gardens, Kingston
All details about this and our other sales can be found on our Native Plant Sales Page

Following the Seasons at Haile Farm Preserve
2024-05-14 10:00 - 12:00
Anne Raver, will lead three walks along the trails of the Haile Farm Preserve in Warren, with an eye to how a landscape changes with the seasons. Join us on May 14, 2024 from 10 am to noon for the first of these walks. The subsequent walks will be scheduled in August and October.
Because Anne walks this preserve of the Warren Land Trust a few times a week, she has become familiar with the cycles of particular trees, shrubs, ferns, grasses and herbaceous plants. That familiarity extends to watching how the marsh has changed with rising sea level, more powerful tides and stronger winds. Though not a botanist, Anne learns more each time she returns to this varied 60-acre preserve which hugs the east side of the Palmer River. The trails traverse a hardwood forest with many fern species, as well as meadow and salt marsh.
Anne has also written and published widely on topics related to gardening and plants. She is a previous editor of RIWPS’ publication, Wildflora RI.

Additional information
Article from WildfloraRI written by Garry Plunkett on the Haile Farm Preserve
Warren Conservation Land Trust’s website
This walk is free and open to the public. Donations are appreciated. DONATE
Space is limited. Register Below. We will email the meet up location and directions to those who register a few days before the walk using either office@riwps.org or communications@riwps.org. (Be sure to check your spam/junk folder if you do not get this email.)
Cancellations. We always have more people who want to attend a walk than can be accommodated. If you find that you cannot attend, notify office@riwps.org as soon as possible.
As with all our walks, sturdy footwear, clothing appropriate for the weather and for protection against sun exposure, ticks and other insects, briers, tree root etc. as well as a sufficient supply of water and nourishment are essential. Dogs are not permitted.

2024 Spring Native Plant Sale
2024-05-11 09:00 - 14:00 | Casey Farm, Saunderstown, RI, 2325 Boston Neck Road, Saunderstown, RI, 02874, United States
On May 11, 2024, starting at 9 am, find us at the Casey Farm, Farmers Market, 2325 Boston Neck Road, Saunderstown.
For details about this sale and our other plant sales see our Native Plant Sales Page.

First Thursday Botanizing Walk - Ben Utter Trail, Acadia Management Area
2024-05-02 10:00 - 12:00 | Exeter, RI
Trillium cernuum, nodding trilium. DMcGrady
On May 2, 2024 from 10 am to noon, join us at the Ben Utter Trail, Arcadia Management Area in Exeter, RI. On this walk with biologist Denise Poyer, we will discover early spring flowers deep in the Arcadia Management Area.

We will first walk south on Sand Trail to look for Indian cucumber root (Medeola virginiana), dolls-eyes (Actaea pachypoda), sharp-lobed hepatica (Anemone acutiloba) and many other ephemeral flowers. This trail features a wonderful patch of nodding trillium (Trillium cernuum), one of the few trillium species found in RI. We will then turn back north on the Ben Utter Trail to search for downy rattlesnake-plantain (Goodyera pubescens), as well as more wetland species, including early violets.
Plan for a mile or so of walking on wooded trails and wear appropriate hiking footwear.

This walk is free and open to the public. Donations are appreciated. DONATE
Registration Below. We will email the meet up location and directions to those who register a few days before the walk using either office@riwps.org or communications@riwps.org. (Be sure to check your spam/junk folder if you do not get this email.)
Cancellations. We always have more people who want to attend a walk than can be accommodated. Please if you find that you cannot attend, notify the office@riwps.org as soon as possible.

This walk is a part of our First Thursday Botanizing Walk Series which is free and open to the public. See our Botanizing Walks home page for important details you should know about the walks in this series.

