Audubon Report | Spring 2025

AUDUBON SOCIETY OF RHODE ISLAND

AUDUBON REPORT

CONNECTING ALL PEOPLE WITH NATURE • SPRING 2025

TRANSFORMING THE LANDSCAPE

The power of wild habitats to save pollinators on the brink – one native plant at a time.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

OFFICERS:

DIRECTORS:

Stephen

Richard

Sara

Carol

Olinda

Emily

Jeff

Shawen

John

COUNCIL

President:

Nicholas

Christian

Trudy

Meghan

Joan

Christopher

David

Samuel

Katherine

Keith

A.Max

Deborah Linnell

Terry

Robert

Suzanne

Steven

Frank

Julia

Charlotte

Everett

Frederick

Michael

Cynthia

Kim

Audubon Society of Rhode Island 12 Sanderson Road, Smithfield, RI 02917 401-949-5454 www.asri.org

Executive Director: Jeffrey C. Hall

Managing Editor: Hope M. Foley

Contributing Writers: Laura Carberry, Charles Clarkson, Hope Foley, Abbie Lahmers, Mary Lhowe, Lauren Parmelee, Rebecca Reeves, Scott Ruhren, Katie Schortmann, Phoenix Wheeler.

Contributing Photographers: Rachel Bonoan, Cate Brown, Mary Ann Cofrin, Matt DiMaio, Peter Green, Ed Hughes, Casey Johnson, Jason Major, Glenn Osmundson, Scott Ruhren, Gaurav Sharma, Richard Staples, Jennifer Zartarian.

The Report is Audubon Society of Rhode Island’s newsletter, updating members and supporters on current news, policy issues, research and initiatives being led by the organization, staff, and volunteers.

We encourage your participation. Please send items that will be considered for publication to Managing Editor Hope M. Foley at hfoley@asri.org.

Please pass this copy on to a friend or recycle. Thank you.

FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

KEEP SHOWING UP

There’s no denying that we are navigating a seismic shift in the environmental and political landscape. New policies from Washington are emerging at a rapid pace –some deeply concerning – and whether they stand the test of time or not, it would be unrealistic to say these policies will not affect Audubon's work.

These changes remind us of one fundamental truth: when it comes to protecting birds, wildlife, and the places we love, it is up to us.

Rhode Islanders have always understood the value of clean air, healthy water, and thriving natural places. This was evident in the recent passage of the Green Bond, where every community in Rhode Island voted to protect open spaces. That collective action was more than just a victory; it was a testament to the power of persistence and public engagement. Our voices matter, and when we raise them together, we make a difference.

Rhode Island is a state shaped by the ocean, forests, and salt marshes – a place where conservation is not a luxury, but a necessity given the rapid changes of climate and sea level rise. Audubon exists to conserve these wild places, advocate for their protection, and teach our youth about the importance of nature.

The good news is that we are not alone. Audubon is built on a strong foundation of members, donors, partners, and advocates who care deeply about our mission. Our relationships with local foundations, businesses, community organizations, and coalition partners give us strength. Together, we have the power to resist threats, adapt to challenges, and push forward solutions that safeguard our environment for future generations. That’s why we need you to keep showing up.

When we educate, advocate, and protect nature together, we ensure that Audubon remains resilient. We need to keep sharing knowledge, amplifying our collective voice, and working with those who stand beside us. Every action – whether it’s attending a hearing, planting native habitat, contacting an elected official, or simply introducing a child to the wonder of birds – matters. Small steps, when taken together, lead to lasting change.

But in the midst of this work, let’s also remember conservation is a long game, and we must remain strong for the journey ahead. Let’s celebrate our victories, find joy in the natural world we fight for, and hold fast to the community that makes this work possible. Let’s take time to connect with nature, refuel our passion, and remind ourselves why this work is so important.

Audubon’s strength has always come from YOU! Our members and supporters are our greatest strength and asset. Thank you for the support and dedication you shared with us last year. Coming into 2025 we have never been on a more stable foundation, and we will need your help again to rise up to the challenges ahead.

Let’s keep showing up – because only our voices, our actions, and our commitment will shape our future.

Good birding,

Jeffrey C. Hall Executive Director

Monarch caterpillar on butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) in Middletown, RI.

Photo by Mary Ann Cofrin.

TRANSFORMING THE LANDSCAPE

The power of wild habitats to save pollinators on the brink – one native plant at a time.

By Abbie Lahmers

Before the Palmieri Pollinator Garden was a flourishing, buzzing haven of insects, with queen bumble bees resting under leaf cover in the winter and a fragrant tunnel of spicebush blossoms opening to butterflies in the spring; before a snapping turtle trudged up the hill to lay eggs there and the vibrant purple hyssop blooms became a trademark of summer, there were volunteers putting plants in the ground.

This is a simple yet crucial first step toward establishing pollinator habitats that Katie Schortmann, Audubon Pollinator Outreach Coordinator, doesn’t take for granted: getting plants in the ground – but not just any. The garden was started by former Audubon Board Members Terry Meyer and Nick Califano and designed by renowned landscape architect John Gwynne in 2018, incorporating trees from an existing apple orchard and adding a variety of pollinator-friendly native perennials, all maintained without pesticides. “Its primary function is to be a habitat,” says Schortmann, “but it’s also a classroom, and it’s a beautiful garden to inspire people to create a habitat at home.”

To Bee or Not to Bee

Many are familiar with the plight of the bees, but the poster child spurring the movement to save them is often the honeybee, an introduced species. Schortmann recalls fielding the question, “This isn’t a farm, so why do you have a pollinator garden?” “It made me realize that there’s a fundamental misunderstanding about the fact that we’re not trying to save honeybees here,” says Schortmann. “Honeybees are important, and we depend on them for a lot of food in this country, but as a conservation organization, Audubon is focused first on the wild plants and wild pollinators.”

Scott Ruhren, Senior Director of Conservation, echoes this distinction. “There are thousands of other bees and pollinators beyond honeybees,” he says. Over 40 percent of these critical pollinating species are facing the threat of extinction. “From an economic standpoint, which humans tend to think about most, pollinator decline is affecting production of a lot of our fruits, nuts, and commercial crops, like blueberries and cranberries.”

From a broader ecosystem perspective, the intertwined nature of certain native plant and insect species that have evolved together means one can’t survive without the other. Ruhren cites some orchids that can only be pollinated by specialized bees, and if either is lost, he says, “the relationship ends, and the orchid may cease to produce seeds.”

Invasive or introduced species of plants are often not beneficial to native insects. The monarch butterfly, for example, can only use milkweed to reproduce, a concept many gardeners have embraced. However, Ruhren offers a cautionary tale about selecting just any kind of milkweed. “If it’s an introduced species or cultivar, monarch caterpillars will not be able to develop fully. It’s a sad story –the female monarch lays an egg, but the larvae cannot finish their development and dies. It must be the right species of milkweed, such as common milkweed or butterfly weed, also known as monarch milkweed.”

Without trees acting as host plants, you lose the floral resources for adult pollinators and the hundreds of caterpillars that would have foraged on the tree's leaves. Caterpillars are the primary food source for baby songbirds. Without our native trees and pollinators, you’d have ecosystem collapse. That cannot be understated.

– Katie Schortmann Audubon Pollinator Outreach Coordinator

“ “

Come spring, trees will be among the first to erupt with tiny buds – abundant floral resources that attract wild pollinators. Oak and maple trees are host plants to over 500 species of moth and butterfly species that depend on them for their life cycle, and then those trees yield harvests of nuts, fruit, and seeds for birds and rodents. “It’s a cascading effect,” notes Schortmann, stressing the importance of stewarding trees in cities and towns. “Without trees acting as host plants, you lose the floral resources for adult pollinators and the hundreds of caterpillars that would have foraged on the tree's leaves. Caterpillars are the primary food source for baby songbirds. Without our native trees and pollinators, you’d have ecosystem collapse. That cannot be understated.”

Pesticides – namely neonicotinoids, which target insects’ nervous systems and prevent bees from being able to find their way back home when foraging – are having a devastating impact on pollinator populations. Deforestation, climate change, and pathogens are all threats that insects face. It’s a widespread crisis that’s invisible to many outside of the conservation sphere. “If you don’t have a relationship with something and you can’t name it, or don’t care about it, then you’re not going to notice if it’s gone,” says Schortmann, which is why Audubon initiatives seek to forge those connections.

Sowing Seeds of Resilience

At the Maxwell Mays Wildlife Refuge in Coventry, four native wildflower species were carefully chosen to grow in a protected plot: blue-stemmed goldenrod, pale beardtongue, red columbine, and flax-leaved aster. The RI Wild Plant Society (RIWPS) founded the ReSeeding RI initiative to establish foundation plots on sites across the state, growing and harvesting the seeds of wild-derived ecotypic plants. Ecotypic plants are historically local native species that retain the genetic material needed to be resilient in our region’s climate and extreme weather conditions.

In collaboration with Audubon and other partner organizations, these plots are increasing ecotypic seed sources.

“The goal is to have them produce seeds for further propagation and to use the plants to improve pollinator habitats around the region,” says Ruhren. Audubon staff helped plant 756 native wildflower seedlings at Maxwell Mays, and this year RIWPS will visit the garden to collect seeds, which will be available for purchase through the Northeast Seed Collective.

“In the past we've worked with the Veterans Home in Bristol to grow our own native plants from seed, and we now have a small greenhouse on site at the Nature Center and Aquarium where we will continue that effort,” adds Schortmann.

Outside of sourcing from a seed bank like Northeast Seed Collective, buying native plants isn’t always as straightforward as it seems. “Some garden centers might list something as native, but it may actually be a cultivar, which are selectively bred to look extra showy but may not have the genetic material or structures of the native,” says Ruhren. More and more mail-order sources like Northeast Seed Collective are available, and nurseries are getting better at stocking natives approved for the ecoregion by the National Wildlife Federation. A little research goes a long way.

Audubon’s wildlife refuge system features plots where native plants are thriving, some with signage to educate visitors, and pesticides are never used on any Audubon properties. The organization uses land management strategies such as not mowing during peak pollinator seasons, mowing around native plants like milkweed, and “leaving the leaves” – an adage encouraging people to not rake up leaves at the end of the growing season, which provide crucial shelter to insects during the winter – all with positive results.

“A lot of people feel overwhelmed by the idea of changing their yards and landscaping to natives. They wonder where to start and if their efforts can really make a difference,” Ruhren notes, “but research has shown that small backyard plots, even a little patio in downtown Providence, can help pollinators and birds. These little 'pocket parks' and small gardens with native plants do a lot of good.”

A Native Plant Corridor

The Palmieri Pollinator Garden – with its thoughtfully placed seating, an accessible herb garden bed built by middle school students, and unfettered growth – demonstrates how seamlessly wild and human habitats can coexist, hosting both ecological activity and lively programming.

“It’s served so many functions over the years,” says Schortmann, noting weddings and memorials, research projects, butterfly and bee surveys, photoshoots and poetry readings. Children have scoured the habitat during Easter egg hunts and learned about its value at summer camps and school programs like Audubon’s “Habitat Investigations.” Artists siphon inspiration from its natural beauty while casual visitors, wandering off the East Bay Bike Path or taking a breather from a summer day in downtown Bristol, enjoy its respite.

For some, a visit to the garden may be enough to spark the desire to use their own outdoor spaces to install flourishing habitats. There is educational signage scattered throughout, encouraging visitors to explore details of the garden and consider the importance of pollinator habitat. “I really do believe that people want to do what is best for pollinators,” says Schortmann, “but conventional gardening habits are hard to break. Convincing property owners to make these changes is a challenge. We have a moral responsibility to take care of the land and its surrounding ecosystem.”

Continued on page 8

Where Do I Start?

Do you want to plant a native wildlife garden but suffer from information overwhelm? Below is a list of vetted plant sellers and partners that Audubon has worked with for habitat restoration and pollinator garden needs.

• Prickly Ed’s Cactus Patch Native Plant Emporium, Barrington, RI

• Butterfly Effect Farm, Westport, MA

• Blue Stem Natives, Norwell, MA

• Home Grown, Pawtucket, RI

• Native Plant Trust, nativeplanttrust.org

• Rhode Island Wild Plant Society (native plant sales), riwps.org

For Seeds:

• Northeast Seed Collective, northeastseedcollective.com

• Wild Seed Project, wildseedproject.net

Ask Questions Before You Buy!

Ask your local plant seller the questions below to ascertain if best practices are being used to protect pollinator and habitat health.

• Do you know if your plants have been treated with pesticides while at your nursery?

• What growers supply your pollinator plants? Do you know if they use pesticides?

• Do you carry native plant species or only cultivars of native plants?

• Do you sell aggressive non-native plants?

Top from left: Two-spotted bumblebee on Monarda (Bee Balm), resin bee on Common Milkweed. Photos by Dr. Rachael Bonoan, Assistant Professor, Providence College. Bottom: Audubon Pollinator Outreach Coordinator Katie Schortmann (left) working with a volunteer in the Palmieri Pollinator Garden in 2019.

Monitoring for Neonicotinoids

By Dr. Charles Clarkson, Director of Avian Research

The importance of a refuge is in the name itself. Each of the nearly 10,000 acres protected by Audubon is preserved with the explicit purpose of providing breeding, wintering and migratory habitat to birds and other wildlife – a sanctuary where the necessary life history patterns required to promote survival and reproduction in species are protected. Many of our parcels protect aquatic habitats such as open ponds and lakes, streams and rivers and palustrine forested wetlands. These habitats support unique and biodiverse communities but are all at risk of potential impacts from neonicotinoid pesticides (neonics).

Neonics have been in use in the United States since 1994 and are currently the most widely used pesticide in the world. They are among the most toxic insecticides ever produced. As the scientific community grapples with the rapid decline in avian populations across North America, studies of the impacts of neonics on birds and other wildlife have increased our understanding of how these chemicals contribute to biodiversity loss.

Audubon seeks to establish a long-term monitoring program across its 10,000 acre refuge complex for the presence of neonics. As these chemicals exhibit poor soil binding qualities and are highly water soluble, there is a high likelihood that neonics used in agricultural and residential areas adjacent to refuges are making their way through surface runoff and groundwater onto Audubon conservation land, where they can threaten ecosystem health and negatively impact birds and other wildlife that should be sheltered from these toxins.

A joint monitoring program between Audubon and the University of Rhode Island will allow the determination of how much pesticide may be present across our refuges, the timing of potential exposure to birds overwintering, breeding or migrating through our properties and will be useful in informing our advocacy efforts in the state.

On April 26, Audubon will host its second Transforming the Landscape symposium, assembling knowledgeable speakers who will be sharing ways to build a sustainable community and support native pollinators by creating healthy habitats at home. Master gardeners and scientists will speak about pollinator research, prioritizing and propagating native plants, and the benefits of shrinking lawns to make room for healthy habitats. Schortmann explains that the concept of a perfect, pristine lawn so many Americans cling to dates to 17th century Europe, when the labor-intensive enterprise was a symbol of wealth and status. Functionally, lawns are food deserts to wildlife. One of Audubon’s goals is to shift property owner perceptions of manicured, traditional lawns and educate on the benefits of rewilding properties. Healthier landscapes benefit wildlife – and all of us.

By constructing a home or community garden of 70 percent native plants without pesticide use, Schortmann expresses, “you’re doing a world of good.” This is the vision of the Audubon Pollinator Alliance, a garden registration website where gardeners are required to take a pesticide-free pledge. The Alliance webpage connects data points on the native gardens already in situ around Rhode Island. “The goal is to create a corridor of habitat across the state,” she explains.

