Protect local salt ponds
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| Charlestown resident Maurice van Swaaij signed up for the Salt Pond Smart program because of concern for the health of the salt pond ecosystem. (URI Photo / Cooperative Extension) |
The University of Rhode Island’s Salt Pond Smart property certification program is now open for enrollment, inviting residents who live on properties within the Salt Ponds and Narrow River watersheds to take part in a growing community effort to protect some of Rhode Island’s most treasured coastal resources.
Salt Pond Smart is a voluntary, community-based training and
property certification program that helps homeowners recognize how their
property management can impact coastal ecosystems. Everyday decisions about
wastewater treatment, landscaping practices, and stormwater management can
affect local water quality. Through educational training, personalized property
assessments, and one-on-one support, participants learn practical ways to
reduce pollutants on their property, improve water quality, and strengthen the
long-term health of Rhode Island’s coastal salt ponds.
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| A new URI Cooperative Extension program, Salt Pond Smart, is now enrolling participants for a second round of training and property certification along Rhode Island’s southern shoreline. (URI Photo / Nora Lewis) |
“One of the challenges facing our salt ponds is that pollution comes from many different sources,” said Alicia Schaffner M’09, director, Salt Ponds Coalition. “Salt Pond Smart helps homeowners understand how their property fits into the bigger picture and provides practical, achievable steps they can take to help protect these irreplaceable coastal resources.”
Salt Pond Smart was developed in collaboration with local partners after listening to local residents who love the salt ponds express their concern about impacts to the ponds, and their interest in protecting the pond for future generations to enjoy.
Funded by grants from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Southeast New England Program, URI Cooperative Extension staff worked with colleagues from the Salt Ponds Coalition, Save the Bay, the Town of Charlestown’s Onsite Wastewater Management Program and the Tomaquag Museum to develop the certification criteria and training.
“Many people want to help protect our salt ponds but aren’t
sure where to start. Salt Pond Smart breaks that process down into practical,
achievable steps that homeowners can take at their own pace,” said Alissa Cox,
director, URI Onsite Wastewater Resource Center. “Protecting our salt ponds is
a community effort. Every property owner has an opportunity to make a
difference, and Salt Pond Smart provides the support, resources, and guidance
to help them do just that.”
The program is organized around a series of topics that
influence the health of Rhode Island’s coastal ecosystems, including wastewater
system care and maintenance, sustainable landscaping practices and stormwater
management. Participants also learn about the salt pond ecosystem, current
water quality trends, and drinking water protection and testing.
After completing training content, participants evaluate
their properties using a series of self-assessments and receive individualized
feedback. Properties that meet specific stewardship criteria can earn Salt Pond
Smart certification and receive a yard sign recognizing their commitment to
protecting local water quality.
The program’s first year demonstrated strong support from
residents seeking practical guidance on environmental stewardship. Certified
participants completed actions ranging from septic system maintenance and well
water testing to sustainable landscaping improvements and stormwater management
practices.
“I signed up for the Salt Pond Smart program because of
concern for the health of the salt pond ecosystem and the realization that as a
resident of the salt pond watershed I have a role to play in it,” said Maurice
van Swaaij, Charlestown resident. “I like to feel I’m giving a little bit back
for the joy the salt ponds give me.”
Who can participate?
Residents living within the Salt Ponds and Narrow River
watersheds are eligible to participate at no cost. Both waterfront properties
and properties located further inland that drain to the coastal salt ponds or
Narrow River are encouraged to enroll. Residents unsure whether their property
falls within the eligible area can use the interactive map available on the
program’s enrollment page to learn whether their property falls within the
designated watersheds. Resources on septic system care, landscaping, drinking
water quality, and stormwater management are available to everyone.
To learn more or enroll, visit uri.edu/saltpondsmart or
contact Lisa Hollister, lisa.hollister@uri.edu.
To get on the email list for URI Cooperative Extension programs, visit uri.edu/coopext/ and click on
“join our mailing list.”