Please DO Eat the Daisies: The Comestible Virtues of Non-native Weeds and Invasives of the Ocean State
2024-04-17 18:00 - 19:30 | Audubon Society of Rhode Island Nature Center, 1401 Hope Street, Bristol, RI
Wednesday April 17, 2024 from 6 to 7:30 pm. Audubon Society of Rhode Island Nature Center, 1401 Hope Street, Bristol, RI 02809
While we look for practical opportunities for promoting ecological restoration through the successful removal of invasives and replacement with natives, what should we do with all these non-native weeds and invasives? The answer for many of them could be: eat them. Many weeds and invasives are more nutritious and/or flavorful than their cultivated counterparts.
Join local wild edibles enthusiast Russ Cohen, author of the book Wild Plants I Have Known…and Eaten, for a 60-minute slide presentation covering over two dozen of the tastiest non-native plant species lurking in plain sight in the Ocean State. These range from species everyone knows well, like Daisies and Dandelions, to species they may never have even heard of, like Salsify and Asiatic Dayflower.
Keys to the identification of each species will be provided, along with edible portion(s), season(s) of availability and preparation method(s), as well as guidelines for safe and environmentally responsible foraging. Russ will also describe the distinction between species categorized as mere weeds, many of which grow among our garden vegetables, versus those deemed to be invasive due to their adverse ecological impacts. Last but not least, Russ will bring several goodies made with locally-foraged weeds and invasive ingredients for folks to sample.
Fee: $10.00 for members of RIWPS and $15.00 for non-members.
Registration required. Complete the registration form below.

Beechwood Lecture: Gardening with Ferns
2024-04-17 14:00 - 15:30 | Beechwood Center, 44 Beach Street, North Kingstown, RI, 02852, United States
Ostrich Fern, photo GGardner
Gardening With Native Ferns
On Wednesday, April 17, 2024 from 2:00 to 3:30 pm, join Karen Asher, native plant specialist and former president of Rhode Island Wild Plant Society, at Beechwood Center, 44 Beach Street, North Kingston to learn about our native ferns.
Ferns are ubiquitous here in Rhode Island, let’s use them in your garden to create a well-balanced and thriving landscape. Learn about our largest fern, Cinnamon Fern, our smallest fern, Grape Fern, and everything in between, ferns for dry or moist locations, shady and sunny areas. Don’t know much about ferns, but would like to know more? This is the class for you.
Karen Asher holds a certificate in native plant studies with a focus on field botany from the Native Plant Trust and she volunteers in its plant conservation program assessing the status of rare species in Rhode Island. She has published numerous articles on native plants. Karen is also a Master Gardener and has presented this program and other programs on Gardening with RI Native Plants at garden clubs, land trusts and libraries across the state. She enjoys working in her own garden in West Kingston.

Beechwood Lectures are a joint effort of the URI Master Gardener Program and the Rhode Island Wild Plant Society. Lectures are free and open to the public. Master Gardeners receive education credits for attending.
Registration is required, and space is limited. To reserve a space contact the Volunteer/Program Coordinator at The Beechwood Center for Life Enrichment at 401-268-1594 or mdubois@northkingstownri.gov. (If you have not attended past lectures and/or registered your contact information with the Beechwood Center in the last three (3) years, you may need to provide an updated information form. This will be provided by Beechwood staff.)

Upcoming Lectures
6/26/24 Gardening with Pollinators – Barbara Donnelly, Red Horse Farm/Rose Shack
8/28/24 Growing and Enjoying Herbs – Debi Brodie, Master Gardener Presenter for the URI Master Gardeners Education Programs co-host URI Cooperative Extension @ “uricoopext”
10/16/24 Q and A Gardening Informational Panel – RI Wild Plant Society

First Thursday Botanizing Walk: Snake Den State Park CANCELLED BASED ON WEATHER FORECAST
2024-04-04 10:00 - 12:00 | Johnson, RI
yellow birch, photo PCahallan
THIS WALK IS CANCELLED DUE TO WEATHER CONDITIONS.
Our first walk of the season, from 10 am to noon on 4 April 2024, will be led by retired Deputy State Forester Paul Dolan. We will explore the Snake Den Farm parcel of Snake Den State Park in Johnson, RI. Managed by the Northern Rhode Island Conservation District, this parcel reflects a historical progression from woodlot and pasture, reversion to forest and most recently, experimental fields to promote sustainable agriculture.
The major tree species in the area are white pine, yellow and black birch, white and red oak, red maple and big tooth aspen. We will be hiking slightly over a mile on a relatively easy trail, ending at agricultural fields edged by many species of non-native invasive plants.