“

Research has shown that small backyard plots, even a little patio in downtown Providence, can help pollinators and birds. These little 'pocket parks' and small gardens with native plants do a lot of good.

– Scott Ruhren, Senior Director of Conservation

“

The breadth of the alliance has grown, with a focus this year on turning it into a community collective. Using information about what’s already out there, Schortmann and her team can identify neighborhoods that may be interested in making a concerted effort to install pollinator plots at a library or public space, and offer a support system, whether it’s connecting them with resources or devising a science-informed maintenance routine.

Audubon has already seen success with this community approach to outreach. “It’s kind of like we are the worker bees,” says Schortmann. Organizations like Audubon, the RI Wild Plant Society, the URI Cooperative Extension, and Native Plant Trust are the hives of knowledge (and sometimes literal seeds). “Concerned individuals who want to make a difference come to us for information, then bring it back out into the world. They’re the ones getting the plants in the ground in our communities, making more habitats, educating and encouraging their neighbors.”

Audubon garden volunteers Ann Brouillette and Cindy Pierce, who are also on the Barrington Land Trust, helped to start the Barrington Pollinator Pathway, and last year hosted an opengarden tour inviting participants to visit and ask questions, generating buzz about the project. Their efforts have culminated with the Resilience Garden at Barrington Government Center.

Continued on page 33

A Common Yellowthroat (one of Audubon’s Responsibility Birds) photographed at the Maxwell Mays Wildlife Refuge in Coventry. (photo credit Gaurav Sharma)

AUDUBON 2025 SYMPOSIUM

TRANSFORMING THE LANDSCAPE

SUPPORTING NATIVE PLANTS AND POLLINATORS

Saturday, April 26, 2025 • Quonset

O Club,

North

Kingstown, RI

Workshops and Lectures with Scientists, Master Gardeners, and Environmental Organizations

Learn how to build a sustainable community and support native pollinators by creating healthy wildlife habitat at home.

Keynote Speaker

NATHAN LAMBSTROM

Applying Ecological Principles to Garden Design

Horticulturist, ecologist, educator and owner of Lambstrom Garden Ecology LLC, specializing in ecological gardening, Lambstrom is also an instructor at the University of Rhode Island.

General admission $55, Members $45, Students $25. Snacks and coffee included. 9:00am–1:00pm. Registration Opens at 8:00am.

For more information and to purchase tickets, please scan the QR code or visit asri.org/PollinatorSymposium

Symposium Presenters

• Alexis Doshas, Nursery Manager, Native Plant Trust Native Lawn Alternatives

• Dr. Robert Gegear, UMass Dartmouth

• Brian Kuchar and Michael Easler, Horsely Witten Rain Garden Guide for Homeowners

• Dr. Steve Alm and Casey Johnson, URI Bee Lab

Other Organizations Include

• 15 Minute Field Trips

• RI Wild Plant Society

• URI Master Gardeners

• Barrington Pollinator Pathway

Plus…

• A panel curated by Cindy Moura (Prickly Ed’s Cactus Patch Native Plant Emporium, Barrington, RI)

• Student research posters

• Garden vendors

• Advocacy and networking opportunities

Sponsor packages available starting at $500. For details, please contact Jen Cleland, Audubon Director of Development at jcleland@asri.org.

Mary Ann Cofrin Casey Johnson

Hill

The Numbers Tell The Story

The reach of Audubon ambassadors is expanding… and so is the rising cost of their care.

By Mary Lhowe

Since its earliest days, Audubon Society of Rhode Island has brought animal ambassadors – or, more specifically, wild, living creatures – into classrooms and libraries across the state. The goal? To introduce children to the joys found in nature and build on that moment of wonder when they engage up-close for the first time with an animal found in the wild.

That moment of wonder cast a silence over a classroom of third graders in mid-January at a Pawtucket elementary school when Audubon educator Lisa Maloney slowly lifted a small Eastern Screech-Owl out of a travel carrier and raised it on her gloved hand in front of the students. For a moment, kids and adults in the room were immobile. A few low “oooh”s escaped.

It Really Adds Up

The Eastern Screech-Owl, named Acorn, is one of the six owls, three hawks, one raven, three snakes and many turtles that Audubon educators take to schools and public places where the animals are presented in environmental programs and educate on species, behaviors, adaptations and more. Educators also explain how these special birds and animals depend on healthy habitats to thrive and how the impacts that climate change, pollution, and habitat loss can have on their populations in the wild. Audubon’s hawks and owls alone reached over 15,000 people in 2024. Add the turtles and snakes, and the number would be well over 20,000 people served in Rhode Island and nearby Massachusetts. And then there’s Zach the Raven, who enthusiastically greets guests daily in his aviary at the Nature Center and Aquarium. Many return over and over again simply to enjoy his antics. Zach’s reach alone could be over 12,000 people a year.

Lauren Parmelee, Audubon senior director of education, emphasizes that these animal ambassadors are wild, not pets, and require specialized care and state and federal licenses. In one way or another, all the animal ambassadors at Audubon have been injured and rendered unable to survive on their own in the wild. After they arrive at Audubon through wildlife rehabilitators or other channels, they make their homes in large aviaries that have been specifically designed and built to support their individual needs. They are protected from predators, provided with veterinary care and necessary medications, and fed appropriate diets (for the owl, frozen mice). This care will be provided for the remainder of their natural lives.

“Our Avian Ambassadors are beautiful creatures,” said Parmelee.

“Connecting and engaging with wildlife up close is something people don’t experience on a regular basis. It can have a lasting, positive impact on how they view the natural world. Our birds help Audubon to stand out from other environmental education organizations, they are our niche and can help us to spread messages on the importance of science, biodiversity and habitat conservation in a way that people relate to.”

Our birds … help us to spread messages on the importance of science, biodiversity and habitat conservation in a way that people relate to.

– Lauren Parmelee, Senior Director of Education

But as the number, popularity and reach of Audubon’s ambassadors continues to expand, the cost to care for these captivating creatures is also growing. Parmelee explained that the annual budget for the ambassador program last year was over $50,000. This funding is required to cover a long list of growing needs such as housing, perches, food free of pesticides and rodenticides, veterinary care, medications, and more. Also, for educators: custom travel carriers, gloves, leads, and backpacks. And then there are the animal caregivers, a staff of four full-time and 2 part-time educators and professionals. They are a bit like the postal workers…neither snow nor rain nor heat stops this dedicated team from their appointed rounds to feed and care for Audubon’s birds and animals.

Continued on page12

Ambassador: a Visitor, a Representative, an Emissary.

Maloney, the Audubon educator who accompanied Acorn the Screech-Owl to the Pawtucket school, knows her audience and knows how to build suspense to the nick of perfection. As the program began, she stood before the third-grade class, in front of a chorus line of large, colorful posters of owls lining the wall behind her.

“That one is scary,” a boy confessed quietly. “It’s the way he’s staring at me.”

“Does anyone know anything about owls?” Maloney asked. Arms shot into the air, some fingers fluttering with eagerness.

Maloney engaged with her audience and explained that in the next hour the class was going to talk about owls and then work together as animal detectives by figuring out the type of owl that was tucked away somewhere in the classroom at that very moment, who would make an appearance at the end of the hour.

Gasps. Visible jolts of excitement.

Maloney launched into a discussion about camouflage and feathers. She brought a large preserved owl wing around the classroom, about the size of a serving platter, for the students to touch. Some hesitantly; some not. There was more: Maloney discussed prey and feeding, passing around a model of an owl skull and some preserved biofacts of owl legs and talons.

Some “no thanks” when it came to touching the talons.

Maloney said owls can turn their heads three-quarters of a circle, and one girl noted the class had just learned that this was the same as 270 degrees.

Teacher Kim McAssey beamed at this curriculum crossover. Owl detection work got underway. Re-formed into small groups with lots of loud scootching of chairs, children were given jigsaw puzzles that matched the owl posters on the wall. On the back side of the puzzle pieces was data on each breed of owl. Students used these “clues” to fill in blanks on large, laminated rectangles made to look like Rhode Island Owl ID cards.

Finally, Maloney reached into the carrier and gently brought Acorn out to meet the class. Eastern Screech-Owls are not large –six to 10 inches tall. On Maloney’s gloved hand, the owl was a compact jewel of precise brown and gray markings, her eyes large and round, with yellow irises, which she kept trained on Maloney almost the whole time. Some students reared back a little in their chair as Acorn appeared from the carrier. Several jaws dropped. And Maloney, with a calm and reassuring manner, described fascinating facts about Eastern Screech-Owls. She talked about Acorn’s injuries, adap-

tations and natural habitats. Students raised their hands and asked questions. With endless patience and a huge smile, Maloney provided answers to a room full of unending awe.

Making it All Possible

Each year Audubon educators bring ambassadors not only to schools and libraries, but they also lead programs at Boys and Girls Clubs, summer camps, YMCAs, senior and community centers, public events, and Audubon’s neighbor, the RI Veteran’s Home in Bristol. Parmelee said the programs have reached every Rhode Island school district at some point over the years, and in many schools, visits are repeated on an annual basis. The Audubon education calendar is always a bit like synchronized scheduling: what animal or bird is accompanying which educator, to what school, and when!

The fee for an owl program is $160 per class; but many schools in city districts such as Providence, Pawtucket and Central Falls can apply for Audubon scholarships to cover the cost. Scholarship funds are raised by the organization through grants and individual donations so that Audubon can remove the barriers that prevent schools in under-served communities from participating.

Grant funding and proceeds from events like Raptor Weekend are also needed to help offset the significant costs associated with care for the Animal Ambassadors. Generous donors and supporters have always been the lifeblood of Audubon and individual donations, often from people who “adopt-a-raptor” each year, continue to make scholarships and the animal care program possible.

And those donations make a direct impact. Pawtucket third-grade teacher Kim McAssey noted, “we work this [visit] into our ongoing math, science and reading curriculum.” And the program by Maloney and Acorn was a prelude to a field trip that the class will be taking to the Audubon Nature Center and Aquarium in the spring, as will over 500 other third graders in the Pawtucket Public Schools as part of a partnership with the district that has been in place for over a decade.

With Acorn tucked carefully away in her carrier, McAssey began herding her students out of the room, to make way for another owl program with a second class. “Let’s go,” she told the students. “We will be spending a lot more time talking about this.” No doubt. Many moments of wonder occurred that morning.

Mary Lhowe is a Rhode Island-based freelance reporter. She has worked as a reporter and editor for newspapers in Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. At present, she works mostly for the environmental news website ecoRI.org,

Sometimes, Numbers Tell The Story

The reach of Audubon’s ambassadors is expanding… and so is the rising cost of their care.

Approximately 15,000 people learned from our owl and hawk ambassadors in 2024 through educational programs in schools, community centers, libraries, summer camps, senior living centers and community events across Rhode Island. That number grows to over 30,000 when snake and turtle ambassadors are added along with the many visitors greeted by Zach the Raven at the Nature Center and Aquarium.

Expertly cared for by a team of dedicated staff and volunteers, Audubon spends over $50,000 a year on specialty foods, veterinary care, medication, enrichment, aviary refurbishments and construction, state and federal licenses, carriers, equipment, dedicated staff and more.

Visit asri.org/learn/ambassadors.html

WESTCOTT WOODLANDS

New Glocester Wildlife Refuge

Under Audubon’s Care

By Dr. Scott Ruhren, Senior Director of Conservation

There are few Audubon supporters more passionate about nature and wildlife protection than Emily Westcott. Not only has she rolled up her sleeves and worked side by side with staff on a number of wildlife initiatives, Westcott has also been meeting for several years with Audubon to develop the best plan to protect a 25-acre forest in the village of Chepachet in Glocester, Rhode Island.

Recently, Westcott donated this forested parcel to Audubon for conservation but will continue to live in her house on the property, as she has for almost 50 years. “Just after World War II, my grandparents Harry and Emma Westcott purchased the land. I have lived on the original ten acres, a gift from my folks, since 1976,” shared Westcott. This land donation is a testament to her commitment to preserve a cherished piece of family history, while also protecting in perpetuity natural habitats and the wildlife that depend on them.

A Passion for Conservation and the Wildlife it Protects

“The refuge is particularly valuable because more and more houses are being built in the area,” explains Audubon Senior Director of Conservation Scott Ruhren. “When I’ve walked the land with Emily, you immediately sense her passion and commitment to the property.” The new Westcott Woodlands Wildlife Refuge is mostly forest, critical habitat in a rapidly changing landscape. The property also contains streams and wetlands which provide a home for yearround species as well as migratory bird species.

Westcott, an avid birder, easily recalls the many species that thrive on the property. “Nesting families of Pileated Woodpeckers and Cooper's Hawks plus House and Carolina Wrens, Northern Flickers and Barred Owls have been sighted. Eastern Phoebes have nested in our garage for 45 years – and the population of Wild Turkey is thriving, easily numbering 20-30 birds.”

According to Audubon Executive Director Jeffrey Hall, “this wildlife refuge was a long time in coming, as we wanted to fully meet Emily’s expectations for how the land and her homestead would be conserved. Audubon is providing the most protective covenants to ensure this property will be conserved in perpetuity. We are so thrilled to have Westcott Woodlands as our newest acquisition and look forward to a long partnership with Emily in meeting her conservation goals.” This new Audubon wildlife refuge will largely remain off-limits for public use due to the sensitive habitat found within its borders.

– Emily Westcott

My life-long dream has become a reality; this land will be forever protected. “ “

Talk to Audubon About Protecting Your Property

For over 100 years Audubon has been a trusted partner to landowners, tailoring permanent conservation plans for families. Contact Scott Ruhren, Senior Director of Conservation, to discuss ways you can work with Audubon. Email sruhren@asri.org or call 401-949-5454 ext 3004.

Pileated Woodpeckers by Matt DiMaio III

Community Partnerships Expand in Pawtucket

The Stormwater Innovation Center is gearing up for expanded partnerships through the City of Pawtucket for stormwater infrastructure, education, outreach, and restoration initiatives.

Stormwater Park Planned at the New Tidewater Landing

By Rebecca Reeves, Stormwater Education and Outreach Manager

Tidewater Landing, a development site currently in-progress along the Seekonk River in Pawtucket, will eventually host a 10,000 seat soccer stadium and event plaza with retail and residential space. A pedestrian bridge over the river will connect the Tidewater mixed-use area to another development, referred to as the Division Street Development. Planning for the site has also included consideration of environmental impacts, resulting in the installation of a stormwater park in this new development.

This nature-based solution will improve water quality in the Seekonk River by redirecting flow away from the Tidewater property and local roadways into water quality basins where it can move through filtration media. The Stormwater Innovation Center (SIC) has coordinated design review meetings with the Tidewater Advisory Committee, sharing stormwater expertise and input about existing design plans.

The new stormwater park will also include educational elements, such as interpretive signage and student art. Once the park is completed, the SIC plans to collaborate further with the City of Pawtucket, conducting research and monitoring at the site to ensure the park elements are working effectively and water quality is improved over time, as well as providing technical support for the City’s future stormwater designs.

Leading Students in Education and Communication Initiatives

The Tidewater property will also host walking trails, including a boardwalk through its wetland areas, providing a birds-eye view of how nature and stormwater management techniques can improve water quality. The SIC plans to collaborate with nearby Pawtucket schools to produce materials such as interpretive signage to enhance the educational potential of these public access areas. The City of Pawtucket has also expressed interest in developing educational videos in collaboration with local schools that can be displayed on digital boards along the Tidewater walking paths.

