Newport Mansions - Newport Historical Society - © 2012
Anchors on Sakonnet Fishing Pier - Alexey Sergeev - © 2012
Beavertail Point Lighthouse - Alexey Sergeev - © 2012
Jamestown Harbor - Alexey Sergeev - © 2012
Newport Bridge and Goat Island at Sunrise - Alexey Sergeev - © 2012
Narragansett Bay Rocky Shore - Alexey Sergeev - © 2012
Mohegan Bluffs on Block Island - Alexey Sergeev - © 2012

Field Trips

Below is a list of all currently planned field trips. Use the dropdown to view only full or half day field trips.

Half Day
  Tuesday, April 10 - 12:30pm to 5:00pm

Local and Sustainable Agriculture of Southern Rhode Island

This half day field trip will tour two southern Rhode Island coastal farms: Watson Farm and Windmist Farm. These farms provide stunning backdrops and examples of successful collaborative efforts among multiple landscape conservation, historic preservation and farmland protection organizations. We think many of the attendees, being from all over the country (and international as well), will especially enjoy and appreciate the chance to see the historic preservation and viable working conditions of these quintessential New England farms and landscapes.  Tour leaders are Ken Ayars (RI DEM Agriculture Chief); Anne Kuhn (contact with farm owners/managers)

Sakonnet Rhode Island Landscapes

The Sakonnet landscape encompasses the communities of Tiverton and Little Compton, Rhode Island and are quintessential New England.  The landscape is a patchwork of coastal wetlands, upland forest, working farms, and small villages.  Quicksand Pond is arguably the most pristine coastal lagoon ecosystem in southern New England.  Goosewing Beach has been designated one of the top ten stretches of natural shoreline in North America by CNN and supports populations of nesting Piping Plovers and other species of concern.  The Sakonnet landscape has been the target of aggressive land protection by The Nature Conservancy (TNC) of Rhode Island and local citizens.  The field trip will visit a number of unique coastal and upland landscapes and be hosted by conservationist and naturalists from TNC.

Full Day
  Thursday, April 12 - 5:15am to 4:30pm

Block Island: One of the Last Great Places

Block Island is 10 miles offshore from mainland Rhode Island and has been designated by The Nature Conservancy as one of the Planet’s Last Great places. Block Island was formed by glaciers nearly 10,000 years ago and is made up of a diverse array of geographical features and habitats such as beaches, sand dunes, coastal bluffs, morainal grasslands, maritime scrubland, salt ponds, kettle hole ponds, and various other freshwater wetland ecosystems. These habitats support a unique assortment of wildlife, including over 40 species classified as rare or endangered. It is thus one of the most ecologically significant areas in the entire northeast. Thousands of migratory shorebirds, waterfowl, raptors, and songbirds also depend on the Island as a stopover point on their journey north and south along the Atlantic Flyway.  Hosted by naturalists from the TNC, we will spend a full day on Block Island visiting habitats for the endangered burying beetle, the Block Island Bird Banding Station, the dramatic cliffs of Clay Head, and Great Salt Pond.

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