healthy lawn care
rain gardens
presentations
evaluation tools
 

 

URI College of the Environment and Life Sciences Programs and links


URI Small Acreage Livestock Education Program

The URI Home*A*Syst Program is part of the URI Cooperative Extension Water Quality Program within the Department of Natural Resources Science. The URI Home*A*Syst program provides educational workshops and materials for residential pollution preventing topics: including private well protection, septic system maintenance, landscaping for water quality protection, woodscaping, and proper use and disposal of household hazardous products.

The URI CE GreenShare Program focuses on Integrated Pest Management strategies that reduce the need for pesticides in the landscape. GreenShare offers training programs, workshops, numerous fact sheets, a newsletter, and other educational activities for professionals in the Green Industry and the general public. View the Sustainable Trees and Shrubs For Southern New England manual which lists over 250 disease and insect-resistant plants that thrive in Southern New England with minimal maintenance.

Go to our RI Agricultural Experiment Station site to take a virtual tour of the URI CE Learning Landscape which is part of the URI CE Education Center.

Call the URI CE Master Gardener Hotline at 1-800-448-1011, Monday-Thursday, 9 AM - 2 PM for questions about fertilizer and pesticide use, soil testing, and more. Out-of-state, call (401) 874-2900.

The URI Plant Protection Clinic identifies insects on plants and in the home, and will diagnose plant diseases.


For information on all URI Cooperative Extension Programs

The RI Digital Atlas has various natural resource maps for all towns and watersheds in Rhode Island.

The RI Natural History Survey -- for more information and publications about invasive species, the use of native plants in the home landscape, and ecological systems and data within Rhode Island. Links to numerous publications and organizations.

Rhode Island Organizations/Agencies

The Town of North Kingstown, RI -- is serving as a demonstration community for the Healthy Landscapes Education Program. Visit their Department of Water Supply link to view the quarterly newsletter, The Puddle (reaching 94% of residents) for regular articles on healthy landscaping topics and learn more about their citizen-lead groundwater committee. This program is also supported by the Town Council, Conservation Commission, Department of Planning and Development, and Town Manager, Richard Kerbel.

The Rhode Island Nursery and Landscape Association

Rhode Island Wild Plant Society -- contains the list of invasive plants from the Rhode Island Invasive Species Council and sources for purchasing native plants.

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service; Warwick, RI office, (401) 828-1300
To obtain a soil survey map of RI, and for information and assistance with soil erosion, runoff controls and livestock waste and pasture management.

The Toxics Information Project -- TIP is a Rhode Island non-profit organization dedicated to helping individuals live healthier and safer lives through public outreach and education on the subject of toxins.

Other Programs and Links

USDA CSREES New England Regional Water Quality Program
Sustainable Landscapes Focus Area Success stories and on-line resources

The University of Connecticut Water Quality and the Home Landscape

The University of Connecticut NEMO Program Reducing Runoff Page gives information on how to design your rooftop, driveway, and sidewalk to reduce stormwater runoff. There is also information on alternatives to asphalt and cement, and vegetated rooftops to reduce stormwater runoff. It also provides a link to the Center for Watershed Protection.

The University of Connecticut, Haddam research/demonstration rain garden.

The Center for Watershed Protection -- educating residents, provides technical tools and resources for watershed protection. Includes information on rain barrels and rain gardens.

The Living Lawn project, Marblehead, MA -- organic turf and garden management

Maine's BayScaper program provides a step-by-step guide to creating a lawn that protects nearby waterbodies from harmful chemicals and soil erosion.

Audubon International -- education on sustainable resource management and landscape ecology

Want to learn more about land use and stormwater runoff impacts to water quality?

EPA, Office of Water, Watershed Protection

The Natural Resources Defense Council