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Saturday, May 17, 2025

RI DEM announces summer schedule of education programs

Coyotes, Bumblebees, Dragonflies, and Bats, Oh My!

Have some fun in the sun by attending an educational program with the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management’s (DEM) Division of Fish and Wildlife (DFW)! Get outdoors while learning new skills; from fishing days to hunter education classes to guided walks, there’s something for everyone. Join DFW’s Aquatic Resource Education, Hunter Education, Wildlife Outreach and volunteer staff to learn, explore, and enjoy! Most programs being offered this summer are free and family friendly. A list of programs and registration information are listed below:

Aquatic Resource Education Programs: 

Introduction to the ‘Hex Hatch’ 

Where there is a hatch, there are trout to be caught! Join fly tyers from United Fly Tyers, Rhody Fly Rodders, and Trout Unlimited to learn about the largest mayfly hatch on the Wood River, Hexagenia limbata. This three-hour workshop begins with a talk about the mayfly and its habits, when it emerges to spawn, what gear to use to mimic the hatch, and how to catch a trout during the hatch.   All fly-tying equipment and materials are provided. Space is limited and registration is required. For more information and to register, please email kimberly.sullivan@dem.ri.gov. 

Come Clam with Me

The Aquatic Resource Education program invites you to “Come Clam with Me!” Learn how to dig for clams, what equipment you need, and what management strategies support Rhode Island’s quahogging industry. Longtime quahogger Jody King will be instructing people of all ages about the ins and outs of recreational clamming. Space is limited, registration required. $10/person for participants 8 years old and older. For more information and to register, please email kimberly.sullivan@dem.ri.gov. There are sessions throughout the summer:  

  • Friday, July 11, 1 – 4 PM Gull Point, Portsmouth
  • Friday, July 25, 1 – 4 PM, Rocky Point, Warwick
  • Tuesday, August 12, 2 – 5 PM, Rocky Point, Warwick
  • Monday, August 25, 2 – 5 PM, Gull Point, Portsmouth
  • Tuesday, September 9, 3 – 6 PM, North Kingstown Town Beach 

Hunter Education Programs: 

Bowhunter Education Certification Course  

In a classroom and field setting, learn about the basics of modern-day archery hunting and safe hunting practices according to International Hunter Education Association standards. There is a 50-question multiple choice test at the end of the class, which is written to a 6th grade/12-year-old reading level. Participants must be at least 11 years old on the final day of class to take the test.  

2025 Family Day at the Range 

Join DFW, The Federated RI Sportsmen's Club, and other partners for the 2025 Family Day at the Range! Beginners and families are encouraged! No Great Swamp Shooting Range permit is required for attendance. Experienced DEM Hunter Education instructors, Range Safety Officers, and qualified volunteers will provide one-on-one and small-group instruction in shotgun, rifle, and handgun shooting. 

2025 Women’s Day at the Range 

Join DFW, The Federated RI Sportsmen's Club, and other partners for the 2025 Women's Day at the Range! No Great Swamp Shooting Range permit is required for attendance. Experienced DEM Hunter Education instructors, Range Safety Officers, and qualified volunteers will provide one-on-one and small-group instruction in shotgun, rifle, and handgun shooting. 

Wildlife Outreach Programs:  

Coexisting with Coyotes 

Coyotes are greatly misunderstood, but most of their fear-instilling actions are simply a part of their life history and survival strategy. Still, these critters can certainly become a nuisance, especially if they begin to den under decks and dine out of chicken coops. Learning why these creatures behave the way they do is the key to finding resolution. Join DFW to learn about coyote natural history, discoveries made by the Narragansett Bay Coyote Study, and ways to coexist with them.   

Rhode Island Bumblebee Survey Showcase: Three Years of Community Science for Conservation 

With summer bringing longer days and warmer temperatures, here come the bumblebees! DFW has spent the past three years coordinating an atlas project of RI’s bumblebees through the Rhode Island Bumblebee Survey. This virtual event will show the results and data that DFW and hard-working volunteers have collected. The event will also preview new outreach materials including species profiles with distribution maps, natural history information, and more.  

Summer Bat Night 

Bring the whole family together and join DFW to participate in a bat colony count! Sit back, relax, and learn about RI’s unique bat species and the conservation work being done to help these commonly misunderstood mammals. Kids are invited to make a bat craft before the bats take to the night sky! All participants are welcome to bring their own lawn chairs and get comfortable as they count bats flying by.  

Summer Dragon Hunt 

In the swampy wilds of Rhode Island, there be dragons! Join DFW staff and special guests Virginia “Ginger” Brown and Nina Briggs on a summer "dragon hunt" in the Great Swamp! Ginger and Nina will be sharing their wealth of knowledge on RI's dragonflies and damselflies, as well as their experience collecting data to write and illustrate the recently published Dragonflies and Damselflies of Rhode Island. Be prepared to learn a lot and have fun! This program is free to attend, but space is limited, and registration is required. 

  • Date: Saturday, July 12
  • Time: 10:00 – 11:30 AM
  • Location: Great Swamp Wildlife Management Area, West Kingston
  • Age group: Ages 8 and up
  • Cost: Free
  • Registration: https://forms.office.com/g/kJ45Tr5a1Z  

Pollinator Stroll

Summer is a wonderful time to get out and appreciate the natural world – it is a sensory feast, with all sorts of life being at their most vibrant. However, you don’t need to get lost deep in the woods or in the middle of a vast meadow to experience nature! Join DFW at the splendid garden at Kettle Pond Visitor Center in Charlestown for a nature walk exploring native plants and pollinators and learn how to make a pollinator garden of your own. This program is FREE and held in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.  Registration is required and space is limited. 

Diamondback Terrapin Monitoring 

DFW is beginning recruitment for the annual diamondback terrapin monitoring program. Volunteers are assigned a coastal site where they will visit once a week, for nine weeks, conducting shoreline scans in search of Rhode Island’s only brackish water turtle, the diamondback terrapin. Each weekly survey consists of short observation period where volunteers will look for terrapin heads poking out of the water, as they surface for air. Participants must provide their own binoculars and rain boots, as many sites require walking on uneven marsh terrain. Those interested in volunteering for this project can register here: https://forms.office.com/g/x2VZw3AcnM  

Herp Observer  

Everyone is ready to enjoy the summer sunshine, including RI's reptiles and amphibians! Securely submit your sightings of frogs, toads, salamanders, snakes, and turtles to RI’s State Herpetologist (reptile and amphibian biologist) through our easy-to-use smartphone app, Herp Observer. Observations of species, both common and rare, are welcome. Your reports will help biologists identify where these animals are in the state, and in turn, where to focus conservation efforts for RI’s scaly and slimy critters – this is a great volunteer opportunity for families! Learn more at www.dem.ri.gov/herpobserver.  

RI Wild Bee Observer 

Want to help us protect the bees of Rhode Island? Join DFW as a community scientist by contributing to our RI Wild Bee Observer project through the free iNaturalist app! It’s an easy way to document bee species anywhere in RI, from your neighborhood to your favorite hiking spot – this is a great volunteer opportunity for families! For project instructions, including tips for taking photos of bees, follow this link: https://dem.ri.gov/media/63796/download  

For more information on DEM programs and initiatives, visit www.dem.ri.gov. Follow DEM on Facebook, Twitter (@RhodeIslandDEM), or Instagram (@rhodeisland.dem) for timely updates. Follow DFW on Facebook and Instagram (@ri.fishandwildlife) to stay up to date on news, events and volunteer opportunities. You can also subscribe to DFW’s monthly newsletter here. 

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