Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management RIDEM

🔥 Prescribed burns are back in 2025! DEM’s Forest Fire Program is ramping up low-severity prescribed burns to protect communities and preserve habitat diversity. The first burn is set for Prudence Island this week, weather permitting. Prescribed fire is an important tool that helps maintain habitat diversity and protects communities from extreme wildfires by reducing hazardous natural fuels. 🌳 DEM burn managers are targeting parcels at the following: • Durfee Hill Management Area, Glocester • Pratt Farm, Arcadia Management Area • Nicholas Farm Management Area, Coventry • Big River Management Area, West Greenwich • Prudence Island • Dutch Island, Jamestown • Carolina Management Area, Richmond • Great Swamp Management Area, South Kingstown 📢 Stay informed! Prescribed burns are usually announced a day in advance during an ideal “burn window” — when weather and environmental conditions align to ensure safety and achieve goals like reducing hazardous fuels and restoring ecosystems. 🌱 Prescribed burns are carefully planned to ensure safety and effectiveness. As wildfires become more frequent in Southern New England due to climate change, DEM is increasing these vital efforts to keep our landscapes safe and healthy. 🔗 For more information and a map 🗺 of target parcels read the full press release at https://lnkd.in/eNKk8qde

Happy New Year from DEM 🎉! Feel like telling 2024 to take a hike 🥾, or just want to start 2025 off on the right foot? Join us for our ninth annual #FirstDayHike!     📍 Goddard Memorial State Park in Warwick.   📅 TOMORROW, January 1st from 10 AM to 1 PM    Kick off the New Year with a family-friendly stroll through the great outdoors. Enjoy a 2-mile self-guided stroll on paved and gravel paths, get a commemorative pin, meet with staff from #TeamDEM, and enjoy refreshments available for purchase from Finn’s French Crepes Food Truck. Remember to dress for the weather ☀❄☔ !    🔗 Find more information at https://lnkd.in/evSaqhsM     📢 Reminder: Our offices will be closed on Wednesday, Jan. 1, for the New Year’s Day Holiday. We will return with normal business hours on Thursday, Jan. 2. 

Start 2025 off on the right foot with a First Day Hike 🎉🌳🥾 ! Join us on January 1st from 10 AM to 1 PM at Goddard Memorial State Park in Warwick for a family friendly stroll through the great outdoors. Here’s what to expect: • Beautiful Scenery: Enjoy a 2-mile self-guided stroll on paved and gravel paths. • Fun for the whole family: kids must be accompanied by an adult. Dogs on leashes no longer than six feet are welcome 🐾 . • Commemorative Pins: Participants will receive a special keepsake while supplies last medal 🎖! • Meet staff from DEM’s Divisions of Parks & Recreation and Law Enforcement for information about our programs and services. • Finn’s French Crepes Food Truck will be on site with refreshments available to purchase 🍽 ! • This event will be held rain or shine, be prepared for the weather and dress accordingly ☔☀ . • Parking will be located at the beach parking lot within the park, accessed via the second entrance on Ives Rd 🚗 . 2025 marks DEM’s ninth First Day Hike as part of the nationwide initiative led by America's State Parks to encourage people to get outdoors. 📢 New this year RI State Parks is excited to offer a guided hike program made possible by a $15,000 grant awarded from the Bronco Wild Fund. Stay tuned for more opportunities to get outdoors this spring! Future guided hike dates and information will be available at https://lnkd.in/eES4dZny. 📷 Goddard Memorial State Park in Warwick. 🔗 Read the full press release at https://lnkd.in/evSaqhsM #OptOutside #FirstDayHike #RIStateParks

You've heard of elf on the shelf, now get ready for... Drop your best guesses below!