This walk is free and open to the public. Donations are appreciated. DONATE
Registration Below. We will email the meet up location and directions to those who register a few days before the walk using either office@riwps.org or communications@riwps.org. (Be sure to check your spam/junk folder if you do not get this email.)

This walk is a part of our First Thursday Botanizing Walk Series which is free and open to the public. See our Botanizing Walks home page for important details you should know about the walks in this series.

Tour the Brown Herbarium
2024-04-01 10:00 - 11:30 | Brown University Herbarium, 171 Meeting Street (Room 225), Providence, RI, 02912
Tour Brown University Herbarium on April 1 from 10 to 11:30 am. The Brown Herbarium is located on the second floor of the Biomedical Center, 171 Meeting St, Providence.
photo credit, Brown University Herbarium
Brown University Herbarium offers a priceless snapshot of botanical life, in Rhode Island and across the nation and the world, in the 19th and early 20th centuries. At Brown University Herbarium, Rebecca Kartzinel, Director, invites you to tour the collection and consider its value to science and conservation.
Learn about the importance of herbaria, the history of Brown’s collections, and our current projects. Learn about how specimens are mounted and prepared for accession into the collection. Try a small herbarium challenge to decipher the labels of specimens. Dr. Kartinzel, member of the Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology at Brown, earned her Ph.D. in Plant Biology from the University of Georgia in 2013 and has been director of the Brown University Herbarium since 2019.
This program is open to the public and is free. Donations are appreciated and support our educational outreach. Donate now.
Registration Required.
Waiting list: When the program is full, a message will appear directing you to fill our the form below, should you wish to be on the waiting list at that time. In case of cancellations, we will reopen the registration and notify those on the waiting list.

Lisa Lofland Gould Lecture: Native Plant Supply Chain
2023-11-18 13:00 - 15:00 | URI Center for Biotechnology and Life Sciences, Thomas Ryan Auditorium, 120 Flagg Rd, Kingston, RI, 02881
NOTE. Page updated on November 12 with NEW LOCATION OF THIS PROGRAM
Thomas Ryan Auditorium, Center for Biotechnology and Life Sciences (CBLS)
Upstairs Lobby and Lecture Hall
120 Flagg Road on the URI Kingston Campus.
What are the challenges, opportunities and issues related to sourcing and supplying native plants, especially as demand for these plants increases? Steve Castorani, co-founder and president of North Creek Nurseries, will explain how a wholesale nursery such as North Creek supplies this growing market. He will also touch on localized efforts to harvest, propagate, and disseminate ecotypic plants and seeds, and how each approach has a role in expanding the supply of native plants available for gardeners, growers, and landscape restoration projects.
Steve Castorani earned a degree in Plant Science from the University of Delaware. After founding 2 businesses, a landscape design-build firm and then Gateway Garden Center, Steve co-founded North Creek Nurseries (PA) in 1988. North Creek is a wholesale propagation nursery, specializing in growing starter plant plugs of perennials, ornamental grasses, ferns, vines, and shrubs with an emphasis on Eastern US native plants. They are a supplier of solution based native plants for growers and ecological firms engaged in restoration and protection of the environment.
Steve also co-created the American Beauties Plant® brand which is sold through independent garden centers. In 2020 The American Horticultural Society awarded Steve the Paul Ecke Jr. Commercial Award. This award is given to an individual or company whose commitment to the highest standards of excellence in the field of commercial horticulture. He also received the prestigious Award for Merit from the International Plant Propagation Society. Steve has served on the Delaware Invasive Species Council, developing guidelines for the implementation of an invasive species policy for the state of Delaware.
Schedule
1:00 – 1:45 Fellowship and Networking
1:45 – 3:00 Talk followed by Q & A
This event is free and open to the public. Registration is required. (see form below).