Through the SIC Stormwater in Schools program, students at the Jacqueline Walsh School for the Performing & Visual Arts in Pawtucket will also be engaging in lessons, activities, and a field trip to learn first-hand about water quality concepts. Rain barrels will be supplied by the City of Pawtucket to be painted by students using themes they have learned related to water quality and stormwater mitigation. Similar art projects may be installed at the Tidewater Stormwater Park in the future.

Trash collects in an outfall near the

site that empties into the Seekonk River after a storm. An example of where a StormX debris capture net could be installed.

A StormX debris capture net in action, collecting trash from stormwater flow.

Tidewater

StormX debris capture net design shown before installation.

How Debris Capture Nets Work

Community Partners Build a Blueprint for Success

Although this new development will be beneficial for tourism, public life, and economic revitalization, it is critical to consider environmental impacts. Our partner organizations are already moving ahead, reviewing how these impacts might be mitigated. The Nature Conservancy (TNC) has applied for a grant through NOAA to manage the extra debris that may result from the creation of Tidewater. If the grant is awarded, five debris capture nets would be placed at stormwater outfalls leading into the Seekonk River. Although the nets would not capture windblown debris from the Tidewater site, they are incredibly effective at capturing waste from municipal separate storm sewer systems (also referred to as MS4).

This project would also include public educational components. Grant funding would allow TNC to involve a variety of community partners. The Pawtucket Foundation would engage local businesses surrounding the development through education and cleanup opportunities. The SIC would work with the nonprofit Building Futures on delivering stormwater education to their student cohorts as well as training for maintenance and cleaning of the nets. The SIC would also participate in outreach and education related to the project, creating interpretive signage and collaborating on an anti-litter campaign. TNC would partner with local group WasteNaut Consulting for assistance in establishing effective community engagement strategies.

SIC and its partner organizations see this new development as an opportunity to educate and build a sustainable community around clean water and access to nature. We look forward to future projects with the City of Pawtucket surrounding this exciting new site, as well as collaborative efforts with the many organizations who will help make it a successful public access site.

BE AN EARLY BIRD

Register now for these Audubon programs. Visit asri.org/calendar.

Free May Bird Walks: Celebrate Spring Migration!

Walks offered across the state, beginners welcome. Register in advance.

Horseshoe Crabs and Shorebirds Expeditions

During the high tides of May and June, horseshoe crabs come in droves to mate along the Atlantic Coast. They play a key role in coastal ecosystems: their eggs are a critical food for shorebirds like the Red Knot during spring migration. Explore the links between these species and observe them in the field.

Gaspee Point, Warwick; May 15, 2025; 8:00-9:30pm

Audubon Nature Center, Bristol: May 31, 2025; 12:00-1:30pm Conimicut Point, Warwick: June 11, 2025; 8:00-9:30pm Napatree Point, Westerly: June 24, 2025; 6:30-8:00pm

Birding in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom

Van Trip with Audubon

June 10-13, 2025

Join Audubon for a four-day visit to the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont. This remote corner of the state has beautiful scenery and is home to many bird species that are rarely or never seen in Rhode Island.

New! Audubon Field Naturalist Series

Interviewing a Landscape

June 21, July 12, July 26, 2025

Powder Mill Ledges Wildlife Refuge, Smithfield, RI

A snapshot of the plants and animals that live in a landscape can reveal a great deal about the events that led to the current ecosystem dynamics. This series will provide skills needed to assess the past history of a landscape while looking at the present. Led by Dan Bisaccio, Brown University Faculty Director of Science Education (2008-2017).

Editor’s Note: As this issue went to print, some federal funding that supports the crucial work of the Stormwater Innovation Center has been paused and under review. We continue to monitor the situation and hope that the funds required to complete these climate-related projects will continue.

By Laura Carberry, Director of Properties

BELTED KINGFISHERS

Recognized for their dramatic appearance and distinctive fishing habits, Belted Kingfishers (Megacerylealcyon) are striking birds commonly found in Rhode Island. They can be spotted in a variety of habitats ranging from freshwater lakes and rivers to coastal regions.

Arelatively large bird with a spiky crest atop its head, the Belted Kingfisher has a large straight bill designed for catching prey. The species is hard to miss due to its bold appearance and distinctive call. Plumage is a mix of blue and white, with males having a simple blue-gray color and females boasting a vibrant rusty orange belt across their chests. This is one species in which the female’s plumage is showier than the males.

Their call is a loud, harsh, rattling noise, often heard when the bird is flying or perched in its territory. These vocalizations serve to communicate with other kingfishers and to establish territorial boundaries. While they may not be known for melodious songs, their calls are easily recognizable in their habitats.

True to its name, the Belted Kingfisher is an expert fisherman. It primarily feeds on fish, which it catches by diving headfirst into the water from a perch, often high above a river or lake. Their sharp vision can spot prey from impressive distances and helps them dive with accuracy, making them formidable predators.

Once a kingfisher locates its target, it dives at speeds up to 36 miles per hour, breaking the surface of the water with minimal resistance. Its long bill is used to spear fish with precision. Their

ability to locate, dive, and capture prey with remarkable speed and efficiency is one of the bird’s most notable adaptations. Unlike many birds that nest in trees or shrubs, Belted Kingfishers create their nests in burrows. They excavate tunnels in riverbanks, up to eight feet deep, to create a safe place for their young. The tunnel often ends in a small chamber where the female lays eggs. This nesting behavior is vital to protecting the eggs and chicks from predators and extreme weather. As top predators in their ecosystem, Belted Kingfishers are often considered indicators of environmental health. The availability of fish in an area directly influences their presence, meaning that healthy aquatic ecosystems are critical for their survival. Changes in water quality or availability of food can have a significant impact on kingfisher populations.

Watch for Belted Kingfishers at Fisherville Brook, Emilie Ruecker and Touisset Marsh Wildlife Refuges from spring through fall.

Male Belted Kingfisher by Ed Hughes

Female

Cheers to Dry Boots on the Trails!

New 500-foot Boardwalk at Caratunk

After three months of construction, the Perimeter Trail at Caratunk Wildlife Refuge now holds a new 500-foot boardwalk. As this trail winds through Red Maple Swamp, the walkway provides greater accessibility with a dry, level walkway while also protecting fragile habitat. Audubon thanks the many individual and group volunteers that helped this project, literally, get off the ground.

Construction Supervisors: Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers

While conservation staff worked on the new Caratunk boardwalk last fall, Properties Director Laura Carberry shared that three Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers were regular visitors. These woodpeckers seemed to supervise the activity. After all, they are experts at drilling holes.

Be a Community Science Volunteer!

Help with Local Research Initiatives

Get outside and learn about wildlife and natural spaces! Community science volunteers are involved in the research that helps fuel Audubon’s mission. They collect valuable data in the field, compile collected data, or manage projects.

Join a team that monitors Eastern Bluebirds, vernal pools, and Osprey nests or birds and insects through the Audubon Avian Research Initiative. Or get involved in research at the Stormwater Innovation Center in Providence.

Learn more and register at: asri.org/lead/community-science.html

2025 Youth Conservation League

Now Accepting Applications

Audubon is looking for high school students, new graduates, and early college students interested in environmental careers, forestry, or wildlife biology. The Youth Conservation League works as a team on land conservation and wildlife management for land trust partners across the state. Work includes controlling invasive species and improving wildlife habitat, light carpentry, native seed collection, community outreach, and more.

July–August 2025, Mon–Thurs, 8am–4pm

Visit asri.org/YCL or contact Laura Carberry at lcarberry@asri.org for more info.

A Master Photograph Taken By a Master’s Candidate

Eastern Whip-poor-will Photo Receives National Recognition

Astunning photo of an Eastern Whippoor-will and chick taken by URI Master's candidate Megan Gray was recently published in Cornell's Living Bird magazine as one of the best photos of the year. The image was taken as she was conducting Whip-poorwill nest monitoring on Audubon’s Marion Eppley Wildlife Refuge in West Kingston.

Gray is a member of a URI research team that deployed trail cameras at Eppley to study these birds in the nest and in encounters with predators. Audubon thanks Gray for her research at Eppley and congratulates her on the award-winning image.

Audubon Field Naturalist Series

Wildlife Tracking and Signs

This winter, Audubon educators Tracey Hall and Marina Flannery led a threepart Field Naturalist Series on wildlife tracking. In January, participants discovered tracks made by cottontail rabbit, gray squirrel, red squirrel and opossum, as well as signs left by deer and coyote.

Sign up for new sessions! Advanced Birding begins on March 31, and a new summer session, Interviewing a Landscape, begins June 21, 2025.

Peter Green

Jennifer

Zartarian

Megan Gray

MAXWELL MAYS WILDLIFE REFUGE

2082 VICTORY HIGHWAY, COVENTRY, RI

Art Studio Opens in April

The popular Maxwell Mays Art Studio opens soon for a second season! Join artist Aileen Quinn for plein air painting and classes in watercolors and mixed media. Visit asri.org/calendar and register early.

History and Ecology of Native Indigenous Plants

Join Silvermoon LaRose of the Tomaquag Museum and discover the indigenous plants on the refuge and hear the stories that connect us to the gifts of our ecology. May 7, 2025. Register at asri.org/calendar

Summer on Carr Pond

Rent the charming Mays Lakefront cottage for a vacation or weekend get-away. A great spot to observe birds and the resident otters! Available May through October. For details visit asri.org/services.

Jack-in-the-pulpit

Keep your eye out for this single, hooded flower as you walk the forest trails in late April and May. With distinct maroon stripes and a green hood, this native woodland plant is a captivating find.

The late Rhode Island artist Maxwell Mays donated over 295 acres of diverse wildlife habitat to Audubon in 2010. Explore trails though forests, wetlands, streams and meadow, with the 11-acre Carr Pond a centerpiece of the property.

FREE! Wings by Sight Walk

Discover the world of birds through visual cues! Join a morning of sight birding on May 31, 2025, for beginner birders and the Hard of Hearing community. Register at asri.org/calendar.

Spring Chorus

Wetlands come alive in March and April with croaks, trills, gunks, quacks and other fabulous frog calls. Listen as they loudly announce the return of spring!

Bird Walk, Spring Ephemerals and Breakfast!

Enjoy an early walk and listen for warblers, orioles, and vireos as you search the forest for spring flowers. Then enjoy a fireside breakfast at the Mays cottage! May 3, 2025; 8:00am–12:00pm. Register at asri.org/calendar.

Self-guided Interpretive Trail

Hands-on, engaging, and inquiry-based activities for youth in grades K-8 are available at asri.org/maxwellmays-wildlife-refuge-interpretive-trail-download.html.

Richard Staples

CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE

Audubon Nature Programs and Events • April –July, 2025

For more information and to register, visit the events calendar at asri.org/calendar

Audubon Nature Center and Aquarium

1401 Hope Street (Route 114), Bristol, RI

For Adults For Children & Families

Yoga at Audubon

Monthly Classes: March 23, April 27, May 18, and June 22, 2025; 9:00–10:00am.

Sea Glass Jewelry Workshop

April 26, 2025; 1:00–2:30pm.

Art Exhibit:

Illustrated Birds of Rhode Island

May 3–June 30, 2025; 9:30am–4:30pm.

Artist Talk and Reception: May 3, 2025.

Mimosas & Mother Nature: A Mother's Day Hike

May 10, 2025; 10:00–11:30am.

Designing a Wildlife Garden

Three dates offered. June 4, 2025; 6:30–8:00pm. July 19 & August 9, 2025; 1:00–2:30pm.

Sea Glass 201 Jewelry Workshop

Take your jewelry–making to the next level.

June 14, 2025; 1:00–2:30pm.

Bats and Beer in Bristol

June 28, 2025; 7:00–9:00pm.

Glow & Sip: Illuminating Conversations and Cocktails

Dive into the fascinating world of fireflies over a glass of wine or beer. July 12, 2025; 7:00–9:00pm.

New! Audubon Field Naturalist Series

Interviewing a Landscape

Powder Mill Ledges Wildlife Refuge, Smithfield, RI. June 21, July 12, July 26, 2025.

Froggy Night

April 5, 2025; 6:30–8:00pm.

Camouflaged Egg Hunt

April 12, 2025; 9:30–11:00am.

April School Vacation Week

April 14–18, 2025; 10:00am–3:00pm. Daily activities and nature discovery programs. Visit asri.org/calendar for daily schedule and registration.

Turtle Time: A Family Celebration of World Turtle Day

May 23, 2025; 6:30–8:00pm.

Family Firefly Fun! July 18, 2025; 7:00–9:00pm.

Community Science

Butterfly Monitoring

Virtual Training, Two Dates Offered. April 12, 19, 2025; 7:30pm–9:00pm.

Caratunk Wildlife Refuge

301 Brown Avenue, Seekonk, MA

Froggy Walks

April 5, 2025; 9:00–11:00am. April 25, 2025; 6:30–8:00pm.

American Woodcock Walks

April 11, 2025; 7:00–8:30pm. April 18, 2025; 6:00–8:00pm.

Camouflaged Egg Hunt

April 12, 2025; 9:30–11:00am.

Big Owl Little Owl

April 24, 2025; 3:00–4:00pm.

Two Part Full Moon Hike

May 12, 2025; 8:00–9:30pm.

June 11, 2025; 8:30–10:00 pm.

Meadow Birds and Mimosas

Two Dates Offered.

May 17, July 12, 2025; 10:00–11:30am.

Beginner Carpentry Class

Two Session Program.

Session 1: June 5, 2025; 7:00–9:00pm.

Session 2: June 7, 2025; 10:00am–12:00pm.

Bluebirds and Blue Skies

June 14, 2025; 8:00–10:00am.

Ice Cream and Lightning Bugs

June 20, 2025; 7:45–9:15 pm.

Walking Through Wildflowers

June 22, 2025; 8:00–10:00am.

Nesting Birds

June 29, 2025; 7:00–9:00am.

Meet the Trees

July 5, 2025; 10:00–11:00am.

Bats and Beer at Caratunk

July 18, 2025; 7:30–9:00pm.

Birding with Audubon

Advance registration is required for all programs.

Wednesday Morning Bird Walks

Locations across Rhode Island.

Each week a new birding destination is chosen. Location will be sent to registered participants. Every Wednesday through June 11, 2025; 9:00–11:00 am.

Birds and Brews Van Trip

Join a day of birding with a stop at a local brewery! Departs from Fisherville Brook Wildlife Refuge, Exeter, RI; April 5, 2025; 9:00am–4:00pm.

Timberdoodles and Snickerdoodles

Caratunk Wildlife Refuge, Seekonk, MA; April 11, 2025; 7:00–8:30pm.

Bird Walk at Mount Hope Farm

Mount Hope Farm, 250 Metacom Avenue, Bristol, RI; April 19, 2025; 8:00–9:30am.

Bird Walk at Hunt’s Mills Park

Hunt’s Mills Park, Hunts Mills Road, Rumford, RI; April 27, 2025; 8:30–9:30am.

Early Morning Bird Walk, Spring Ephemerals and Breakfast at Maxwell Mays Wildlife Refuge

Maxwell Mays Wildlife Refuge, Coventry, RI; May 3, 2025; 8:00am–12:00pm.

