Other Rhode Island Organizations with a focus on native plants

Among Wildflowers

AMONG RHODE ISLAND WILDFLOWERS was created and maintained for may years by a small group of passionate amateur naturalists and botanist. It now is included in our own website. It offers a wealth of information about plants in RI including dedicated lists of orchids, violets, ferns, carnivorous plants as well as coloring resources, historical works on natural history, delightful information on plants and a weekly What Plant is that? identification challenge.

Rhode Island Natural History Survey

RHODE ISLAND NATURAL HISTORY SURVEY gathers and disseminates information on RI’s animals and plants, geology, and ecosystems to improve the management of natural resources, and support those dedicated to the ecology of RI. They hold an annual bio blitz, are currently engaged in a program to cultivate rare native plants.  Their website offers an invasive species portal.

RHODE ISLAND TREE COUNCIL aims to create healthy urban and community forests. They offer a Tree Stewardship program and their website provides resources about tree care. Their e-newsletter includes reports on temperatures and rainfall, updates on pests and diseases as well as other timely information.

UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND MASTER GARDENER PROGRAM a part of URI’s Cooperative Extension, educates citizens in environmentally sound gardening practices. They offer resources and events and are engaged in a variety of gardening projects across the state. 2019 marked the end of a 3 year focused effort on land stewardship. They also offer free soil testing at different times, places across the state, and have a hot line to answer questions about plants.

BROWN UNIVERSITY HERBARIUM was founded in 1869. The collection includes about 100,000 plant specimens and is an important holding for Rhode Island and New England collections. You can browse their collections online at the Brown Digital Repository and the Consortium of Northeastern Herbaria portal. One of their current projects is to collect specimens of every plant now found in RI.

Other RI organizations that support native plants and their habitats through their boarder mission to conserve wildlife and water or land resources

RHODE ISLAND LAND TRUST COUNCIL promotes land conservation in RI by supporting the missions and operations of RI land trusts (there are over 45), fostering collaboration and advocating for sound land conservation policy.

RHODE ISLAND AUDUBON SOCIETY protects birds and other wildlife and their habitats through conservation education and advocacy. The offer walks and a variety of education programs. Their nature center and aquarium are located in Bristol and they have 14 wildlife refuges across the state.

THE NATURE CONSERVANCY IN RHODE ISLAND focuses on the conservation of both land and water to support a diversity of life through a variety of projects. The have 9 preserves in RI.

logo Environment Council of RI

ENVIRONMENTAL COUNCIL OF RHODE ISLAND is a coalition of organizations, serving as an effective voice for developing and advocating policies and laws that protect and enhance RI’s environment since 1972.

Other organization that focus on water include SAVE THE BAY and SALT PONDS COALITION as well as a number of Watershed Associations.

Our next door neighbors

logo CT botanical society

CONNECTICUT BOTANICAL SOCIETY is dedicated to the plants and habitats in CT, many of which we share. Their online searchable plant list is excellent. They also offer field trips and have a herbarium collection.

GROW NATIVE MASSACHUSETTS offers a wealth of information about why “Every garden matters – Every Landscape counts”. They have education programs, traveling talks, a native plant sale and lecture series “Evening with the Experts”. The recordings of these lectures are online. The website resources and explanations about the importance of an ecosystem approach to garden are clear, concise, persuasive and eloquent.

Wider New England

Logo name Native Plant Trust

NATIVE PLANT TRUST  conserves and promotes NE’s Native Plants. See their website for the most authoritative searchable plant data base for the region, Go Botany, as well as their searchable Garden Plant Finder. Their conservation and horticultural projects are extensive and include a seed bank. They offer numerous educational classes including certificate programs. Both their Garden in the Woods (Framingham, MA) and Nasami Farm (Whately, MA) are worth the visit.

logo for NE Botanical Club

NEW ENGLAND BOTANICAL CLUB studies plants of North America, especially the flora of NE and adjacent areas. They maintain a herbarium and a small library. Rhodora, their peer reviewed journal, is published 4 times a year.

National Organizations

Native Plant Conservation Campaign

NATIVE PLANT CONSERVATION CAMPAIGN  is a network of approximately 55 affiliated native plant societies and other native plant conservation organizations throughout the United States, promoting the conservation of native plants and their habitats through collaboration, education, and advocacy. They support a variety of initiatives, including national and international and work to strengthen funding for and conservation of native plants.