  You’re a mean one, SLF! You really are a pest! You're a gross invasive species, laying eggs is your quest, SLF! 🎶 Don’t let the invasive spotted lanternfly (SLF) spoil your holiday cheer ⛄ ! The chilly winter weather ❄ triggers adult female SLFs to leave behind presents 🎁 of their own – egg masses. SLF adults are laying masses of 30 or more eggs on surfaces ranging from tree trunks to patio furniture.      Help protect RI farms 🌾 and forests 🌳 ! If you find an SLF egg mass, squish the eggs and scrape the entire egg mass using a flat, sturdy tool. Be sure to squish the eggs before scraping them from the surface to ensure that the egg mass is destroyed.    Eggs laid on camping trailers 🏕 and vehicles 🚗 can hatch in the spring miles away, so it is important to inspect your luggage and cars when traveling for the holidays 💼 !     🔗 Learn more about DEM's response to protect RI's forests and farms at https://lnkd.in/efRBNXzn.    🏡 For homeowner resources visit the URI Cooperative Extension’s URI Biocontrol lab webpage https://lnkd.in/eYcKdjZv or find helpful resources at Penn State Extension's website: https://lnkd.in/eapUrQXq  #SpottedLanternfly #SLF #SLFEggMass #BeatTheBug #InvasivePest #InvasiveSpecies 

Reminder‼️ Starting 1/1/2025, OER will start a new cost recovery policy for electric vehicle charging stations on state-owned properties. Rates for all users will be $0.28 per kWh on Level 2 Stations and $0.39 per kWh on DC Fast Charging stations. Read more: https://lnkd.in/ef8_9MXX

❄ Winter is officially here ❄ ! Tomorrow marks the Winter Solstice, and with snow in the forecast for parts of RI, it's time to prepare.   Snow collected from roads, parking lots, sidewalks, and other paved surfaces can carry harmful contaminants and pollutants that can compromise water supplies. Here are a few snow disposal tips for those looking to help keep our water supplies safe this winter while we enjoy the fluffy stuff ⛄: · Choose collection sites on porous surfaces, away from water resources. Let nature filter that snowmelt 💧. · Set up snow collection areas with silt fences and vegetative buffers to protect our waterbodies 🌱. · Store snow in upland areas away from wetlands and waterbodies 🌊 . For more information, check out DEM’s Snow Disposal Policy: https://lnkd.in/ecfqjXeH

This past weekend, Officers Anthony Sullivan and Jake Meleski, Rhode Island Environmental Police Officers from DEM’s Division of Law Enforcement joined forces with Massachusetts Environmental Police for their annual Toys for Tots “Stuff a Boat” event, hosted by Bass Pro Shops. DEM thanks the RI Environmental Police Officers Association for their generous donation of gifts, the Massachusetts Environmental Police, and everyone who supported this event. Together, we’re making the holidays brighter 🎁🎄 ! #TeamDEM #ToysForTots #EnvironmentalPolice 

📢 UPDATE: The emergency closure of Upper Narragansett Bay shellfish ‘Area A’ and ‘Area B’ will end at sunrise tomorrow, Friday, Dec. 20. The emergency closure was put in place after last week’s heavy rain. Water samples collected this week show that bacteria levels in both areas have returned to levels that support safe shellfish harvest.    Please note that other conditionally approved shellfish areas in Upper Narragansett Bay remain closed. Providence River Area E and Greenwich Bay are scheduled to reopen for shellfish harvest at noon on Thursday, Dec. 26.      For more information on shellfish harvesting classifications, review the annual notice available at www.dem.ri.gov/shellfish. For information on emergency and conditional area water quality related shellfish closures, call DEM’s 24-hour shell fishing hotline at 401-222-2900.     🔗 Read the full press release at https://lnkd.in/eghhEdJn  

  Commercial marine licenses are up for renewal 🎣 !     ATTN Rhode Islanders and non-resident commercial fishers, don't forget that renewals for standard fishing licenses including multipurpose licenses, shellfish over 65 licenses, and others are due by the end of the day on Friday, February 28, 2025.    License renewals can be done online at DEM’s Rhode Island Outdoors (RIO) website, by mail, or in person at DEM's Office of Boat Registration and Licensing located at 235 Promenade Street, Room 360, Providence.    📞 For questions or assistance call 401-222-6647.   🕐 Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM.  💻 To complete renewals online visit https://rio.ri.gov/     Other 2025 commercial marine license year highlights include: • DEM will also issue a limited number of new standard fishing licenses in two fishery sectors. • Applications will be accepted for 15 new multipurpose vessel licenses under a pilot program to allow vessel owners to designate any operator to fish commercially for all marine species aboard their vessel. • As in past years, DEM will offer student shellfish licenses to any RI resident who is a full-time student and 23 or younger as of June 30, 2025. 🔗 For more information and resources read the full press release at https://lnkd.in/euucpp7F