Wings by Sight Birding for the Hard of Hearing Community (HH)

Free in May! Discover the world of birds through visual cues. Five dates and locations offered; visit asri.org/calendar

Birding in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom

Audubon Van Trip

Visit the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont, a remote corner of the state that has many bird species that are never seen in RI. Departs from Powder Mill Ledges Wildlife Refuge, Smithfield, RI; June 10–13, 2025.

Bluebirds and Blue Skies

Caratunk Wildlife Refuge, Seekonk, MA; June 14, 2025; 8:00–10:00am.

Nesting Birds

Caratunk Wildlife Refuge, Seekonk, MA; June 29, 2025; 7:00–9:00am.

Touisset Bird and Wildlife Walk

Touisset Marsh Wildlife Refuge, Warren, RI; July 12, 2025; 9:00–10:30am.

Maxwell Mays Wildlife Refuge

2082 Victory Highway, Coventry, RI

Early Morning Bird Walk:

Spring Ephemerals and Breakfast

May 3, 2025; 8:00am–12:00pm.

History and Ecology of Native Indigenous Plants

May 7, 2025; 4:00–5:00pm.

Maxwell Mays Art Studio

Maxwell Mays Wildlife Refuge, 2082 Victory Highway, Coventry, RI

Fourth Fridays: The Fresh Palette

Monthly Watercolor Painting Workshops. April–October 2025; 7:00–9:30 pm.

Wednesday Walk and Watercolor

First Wednesday of the Month, Four Class Series. May–August 2025; 9:00am–1:00pm.

Saturday ‘Bagels & Brushes’

Open Studio & Plein Air Painting on the Refuge

Every Saturday from April 12–October 18, 2025; 9:00am–1:30pm.

Thursday Open Studios: Walk & Work

Every Thursday from May 1–October 23, 2025; 4:30–8:00pm.

Mixed Media Studio Soiree

Celebrate a special event with artful expression in this charming destination. Contact Aileen Quinn for details: aileenquinn1306@gmail.com

Fort Wildlife Refuge

1443 Providence Pike, North Smithfield, RI

Things With Wings – A Bird and Bug Trek

April School Vacation Week.

April 16, 2025; 1:00–2:30pm.

Froggy Night at Fort Refuge

April 24, 2025; 7:00–8:30pm.

Horseshoe Crab Expeditions

Four dates and locations. See page 17 for details.

Fisherville Brook Wildlife Refuge

99 Pardon Joslin Road, Exeter, RI

Camouflaged Egg Hunt

April 12, 2025; 9:30–11:00am

Ice Cream and Lightning Bugs

July 11, 2025; 7:30–9:30 pm.

Bats and Beer at Fisherville

July 25, 2025; 7:30–9:00pm.

Powder Mill Ledges

Wildlife Refuge 12 Sanderson Road, Smithfield, RI

April School Vacation Week

• Family Birding and Learning! April 14, 2025; 10:00am–12:00pm.

• Dear Treefrog: Story by Joyce Sidman April 15, 2025; 11:00 am–12:00pm.

• Lala's Words: Story and Planting Seeds April 17, 2025; 11:00am–12:00pm.

• Discover Life Beneath a Rotting Log April 18, 2025; 10:00–11:30am.

Fireflies!

July 11, 2025; 7:00–9:00pm.

Lecture: Protecting Pollinators in Your Landscape

July 31, 2025; 6:30–8:00pm.

Prudence Island

Narragansett Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Prudence Island, RI

'Spring' on Over to Prudence Island April 25, 2025; 9:45am–4:45pm.

Spring Birding on Prudence Island May 15, 2025; 7:30 am–3:00pm.

Explore the Estuary for Kids!

July 23, 2025; 9:45am–4:45pm.

Free Birding Walks

Coming in May! Register at asri.org/calendar.

By Dr. Scott Ruhren, Senior Director of Conservation

SALT PONDS

Dynamic an D ThreaT ene D e cosys T ems

Along Rhode Island’s shoreline there is an almost continuous chain of salt and brackish ponds that support more wildlife than the better-known beaches in the state. These salt ponds have had a long history of human use - and abuse - as well as natural changes brought by hurricanes, shifting shorelines and sea-level rise. From the southern shore of Westerly all the way to Little Compton, Audubon protects 291 acres of these vital coastal systems.

Through careful protection, Audubon provides safe haven for special plants and a diversity of wildlife including breeding fish, shellfish and crustaceans. These ponds and their associated marshes, fields, and forests provide shelter in a developing coastline and stopover points for countless migratory birds.

Duck food plants found in these coastal areas include sago pondweed, wigeongrass and eelgrass. This abundance of plants and animal prey attract waterfowl such as Black Ducks, Buffleheads, mergansers, and wading birds like egrets and herons.

Coastal ponds are always changing and shifting. Some, like Trustom Pond in South Kingstown, are less salty because they are usually closed off from the ocean. The exception being when the barrier beach is blown open, or

breached, by a storm. Other ponds, like Quonochontaug in Charlestown and Westerly, are kept open for commercial and recreational boat access. These openings, called breachways and waterways into ponds, require periodic dredging to allow for safe boating. “Quonnie” is one of the deepest and most saline in the state. The level of salinity in a location can affect which species thrive there.

Humans have long used salt ponds in Rhode Island as places to collect seaweed, shellfish and other natural resources. Over the past 100 years, the ponds continue to become more and more desirable for summer cottages, boating, fishing, clamming and bird watching. They are accessible and often shallow enough for wading, but as human use and development increases, protection of the natural resources found in these areas is more challenging.

Currently, scientists, environmentalists and the public debate about acceptable use of the ponds, maintaining breachways, and restrictions on housing construction to keep these coastal areas clean and the ecosystems functioning. Audubon has long protected the most fragile of ecosystems and we continually look for additional opportunities for conservation of these vital and threatened coastal habitats.

Pequaw-Honk conservation area in Little Compton, RI. Photo by Scott Ruhren.

291 acres of salT Pon D h abi TaT

New Directors

Lauren Gordon

Director of Audubon

Nature Center and Aquarium

Audubon is pleased to welcome Lauren Gordon as the new Director of the Audubon Nature Center and Aquarium. She is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations and strategic direction of the Center, focusing on enhancing the overall visitor experience.

140 acres

WESTERLY: The Winnapaug Pond Watershed is protected by Audubon’s Lathrop Wildlife Refuge. Audubon also conserves Perkins Pond Edge Wildlife Refuge, Winnapaug Salt Marsh Wildlife Refuge, and Allison Conservation easement.

28 acres

CHARLESTOWN: Audubon protects acreage around Quonochontaug Salt Marsh, Gavitt Salt Marsh, Berry Swamp Wildlife Refuge, and Bull Brier Swamp Wildlife Refuge.

84 acres

NARRAGANSETT: Habitat is conserved by Audubon around Wesquage Pond and Ram Island Wildlife Refuge.

39 acres

LITTLE COMPTON: Salt Pond habitat in the Pequaw-Honk Conservation Easement along Quicksand Pond, Long Pond Marsh, Spectacle Island Wildlife Refuge, and the Haffenreffer Wildlife Refuge along the Round Pond shore are all protected by Audubon.

Lauren began her environmental career in Rhode Island, working as an educator at Roger Williams Park Zoo. She later spent several years at Zoo Atlanta, GA, where she served both as an educator and as a Gorilla Keeper. Most recently, Lauren spent 10 years at Mass Audubon as Regional Director, overseeing five wildlife sanctuaries and nature centers. Under her leadership, these organizations saw significant growth in program income and community engagement.

Lauren holds degrees from the University of Rhode Island and the University of Phoenix. She now resides in Wrentham, MA, with her family.

April Alix

Associate Director of Education

April Alix is returning to where her career began in 2010, when she served Audubon as an AmeriCorps member of the Ocean State Environmental Education Collaborative. Upon completing her service year, she continued as an Audubon per-diem educator; focused on bringing environmental education to urban areas of the state.

In 2013, she joined the Providence Urban Wildlife Conservation Partnership as program coordinator, creating outdoor engagement opportunities for city residents. Over the past 11 years, she has partnered with Audubon through joint initiatives, city bird walks, schoolyard habitat projects, and a Nature Camp in Providence. April looks forward to expanding the organization’s reach into targeted areas of the state including Providence, Pawtucket, Central Falls, and Woonsocket. April holds a Zoology degree from North Carolina State University. Originally from Bristol, RI, she now resides in Cumberland with her family.

Chimney Swift Tower Installed at Providence Community Library

Last November, Audubon staff worked alongside Wanskuck Community Library volunteers to install a Chimney Swift nesting tower on the library grounds in Providence. This structure is a part of the Audubon Avian Research Initiative, designed to encourage reproductive success among the state's declining populations of Chimney Swifts. This spring Audubon will install bilingual signage next to

the tower, sharing information about Chimney Swift conservation. Audubon staff will also be offering programming at the library. These projects align with “The People’s Garden of Wanskuck” grant, awarded to the library by the USDA & Northern RI Conservation District that will lead to an outdoor classroom and gardens on library grounds to support environmental awareness.

Autism Plays Rhode Island

Sensory-friendly

Outing at the Nature Center and Aquarium

November brought a group from Autism Plays Rhode Island to the Nature Center in Bristol for indoor explorations during Audubon’s Sensory Friendly Hours, and outdoor discoveries along the trail and boardwalk to Narragansett Bay. They reached out to say, “…the Nature Center is such a special place. We can’t wait to come back in the spring.”

Audubon invites all people with autism spectrum disorders and other sensory processing sensitivities to discover nature at the Center with fewer guests, a quieter environment and no screens. For details and to register, visit asri.org/SensoryFriendlyHours.

From Left: Director of Avian Research Dr. Charles Clarkson, Properties Director Laura Carberry, and TerraCorps Service Member Autumn Jencks work with Providence College volunteers to install the Chimney Swift Tower at the Wanskuck Community Library.

South Side Providence Boys and Girls Club Pollinator Garden

Greenspace for Pollinators

Audubon is teaming up with the South Side Boys and Girls Club in Providence to create a native wildflower garden and education curriculum centered around the importance of pollinators. Through fundraising and a grant awarded by the Awesome Foundation, Audubon TerraCorps Service Member Autumn Jencks has secured funding to purchase locally grown, native plants to create a safe and well-maintained outdoor greenspace. Plant and pollinator activities are also planned to inspire curiosity and build interest in environmental advocacy.

Community Music Works, Providence

Connecting to Nature Through Music

In December, youth in the afterschool program at Providence’s Community Music Works met with Audubon Educator Lisa Maloney and Serena the Barred Owl, an Audubon Avian Ambassador. This student group, in grades 3 through 5, had begun to research local organizations that they might work with as they embarked on a year-long project researching music that is inspired by nature.

Audubon was invited to visit, engage with the children, and share information on our environmental work. Maloney answered lots of questions and encouraged the children to share their knowledge about birds and nature. This curious group enthusiastically explored a collection of Audubon’s bird biofacts and were captivated by the Barred Owl. In spring, the students will host a concert with music themes that connect to nature.

Studying Canada Geese and Water Quality in Providence

Community Science in Roger Williams Park

On a snowy January morning, Audubon TerraCorps Service Member Jessy Minker trained over a dozen volunteers for a new community science project in Roger Williams Park focusing on Canada Geese.

A 2012 survey by the USDA estimated that over 600 of these geese resided in the park, contributing significantly to nutrient pollution in the lakes due to their fecal matter, with an estimated 154 pounds of phosphorus added to the lakes annually. Developed in partnership with the Stormwater Innovation Center, this study will reassess the resident Canada Goose population, management efforts, and public education initiatives. The program will also partner with Sunshine Menezes’s Environmental Communications class at the University of Rhode Island to create strategies for educating the public on the connection between geese and water quality issues.

Audubon TerraCorps Service Member Jessy Minker (left) leads community members in a January training to study Canada Geese in Roger Williams Park. Photo Credit: Jessie Kerr-Vanderslice

INSURANCE FOR THE BIRDS

Gifts of Life Insurance

Donate a policy, receive a tax deduction on future premium payments, and make an extraordinary gift.

Nature’s beauty is timeless, but its protection is not.

How It Works

Donate a policy, receive a tax deduction on future premium payments, and make an extraordinary gift.

Gifts of Life Insurance

How it Works

• You transfer ownership of a paid-up life insurance policy to Audubon Society of Rhode Island.

Benefits

By including the Audubon Society of Rhode Island in your will or estate plans, you ensure that birds, wildlife, and the habitats they depend on are safeguarded for generations to come. Facing threats from climate change and habitat loss, your legacy can be a beacon of hope for birds and the wild places they call home.

• You transfer ownership of a paid-up life insurance policy to Audubon Society of Rhode Island

• Audubon Society of Rhode Island elects to cash in the policy now or hold it.

Benefits

• Audubon Society of Rhode Island elects to cash in the policy now or hold it.

Your gift will help Audubon acquire more land to protect vital wetlands, forests, fields and grasslands. Your support gives children opportunities to learn about the natural world through Audubon education programs and will inspire the next generation of environmental leaders to cherish and defend nature.

Whether you leave a life insurance policy or an IRA, a specific amount or a percentage of your estate, a planned gift will provide resources to sustain Audubon’s mission well into the future. In fact, much of the work that is highlighted in this newsletter is possible because of people like you. Visionaries who have left Audubon a gift in their will.

• Make a gift using an asset that you and family no longer need.

• Receive an income tax deduction equal cash surrender value of the policy.

• Make a gift using an asset that you and your family no longer need.

• You may be able to use the cash value policy to fund a gift that delivers income, as a charitable gift annuity.

• Receive an income tax deduction equal to the cash surrender value of the policy.

• You may be able to use the cash value of your policy to fund a gift that delivers income, such as a charitable gift annuity.

For More Information

For more detailed information, please contact us so that we can assist you through every step of the process.

Please consider a bequest or other planned gift to Audubon. Together we can protect birds, wildlife, and the natural world— forever.

Jen

Cleland Director of Development

For more detailed information, please contact us so that we can assist you through every step of the process.

Audubon Society of Rhode Island 12 Sanderson Road Smithfield, RI 02917

Jen Cleland, Director of Development Audubon Society of Rhode Island 12 Sanderson Road Smithfield, RI 02917 401-949-5454 ext. 3018 or jcleland@asri.org

401-949-5454 ext. 3018

jcleland@asri.org

VOLUNTEERS ARE THE BACKBONE OF AUDUBON

AAA Northeast

Employees from AAA Northeast volunteered their time and warehouse space to help Audubon TerraCorps Service Members Autumn Jencks and Jessy Minker build birdhouses and bee hotels. These nesting boxes will assist in Audubon’s ongoing efforts to support native bees and bird species and will be installed in city community centers and parks as well as Audubon wildlife refuges. Audubon thanks AAA Northeast for their commitment to conservation.

Audubon Philanthropist of the Year, Leslie Samayoa

Audubon board member Leslie Samayoa was honored in November as Audubon’s Philanthropist of the Year. For over 20 years she has been a dedicated volunteer and loyal supporter of Audubon’s work. Leslie has helped introduce Audubon to the RI LatinX community through radio interviews, television spots, and translation services; resulting in a more accessible Audubon. Her professional networks have also brought volunteers and funding opportunities to the organization. Audubon thanks Leslie for her many years of service.

Phone Banking Volunteers Work to Protect Raptors

Audubon Director of Advocacy Phoenix Wheeler has engaged members and supporters in a number of volunteer evenings to promote our ongoing initiatives and legislative priorities. Shown at right with Wheeler (in blue) are Margie Fette, Zavier Lineberger, Susan Gibbons and Sandi Brenner who gathered at Powder Mill Ledges in Smithfield on December 12, 2024 to support a ban on rodenticides that are harmful to raptor populations. Audubon is grateful to these and other volunteers who help us spread the word and turn out to support advocacy efforts.

