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 Local Wetland Protection Projects Over the past several years EPA has funded a number of projects in coordination with DEM and other organizations to improve the capacity of local entities to protect wetlands. The following is a summary of completed projects that ranked highest in terms of goals and selection criteria for wetland protection in Rhode Island. City of Warwick "Improve Coastal Wetlands/Save the Bay" This grant was used to educate coastal homeowners in the city of Warwick. It was a collaborative project with Save the Bay to address the protection, management and enhancement of Warwick's coastal marshes and tidal waters through direct education of coastal property owners. City of Providence "Woonasquatucket River Greenway Project Riparian Wetland Buffer" This grant was used to develop a plan for the restoration of a wetlands buffer along the banks of the Woonasquatucket River. A baseline survey of the Woonasquatucket River bank was conducted at the Riverside Mills and Lincoln Lace & Braid Mills Brownfields sites to determine where best to perform restoration of the riparian buffer. The report provides a plan for a low maintenance, natural vegetative buffer that will improve water quality and create habitat for wildlife. This project creates an urban environmentally planned greenspace for the Woonasquatucket River Greenway and revitalizes an urban neighborhood that is in decay. Town of North Kingstown "Develop a Strategic Wetlands Action Plan" The Town of North Kingstown, along with EA Engineering, Science, and Technology, Inc. engaged a team of planners, wetland scientists, and other professionals to develop a strategic action plan to protect wetland and wetland resources in the community. The final Plan included wetland mapping, public workshops, and an evaluation of current wetland protection strategies. The Town has been looking to adopt new wetland protection strategies as part of the ongoing five year update of the local comprehensive plan, which include specific non-point source pollution controls and best management practices, and more region/watershed based wetland planning. The Team evaluated wetland protection strategies employed by Rhode Island communities and conducted a public workshop in November 2001 to discuss the project with stakeholders, including EPA and DEM. The workshop identified stakeholder and awareness issues. The Team developed a series of recommendations to support the Town's vision of protection, preservation and restoration of wetlands including the establishment of a Wetland Overlay District and a minimum setback from any wetland. Included with the recommendations were example ordinances for considerations, as well as funding and programs available to fulfill the Town's vision. An implementation schedule template was also provided to the NK Planning Department. University of Rhode Island "Rhode Island Vernal Pool Protection Initiative" The University of Rhode Island along with key stakeholders developed a vernal pool website. The website describes physical characteristics of vernal pools, how to identify them, plant communities that are associated with vernal pools, species life history, quantitative information on amphibian movement, and identification keys with photos. In addition, the site provides information on current efforts to protect vernal pool habitat. The grant also funded the production of a PowerPoint presentation on vernal pool protection in Rhode Island that can be used by the stakeholders for presentation to community groups. Southern R.I. Conservation District "Building Capacity to Protect Wetlands & Riverine Corridors in the Pawcatuck Watershed" The Southern Rhode Island Conservation District partnered with DEM, the Audubon Society of Rhode Island, the Wood Pawcatuck Watershed Association, and the Water Use Stakeholders Group to assess and identify critical habitat features in the Usquepaug-Queen River and to better understand water resource availability and demand in the Pawcatuck watershed. The goals of this effort were to understand aquatic-habitat availability under various streamflow conditions and to determine the streamflows needed for habitat protection in the Usquepaug-Queen River. An additional goal was to coordinate habitat assessments with an ongoing watershed-modeling project for the Usquepaug-Queen River basin that is being developed by the USDA in cooperation with RI Water Resources Board. In order to achieve these goals, stream habitat, fish communities, and hydrologic conditions were investigated in the River Basin. Habitats were assessed at 13 sites on the mainstem and tributaries from July 1999 to September 2000. Study sites were revisited by volunteer teams and by USGS personnel to document habitat conditions at different flows. The project was part of a multi-faceted effort in the watershed, and has complemented other activities that were concurrently underway. It is hoped that this project will be used as a statewide model for riverine wetland protection efforts and water use management in the context of implementing the watershed approach. RIDEM Planning & Development - Little Compton & Tiverton "Develop a Conservation Plan for Wetlands and Other Natural Resources Areas in Little Compton & Tiverton" The purpose of this plan was for The Nature Conservancy, along with DEM to work with conservation partners to identify priority conservation areas of wetlands and associated uplands in Tiverton and Little Compton, Rhode Island. Landowner research and biological inventory were carried out in nine study areas selected for potential exemplary natural communities, prior records of rare species, minimal fragmentation, an abundance of wetlands, significant stream and/or water supply. Local conservation groups assisted in developing a list of criteria for prioritizing the results. Sites that ranked highly encompassed multiple attributes. Of the nine study areas, three were of Regional Significance (Rank 1), three were of Local Significance (Rank 2), one was of Potential Local Priority (Rank 2 to 3) pending further study, and two were of Town Significance (Rank 3). A GIS-based map with the priority tracts highlighted was developed. The maps and Plan make a very practical tool available to all the participating conservation practitioners in Little Compton and Tiverton. RIDEM Office of Water Resources "Sandy Bottom Road Floodplain Wetland and Enhancement Demonstration Project" DEM partnered with the Town of Coventry and the Rhode Island Association of Wetland Scientists to plan the remediation of a 20 acre piece of property that was acquired through a Rhode Island Natural Heritage Preservation Commission to Open Space Acquisition Grant. The Sandy Bottom parcel consists of 23 acres of undeveloped upland and wetland habitat along the South Branch of the Pawtuxet River in urbanized eastern Coventry. The parcel abuts two other Town of Coventry properties, which together with this parcel total 59 acres of preserved open space in a densely populated and commercial area of Coventry. The properties are widely recognized for the opportunities they hold for passive recreation, wetland education, and wetland and wildlife preservation in a heavily populated and rapidly developing area. Funds have been committed to the site from RI DEM Fish & Wildlife for parking, a handicapped accessible fishing pier, and landscaping enhancements. Phase one of this project is complete, which included conceptual planning and stakeholder development. The second phase will focus on detailed planning and engineering for proposed wetland restoration and enhancement activities, as well as the implementation of an education outreach program. It is expected that phase three will involve the implementation of the Plan developed during the first two phases, while finally, phase four will entail wetland monitoring and invasive species control. M. Peter Holmes EPA Region 1 Wetlands Coordinator | |
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rev. 6/13/03