Our Mission

What is the purpose of the Habitat Restoration Portal?

The purpose of this site is to provide data and information about habitat restoration in Rhode Island to the public, federal and state agencies, and nonprofit groups. The focus is on seagrass, riverine (fish runs), and salt marsh habitats. The objective is to create an information system that can be used to apply for grants, select potential projects, educate the public, and assist the state in restoration planning.

Who is developing the Habitat Restoration Portal?

The Rhode Island Habitat Restoration Portal is the result of a partnership between RI Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC), the RI Department of Environmental Management Narragansett Bay Estuary Program (NBEP) and Save The Bay, Inc., working with the Rhode Island Habitat Restoration Team (RIHRT) and the University of Rhode Island Environmental Data Center (URI EDC). The project is funded through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Coastal Services Center.

Resources:

DEM Wetlands Protection Program:
The DEM Wetlands Protection Program provides comprehensive wetlands protection for the state of Rhode Island. Program biologist and engineers implement the State's Freshwater Wetland Act and Rules and Regulations through an application process that determines the presence of wetlands, verifies delineated wetland edges, and reviews proposed projects in and adjacent to freshwater wetlands. Policy and Outreach staff work closely with the EPA to complete outreach and restoration planning, policy and regulatory development, and wetland assessment. In addition, the program also partners with EPA, Region 1, on local wetland protection projects and overall freshwater wetlands program development.

Woonasquatucket River Watershed Wetland Restoration:
This website presents the results of a multi-year project to identify and prioritize potential wetland and buffer restoration sites in the Woonasquatucket Watershed. RIDEM, EPA, and URI in partnership with the Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council and officials from the six watershed cities and towns collaborated on the project completed in 2002. Representatives from these organizations, as well others continue to move restoration forward in the watershed through current and future projects and initiatives. Even prior to the prioritization study, several buffer restoration projects in Providence and Smithfield were underway or completed. A second study on potential buffer restoration was also completed in 2001. Using these tools and the resources of the different participating groups, a Woonasquatucket restoration team continues to meet and plan for new projects in the watershed.

This site was created through a partnership of the: Coastal Resources Management Council Narragansett Bay Estuary Program Save The Bay®