Audubon hosts volunteer events throughout the year to support our advocacy initiatives. Learn how you can get involved at asri.org/banning-sgars.

An Eye on Monarchs

The monarch butterfly, a popular and easily recognized species, has become less common over the past decade with an alarming probability of extinction in 50 to 70 years. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is considering adding the species to their threatened list.

According to the National Wildlife Federation, listing “…would bring increased resources, consistency, coordination, and awareness to recover the monarch butterfly in the face of threats including habitat loss, excessive pesticide use, and climate change.”

What makes the monarch story fascinating, challenging, and modern is that this butterfly is a continental phenomenon involving more than one country. Monarchs migrate and need safe habitat with plenty of foodplants throughout their vast range.

Community Science: Butterfly Monitoring

Support butterfly conservation by monitoring monarchs and other species on Audubon coastal properties from May through August. Volunteers should have knowledge or experience in identifying butterfly species.

Virtual Training, Two Dates Offered; April 12, 19, 2025; 7:30–9:00pm. Free. Ages: Teen to Adult. Visit asri.org/calendar.

By Phoenix Wheeler (they/them), Director of

Audubon is the Leading Advocate for HOPE in Rhode Island

Our Impact p r O ves I t

Strong advocacy starts with smart policy; practical solutions that are based on science and will make a lasting, positive impact in our communities. Smart policy is also a major reason why Audubon is a trusted leader in environmental advocacy.

• The new Audubon RePower campaign has been instrumental in showing lawmakers that reducing climate emissions with clean energy is possible.

• Audubon has led research, advocacy, and piloted programs to reduce the use of neonicotinoid pesticides. Staff have worked within communities across the state to promote healthier lawn care options and the value and benefits of pollinator gardens and native plants.

• Audubon’s Avian Research Initiative has provided a foundation for efforts on Gould Island to protect thriving bird habitat from overdevelopment and human interference.

Audubon leadership, partnerships, and messages of hope have brought a new team of volunteers from our supporters and communities. New advocates have attended workshops, organizing meetings, and volunteer nights. They have directed lobbying opportunities, hosted house parties, and attended rallies. Providence, Warwick, and Cranston residents have started pilot programs for raptor-safe rodent control alternatives and residents in Providence have switched to organic lawn care options. We look forward to advocating for smart policy and the passage of new legislation this year. Join us in 2025 and help Audubon’s momentum grow. Together, we can spread the message of hope.

Audubon’s 2025 Legislative Agenda

Learn more at asri.org/advocacy.

Protecting Raptors by Banning Rat Poisons

This bill bans anticoagulant rodenticides and provides opportunities for cities and towns to receive funding from the Department of Environmental Management for implementing plans that use wildlife-safe alternatives to rat poisons.

Building Decarbonization Act

Studies show 37% of carbon emissions come from buildings. This act provides for emissions tracking and electrifying buildings in phases through 2040. The RePower Audubon initiative has been a key component in our leadership for this bill, proving decarbonization is possible.

Housing and Conservation Trust Fund Act

The 1990 Housing and Conservation Trust Fund was designed to provide funding for affordable housing while protecting clean air, clean water, and quality of life in the state. However, the Trust Fund has remained unfunded and without appointments. This updated bill provides an equitable process for appointments to the board and the opportunity to raise grant and philanthropic dollars without impacting the state’s budget.

Support Our Work

Visit asri.org/donate.

Join Our Team

Contact Phoenix Wheeler at pwheeler@asri.org.

Red-tailed Hawk with the flag of Rhode Island by Peter Green

CELEBRATIONS & HAPPENINGS

New Art Exhibit!

Illustrated Birds of Rhode Island

May 3 – June 30, 2025

Audubon Nature Center and Aquarium, Bristol, RI

Artist Talk and Opening Reception: May 3, 2025; 2:00–4:00pm Yoon’s bird guide will be available for purchase.

Providence illustrator JooHee Yoon shares her chronicle of birding in Rhode Island, which resulted in an illustrated bird guide. The exhibit showcases illustrations, sketches, and photos by the artist and shares how the book was made.

Note to artists: Audubon invites other local artists to submit their work for exhibit consideration. Work should be nature related. For details, visit asri.org/artists.

New! Yoga at Audubon

March 23, April 27, May 18, and June 22, 2025; 9:00–10:00am

Audubon Nature Center and Aquarium, Bristol, RI

Experience the benefits of yoga while connecting with nature. Led by certified instructor Joanne DeCataldo, this class is for all skill levels and abilities. For more information and to register, visit asri.org/calendar.

Birds and Brews Van Trip

April 5, 2025; 9:00am–4:00pm.

Join Audubon naturalists and visit a variety of birding hot spots on Aquidneck Island. End the day with a stop at a local brewery!

Departs from Fisherville Brook Wildlife Refuge, Exeter, RI. Register at asri.org/calendar

Birds, Bugs, Frogs and Fun!

April Vacation Week at Audubon

April 14–17, 2025

Bring the kids for bird and bug treks, aquarium tank talks, raptor, reptile, and ponding programs…and more!

Visit asri.org/calendar for details.

Save the Date! Polo for Plovers

July 13, 2025

Newport International Polo Grounds

Join Audubon in a private viewing area and enjoy an afternoon of polo at the 9th Annual All Charity Benefit Day.

Watch asri.org and Audubon social media posts for details.

Audubon Field Naturalist Series

Explore seasonal topics in hands-on workshops and field explorations with expert scientists and naturalists. Visit asri.org/calendar.

New Sessions!

• Audubon Advanced Birding March 31, April 7, 22, 26, May 3, 2025

• Interviewing a Landscape June 21, July 12, July 26, 2025

Audubon Camouflaged Egg Hunt

April 12, 2025; 9:30–11:00am

Three locations: Bristol, Exeter, RI, and Seekonk, MA.

Children, ages 3–10, hunt for brown eggs in a natural setting and quickly learn how well the eggs camouflage. Special prizes go to the finders of the 'golden eggs.'

For more info and to register, visit asri.org/calendar.

Have A Wild Time! Birthdays at Audubon

What’s better than cool critters at a birthday party?

Audubon offers birthday parties for children at four wildlife refuges. Invite an owl, turtle or snake to join the fun!

Plan a celebration at asri.org/birthday-parties.

David Uliss

By Lauren Parmelee, Senior Director of

SPRING PEEPERS

X MARKS THE SPOT

Their Latin name is Pseudacris crucifer. The first part indicates they are members of the chorus frog genus and their species name means “cross bearer” because of their distinctive marking.

Are you ready for signs of spring after a long cold winter?

The calls of spring peepers are a good clue that warmer weather is around the corner because these tiny frogs are LOUD when they gather near wetlands to breed. Listen for the male frogs’ shrill peeping just after the first warm rain. One frog starts to peep at a rate of twenty times per minute, and soon more join in until the sound is almost deafening.

The males are calling in early spring to attract females who prefer to lay their eggs in shallow wetlands where there are no fish to prey upon them. A female peeper will lay 800–1200 eggs which the male fertilizes as they are deposited.

Like other frogs, spring peepers emerge from the egg as a tadpole that will eat algae and tiny organisms until it metamorphoses into an adult. Depending upon the weather, an egg will hatch after just two days or up to two weeks and a tadpole will transform into an adult after 6 to 12 weeks of life.

Spring peepers are tree frogs with sticky toes that enable them to climb up stalks of grass and the bark of trees, but they actually spend a lot of their time on the forest floor or under the leaf litter hunting for beetles, spiders, ants and flies.

Peepers come in various shades of tan, brown, gray and green but they all have an X-mark on their backs. They are so tiny (just one inch in length) and well-camouflaged that they can be very hard to find even when they are calling close to you.

Spring peepers are common and widespread through eastern North America, but like most amphibians, loss of habitat, pesticides and climate change are all threats to their populations.

HOP INTO SPRING AND DISCOVER THE FASCINATING WORLD OF FROGS!

Croaks and Cider Morning Frog Walk

Caratunk Wildlife Refuge, Seekonk, MA

April 5, 2025; 9:00–11:00am

Discover what frogs are active in the morning and learn how to identify their calls!

Froggy Night

Audubon Nature Center and Aquarium, Bristol, RI

April 5, 2025; 6:30–8:00pm

Explore how amphibians live, breathe, and croak! Dive into their life cycle and habitats, then head outside to listen for frog calls and search for frogs in nature.

Visit asri.org/calendar for details and to register.

Froggy Night at Fort Refuge

Fort Wildlife Refuge, North Smithfield, RI

April 24, 2025; 7:00–8:30pm

Come learn all about amphibians, their adaptations, and a favorite habitat: vernal pools.

Froggy Night Hike

Caratunk Wildlife Refuge, Seekonk, MA

April 25, 2025; 6:30–8:00pm

Discover which frogs are active in the evening and identify them by calls and physical traits. Visit vernal pool sites to listen to frog calls and learn the importance of protecting these habitats.

Actual Size 1"

TRANSFORMING THE LANDSCAPE

Continued from page 8

Other garden volunteers initiated a native garden at the Warren Post Office, and Audubon TerraCorps Service Member Autumn Jencks is working to install a pollinator meadow at the South Side Boys and Girls Club this spring.

“We are working on a pilot program along the Blackstone River Corridor to support communities in switching to more insectfriendly practices,” says Schortmann. “We want to educate people about the best practices for pollinators in their lawn and garden maintenance.”

Live and Let Grow

Pollinator Alliance registrants can purchase a sign to place in their garden explaining the intent behind their patch of greenery, encouraging skeptical neighbors to ask questions rather than jumping to conclusions. When passionate native plant gardeners seek Schortmann’s advice for convincing neighbors to see the light, she says, “I always suggest gifting them one plant of mountain mint and have them watch it for a season.” After the butterflies and bees swarm its tiny blooms, the plant goes to seed, which the birds flock to, and then in the winter you may see tiny spiders on its stems. “They will see the impact of a single native plant.”

For Audubon Board Member Carol Lynn Trocki, it began with her Little Compton lawn teeming with insects seven years ago. “I remember when I first moved in, it was July, and the yard had not been cut. A thousand grasshoppers moved in the tall grass, and I couldn't bring myself to take a blade to them,” she says. “The next year, it was filled with evening primrose and bird's-foot trefoil –so much bright happy yellow in an otherwise sad and grief-filled period in my life.”

Trocki’s path to rewilding came organically. As a conservation biologist and bird lover, she was intentional from the start about reducing harm, about not wanting to use fossil fuels or pesticides, but still faced the internal struggle that comes with rejecting the status quo and letting her yard succumb to an undoing before nature took it over. In the aftermath of losing her father and her beloved dog, she considered, “What happens if I just let life happen?”

The transformation, which Trocki has been relatively handsoff in shaping, has welcomed, by her tally, visits from 75 species of birds and many insects, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians. Today, she has three sheep who keep the grass shorn, Downy Woodpeckers whose antics amuse guests when she’s entertaining outside, and neighbors who accept her as a friendly and committed environmentalist. She removes invasive species by hand but otherwise lets the protected woodland that surrounds her patch of space spill over into it. “It does bring me a lot of joy.”

Schortmann cites a similar sense of satisfaction from seeing the Palmieri Pollinator Garden mature. “As an Audubon staff member, as a gardener, as a human being, it’s evident to me that when nature is respected, it responds with abundance. When we take care of native plants, they take care of the entire ecosystem.”

ORGANIC LAWN CARE A Healthier Option for All

Beginning in the 1800s, wealthy landowners in the United States decided to replicate the sterile lawns of the European landscape and maintain them using equipment (the first patent for a lawnmower was obtained in 1868). This set in motion a gradual change whereby native landscapes were transformed into manicured and biologically depleted ones. The removal of “weeds” and insects on these lawns was accomplished through mechanical and, eventually, chemical methods.

Today, approximately 80 million pounds of chemical pesticides and an equal amount of fertilizers are applied to lawns each year in the United States. These sterile landscapes simply cannot provide the biodiverse habitats necessary to promote the populations of our birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, insects and native plants. And – the chemicals applied to our lawns that are transported into our waterways create weakened aquatic ecosystems as well.

To begin restoring healthy and useful landscapes for wildlife, Audubon is working with landowners in urban areas to reduce the use of chemically-driven lawncare. By seeking organic alternatives and using native plants, we can begin restoring habitat that serves as part of a fully-functional ecosystem – not just one that is pleasing to the eye.

Ask your lawn care company these simple questions:

• Do you know if your treatments contain neonicotinoid pesticides?

• How do you ensure excess lawn nutrients don’t pollute our watershed?

• What do you use to manage common lawn pests?

• Are you using broad pesticides that harm pollinators?

• Is your team certified and trained in pesticide use?

Abbie Lahmers is the managing editor of Hey Rhody Media Co., as well as a freelance fiction editor/proofreader and nature writer who enjoys hiking and camping around New England. She can be reached at amlahmers@gmail.com.

Casey Johnson

THANK YOU

PARTNERS IN CONSERVATION

The companies listed below have demonstrated their significant commitment to the quality of life in Rhode Island and to conserving natural habitats through stewardship and education.

Bank of America, Botanica Land Care, Caldwell Realty Rhode Island, JDRE Homes, NEC Solar, NOW 93.3, NRCS, Prickly Ed’s Cactus Patch, RI PBS, Sunflower Designs, Tupelo Design Studio, Woodscapes, Inc.

GIFTS IN HONOR

The people listed below have been honored by family and friends who found a gift to the Audubon Society of Rhode Island to be the most meaningful way to celebrate someone important in their lives.

In Honor of:

Costanza Birding Tours from Allen E. Schenck DDS Lois Hartley from John Hartley

MEMORIALS

Memorials serve and support the conservation and protection of Rhode Island’s environment. The families and friends of people listed below have chosen to remember their loved ones through a gift to the Audubon Society of Rhode Island.

In Memory of:

Daniel J. Antonelli from Dea Carcieri

Constance Beels Thomas from Randie Benedict

Avis Delemontex from David Capaldi, Janet Chalker, Dorothy Shackleton, Ronda Warrener

Michael Hadala from Wendy Braga

Constance Hunt Del Gizzi from Walter Schumann

Elizabeth H. Schumann from Walter Schumann

Audrey Wilkinson from Mary Basler, Roberta Norman

Virginia Butler Fund Awards Audubon $5,000

for Animal Care

Audubon’s animal ambassadors cannot be released back into the wild due to their injuries. Audubon is grateful to the Virginia Butler Fund for providing specialized supplies, food, and veterinary needs for these animals under Audubon’s care.

Audubon Receives $38,000 to Support the Nature Center and Aquarium and Palmieri Pollinator Garden in Bristol.

Audubon thanks the following for generous support of the Nature Center and Pollinator Garden in Bristol. Funding will be used for exhibit development and general support of the Nature Center and Aquarium as well as maintenance and expansion of native pollinator habitat in the garden.

• $13,000 from Howard Bayne Fund to support Audubon’s Nature Center and Aquarium.

• $25,000 from Vivian Palmieri Trust to support pollinator gardens.

Funding of $25,000 Received to Support Racquet Road Thicket Wildlife Refuge

Audubon is grateful for the generous donors below who provided funding for maintenance of the Audubon Racquet Road Thicket Wildlife Refuge in Jamestown. This refuge provides a dense thicket of trees and shrubs that protects nesting birds and migrant species.

