Through donor support of any kind, Audubon can fulfill its mission of educating five-year-olds about the wonders of wildlife, managing habitat for declining pollinator species, or permanently protecting forests, fields, and wetlands, it is connecting its founding legacy to what lies ahead.

In the spring of 2023, the Audubon Society of Rhode Island joined over 1,800 conservation collaborators with the establishment of its first MOTUS tower. The tower itself will collect data on birds, bats and insects that have been fitted with coded tags as they pass overhead during periods of movement!

Several years of data analysis have pinpointed western Rhode Island as a hotspot for migratory stopovers. Although this may be the best time of year for us to break out our binoculars and hit the trails, the reality is that migration is an extremely perilous and strenuous time for birds. How can we help migratory birds succeed as they pass through our state?

The Stormwater Mural Project continues for a third year, this time with a focus on rain barrels! This unique partnership between Audubon, the Stormwater Innovation Center (SIC), and The Providence Parks Urban Wildlife Refuge Partnership brings stormwater education sessions to schools and offers students a chance to visit Roger Williams Park for field trips.

With the growth of offshore wind in our state and region, we are seeing large amounts of misinformation being disseminated to the public. In a world with an increasingly erratic climate and rapidly dwindling natural spaces, we must move away from fossil fuels toward a cleaner form of energy production.

It has been a year since Audubon Educator Kate Swain and Senior Director of Education Lauren Parmelee embarked on a new initiative, “Taking Root: Nature-based Learning for All.” This pilot program aims to fulfill Audubon’s mission of connecting all people with nature—in this case, specifically students with special needs. With input from teachers, parents, and the students themselves, the end goal is to develop a well-funded, robust, barrier-free program that will serve students throughout the state.

More than half a century after the first global Earth Day celebration, one thing has remained constant: humanity’s dependence on the burning of fossil fuels such as natural gas, oil, and coal. A transformational shift away from fossil fuels—whether at the global, national, or state level—calls for change from society’s “status-quo” and economy-wide climate action.

May is absolutely one of my favorite times of the year. Migration is in full swing, and the flowering trees bring back the Orioles! In Rhode Island we are lucky to have two different species: the Baltimore and Orchard Orioles. Attract these sweet, colorful birds to your backyard by planting flowering trees.

The Audubon Society of Rhode Island has been instrumental in protecting these species through direct action as well as by saving habitat that supports them. In honor of Endangered Species Day (May 19, 2023), learn more about this landmark piece of legislation!

Each spring in forests and fields throughout Rhode Island, several plant species appear early, just as the days warm, and disappear before the summer. Spring ephemerals are key forest community members, yet their brief appearances are often overlooked.