This lecture 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

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT – directions & parking
Registration form
Should you need to cancel, contact communications@RIWPS.org

First Thursday Botanizing Walk - Taylor Point Nature Preserve
2023-10-05 10:00 - 12:00 | Jamestown, RI
On Thursday October 5, 2023, from 10 am to noon, come explore some of the Taylor Point Nature Preserve. It has a variety of natural communities within its 20 acres, including maritime woodlands and shrub lands and 4000 feet of shoreline along the East Passage. A multi-year plant inventory has produced a list of 143 species – 89 native and 54 non-native (26 of which are on the RI Invasive Plant Species List).

Led by Taylor Point Restoration Association board member Dennis Webster, we’ll first look at some plants growing on the beach, then walk out to the rocky cliffs to visit the hardy plants that thrive there and to enjoy one of the best views of Narragansett Bay to be seen in the state. Along the way we’ll see the current stages of the long-term restoration project.
We’ll walk less than a mile, but will encounter some uneven footing on the rough trails and rocks. Be sure to take tick precautions and appropriate clothing for cool, windy weather.
For a preview of Taylor Point, visit the Taylor Point Restoration Association’s website at TaylorPoint.org . The “Plant Atlas” page, still in development, describes many of the plants growing there.

Space is limited. Register Below. We will send directions and the meet up location to participants a few days before the walk.
This walk is a part of our First Thursday Botanizing Walk Series. See our Botanizing Walks

Nature Walk: Birds & Their Habitat – Trustom Pond National Wildlife Refuge
2023-09-15 10:00 - 12:00 | Trustom Pond National Wildlife Refuge, 1040 Matunuck Schoolhouse Road, South Kingstown 02879, Rhode Island, 02879
Hummingbirds buzzing wild bergamot (Monada fistulosa), Trustom Pond. Photo: Carmen Rugel
September is a great time to look for migrating birds! Come on a nature walk with fellow bird and native plant enthusiasts on Friday September 15, 2023 from 10 am to noon at the Trustom Pond National Wildlife Refuge in South Kingston, RI.
From Nick Ernst, wildlife biologist for the Rhode Island National Wildlife Refuge Complex, learn about the importance of creating high quality habitat for migratory birds, especially through promoting and restoring native plant populations. Approximately 300 species of birds call Trustom Pond NWR home during the year!
From Lauren Parmelee, Rhode Island Audubon Society’s Senior Director of Education, learn more about the birds of Trustom Pond. Lauren will share tips on how to find and identify birds. Birds we hope to see: swallows, flycatchers, warblers, vireos, herons and hawks. A few specific examples: Barn Swallow, Eastern Bluebird, Eastern Kingbird, Palm Warbler, Red-tailed Hawk, Baltimore Orioles and more!
Bring your questions. Bring your binoculars. (Lauren will bring extra binoculars for you to use, in case you do not have pair.)
We thank Mark Cordle, RIWPS member, URI Master and Project Leader of Native Plant Demonstration Garden at the Trustom Pond Contact Station as well as specific restoration sites on the refugee for arranging this walk and for his passion for native plants.
This walk is open to the public. While there is no fee, donations support our programs. Donate
Register is required. Limit of 20 participants. To participate complete the registration form below.
Cancellations: Contact office@riwps.org