• $5,000 from Hugh and Susan Balloch

What Matters Most to You?

• $20,000 from Shelter Hill Foundation

RePowering Audubon Together

Over $560,000 has been raised to date by generous donors to support Audubon’s transition to a clean energy future. Audubon is grateful for the gifts from members, supporters, corporations, and grants that are helping us to reach our long term sustainability goals.

Do you have an Audubon education program, research initiative, or conservation project that has special meaning to you? Our wish list is full of needed items, both big and small, that would support our work.

To choose one item, or support an entire initiative, visit asri.org/wishlist. Thank you for your support!

Audubon Receives $34,500 from the Rhode Island Foundation’s Conservation Stewardship Collaborative to Support the Youth Conservation League (YCL)

Thanks to the Rhode Island Foundation’s Conservation Stewardship Collaborative, new members of the YCL will work on conservation projects for land trusts across the state this summer. These paid positions provide youth with valuable experience and contacts in the environmental field.

Rhode Island Foundation Awards $35,000 to Support a Program Manager at the Stormwater Innovation Center

The Stormwater Innovation Center is a collaborative initiative dedicated to improving water quality and stormwater management in Rhode Island and communities across New England. The new program manager, Molly Welsh, will coordinate watershed and green infrastructure monitoring, schedule volunteers, and manage database enhancements as well as organizing technical tours, training programs, public presentations and more.

Audubon Thanks Generous Supporters

Barbara Walsh and Earl Simson for Funding Audubon Advocacy Initiatives and Support for two Audubon TerraCorps Service Members.

• $36,000 for support of two Terracorps Service Members, who will each provide a year of service working in environmental conservation with Audubon.

• $18,000 to advance Audubon’s environmental advocacy initiatives.

Weatherlow Foundation Provides $10,000 Funding for Monarch Butterfly Habitat

Monarch populations are in steep decline due to habitat loss, pesticide use, and climate change. Audubon thanks the Weatherlow Foundation for supporting monarch habitat in Little Compton.

AUDUBON NATURE CENTER & AQUARIUM

Ideal for weddings, showers, or the site of your next business meeting or off-site retreat. Located in historic Bristol, RI, just 30 minutes from Providence, Newport, and Fall River, the award-winning Audubon Nature Center and Aquarium is one of Rhode Island’s unique meeting venues. With beautiful trails, exhibits and aquarium, large meeting, reception, and outdoor patio space, the Nature Center provides a setting that will captivate guests.

For availability and reservations, visit asri.org and click on services or contact Events Coordinator Sarah Bradley at 401-949-5454 x3016 or sbradley@asri.org.

CARATUNK BARN

The big white barn at Caratunk provides the perfect rural setting for weddings, showers, family reunions, business meetings, or birthday parties for children.

For availability and reservations regarding weddings and birthdays, visit asri.org and click on ‘services.’ For all other rental queries, contact Michelle Solis at msolis@asri.org.

2024 DONORS & SUPPORTERS

We Couldn't Do It Without You.

Your generosity has made a huge difference in Audubon’s ability to protect birds and wildlife, to bring environmental education to the next generation, and to continue our advocacy efforts to conserve our natural resources. We are deeply committed to ensuring that future generations will have the opportunity to experience the beauty and wonder of the natural world.

The 1897 Society honors those donors who annually give $1,000 or more.

Visionary ($10,000+)

Anonymous

John and Daria Barry Foundation

Citizens Community Foundation

Mary Ann P. Cofrin

Fidelity Foundation

Helen Hardy

Donald Heitzmann HLC

June Rockwell Levy Foundation

Pamela Kirkpatrick

Peter and Kay Lisle

Maxwell Mays Audubon Society Fund

Marcia Novak *

Edward Pitoniak and Kate Barber

Rhode Island Foundation

Henry and Julia Sharpe

Paul and Betsy Shiverick

Kenneth Smith

The Champlin Foundation

The Howard Bayne Fund

The Rose Grinnell/Matteson

Audubon Society of RI Fund

Vivian J. Palmieri Trust

David and Ellen Wagner

Barbara Walsh and Earl Simson

Emily Westcott and Bill Carpenter HLC

Shawen Williams and Andrew MacKeith

Hugh Willoughby * HLC

Conservator ($5,000+)

Anonymous

Arthur H. Carr Fund

Audubon Society of Rhode Island Endowment Fund

Susan Balloch

David R. Brierley

David and Christina Caldwell

Nicholas and Julia Califano

Robert and Wendy Fournier HLC

Stanley and Florence Gairloch Fund HLC

Lisa Gould and Kurt Voss

Samuel and Elizabeth Hallowell HLC

John E Fogarty Foundation

A. Lloyd Lagerquist Fund HLC

Laura Landen HLC

Maria A. Masse

Kathleen Melbourne and Lisa Close

Christine Satterwhite

Barbara Seith

Adoniram Sides and Kara Zanni-Sides

Rebecca Silliman

Lawrence R. Soforenko

Everett and Kristine Stuart HLC

Deborah Venator

Barbara Wells Carton

Advocate ($2,500+)

Anonymous

Susan Ahnrud

Gayle and John Amos

Bank of America

Robert and Lisbeth Chew

Lavinia Connors

William DeAngelus III

Constance H. Del Gizzi

Environment Council of Rhode Island

Elizabeth Kilmartin

John Martellini

Charles and Lory McCoy

Deborah J. Mongeau

Lindsay Neagle

NEC Solar

Anne and Meredith Pearson

Mark Perry

Rhode Island Tree Council

RI Foundation - Stonehouse Mountain

Family Fund

Sandra Saunders and Fred Griffith

David and Lisa Spencer

Paul and Patricia Stadnick

Michael Viveiros and Suzanne Dunkl

Cynthia Warren and Martin Bauermeister

Kimberly and Jeffrey Westcott

As we work to protect birds, wildlife, and our communities from the impacts of climate change, we are committed to making the most of every donation we receive and are grateful for each and every one of our supporters.

Thank You

Leader ($1,000+)

Anonymous

Aboveboard Contracting LLC

American Online Giving Foundation Inc.

Ashaway Charitable Trust

Frances and David Bergeron

Dickson and Emily Boenning HLC

Susan Bowers

Bradford and Cynthia Coates

Douglas and Wendy Brennen

David Buchholz

David and Ann Caldwell

Nathan and Mary Chace

Oniskey Family Charitable Fund

Frank P. DiGregorio

Lorraine Dimeo

Thomas and Nancy Doeppner

Ann-Christine Duhaime and Stanley Pelli

Louise Durfee Esq. HLC

Edward Lester and Sarah Yenson

Lloyd Feit and Linda Nici

Kate Flynn

Sarah Fogarty

Maria Franzen

Joan and George Gardiner HLC

Elizabeth and Joel Gates

Thomas Getz and Margaret Finn HLC

Lawrence Geuss and Pamela Lenehan

Daniel Gilman

Donna and Paul Gricus

David and Mary Gumbley HLC

Owen Heleen

Jill and George Horruitiner

Pierre and Kathy Irving

Jane Steele

Helen Jankoski

John and Karin McCormick Foundation, Inc.

Katherine Jones

Keith and Susan Killingbeck

George Kortyna HLC

Nancy Lee

Jane Linden and Betsy Grenier

Thomas and Cheryl Lisi

Louis D. Sorrentino Fund

Linda Mathewson

Robert and Theresa Mathiesen

Frederick Mattis

Peter and Susan McCalmont

John A. Mertus

Martha Milot

John and Melissa Mitchell

Elizabeth and S. Clarke Moody

Margaret Moone

Keith Moreau

Morgan Stanley

David Nastro

O'Hanian-Szostak Family Foundation

Helen O'Malley

Kevin and Amy Orth

Elizabeth Paquette and Jacqueline Proulx

Robert and Jill Parker

Pepsico Foundation

Katherine Perry *

Prickly Ed's Cactus Emporium

Renaissance Charitable

Reynolds for Reynolds Charity Trust

Rock Jumper Group

David Rotondo

Geoffrey and Jacqueline Russom

Allen Schenck and Lavonne Davis-Schenck

Walter Schumann

Rich and Jane Schweinsburg

Martha Sherman

Ben Sisto

Charlotte Sornborger HLC

Betsy and Richard Staples

Anne and Michael Szostak

Peter Tassia and Maija Lutz

The Redgate / Finnegan Charitable Fund

Third Sector New England, Inc

Thomas and Maryann Correia

Deborah Tillotson

Scott C. Tsagarakis HLC

Timothy and Patricia Tuff

Mark and Julie Van Noppen

James VanCleve and Claudia Strauss

Cynthia Way

Holly Williams

Jeff Williams

Margaret Williamson * HLC

Richard and Mary Worrell

Linda and John Woulfe

Maura Zimmer

Trailblazer ($250+)

Bruce Ahern

Dean and Suzanne Albro

John J Almeida

Amos Family Charitable Fund

Marylou and Paul Arakelian

Elizabeth and Dale Azevedo

Ann and Norman Baker

Michelle Baker

Bank of America Charitable Gift Foundation

Diane E. Bartlett

Diana Baxter and Thomas Krahn

Karen Beauchesne

Stephanie Beauté

Becky Berman

Ellen Berren

Harold and Brenda Bibb

John and Jane Bihldorff

Donna and Joseph Blanchette

Matthew and Marcella Blank

Jeff Blease

Steven Bloomfield

Raymond Bolster HLC

Carl and Nina Borromeo

Charles Boucher

Lizabeth Bourret and Patricia Harris

Richard and Anne Bowen

Thomas and Ann Boyd

Sherri and Thomas Briggs

Wayne and Eileen Browning

Palmira Brummett

Katherine Burnham

Katherine Burns

Christine Bush

Robert and Ellen Bushnell

Amy Buskey

Cate Brown Photography

Marie Chambers

Nancy and Howard Chudacoff

Virginia Clappi

Mary L. Clark

Christina Clayton and Stanley Kolber

Jennifer Cleland

Janet Coit and Peter Regan

Stephen and Teresa Conlon

Donna P. Conroy

John Conway and Rae Ann San Giovanni

Alfred Corso

Mary E. Costello

Wendy Crandall and Christopher D'Aguanno

Murray and Judith Danforth

Leon and Michele Danish

Ingrid Daubar

Jerry and Janie Dauterive

David and Suzanne Francis

Julia Dearden

Leslie H. Deardorff

Paul Dechichio

Doris DeFeo

Michelle Denault and Mark Palmer

Peter and Penelope Dennehy

Stan Dimock

Steven Dulude

Norine Duncan

Sally Easton

Karen Edwards and Kenneth Ramsay

Stephen Elman and Joanne D'Alcomo

Barbara T. Fahey

Sandra and Richard Fahey

Pat Fairchild and John Sessions

Wenley Ferguson and John Wolf

Michael Fiori

Kathie R. Florsheim

Fogarty Center

Hope and John Foley

Michael and Susan Fox

Francis O'Connell

Ann P. Gallagher

Thomas Gallagher and Marilyn Scoville

Randall Gardner

Kate Gillis

Give Lively Foundation

Susan Glogovac and Earl Carlson

Sarah Godfrey

Carol Golden and Stuart Einhorn HLC

David and Jean Golden

Amy Goldfarb

Sara J Gottlieb

Richard and Susan Graefe

Ann Gray

Patty and Britt Grealish-Rust

Tracey Grenier-Moakler

Karen Gudmundson

Jeffrey and Catherine Hall

Mary Hall

Katrine Hansen and Michael Sandfort

Ross and Lisa Harris

Michael Hayes

John and Katrina Hele

Alan Hempel

Peter Heywood and Nancy Jacobs

Susan Hibbitt

Mark Hilty and Maryanne Noris

Nancy and Douglas Hinman

Barry and Kathleen Hittner

Garry and Cathy Holmstrom

Lise Holst

Jonathan Howard and Gayle Gifford

Hughes Family Fund

Irving M. and Pauline L. Leven Fund

Sandra L. Jacobi

Deborah H. Jennings

Susan and Catherine Johnson-Roehr

Aziza Kamani

Mimi Karlsson

David Katzen and Barbara Binder

Eric and Esta Kawaoka

Melissa Kearns

Robert Kenney

Jan and Dennis King

Ellen J. Kleinman

Melissa Kollitides

Brian Kortz

Joel and Cynthia Kramer

Tony Kugler and Erika Sevetson

Dawn Laman

Reynold and Marlene Larsen

Jennifer Laurelli

Ginny A. Leslie

Alexander Levey and Chelsea Bryant

Ann and George Lewis

Rebecca Lister and Norman Kelly

Leah and Joe Loberti

Roger and Cynthia Lopata

Patrick Luvara and Jill Wasserman

M. Ridolfi Family Fund

John MacLennan

Glenn and Ellen MacNaught

Charles Mandeville

Ellen S. Mara

Lisa Marchessault

Susan Marcus

Geoffrey and Loretta Marion

Juan Mariscal

Eugenia S. Marks

Daniel Maser and Jennifer Oswald

Gretchen E. Maurer

Denis McCool and Jackie Savoie

Jerry and Christina McIntyre

Jennifer Medeiros

Gisela Meyn

Wendy Miller

Kathy Moore

James and Carolyn Moy

Theresa Murphy

Xenia and Deron Murphy

Dennis and Linda Murray

Patricia Nanian

Greg Nemes

Newport Restaurant Group

David North

Sam Obstfeld

Timothy and Jennifer O'Connor

Kevin O'Neill

Calvin Oyer and Anita Berger

Medini Padmanabhan and Unnikrishnan

Maloor

Thomas Palmer

Ernie Panciera

Lauren L. Parmelee

Mark and Lorraine Parsons

Peter and Suzanne Paton

Sandra Pattie

Kenneth Payne and Helen Drew

Mark Pearlstein

Philip Gruppuso and Martha Manno

Dominic Pirri

Lisa Plante

Brian Pletcher

Isabella Porter and Edward Levine

Candace and Christopher Powell HLC

Timothy and Christina Pratt

William and Marilyn Pryor

Stewart Pucci

Betsy and Lynn Puckett

Albert and Karen Pytka

Dina Raymond

Daniel and Elizabeth Reardon

Lucine and Scott Reinbold

Margaret Rheinstein

Melissa Ridolfi

Jan and Henry Rines

Joseph Rocchio

Alan R. Rote

Robert and Anne Rothenberg

Kathleen Rourke and Greg Gerritt

Ellen and John Ruggiano

Steve and Judith Ruscito HLC

Lisa Russell

Catherine Sabo HLC

Nancy D. Safer

James Sallinger

Salten Weingrod Family Fund

John and Gail Sampieri

Sara and Richard Sweetman

Neil Sarkar and Elizabeth Chen

Don Schim

Frank and Joanne Sciuto

George & Theresa Seidel

Amanda Shannon and John Kennedy

Alan and Wendy Sheridan

Deming and Jane Sherman

Richard and Elizabeth Shorrock

Caroline Silva

Stephanie Sloman

Deborah Smith

Mary Alice Smith HLC

Robert and Sarah Smith

Jacqueline Sordoni

John and Linda Stachelhaus

Linda Stanich and Douglas Stephens

Anthony W. Stapleton

Richard Steinbach

William Stone and Carolyn Mark

Laura Sullivan

Sunflower Designs

Geoffrey Swaebe

Robert Swanson and Patti Smith

Kenda Swartz

Mark Synowiec

Edward and Cynthia Szymanski

Ann Telfer and David Thomas

Jo-Ann and Matthew Therien

Dorothy J. Thornley

Becky Thorpe

Susan Tietze

Peter Tirrell and Heather Evans

Karen and Pentti Tofte

Jennifer Trachtman

Peter and Frances Trafton

William Trimble

Carol Lynn Trocki

Tupelo Design Studio

Kerry Tyson and Zachary King

Onne and Tenley Van der Wal

Thomas and Friend Waugh

Barbara and Bob Westlake

David and Kristin Wheeler

Michael White and Jane Desforges

Donald and Maxine Williams

Woodscapes

Ina and David Woolman

John Woolsey

Julie Wright

Bernard Zimmermann and Cheryl King

Paul S. Zompa

Michael Zucker

Supporter ($100+)

