Long-term partnership to protect land, water, and livelihoods
By Amber Neville, URI Coastal Institute
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| Protective fencing on Block Island safeguards dune vegetation, a natural barrier against coastal erosion. (URI Photos/Coastal Institute) |
The University of Rhode Island Coastal Institute has officially designated Block Island as its newest Climate Response Demonstration Site (CRDS), formalizing a partnership to protect the island’s natural systems, infrastructure, and freshwater resources. The New Shoreham Town Council voted unanimously in support of the designation on July 7, following a recommendation from the town’s Coastal Resilience Committee.
Block Island joins a growing network of CRDS sites across Rhode Island—places where science, policy, and community priorities come together. Each site serves as a model for resilience, showcasing place-based strategies tailored to the distinct challenges and strengths of its location.
“We have a community that really cares about the island’s future and a history of coastal monitoring and research here,” said Judy Gray, chair of the New Shoreham Coastal Resilience Committee. “The CRDS designation helps us coordinate and strengthen those efforts, bringing in science that supports informed local decisions.”
Why Block Island matters
Just 13 miles off the Rhode Island mainland, Block Island is
both accessible and exceptional. Known for its dramatic bluffs, freshwater
ponds, and wild beaches, the island offers a rare blend of natural beauty and
timeless charm. Nearly 40% of its land is permanently protected, including
landmarks like Mohegan Bluffs and Southeast Lighthouse. Trails wind through
meadows and coastal edges, offering views that have remained largely unchanged
for decades.
But the island also faces growing challenges. Its community
largely depends on the Port of Galilee on the mainland for essential supplies,
freshwater is limited, and coastal erosion is accelerating—threatening roads,
infrastructure, and habitat. The same landscapes that draw 15,000–20,000
visitors per day in summer are increasingly under strain.
Tourism remains the island’s economic engine. A 1999 study
estimated more than $59 million in direct annual visitor spending. Statewide,
tourism generated $5.6 billion in 2023. Preserving Block Island’s natural and
historic character is essential to sustaining both local livelihoods and
seasonal businesses.
What the climate site designation means
The Climate Response Demonstration Site designation
formalizes an ongoing partnership between Block Island and the University.
Through these sites, the Coastal Institute provides targeted support for
research and monitoring, connects URI faculty and students with community-based
projects, and helps develop strategies tailored to local needs that also inform
broader resilience planning. Each CRDS represents a long-term commitment to
collaborative, applied science.
Block Island joins three other Climate Response
Demonstration Sites supported by the Coastal Institute:
- Napatree
Point, Westerly – A natural area site monitoring ecological
transitions within a barrier beach system
- Bristol
County – A mixed-use site addressing municipal infrastructure,
land-use planning, and ecosystem resilience
- Roger
Williams Park, Providence – An urban watershed site focused on
stormwater management, water quality monitoring, and equitable access to
green space
Each site serves as a model for how science, policy, and
local knowledge can come together to build coastal resilience.
“Block Island presents a rare opportunity to study climate
resilience in an island setting—with real constraints on natural resources,
supply chain vulnerabilities, and seasonal infrastructure demands,” said Nathan
Vinhateiro, the Coastal Institute’s science director and lead for the Block
Island CRDS. “It’s a manageable scale for research, with insights that are
transferable well beyond the island.”
Next steps for research and collaboration
The Coastal Institute will consolidate and build upon Block
Island research efforts already underway by URI faculty and students. Ongoing
efforts related to coastal processes, freshwater resources, ecological
monitoring, and infrastructure planning will be further integrated to support
informed, community-driven decisions.
“I’ve been studying bluff erosion and shoreline change on
Block Island for more than a decade,” said Bryan Oakley, coastal geologist and
collaborator from Eastern Connecticut State University. “This designation helps
bring that work into alignment with community priorities—providing a framework
to apply the science more directly to local decision-making and future
resilience planning.”
The Coastal Institute is also working to strengthen
partnerships with local organizations. In addition to the Town of New Shoreham
and its Coastal Resilience Committee, the Coastal Institute is expanding
engagement with groups such as the Block Island Conservancy, Block Island Land
Trust, The Nature Conservancy, and the Block Island Maritime Institute. These
groups bring essential expertise in conservation, land stewardship, and public
education.
To support new and ongoing efforts, the Coastal Institute
will launch a CRDS seed grant program in fall 2025. This program will provide
flexible funding to URI faculty and students for early-stage projects,
including baseline data collection, field monitoring, and the development of
tools that inform resilience and land-use planning.
Get involved
The CRDS initiative welcomes collaboration with researchers
and local partners and values input from island stakeholders.
To learn more, explore the CRDS
StoryMap series, or support the initiative by making a gift to the URI Coastal
Institute to fund student-led research on Block Island.
For questions or collaboration inquiries, contact Vinhateiro
at nvinhateiro@uri.edu.
About the URI Coastal Institute
The University of Rhode Island Coastal Institute catalyzes research, fosters partnerships, and stimulates dialogue to support resilient and diverse coastal communities and ecosystems. It connects researchers, decision-makers, and communities to develop solutions to coastal challenges across Rhode Island and beyond.
