Top 8 ERICD Environmental Wins from 2023!
Ploggers pick up trash at the Newport Rhode Race in April 2023
2023 – what a year it’s been! We continue to be so thankful for our wonderful Rhode Island community, which supports our programming and allows us to grow every year. From our day-to-day conservation work with farmers to educating about soil health at The Ocean Race, 2023 has been an amazing year. Count down with us our Top 8 ERICD Environmental Wins from 2023!
Farm and Forest Conservation
Through ERICD’s partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), we provide farmers and landowners with financial and technical assistance to address natural resource concerns through an array of conservation practices. In 2023, NRCS obligated a grand total of $2,026,563 in new conservation contracts in Newport and Bristol Counties. These initiatives include a variety of programs, all helping farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners to integrate conservation into working lands. Click here to learn more and to see recent virtual tours of some of our farm partners.
Earth Month
ERICD once again expanded Earth Day to Earth Month in April 2023! At the third annual Seedling Sale, we distributed over 1,600 seedlings to local residents. These seedlings will grow into resilient allies for Narragansett Bay - absorbing excess stormwater, creating habitat for wildlife, and controlling erosion. Thank you to our volunteers who helped to prep the seedlings, Horus from Hawk & Handsaw Farm for his expertise, to Greenvale Vineyards for hosting us, and in-kind donations from BioBag, Stop & Shop, and Greenhouse Megastore. Comedian Ashley Gutermuth returned for our “Comedy for Conservation” show. She is an avid plogger and ERICD supporter! Thank you to Ashley for joining us, to Helly Hansen Newport for sponsoring, and Greenvale Vineyards for hosting. Our rain barrel events are always very popular, and this year was no exception. We sold and distributed 75 rain barrels during Earth Month in Middletown, Bristol and Barrington. These barrels are collecting combined thousands of water each year that would otherwise wash harmful pollutants into the watershed. Read to the end to see how much trash we picked up at our plogging events!
Educating Youth About Sustainable Agriculture
It was a big year at the Portsmouth AgInnovation Farm – now in its third full year of programming. We were excited to welcome Middletown students for the first time this year, in addition to the ongoing programming we offer to Portsmouth Schools. Middletown student, Tyler Hicks, was named a Feinstein Junior Scholar and generously donated his $500 ‘Golden Ticket’ winnings to the farm – proving that the kids have cultivated not only the crops in the ground, but also a passion for sustainable agriculture. Also this year, The University of Rhode Island has been conducting a regional bee study in Rhode Island and The Portsmouth AgInnovation Farm is one of the chosen study sites. They have been studying the bees in the pollinator patch at the farm. The pollinator patch is open to the public and there is a path with educational signage. Our community farm plots were popular again this year as we welcomed community members to join us and grow their own produce at the farm.
We now have an education staff member at the farm, Ryan Brancato (in addition to his farm manager duties) and educator Lisa Brew, both of whom who have brought many new farm initiatives to life. Thank you to AgInnovation's co-founder and education director, Margie Brennan, who continues to lead this project and provide an exceptional level of science education to our community’s youth.
Sustainability & Community Building with The People’s Garden
The simple act of planting a garden can have big impacts—from building a more resilient local food system to empowering communities to address issues like food access and climate change. ERICD partners with the Natural Resources Conservation Service on The People’s Garden Program to build gardens in our community. Each year, we grant funds to organizations to build a garden – the gardens can be food producing community gardens, wildlife supporting such as pollinator gardens, beautification projects for gathering and reflection, or educational gardens. In 2023, The People’s Garden funded projects with partners: Newport Tree Conservancy, the Maher Center, St. Philomena School, Warren Community Center, and the Town of Barrington. Click here to see a recent video we produced about The People’s Garden.
Watershed Health at Pell Elementary School
A new green infrastructure installation at Pell Elementary School in Newport is collecting polluted stormwater and protecting the Narragansett Bay watershed. The location of the installation was a community decision in partnership with Newport’s North End neighborhood. After hosting stormwater education sessions and engaging the community, they decided that this location at Pell Elementary would be the best spot for this installment. The installation treats 11,700 gallons of water per one-quarter inch rain event. Prior to this system being installed, the water would run quickly over the drains, causing flooding and allowing polluted water to enter our watersheds.
Thank you to project partners RIDOT, the Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank, the City of Newport, the Women's Resource Center, the Newport Health Equity Zone and North End residents, with funding provided by The Funders Network, van Beuren Charitable Foundation, Prince Charitable Trusts and the Rhode Island Foundation. Installation was done by Groundwork Rhode Island.
Soil Health Education at The Ocean Race
The race around the world in the sport of sailing’s toughest contest visited the City-by-the Sea in May 2023. We were excited to be part of the event and host a booth at the Exploration Zone at Fort Adams State Park from May 13-21. Our booth boasted a walk-through soil-health education tunnel. The Exploration Zone, presented by BankNewport, was uniquely created to inspire and inform all ages on the sport of sailing and the many facets of sustaining a clean ocean. The exhibit showcased local nonprofits and mission-related organizations. Thank you to our partners: Northern & Southern Conservation RI Districts and the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Engaging in Statewide Stormwater Issues at the Stormwater Innovation Expo
ERICD sits on the executive committee of the Rhode Island Green Infrastructure Coalition, which this year hosted its fifth annual Stormwater Innovation Expo. The expo brought together over 160 stakeholders to discuss current trends in stormwater management. It was an exciting day of indoor and outdoor presentations, showcasing innovative products and services being used in the construction and maintenance of green stormwater infrastructure across Rhode Island and the industry.
Plogging (Jogging + Picking Up Trash) to Keep the Watershed Clean
When it rains, litter and trash gets swept into our coastal and drinking waters. For the last four years, ERICD has been plogging (jogging and picking up trash) in Newport and Bristol Counties to keep our watershed clean. This year, our volunteers picked up 359 pounds of trash – more than the weight of an average refrigerator! Thank you so much to our ploggers and plog partners – Rhode Races, Keep Nature Wild, Revolution Wind, the Low Impact Alliance, Plog Tiverton, Tiverton Litter Committee, Farmcoast Run Club, Newport Run and Chug; and thank you to ERICD board member, Jessica Cullinan, for spearheading these plogging efforts.