Sarah Abbott

Gretchen A Adams

Judith W. Adams

Annelouise Adee

Gabriel Alfieri and James Holmes

Kristin Allain

Deborah Allard

Anne Allardt

Zane Amaral

Myra and John Ambrogi

Amica Companies Foundation

Robert Andreozzi

Ann and Joseph Anesta

Greg and Julie Anthony

Charlotta Anton

Elizabeth and Eugene Antonell

Richard and Susanne Archambault

Anne Archibald and Elizabeth Leslie

Joanne Arsenault

Margaret Atwood

Alan and Barbara August

Diane and Robert Auld

Roger W. Ayotte

Lawrence and Susan Bacher

Kristina Bailey

Rachel Bailey

Virginia Bainton and Meredith Artigas

Daniel Baker

Glone Baker

Mary Baker and Scott Fedick

Laura Baldwin

Nancy Baler

Rebecca Ballou and Beth Schurman

Maxon Balmforth and Diane Roberts

Stuart Bargery

Ian Barnard

David Baroody

Michael Barrett

Kathleen Bartels and Steve Caton

Eric and Lynne Bartholomay

Edwin and Janet Bartholomew

Mary A. Bartholomew

Neil and Cheryl Bartholomew

Adam Bartlett

Rene Bartos

Beth Basile

Susan and John Baylog

Lois G. Beauchain

Armand Beaudoin

Patricia Becker

Matthew Belanger

Laura Belleville

Thomas Belleville

Sally Benbasset and Steve Miller

John and Janice Benda

Pamela Benjamin

Abby Berkelhammer

Mercedes Bernal

Michael Bernarsky

John and Gayle Berry

Cynthia M. Bertozzi

Ed J. Bertozzi Jr.

David Best

John and Patricia Biasuzzi

Harrison and Arria Bilodeau

Mars and Prudy Bishop

Daniel E. Blackford

Jane and Paul Blakeslee

Sylvia Blanda and Walter Young

Blithewold

Diane Block

Fran Bodell

Anthony Bogar

Catherine Boisseau

Howard Boksenbaum

Boston Duck Tours

Boston Tea Party/Trolley Tours

Danielle Bouchard

Barbara Bourgery

Sophie Breitbart

Jeremy and Sandi Brenner

Constance Brines

Richard Brooks and Sophia Cohen

Donald and Ann Brouillette

Anna and Andrew Browder

Donna Brown

Mimi Brown

Warren Brown and Josephine BarndsBrown

Brownell Library

Bruce and Susan Jala

Finn and Barbara Brudevold

David and Joanne Brunetti

Diann Bryans

Ralph and Rosemarie Bryden

Thomas Bryson

Susan and David Bundy

Jodi Burke

Brittany Burns

Marylou Buyse

Loren Byrne and Kim Seymour

Joanne Cafferky

Marjorie J. Caldwell

Michael Callaghan and Mary DohertyCallaghan

Mary Callender

Michael Camara

Pamela Campellone

Joseph and Theresa Capelo

Mary Cappy and Michael Kenfield

Michael and Mary Cardin

Cardi's

Brenda and Thomas Cardullo

Eric and Maria Carpenter

Polly Carpenter

Susan Carpenter

Katie Carper

Virginia P. Carter

Donna Casanova

Guy Caso

Maria Cassisi

John and Marion Castellucci

William and Annie Castelnovo-McMullen

Emma Castleton

David and Lorraine Casucci

Jameson and Tara Chace

Bonnie Chan and Candido Esteves

Charitable Adult Rides & Services

Peter Child

Alex Chuman

Susan C. Church

Anne Ciresi

Jeanette Clark

Leslie Clark and Michael Sholas

Lisa Clark

Rick Claypool and Teresa DeFlitch

Susan Cleland

Alyssa and Doug Coffey

Daten Cohen and Terri Spisso

Jacqueline Colbert-Muetterties and Mark Muetterties

Pam Coletta and Len Borges

Matthew Colicci

A. Joseph and Jessica Collette

Thomas Cone and Julia Morse

Ann Marie Conklin

Donald and Ellen Conner

Jennifer Conrad and Peter Petrocelli

Philip Coombes

Jonathan and Julie Coon

Karen Corbett

Donald Cordner and Jean Cavanaugh

Elizabeth Corsetti

Richard Corso

Ellen Cosgrove

Walter B. Cotter

Sarah Couch

Robyn Couturier

Katherine Cowett

David and Jeanne Cox

Luke Craig

Sharon and Julius Cresci

Catherine Cressy and Mike Russo

Giovanni and Thea Crippa

Sylvia Crookall

Alice Cross

Patrick Crowley

Kathleen Crowley-Gardner

Tim and Joy Csanadi

Laura Cuesta

Margaret Curran

Tammy Lee Cushing

Dave Czerwonka

Patricia DAlmeida

Edwin B Danforth

Robyn and Keith Daniel

Michelle Daniels

Dana Davenport

Stephen Davis and Esther Entin

Eric Dawber

Barbara Dawson

Carol A. Delisle

Carissa DeLizio

Eric and Ruthann DeLong

Robert Denmark

Elisa DePina

Bethany descoteaux

Patricia Devereux

Sorrel Devine

Jennifer M. Dewolf

June DiBacco

Anthony DiBella and Marjorie Ball

Carol M. DiCarlo

Susane Dickson

Danikka Dillon

Matthew A. DiMaio III

Sara DiNardo

katherine dolan

Lee Domaszowec

Diana Doyle

Robert and Judith Drew

E B Dussan V.

Jane Dyer

Michael Dykstra

Valerie A. Dymsza

Angela Early

East Smithfield Public Library

Debra Eastham and A. Pillsworth

William J. Eccleston

Daniel Echt

William Edmonds and Evelyn Van Osdol

Edmonds

Bob and Cindy Elder

Karen Elkins

Andrew and Mary Erickson

Sarah Evelyn

Bonnie Fairbanks

Rosemary Falb and Christine Parry

Joyce Fallon

Michael Fallon

Terry and Patricia Faulkner

Sharon Fenstermacher

Meagan Ferreira

Claudia Ferro

Ryan Fick

Martha Fish and Adrian Boney

Marina and Brian Flannery

Evelyn Flatley

Pamela Fleming

Katherine and Kevin Folan

Linda Forrester

Donald W. Forsyth

Kenneth and Sharon Forziati

Wesley and Martha Foutch

Joanne Fowler

Gavin Fox

David Francazio

Elizabeth Franks

Leslie Fuller

Rozanne and Lawrence Fuller

Thomas Furey

Thomas Gabriele

Lynda Gaines

Paul Gallogly

Ronald and Linda Gardrel

Megan Gately

Paul Gazin and Barbara Gloria

Marion Geiser

Ronald Gelineau HLC

George Hail Free Library

Bob and Veronique Gerber

Cynthia Gianfrancesco and Chuck Hobert

Elizabeth Gibbs and Eliot Raymond

Katherine Gibson

Emelyn Gilmore

Stephen Glinick and Elizabeth Welch

Sally Godfrey

Frederick and Kathleen Godley

Susan Goggin

Amy Goins

Arthur and Marion Gold

James Goldberg and Michelle Solis

Thorn Golden

Francis and Susan Golet

George Golini

Kevin Golinveaux

Lenore Gonsalves

Jeffrey and Diane Gonyea

Joanne Gorman

Lisa Gould

Pamela and Paul Goulet

Samantha Grabelle and Julius Mercure

Paula Graceffo

Glenn Graf and Mary Rochford

Susan Graham

Michael Green and Carol Auer

Diane Greenwald

Amy Gregorek

Jessica Grise

Elizabeth H Parker

Charles and Ruth Anne Hackett

Amanda Haddad

Phoebe Hall and Peter Nassoit

Janet and Norman Hammond

Michael and Peggy Hanney

David and Jane Hannon

Edward Hardy and Kathryn Hardy

Jamie Harrower

Jason D. Harry

Robert and Katherine Hart

John Hartley

Jaelen Hartwin

Edward Harvey, Jr

Margaret Hayden

Karen Healy

Justin Hedlund and Lila Sarwono

Janelle Heise

Danielle Helfand

Michael Helm

Peter Hendricks

Jim Hendrickson

Michele Henkel

Jane Hennedy

Linda V. Hennessey

Peter and Beverly Herstein

James and Tara Higgins

Constance P. Hildesley

Doris Hlavsa

Deah and Ronald Hofeldt

Ann E. Hoffman

Sarah Jane Hoffman

Tiffany Hogan

Matt Hoisington and Lindsay Gauthier

Peter Amberg Hollmann

David and Barbara Holmes

Andrew Holt

Rachael A. Holt

Leigh and Rick Hood

David and Linda Houghton

Laura Howe

Lan Huang

Lisa Hughes

Donna Hutchinson and Kitty Cook

Rena and Edward Ianni

Claudia and Len Iannuccilli

Edward and Diane Iannuccilli

Lisa Iglesias

LIFE Inc.

Ink Fish

Sarah Iwanski

Joe and Patricia Jablonowski

Krestofas and Kathy Jabterakes

Walter and Eileen Jachna

Margaret and David Jackson

Roland Jacques

Jamestown Garden Club

Jim Janecek

Jeffrey Wickham and Carol Kuempel

Nancy H. Jencks

Michael Jenkinson and Anne Vanhaaren

Mark and Deborah Jennings

Holly Jensen

Walter Jimenez

Christine Jocelyn

Benjamin Johnson

Elizabeth A. Johnson

George W. Johnson

Lorraine Johnson

David and Laura Jones

Richard and Anne Jordan

Cary Kaczowka

Walter and Donna Kaehler

Elizabeth and David Kaplan

Caroline Anne Karp

Beth Luckenbach and Kathleen Carey

Sarah and Matthew Keefe

Kathleen Kelleher

Kathleen Kelleher and Alexi Mangili

Nancy and Charlie Kellner

Dorothy Q Kellogg

Laura Kelly

Mary Louise Kennedy

Michael Kennedy

Barbara and James Kenney

Elaine C. Kenney

Tamar Kern

Judy Kerr

Meg Kerr

Susan and Robert Kieronski

Catharine King and Thomas Keefe

Mike and Allison Kirkman

Karen Klingon and Jerry Middleton

Kathleen Kloeblen

Sarah and Kevin Klyberg

Holly Knott

Jennifer Kodis

Heidi Koehler

Irene Komanapalli

Michelle Komar

Kimberly Korioth

Alexia Kosmider

John Koster

Daniel Kowal

Stephen Krawiec

David Kreutter

George Krol and Melissa Welch

Edith and Anthony Kubica

Kevin Kurkul

Peter and Margaret Lacouture

Rachel Lafo

Ronald and Lorraine Laliberte

Bob Laman

Paula and Bob Lang

Michael Langlois

Heather Lantagne

Barbara J. Lataille

Deborah Leach

Gary and Anna Leblanc

Carissa Lee

George and Heather Lee

Thomas and Samantha LeGrett

Timothy Lehnert and Heather Thibodeau

Roslyn Leibensperger

Jennifer R. Leitao

Louis and Virginia Leone

Celeste and Paul Leveillee

Level 99

James Levesque

Lillian Levin

Steven Levine

Lewis House Foundation

Janice W. Libby

Cara and Almin Liberatore

Moshe and Toby Liebowitz

Joyce Lilly

Linda Ward and John Leighton

Deborah S. Linnell HLC

Donna List

Christopher and Michelle Little

Claire Livingston

Anne Livingston

Angela Loomis

Elena Lopez Valero

Loreal

Agi Louria

Laurie Lowe

Rebecca Lowry

Melinda Lubetz

Lexie Ludovici

Randy and Carla Lundquist

Stephanie and Rick Lux

Elizabeth Mace

Vanessa MacEachen

Jean Maciag

David and Diane Madsen

Andrew Magnusson

Darcy Magratten

Tyler Maikath

Jill and Peter Malin

Alicia Mancini

Kathryn and Peter Mandel

Louise Manfredi

Maureen Manion

David Manning

Peter Mannka

Vince Manoogian

Barbara Margolis

Ilona Martin

George Masnick and Reisa Kahn

Amy Masnyk

Frederick Massie

Douglas and Carolyn Materne

Carl Mattson

John Mattson and Annette Hofmann

Charlie and Karen Maule

Alfred and Beverly Maybach

Nancy and William Mayer

William Mayer

Jeffrey Maymon

Thomas Maynard

Matthew McAllister

Raymond McCarthy

Susan McCarthy

Thomas A. McCarthy

David McClure

Elizabeth McClure

Robert and Claire McCorry

Norman and Dorothy McCulloch

Margaret McDonough

Owen McEntee

Michael McGlynn and Martha Fraenkel

Karen McGovern

Jane E McIlmail

Malcolm McKeag and Bernadette

DeAscentis

Alan and Ann McKenzie

Erin McLaughlin

Bruce McLeish

Em McManamy

Pamela Mead

Jessica Medina and Jared Silva

Sueliz Melendez

Hollie Mellen

Aaron Mello

Luis Mendes

Christa Merlino

Erin and Tim Metcalf

Charles Metheny

Brian Metzger

Peter and Wanda Michaelson

Edward Michelson

Thomas and Deborah Miller

Don Minto

Jon Mitchell

Joseph Mobilio

Moe and Peg Lavoie

Michael and Sharon Monsour

Darlene Montgomery

Elizabeth Morancy

Mary Morowitz

Ann Morse

Keith Morton

Jonathan and Jennifer Mosier

Ed Moura

Jonathan Movson and Rosemary Decroce

Audrey Mullarney

David and Cynthia Mullen

Mulligan's Island

Regina Murphy

Sarah Murphy

Marjory Myers and Paul Robinson Mary

M. Neil

Kevin J. Nelson

Christopher Neronha

James Nestell

New Bedford Whaling Museum

Ellen Newhouse

Jennie Newkirk and Kennon Miller Anne Newquist

Erica Nimiroski

Ken and Laura Nordstrom

Wendy Norris

North Kingstown Free Library Michelle Novello

Grace Novick

Mary and Steve Nugent

Simone Nunes-Duby and Anthony Nunes

Helen O'Brien

Vicki and Frank O'Byrne

Sharon OHearn

Michael and April O'Malley

W.P O'Neill

Cynthia and James Opaluch

Suzanne and Peter Oppenheimer Maura A. O'Rourke

Nicole Overstreet

Linda Overton

John and Cheryl Pace

Jacqueline Pagel

Barbara Pagh and Jeff Bartwell

Adam Pallant and Elizabeth Toll

Susan G. Palmer

Sara and Philip Panciera

Richard and Carolyn Panofsky

Elizabeth Paroli

George Passela

Richard Pastore

Pat's Peak

Leslie R. Patterson

Rachael Paull

Susan and Joseph Peckham

Beiyanil Pena

Carolyn Pendegraph

Sarah Pennisten

Anna Perricci and Christopher Spedaliere

John and Donna Perrotta

Elizabeth Pesce

Alicia and John Peters

Ryan Peters

Deborah Peterson

Sue Petzold

Thomas and Carrie Phillips

George Picard

Susan Pitt and Gregg Oehler

Sondra Pitts

Mary Jane Pizza

Claire and Robert Place

Kevin Pleasants

Plum Beach Garden Club

Paula Polseno

Elizabeth Pontefazio

Bancroft and Mary Poor

Ron and Carolyn Porta

David Potter

Diane Prete and George Dys

Providence Bruins

John and Janet Przygoda

Michael Quas and Sydney Montstream-Quas

Judith Queen

Thomas Quinney

Nancy Racette

Douglas and Cynthia Rademacher

Rail Explorers

Laura Rainsford

Susan Raleigh

joan Ramos

Glenn Rawson

Steven and Beverly Reinert HLC

Mary Reis

Suzanne Renaud

Annie Rencurrel

John and Marianne Renza

Joe Renzi

Lisa Reynolds

Nicolas Reynolds

Evelyn Rhodes and Edward Long

4:01pm All that Matching RI Foundation

Jennifer Ricci

Cathy Riccio

Frederick Rice

Barbara Rich and Roger Watson

Karen Rich

Anne Richardson and James Robertson

Hanne Richardson

Lynn and Shari Riley

Sophia Rizk

Martha J. Roberts

Denis Robichaud

Donna Robillard

Deirdre Robinson and Sally Weedon

Stephen Rodkey

Francis T. Rose

Katherine Rosen

Emily Rosenbaum

Laura Rosenthal and Willie Thompson

Mikaela M. Roterman

Richard and Virginia Rounds

Route 5 Auto Repairs, Inc.

