The Northern Rhode Island Conservation District works in partnership with private land owners, farmers, municipalities, state and federal agencies, as well as non-governmental agencies. NRICD is not a regulatory or enforcement agency, but rather provides assistance to those who desire to work as a team to face issues -- watershed by watershed.
To our valued Providence County farmers, growers, and forest managers:
The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Providence County Team and Northern Rhode Island Conservation District (NRICD) are both in periods of unprecedented growth and change. Many of our longtime conservation planners are moving on to new opportunities, promotions, and new careers, causing us to welcome new members to our planning team. At the same time, record amounts of federal conservation funding were received in the 2024 fiscal year.... READ MORE
Building Community Through Food and Shared Experience
Saturday, September 14, 2024
9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Trans-FARM-ative Project + Open Farms Retreat
Register Here:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfmhH8Qid_T2nq5c2cIKGmIwakrkGvZBhPQB4sU9ueqXDzepA/viewform
Join us and the Young Farmer Network of Southern New England for a full-day tour of Open Farms Retreat in Cumberland and the TransFARMative Project in Foster. We’ll be focusing on sustainable low-till farming practices and learn from the producers themselves the “lessons learned” from their first years of growth.
Free lunch, bus transportation, and childcare will be provided and the tour will be available in English, Spanish, Swahili and Kinyarwanda. Bus transportation services are first come, first serve, and registration will be open until next Friday, September 13th, at 12 p.m.! Register using the link above, and reach out to Gennifer at gkeller.nricd@gmail.com or Annie at youngfarmernetwork@gmail.com if you have any questions or concerns. See you there!
Saturdays: September 14, 2024 & September 21, 2024
Anytime between 9 a.m. & 2 p.m.
Wanskuck Library
233 Veazie St.
Providence, RI 02904
Please help us build a new community garden at 2024 People's Garden grant recipient, the Wanskuck Library! Two volunteer days have been set aside to help renovate the 1930s era garden beds and bring back native roses, plant native fruit trees and shrubs, start a community herb garden, and more! Be part of Providence history and join us.
Families welcome... the more the merrier! Materials are provided, but please feel free to bring tools such as shovels, gloves, or other gardening supplies.
Limited parking on site.
Monday, September 16, 2024
5 p.m.
5 Anan Wade Road, Foster, RI
Learn about the CSP program and how homeowners in Rhode Island can receive up to 4,000 a year for forest maintenance and conservation methods!
Take care of your land, and NRCS will take care of you; learn from CSP recipients themselves! Families welcome. Registration appreciated, but not required.
Wednesday, September 18, 2024
4 p.m. - 6 p.m.
Military and Veteran’s Education (MAVE) Center
Memorial Union, Room 113
50 Lower College Road, Kingston, RI 02881
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88583453903
Refreshments Provided + Childcare Available !
Join us for a community driven discussion lead by a URI student and veteran, Jason Phillips, to discuss a proposed live/work farming project in Providence.
Jason is a past participant of our Urban Grower's Leadership Program, and is currently working with Japanese architect, Yoshimi Kono, on a proposal to revitalize a closed, historic elementary school building in Providence into a live/work apartment complex offering affordable housing to people experiencing anxiety. The intention is to bring therapeutic farming methods into the complex done by the residents who can enjoy the harvest at home, and excess goods to be sold to keep rent prices low. Jason sees this project as a good fit for veterans, recent college graduates, immigrant families, and start-up business owners.
If you or someone you know is a veteran, please join us! We want to hear from your community how we can shape this project to best serve your needs. Childcare and food available at the in person meeting. If you plan on attending, especially if you are attending in person, please RSVP below! RSVP helps us guarantee there will be enough childcare and pizza for everyone!
RSVP Here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1E7UaW-AEmz3CfvO4uk4xCwBUqOBLqwm5VakOntD4jhQ/edit
Join Zoom Meeting: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88583453903
Information on the URI MAVE Center: https://web.uri.edu/veterans/
Thursday, September 19, 2024
4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
No registration necessary!
Join us and our neighbors to the East at Narragansett Brewery in Providence! Learn about Eastern's upcoming benefit dinner and enjoy some local brews while you're at it! No RSVP necessary, 21+ event.
Our monthly board meetings have returned! See you on Tuesday, September 24th, at 4:30 p.m. at the Marian J. Mohr library basement.
Join Zoom Meeting:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88961070851?pwd=RMi5PyozYdFCMYeyhawEbK8buoIIWt.1
Meeting ID: 889 6107 0851
Passcode: 164213
Gather Farm
Monday, September 30, 2024
5:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Gather Farm
380 Greenville Avenue, Johnston
Interpretation Provided
Ice cream, artistry, fields of vegetables and more... come join us on September 30th for a tour of Gather Farm, a regenerative and chemical free farm just outside Providence located in Johnston. Gather Farm hosts an artist society, including painters and glass blowers alike, a wellness group which includes yoga retreats, as well as a Community Supported Agriculture Program which offers folks farm fresh herbs and vegetables right from the fields. Learn about all their offerings, from hand made bouquets to house made ice cream, and all about current NRCS program offerings, such as the ones Gather Farm enrolls in.
RSVP required due to limited parking spaces!
RSVP Here:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1-jIWSs15kMfifl2Lvlk1DZy4pw9RVO6tq4Dha7cwBXQ/edit
Our indoor oyster mushroom workshop with the RI Mycological Society, which was to be held Saturday, May 25 at the Knight Memorial Library in Providence, is in the process of being rescheduled.
If you are interested in attending, please fill out the Google form below!
Indoor Oyster Mushroom Workshop Interest Form
RI Envirothon Winner!
Winner of the 2024 Envirothon is the Wheeler School!
Thank you to all those who made this year's Envirothon possible! Follow RI Envirothon on Facebook for more updates.
NRICD Conservation Farm of the Year Awarded to Butterfly Farm in Lincoln
Read Press Release