URI researchers are studying the ecological role of the iconic stone walls that intersect the New England landscape.
New England’s iconic stone walls dot our local landscape. Experts estimate that there were once 240,000 miles of stone walls across the region. They provide scenic interest and a nod to history, but what else do they do?
Two faculty members in URI’s Department of Natural Resources Science, Kathleen Carroll, assistant professor of applied quantitative ecology, and Shelby Rinehart ’13, assistant professor of watershed ecology, are looking for answers to that question.
They are collaborating to evaluate the impact of historic stone walls on biodiversity and ecosystems throughout New England. They hope to foster public interest, support, and participation in the project.
“Growing up, stone walls were all around me,” says Rinehart, who grew up in rural Connecticut. Rinehart, who is new to URI, runs URI’s Bio-Funk Lab, where he studies how plant and animal biodiversity can support local efforts to conserve, manage, and restore important ecosystems, like salt marshes.
Postdoctoral researcher Jamie Bucholz is working with Rinehart on the stone wall project. Bucholz will use what she learns about stone walls to better understand the genetic biodiversity of the species that call them home. New to New England, she is examining stone walls in the region, utilizing environmental data from Rhode Island Geographic Information System. The data, compiled by URI assistant professor of natural resources science Jason Parent and geospatial consultant Elliot Vosburgh ’18, M.E.S.M. ’24, maps all of Rhode Island’s stone walls.
Bucholz, who is new to Rhode Island, says she was surprised by how many stone walls crisscross her new home state. “Rhode Island is dense with them,” she says. The walls are a remnant of both glacial impact and colonial agricultural practices. Over time, the walls also created their own unique ecosystems.
To get a better understanding of the ecosystems of stone walls, URI’s team hopes to connect with others interested in stone walls, from local land trusts to property owners. This spring and summer, they’ll conduct community outreach and connect with other groups and individuals interested in the stone walls of Southern New England. They are also looking for the public to participate by offering access to stone walls.
The team plans to install camera traps at various locations and will monitor some walls to see which species are using them for shelter or travel.
The team notes the importance of studying existing stone walls, which are threatened by ongoing development and disassembly for materials and resale. Researchers hope to hear from land trusts and expand their work statewide, including in urban areas, to gain a holistic view of these iconic structures.
Rinehart says, “We know these walls are all around us. We want to understand why they are so important.”
—Kristen Curry ’92
Photo: Nora Lewis
Learn more and support the New England Stone Wall Research project at connectivityandconservation.com/stone-walls.
See the Rhode Island Stone Wall Mapping Project at vosburgh.dev/walls.