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Summer Edition: Newsletter from the Southern Rhode Island Conservation District

A person stands in front of a colorful butterfly wing mural, creating the illusion of having butterfly wings.

As the summer starts to wind down our team at the Southern Rhode Island Conservation District is busy gearing up for the upcoming fall season working with our landowners, farmers, foresters and fisherman. 

Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)  FY2025 conservation program signups are open now through October 4 for Rhode Island farmers, forest managers, oyster growers, ranchers & urban growers. Read on for details.

We have had a busy summer! We welcomed three new team members, partnered with eight wonderful organizations on the People's Garden program, revamped our Fresh Harvest Kitchen in Westerly and we continue to gather public input for the Resilient Riverfront Renewal project on Main Street in Westerly. Read about all of it in our newsletter!

As always, you can reach out to me  with any conservation questions or concerns you may have.  

A cursive handwritten signature in blue ink.
gfuller@sricd.org 

 

 

Upcoming Happenings

A flyer for a free honey tasting event at Fresh Harvest Kitchen with date, time, and location details.
Ad for "Resiliency Radio Hour" with hosts Katy Keiffer & Gina Fuller. Thursdays 9:10-10 AM on WBLQ 103.1 FM/1230 AM, online, or app.
The Southern Rhode Island Conservation District and the Town of Westerly continue to gather public feedback for the Main Street Resilient Riverfront Renewal project. The Resilient Riverfront Renewal Project will result in a redesigned Main Street which is more inviting for the public and better for the environment. Your organization is an integral part of this community and we are hoping you can assist us in gathering input from members of your organization. Hearing from all voices in Westerly is important to us. We ask that you please share the online visual preference survey and our public input map to your email distribution lists and/or through your social media channels. To learn more about the project, please visit the project web page: Resilient Riverfront Renewal (arcgis.com). Your support for this important community project is greatly appreciated.

The Southern Rhode Island Conservation District and the Town of Westerly continue to gather public feedback for the Main Street Resilient Riverfront Renewal project. The Resilient Riverfront Renewal Project will result in a redesigned Main Street which is more inviting for the public and better for the environment. Your input is critical to this project and hearing from all voices in Westerly is important to us.

To share your feedback, complete the online visual preference survey and our public input map. To learn more about the project, please visit the project web page: Resilient Riverfront Renewal (arcgis.com).

Your support for this important community project is greatly appreciated.

Conservation Program Sign-Ups Through October 4

Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announces its first FY2025 conservation program signup for Rhode Island farmers, forest managers, oyster growers, ranchers & urban growers – Apply by Oct. 4.

Two children standing in a garden, one holding a gardening fork, with raised beds and plants in the background.

Click here.

 

Community Partnerships through the People's Grant Program

SRICD is thrilled to partner with eight wonderful organizations and businesses throughout our district to provide them with the financial, technical, and educational assistance needed to establish their own garden and fresh, healthy food using good conservation practices that nurture habitat for pollinators, wildlife, and people. Throught the People's Garden program, we awarded more than $60,000 in People’s Garden program grants which are funded and organized by a collaborative effort between the SRICD, the Rhode Island State Conservation Committee and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Services. Congratulations to all recipients:

Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI), Warwick
Meadow Brook Waldorf School, West Kingston
Painted Karma, Kingston
Northrup Acres, North Kingstown
Richmond Elementary School, Richmond
St. Pius X Catholic Church, Westerly
Saint Andrew Lutheran Church, Charlestown
West Warwick High School, West Warwick 

Governor McKee Visits the Fresh Harvest Kitchen

People standing and sitting in a room with food on a counter, engaging in conversation.

We were proud to host Governor Dan McKee and his wife Susan at our Fresh Harvest Kitchen in Westerly who stoppd by to check out all the great new things happening there as well as to see the new equipment made possible by a 2023 Local Agriculture and Seafood (LASA) grant. 
Chef Nastassja Netro and assistant manager Kendra Steere prepared delicious bites with fresh local clams from digger Erik King and produce from West Farm Organics.  Mark Phillips, local commercial fisherman and Stanton Terranova III and Ashlee Barrett from Terranova Farm Livestock Sanctuary joined us well.

The Fresh Harvest Kitchen is open Tuesdays through Fridays, from 9 am - 5 pm and Saturdays, 9 am - 12 pm and is located at 9 East Avenue in Westerly.  Stop in and purchase local seafood, farm products and other hand made items or try one of cooked to order lunch special and or grab and go meals. Check us out on Facebook and Instagram. 

Reserve our Soil Steamer!

A flyer promoting a soil steamer for reducing diseases and weeds in farming, with images of the equipment and application.

The Southern Rhode Island Conservation owns and offers technical assistance for the use of  a Sioux Commerical Soil Steamer. Please contact Meghan Seeley at 401.258.0268 or mseeley@sricd.org for more information.

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