URI Cooperative Extension

09/09/2026

What do past fellows have to say about URI Extension Fellowship Programs?

Results from a 2025 survey of past Agriculture and Food Systems and Energy Fellows show that the experience goes far beyond hands-on work experience. If you or someone you know is a student at URI and would benefit from an immersive experience working alongside energy, food or environmental professionals, please share these opportunities with them!

We are now accepting expressions of interest from mentors until September 18, 2026, and applications from URI students in Handshake (job #11294023) until October 16, 2026. Learn more and apply by visiting: web.uri.edu/coopext/get-involved/

09/09/2026

The health of our salt ponds starts closer to home than many of us realize.

“When I heard about the Salt Pond Smart program I was very eager to participate. Those of us who live in South County know and appreciate that our Salt Ponds are such an important and central part of our lives. They make this area the best place to live, raise a family and retire to. This program was a great opportunity to learn how to do my part.” — Karen Sherman, Gold Certified Salt Pond Smart Participant '26

Karen says one of the most valuable parts of the program was learning how everyday decisions made at home can impact the larger ecosystem.
"It's enlightening to see how our own homes play a part in the greater ecosystem and to learn about the small things we can do to help maintain the health of our magnificent natural resource."
Salt Pond Smart provides practical, easy-to-understand guidance on wastewater care, drinking water, sustainable landscaping, and stormwater management, helping homeowners make informed decisions that protect local water quality.

- Free to eligible watershed residents
- Self-paced online learning
- Personalized property feedback
- Earn a property certification sign
- Enrollment for our next group of participants is open through September 15, 2026.

📍Learn more: https://web.uri.edu/saltpondsmart/

09/01/2026

That’s a wrap on Summer Industry Training! 🎬

URI Extension Fellows completed 33 hours of hands-on learning, touring sites across Rhode Island and meeting with leaders in clean energy, agriculture and food systems, and environmental management.

Interested in becoming a mentor or fellow in 2027? Visit the link in our bio or uri.edu/coopext/get-involved.

09/01/2026

Meet some of our 2026 Extension Fellows! 🌱

Through our URI Extension Fellows Programs, undergraduate and graduate students gain hands-on experience with critical issues, including energy, agriculture and food systems, and environmental management, through projects that make a difference across Rhode Island.

Leah is a junior studying Animal Science and Technology and a 2026 Agriculture and Food System Fellow, working with Ocean Hour Farm, where she supports sustainable agriculture efforts through research, soil quality data collection, and analysis of farming practices, including rotational grazing and natural resource management. Her work helps identify ways to reduce agriculture’s environmental impacts while promoting the long-term health of Rhode Island’s farmland and coastal ecosystems. In her free time, Leah enjoys spending time outdoors with friends, family, and pets, as well as crafting and exploring creative projects. Photo credit: Maaike Bernstrom, Ocean Hour Farm.

Izzy is a senior studying Landscape Architecture and a 2026 Energy Fellow, working with the University of Rhode Island Office of Sustainability, where she supports campus sustainability projects through project design, feasibility work, and research. Her work includes initiatives such as a green roof, PFAS filtration system signage, and student Living Lab projects that promote hands-on sustainability learning. In her free time, Izzy enjoys baking for friends and family, thrifting, and reading classic literature.

Sydney is a senior studying Wildlife & Conservation Biology and a 2026 Environmental Management Fellow, working with the Audubon Society of Rhode Island as their Osprey Monitor Volunteer Coordinator. Some of Sydney's responsibilities included weekly communication with 300+ volunteers, collecting and organizing volunteer data, developing annual reports, and assisting with other ongoing Audubon projects. The ultimate goal of Audubon is to preserve biodiversity by educating the public through various Audubon programs, engaging the public in citizen science projects, and receiving donations to continue the organization's work. In Sydney's free time, she can be seen spending time with her pets or playing guitar

We are now accepting expressions of interest from mentors until September 18, 2026, and applications from URI students in Handshake (job #11294023) until October 16, 2026. Learn more and apply by visiting: web.uri.edu/coopext/get-involved/

08/31/2026

Have you seen this sign in southern RI neighborhoods?

This sign means a homeowner has invested time learning how to protect local water quality and
has taken action on their property to reduce pollution and support the health of Rhode Island’s coastal salt ponds.

From sustainable landscaping to stormwater management and septic system stewardship, Salt
Pond Smart participants demonstrate that small changes at home can add up to watershed-wide benefits.

Want to earn your own Salt Pond Smart certification?
- Free to eligible watershed residents
- Self-paced online learning
- Personalized property feedback
- Earn your own property certification sign!

Learn more: uri.edu/saltpondsmart 📍
Enrollment for our next group of participants is open through September 15, 2026.

08/28/2026

Halloween isn’t just for candy, it’s the perfect time to plant garlic! 🧄 URI Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners share how to get your cloves in the ground now for a delicious June harvest! 👉 https://wherethefoodcomesfrom.com/plant-garlic-by-halloween-for-a-june-harvest-uri-experts-share-fall-gardening-tips/


University of Rhode Island

Wondering when to plant garlic? URI experts say get it in the ground by Halloween for a flavorful June harvest and easy garden success!

08/28/2026

Campus pest control is hard at work!

Bobcats are important for regulating squirrel and rodent populations, which can grow out of control without carnivores on the landscape. This is one of the many ways bobcats, like other small predators, help support ecosystem health.

This bobcat was spotted walking by the Beaupre Center earlier this week by Angela Tuoni ’16, a former URI Energy Fellow and current director of climate and government relations at The Nature Conservancy. She submitted the sighting to the Rhode Island Bobcat Project, led by URI researchers.

The project combines GPS technology and community science to better understand Rhode Island’s growing bobcat population. So far, Rhode Islanders have submitted more than 1,800 bobcat sightings.

Have you seen a bobcat? Report your sighting: uri.edu/bobcatsurvey
Learn more about the Rhode Island Bobcat Project: connectivityandconservation.com/bobcat-project

08/28/2026

A soil test tells you your pH, texture, and exactly what's missing (or not), so you can skip the trial-and-error and get straight to growing. We've got the science. You've got the soil. URI Soil Testing is FREE for all Rhode Islanders.
Testing sites across RI, learn more: https://web.uri.edu/coopext/services/gist/

08/27/2026

Paid Fellowships Alert! 🚨

URI undergraduate and graduate students: apply by October 16, 2026, for one of our year-long Cooperative Extension Fellowships:

- Agriculture and Food System Fellows
- Energy Fellows
- Environmental Management Fellows

What’s in it for you?
- 500 paid hours on a real-world sustainability project
- Professional mentorship
- 3 academic credits (ITR 301 – Field Experience I)
- Summer industry trainings to strengthen field knowledge: microlectures, site visits, service learning
- Networking with leaders and experts across RI

All majors welcome -- just bring your passion for sustainability and a strong desire to develop professional experience!

📍We are now accepting expressions of interest from mentors until September 18, 2026, and applications from URI students in Handshake (job #11294023) until October 16, 2026. Learn more and apply by visiting : uri.edu/coopext/get-involved/

08/26/2026

Thank you for an amazing visit! Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources