CELS Outreach Center

Coastal Landscapes Program

Kate Venturini, Coordinator

The URI CELS Outreach Center has partnered with the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC) to develop new approaches to coastal buffer zones in suburban settings in Rhode Island.

The goal of the Coastal Landscapes Program is to create a climate of cooperation among property owners, landscapers and other green industry professionals, and State regulatory agencies to protect environmental quality and encourage environmental stewardship in Rhode Island. Part of this process includes in-house revisions to the current CRMC buffer zone regulations for the Greenwich Bay Special Area Management Plan (SAMP). To compliment the revised regulations, a multi-tiered education, outreach and demonstration program has been developed for CRMC staff, Rhode Island residents, and green industry professionals. The program covers topics including:

• Sustainable Landscaping Practices
• Managing Landscapes in the Coastal Buffer Zone
• Low Impact Development Approaches to Storm Water Management
• Proper Planting in the Coastal Buffer Zone
• Invasive Plant Management in the Coastal Buffer Zone

Program components include:

• A Managed Landscapes Training Program for CRMC staff (January 2006)
  
  
• A Coastal Landscape Certification Program for green industry professionals conducting landscape design or management in coastal areas (January 2007 – present)
  
  
• An Invasive Management Certification Program for green industry professionals working with invasive plant management in coastal areas.
  
  
• An Interactive and Searchable Coastal Plant Database for use by home gardeners, landscape professionals and regulatory staff.
  
  
• A Suburban Design Manual to guide sustainable landscaping and buffer zone management on coastal residential properties in the Greenwich Bay area
  
  
• A Coastal Buffer Restoration on Warwick Neck Avenue at Warwick Cove