Mary Ruby and Jack Jordan

Kristen Runci

Lisa and Phil Runci

F. Daniel Russell Jr.

Anne Rydjeski

Linda Sable and Vivian Dionne

Ray and Bonnie Sabourin

Nicholas Saez

Aaron Sakulich

Ellen P. Salvatore

Salve Regina University

Leslie Samayoa

Vijaya and Sundaresan Sambandam

Cheryl Sampson

Patricia Sanford

Donna Santos

Indra Sarkar

Wassim and Eva Sasa

Cynthia Scheinberg and Eliahu Klein

Jamieson and Doreen Schiff

Barry and Libby Schiller HLC

Robert and Mary Schmidt

Rachel Schmitt

Jeffrey Schreck

Michelle Schuettke

Jason Schwartz

Wendy Schwartz

John Seaboldt

George Seavey HLC

Lauren Sequeira

Jonathan Serbst

Dorothy Shackleton and David Abell

Caroline Valley Shaia

Lester Shapiro

Richard and Trudy Sharpe

Rochelle Shatkin

Gardiner and Cynthia Shattuck

Linda Shaw

George Sheng

Barbara A. Sherman

Karen Sherman and Michael Phillips

John Shue

M Christine Sidler HLC

Jack Simonds

Matthew and Jennifer Simoneau

Barbara Slaight

Chris Smaldone

David and Elizabeth Smith

Kevin and Tara Smith

Lori Smith

Pamela S Smith

Sheila and Robert Smith

Edward Paul Sneesby

Emily Snyder

Sogkonate Garden Club

David Soucy

Charles Southworth

Thomas and Virginia Soutter

Curt Spalding

Mary M. Speakman

James Spears and Alita Marks

Michael Spencer and Katherine AlmeidaSpencer

Michael and Robin Spencer

Jake Spinney

Franklin Sprafke and Caroline MillerSprafke

Lee E. Sproul Jr.

Cindy Spurr and Chris Hubbard

Emily Stein HLC

Harry and Lorraine Sterling

Bruce and Carol Stevens

John F. Stevenson

Susan Stewart

Timothy Stewart

Donna and Phil Stiness

Cathy Strycharz

James E. Sullivan Jr.

John Sullivan

Russ Sullivan

Wendy Surr

Peter Swaszek and N. Kim Wiegand

Ben and Tara Sweeney

Mary Beth Tabacco and Alan Lawson

Irma Tabellione

Lawrence and Mary Taft

David Tapscott and Gail Epstein

David Tarantelli

Marc and Leslie Tatar

Ann Taylor

Elizabeth Taylor

Lynn Taylor and Boris Bally

Mary Tchamkina

Hazel Temple and David Whelan

Alfred Tente

Robert and Lalune Thacker

The Frosty Owl

Sophia Theilacker

Jeremy Thibodeau

David Thompson

Trisha Thorme

Elaine Thorpe

John C. Thresher

Anne and L. Michael Tierney

Rachel Tierney

Sandra Tierney

Judith A. Titzel

Job and Jane Toll

Frances M. Topping

Elise Torello

Shaun Towne

Cassie Tragert

Richard Travisano and Susan Oppenheim

Tree Top Adventures - Canton

Tree Trails - Mystic

John and Jennifer Trendel

Nancy and William Tsiaras

Sheila Tumilty

Kevin Turbitt and Tomoko Shibusawa

Mark Turek

Keelie Turgeon

Bradford R. Turner

Rebecca Turrell

Martha Ullman

Lisa Vaillancourt

Nichole Valois

Joanne Vecchio

Sara Veera

Zaccary Velikaneye

Olivia Verdugo

Robert and Jennifer Vergnani

Frederick and Loraine Vincent

Jennifer Vinnitti

Alexander Wait

Thomas and Linda Walden

Pamela Walker

Jeff and Lois Waller

Robert A. Walsh Jr.

Tammy Walsh

Ronda Warrener

Richard Waterman

Gary Watros and Beverly Larson

Barbara and Randy Watts

Paula Weindel

Ilene Weismehl and Elie Bienenstock

Thomas Werner

Rosanna and James Wertheimer

Meredith and Clark Wescott

Richard and Bernadine West

Deborah Westgate-Silva

Nancy Weston-Hill

Rita Wheatley

Lee and Catherine Whitaker

Tracy Whitford

Harvey and Doris Whitley

Ronald and Maureen Whittemore

Shahista Whooley

Wild Birds Unlimited

Wild Harmony Farm

Lisa Wildman

Cass Wilkinson Saldaña

William Blais and Wayne Leaver

Amanda Wilson

Janet Wilson

Jessica and Doug Wilson

Sherrie Wilson

Bruce and Carolyn Winter

Vicki Winter

Maxine Wolfson

Susan Wood

Cheryl Woodbury

Charles and Barbara Worcester

Julie Wright

YogaBarn

Dorothy T. Young

Richard A. Younkin

Meredith Zenowich

Lisa Zerdelian

Shuang Zhao

Linda Zimmerman

Audubon thanks the 1,930 donors who gave less than $100 in 2024. We appreciate support in any amount to protect birds, wildlife, and their habitats. Thank you.

Audubon 2025 Wish List

Donate Today and Support an Audubon Project!

Audubon’s focus areas include accessibility, biodiversity, and climate resiliency. Choose to fund a single project or make a monthly contribution to support Audubon’s 2025 wish list. Spring Wishlist projects include:

• Sponsor a Youth Conservation League Student

• Binoculars, Scopes and Field Guides for Audubon Urban Birding Programs

• Electricity to light the Nature Center Picnic Pavilion

• Trail Cams to Monitor Wildlife Populations on Audubon Properties

Visit asri.org/wishlist for the complete project list and to donate.

Spend Summer on Carr Pond

Rent the charming Maxwell Mays Lakefront Cottage for a weekend get-away or a family vacation. This beautiful fieldstone camp in Coventry has openings through October. For details and availability, visit asri.org/services.

Audubon Society of Rhode Island Named Endowment Funds

The Audubon Endowment is a permanently restricted fund that, by law, exists in perpetuity. Because the Audubon Endowment is invested, it allows for long-term stability, fiscal responsibility, and financial viability that keeps Audubon a vibrant and growing organization.

It also enhances our credibility, relieves pressure on fund raising, allows program expansion, and provides independence. Donations of $10,000 or more to the Audubon Endowment can be recognized by a named designation, either for an individual, family, or a cause you believe in.

Audubon Society of Rhode Island Named Endowments

Aust-Capron Memorial Fund

Barter-Moore Fund

Edith Becker Fund

Mary Catherine Rogers Beckett Fund

John Brezinski Memorial Fund

Bristol Education Center Fund

Caratunk Fund

Mary B. Cottrell Fund

Severyn Dana Fund

Davis Memorial Wildlife Fund

Norman A. Deslauriers Fund

Dickens Farm Fund

Patricia Meagher Dwyer Conservation Fund

John Raleigh Eldred Fund

Bayard Ewing Fund

Fisherville Brook Fund

Fort Nature Refuge Fund

Grout Memorial Fund

Alice O. Harris Fund

Jonathan H. Harwood Fund

Hicks-Borden Fund

Priscilla J. Hollis Fund

Mary C. Kellermann Endowment Fund

Walter Hammond Kimball Fund

Crawford N. Kirkpatrick III Fund

Margaret Robinson Knight Fund

Kimball Memorial Garden Stewardship Fund

Kay Kinsey Fund

Kraus Wildlife Fund

Henry J. Larkin Wildlife Preserve Fund

Lorraine Leaney Fund

Little Rest Bird Club Fund

Lonesome Swamp Fund

Edward B. and Phoebe W. McAlpine Memorial Preserve Fund

Constance McCarthy Fund

McKenzie Wildlife Fund

George B. Parker Fund

Powder Mill Ledges Fund

Prudence Island Fund

Susan M. Romano Memorial Fund

Elton Sanford Fund

Alicia Perry Seavey Family Fund

South County Fund

Everett F. Southwick Fund

Touisset Marsh Fund

Viall Memorial Library Fund

Mrs. and Mr. Dudley A. Williams Memorial Fund

For more information contact Jeff Hall at jhall@asri.org or (401)-949-5454 ext. 3017.

YOUR YARD CAN HELP SHAPE THE FUTURE

Climate Resiliency Begins at Home

There is currently a great deal of discussion about offshore wind, solar installations and electric cars. While these items will help reduce our contribution to climate change and begin to reverse the damage done to this planet from hundreds of years of use of non-renewable carbon-based fuels, the truth is that there are other, equally important conversations we need to be having.

As of 2022, 144 million homes dotted these United States. Approximately 60% of the land area of this country is now privately-owned, totaling 1.4 billion acres or an area roughly 7.5 times the size of the state of Texas. And nearly all of this land contains manicured lawns and non-native landscaping that represents a substantial amount of potential wildlife habitat…if it is managed wisely.

Small Patches of Habitat Bring Large Benefits

In a now classic research paper by David Mehlman and colleagues, the habitats available along avian migratory routes were classified into one of three categories based on their capacity to meet the needs of birds. At one end of the spectrum lie what Mehlman termed “full service hotels” – large, contiguous habitat patches that contain a wealth of resources. At these locations, emaciated and exhausted birds will find abundant food to replace lost fuel and a safe place to rest. Sites such as these include Audubon’s Fisherville

Brook and the George Parker Woodland Wildlife Refuges.

At the other end of the spectrum lie what are referred to as “fire escapes”. These habitat patches tend to be small, isolated and surrounded by inhospitable landscapes, such as heavy urban development. While these habitats are not capable of providing abundant, high quality fuel and tend to have elevated predation risk, they offer respite for birds in dire need of rest due to physical exhaustion or emergency situations such as unfavorable weather. Many birds stop at these locations for a brief period, often only to gain rest before moving on. If properly managed, privately owned yards can serve as “fire escapes” for birds.

We discuss the importance of proper siting of wind and solar arrays – of using data to ideally direct their placement where potential damage to natural resources is minimized to the greatest extent possible. But, it is important to understand that while we look to our global oceans for solutions to our climate and biodiversity crises, a good deal of the answer lies in our own backyard.

Editorial by Dr. Charles Clarkson, Director of Avian Research

Our Manicured Lawns are Dead Zones for Biodiversity

How much siting was done when your home was built to avoid impacting the local biodiversity? For most homes, the likely answer is: none at all. Native habitat was removed, wildlife was displaced and your tenure on the land marked a new era in which nature took a backseat to your activities. Since the creation of our “homesteads”, our properties have become a far cry from the rich and diverse habitats they replaced. Our manicured lawns, maintained through the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, and our gardens replete with exotic plantings and little structural diversity serve, for the most part, as a dead zone for biodiversity. Indeed, most yards would scarcely qualify as a “fire escape” for migrating birds in need.

Research from Audubon’s recent partnership with the NASA Develop program projects that the state of Rhode Island will lose nearly 9,000 acres of forest and gain over 6,000 acres of urban habitat by 2043. In this rapidly urbanizing landscape, we need to provide oases for wildlife.

Your Yard Has the Power to Help Shape Our Future

As most of our country is privately owned, the collective power of individual action on the part of homeowners can literally transform our landscape. By halting the use of chemicals on our lawns and gardens, planting native vegetation to restore food webs and providing essential resources for wildlife (nesting sites, water and food), you can instantly transform your property into a refuge. Your own wildlife refuge, located right outside your front door.

And, before you write this off because you deem your yard to be “too small to make a difference”, research by Doug Tallamy, an entomologist at the University of Delaware has shown that planting a single oak tree can provide for the needs of up to 4,000 different species. Don’t have enough space for an oak tree? A single native blueberry bush can support nearly 300 species. As a landowner, it is important to remember that you hold a piece of our planet as your own. What you choose to do with your piece literally has the power to change the world.

GET YOUR YARD BUZZING!

Audubon Pollinator Alliance

Help Audubon connect neighbors and communities to form a state-wide network of pesticide-free habitat. Information on your pollinator garden and others across the state will inform decisions on policy and rally others to the cause. Visit asri.org/pollinators/alliance.html.

Habitat at Home

Audubon can help transform your yard into healthy habitat! Private assessments are available with Scott Ruhren, Senior Director of Conservation. Review your property, discuss goals, and receive a plan for creating wildlife habitat at your home. Email sruhren@asri.org for more information.

Audubon Pollinator Lecture and Garden Workshops

Learn from Audubon experts on how to transform your property into healthy habitat for pollinators, birds and other wildlife. Register at asri.org/calendar.

• Lecture: Protecting Pollinators in Your Landscape Powder Mill Ledges Wildlife Refuge, Smithfield, RI July 31, 2025; 6:30–8:00pm.

• Workshops: Designing a Wildlife Garden Audubon Nature Center and Aquarium, Bristol, RI Three dates offered. June 4, 2025; 6:30–8:00pm; July 19 & August 9, 2025; 1:00–2:30pm.

SUPPORT OUR WORK

We rely on your generous support to protect and maintain over 9,800 acres of natural habitat for birds, wildlife, and all Rhode Islanders. Visit asri.org/donate.

THE LAST WORD

Why Gould Island is Worth Saving

For 36 years, Gould Island in Narragansett Bay has been a wildlife sanctuary, free of human disturbance. It is a critical breeding site for a number of colonial-nesting waterbirds that are experiencing population declines and listed in the RI State Wildlife Action Plan as species of greatest conservation need.

Recently, the RI Department of Environmental Management has proposed opening the island to overnight camping and recreation. Audubon opposes any effort to remove the wildlife sanctuary deed restriction from this island. We will do whatever it takes to conserve one of the last remaining nesting sites for these threatened species.

If you would like to help, please join us by visiting asri.org/gould-island.

Oystercatcher by Jason Major