Now that the ground has thawed, flowers are beginning to bloom, and migratory birds are setting out on their journeys to Rhode Island, it’s time to celebrate and give back to the planet – and the park! From clean-ups and workshops to educational and inspiring programming, Roger Williams Park partners have lots in store for Earth Day, all month long! 

Save the Bay Cleanup

Hosted by Save the Bay, in partnership with Roger Williams Park Conservancy, the first cleanup of the season takes place Friday, April 24! There are still a few spots open (and if those spots fill up, you can join the waitlist). Participants will meet up at the softball fields to help beautify the park and make it a safer place for wildlife inhabitants and park visitors alike by coming together to pick up trash. Pre-registration is required – learn more and sign up here!

Stormwater Innovation Center

Join Malia Cafasso, TerraCorps Community Engagement Coordinator for Audubon Society of Rhode Island and Stormwater Innovation Center, at the RWP Museum of Natural History to learn about how to use iNaturalist to participate in the City Nature Challenge on April 23, from 12:30-1:30 PM. 

The City Nature Challenge (CNC) is a collaborative global community science campaign (AKA a Bioblitz) that collects data on the world’s species in urban areas. Taking place over four days, April 24-27, the campaign challenges hundreds of thousands of people to take part in documenting the species that live in their local areas. Over the 10 years of the challenge, more than 364,000 people have collected almost 13 million observations for science. These data are used by scientists and land managers to better understand our world, and ultimately to help stop biodiversity loss through conservation actions. 

This year marks Rhode Island’s 5th year participating, and calls on community members to help record as many species as possible. To join, download the iNaturalist app and make an account, start taking photos or recording sounds of wild plants and animals from April 24-27, and upload your observations to share with the iNaturalist community. Attend the presentation at the Museum on April 23 to learn more!

–

BIOPODS inc. in collaboration with the Stormwater Innovation Center and the Providence Parks Department will be deploying 20 Biopods into Roosevelt Lake at Roger Williams Park this spring thanks to funding provided by BloomRI. The April 9 workshop fabricating the pods is already at capacity for volunteers, but follow Stormwater Innovation Center for updates – a second workshop to plant the pods and deploy will occur in early May and details will follow!  

–

For more opportunities to volunteer with the Stormwater Innovation Center, visit their website!

RWP Botanical Center

At the Roger Williams Park Edible Forest on Monday, April 13, from 3-5 PM, join the Pearl Street Garden Collective for a Fruit Tree Planting and Stewardship event! Spend the afternoon doing hands-on stewardship planting fruit trees and shrubs, clearing pathways, and doing some light pruning. No experience needed. Just bring gloves if you have them. All are welcome!

And, of course, Fairy Garden Days runs April 11-26 at the RWP Botanical Center! The four greenhouses will be transformed into a celestial magic land. Get lost in the details of hundreds of fairy houses hidden in the gardens, and marvel at what local community members and artists have created for the exhibit using natural materials. 

RWP Museum of Natural History and Planetarium

Spend April vacation week learning about our planet for the week-long Earth Celebration at RWP Museum of Natural History and Planetarium, April 18-24! Discover our dynamic planet, past and present with activity tables and daily planetarium shows. From the ground under your feet to the sky above, families can explore the wonders of our incredible Earth. Daily events include family-friendly, hands-on activities highlighting our local and global ecosystems, along with the Our Place in Space Planetarium show showing the craters of Mercury, the storms of Neptune, and what makes Earth unique before venturing into nebulae and star clusters of the Milky Way galaxy. Visit our calendar to learn more and purchase tickets!

The Museum also hosts their usual Outdoor Adventure programming this month and throughout spring, including the Urban Naturalist Hike on April 12, 10-11 AM!

Roger Williams Park Zoo

On April 21 and 22, from 9 AM-3 PM, celebrate Earth Day and enjoy a family fun-filled day that emphasizes the importance of protecting our planet during Party for the Planet at Roger Williams Park Zoo! Enjoy hands-on education stations, animal keeper talks, live music from the Unlikely Strummers on Tuesday, April 21, and learn from local organizations and community friends how you can make a difference. Party for the Planet activities are included with Zoo admission. Learn more and register online!

There’s also a new habitat at the Zoo, encouraging wildlife safety practices and showcasing adorable cats! Four rescues from the RISPCA are the stars of the new catio habitat, designed to look like a patio for cats. A catio is a secure outdoor space that lets cats enjoy fresh air and sunlight without harming native wildlife like birds and chipmunks. It also keeps pets safe from traffic, disease, and predators.

The introduction of the catio is a major milestone in our Zoo’s commitment to the AZA SAFE  (Association of Zoos & Aquariums’ Saving Animals From Extinction) North American Songbird program. While we all love our feline companions, they are not a natural part of our local ecosystem. In fact, free-roaming domestic cats are one of the greatest threats to wild birds in the United States, accounting for as many as 4 billion bird deaths annually. This predation is a serious threat to our local ecosystems.

Learn more about the SAFE program and tips for creating bird-friendly habitats in your own backyard, gardening with wildlife in mind, and more on the Zoo’s website!

RWP Gateway Center

Join neighbors for a clean-up at the Gateway center on Saturday, April 18, from 10 AM to 2 PM! Tasks are decided based on experience and ability level, so fill out this form to sign up.