First Thursday Botanizing Walk - Maxwell Mays Wildlife Refuge
2023-09-07 10:00 - 12:00 | Coventry, RI
Seaside goldenrod with common buckeye butterfly
In late summer the flora begins to change as asters and goldenrods bloom and seeds and fruits mature. Animals rely on many plants for food and shelter while many plants rely on animals for pollination and dispersal. At times the interactions get quite defensive. If you would like to sample the vast array of interactions in Rhode Island join us for an easy hike at Audubon’s Maxwell Mays Wildlife Refuge. In addition to our general botanizing along the way we will also examine plant-animal interactions. On established trails through fields and forests we will decipher how plants and animals struggle and cooperate in order to survive.
Date/Place: September 7, 2023 from 10 am to noon at the Maxwell Mays Wildlife Refuge, Coventry, RI
Leader: Scott Ruhren, Ph.D., Senior Director of Conservation, Audubon Society of Rhode Island
Level of Effort: Easy to moderate trail hike
Space is limited. Register Below. We will send directions and the meet up location to participants a few days before the walk.
This walk is a part of our First Thursday Botanizing Walk Series. See our Botanizing Walks home page for important details you should know about the walks in this series.

Fall Native Plant Sale 2023
2023-08-26 09:00 - 11:00 | Rhodes on the Pawtuxet, 60 Rhodes Place, Cranston
Solidago sempervirens, seaside goldenrod with common buckeye butterfly
On August 26 from 9 AM to noon find our booth at the Pawtuxet Village Farmer’s Market 60 Rhodes Place from 9 – 11 am. More details

Small Scale Meadow Workshop
2023-06-22 14:00 - 16:00 | URI East Farm, Kingston, RI
Creating a mini meadow in your landscape? Whether you are beginning a project soon or have one in progress, find inspiration, ideas and practical information tailored to strengthen your project and learn more about the design process in this workshop on June 22, 2023 from 2 to 4 pm at URI East Farm.
Under the guidance of Graham Gardner, landscape designer and author of the recently published book Tiny + Wild: Build a Small Scale Meadow Anywhere, participants will share their projects which will serve as case studies for the group to engage in “design consultations.” Consideration will be given to designing, installing and managing the project.
Graham is a Rhode Island native, URI Landscape Architecture graduate, and a former RIWPS member. He has over 25 years of experience in landscape design and project management in public, private, and non-profit spaces. Graham’s diverse experiences in New England, plus his work in Colorado, California, and Puerto Rico, have reinforced his passion for the ecological vibrancy and diversity of communities of native plants and for advocating to bring nature’s abundance to our landscapes.
Notes
To share your project at the workshop, please bring paper, pencil, and *hard copies of any materials in your project folder that you wish to share with the group. RIWPS will provide large sheets of paper and/or large white/black board.
There will be copies available of Tiny + Wild to purchase should you want. (Check or cash only)
Fee: $30.00 for RIWPS members and URI Master Gardeners and $35.00 for all others.
Registration for this program is closed
Cancellations: Contact office@riwps.org.

In the Landscape of ... the Foleys (members only)
2023-06-17 10:00 - 12:00 | Cranston, RI
THIS PROGRAM IS STILL PLANNED FOR SATURDAY. WEAR APPROPRIATE CLOTHING IN CASE OF SHOWERS.
This landscape is the first in a three part series, In the Landscape of ….. , open to members only, as a special thanks for their support and in many cases, countless volunteer hours. Members are invited to take an informal tour of a fellow member’s garden. The hosts will share their story about their garden and answer questions. There is a $10 fee per membership.
Urban Hybrid Garden Tour
Saturday, June 17, 2023 – 10 a.m. to Noon (rain day, June 18, same time)
Cranston, RI
A Providence Journal article from January 1926 waxed poetic about the recently-built “ancient farmhouse” on Narragansett Boulevard. Originally encompassing five acres and developed by William S. Cherry, eponymous owner of Cherry and Webb, this house and its adjacent barn, were built on a site known as Wash’s Pond. According to the Journal, the development saved this spot from becoming an “eyesore” and a “dumping ground.”
The flowery prose of early 20th century journalism aside, and the passage of nearly 100 years finds both house and barn intact, though now separate properties. Yet approximately five acres of contiguous open land still surround the house’s 17,000 square foot lot – an unusual condition for such an urban setting, four blocks south of the Providence city border.
When Judi and Pat Foley purchased the property in 2017, they were attracted by the possibilities of rejuvenating the then-badly overgrown landscape. They spent several years rebuilding deteriorating stone walls and steps before pursuing their gardening vision, which included many native species they were learning about through the Rhode Island Wild Plant Society.
Their vision is based on several principles:

Leave good existing plantings, even if not native, as long as not invasive. A magnificent oak and cedar, several spruce, an arborvitae and many rhododendron and pieris date from a time the original property had a full-time gardener. Badly overgrown yews, invasive ivy and bittersweet, and many damaged woody plants were removed.
Use native plants as a foundation, preferably locally-sourced straight species, supplemented with northeastern stock. Approximately 40 species of native woody plants have been added; native perennials, many winter-sown on site have also been planted in appropriate microclimates.
Grow food for people, insects and foraging birds and animals. Garden vegetables are joined by culinary and medicinal herbs, and an emerging fruit forest of native and introduced trees and shrubs.
Plant for joy, to support socializing and to provide cut flowers for the house and for family and friends.
Use organic methods and permaculture techniques to minimize the need for external, commercial amendments.

This garden is very much a work in progress with new plants regularly introduced and existing plants moved to find optimal growing locations or to take advantage of changing garden conditions.
While most of the garden is visible from accessible viewing points, much of the land requires navigating stone steps. There are some wet areas so appropriate footwear and insect repellent are recommended. Please note any physical challenges on your registration, so that we can make accommodations for access.
This garden is featured in the upcoming edition of our WildfloraRI!
The number of RIWPS member visitors is limited to 20.
REGISTER BELOW. Directions will be sent to those who registered a few days before the walk.
(Not a member? Join. Not sure if your membership is current? Contact office@riwps.org)
Cancellations: Contact office@riwps.org.
Waiting list: When the maximum number of visitors is reached, the registration form will be replaced by a message indicating the program is full. At that time, if you would like to be put on the waiting list, complete the waiting list form. Should there be cancellations, we will notify those on the waiting list.

Wild Things - Family Walk, Carter Preserve
2023-06-12 10:00 - 12:00 | Kingston, RI
On June 12, 2023 at 10 am we will have a family walk at the Nature Conservancy’s Carter Preserve in Charlestown. Our walk along the Pawcatuck River in a unique pine barrens ecosystem should reveal plenty of interesting plants, and likely many lady slipper orchids in full bloom. As always, please bring plenty of water, snacks, sun protection, and bug spray. We’ll be out between 90 minutes and 2 hours.

To provide a personalized learning experience space is very limited – 2 to 3 families. For more details about our family walks, including how to express interest in participating click here

The Best Native Plant Sale in Rhode Island 2023
2023-06-03 09:00 - 12:00 | University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI
Save the date!

June 3, 2023 | 9 am – noon

URI Botanical Garden, Kingston, RI

(Member’s pre sale from 8 to 9 am)

More Details to follow!

Learn more about our Native Plant Sales

Wild Things - Family Walk George B. Parker Woodland Audubon Preserve
2023-04-11 10:30 - 11:30 | Exeter, RI
On April 11, 2023 at 10:30 join us for a hike through George Parker Woodland Audubon Preserve. We’ll see an old field meadow, beech forests, and a boardwalk over a swamp before ending at a rocky stream in a wooded valley. Please pack sunscreen, bug spray, snacks, and water. We’ll be out between 90 minutes and 2 hours. To provide a personalized learning experience space is very limited. Each walk will be arranged for to 2 to 3 families per walk.
For more details about our family walks, including how to register, click here
