2026 Rhode Island Land & Water Conservation Summit
March 21, 2026 | URI Memorial Union
About the Summit
What does it mean to care for our lands and waters in a time of climate change, inequity, and ecological loss? The 2026 Land & Water Conservation Summit (March 21, 2026 at URI) will focus on The Work Ahead: Caring for Our Land and Water and Creating a Just Future, and will explore the complex and necessary acts of conservation and stewardship across Rhode Island’s landscapes and watersheds.
We are thrilled to welcome Keynote Speaker Ethan Tapper, internationally recognized forester and bestselling author of How to Love a Forest, to share his message of resilience, and the bittersweet work of tending a changing world.
The Summit invites participants to reflect on what it means to love and steward our lands and waters in a changing world, even when that means making difficult choices. From sustainable forestry, to farmland access, to streambank restoration, to the critical intersections of land use, to environmental advocacy, this year’s programming will center working lands, farmland access, equity in conservation, forest stewardship, and watershed protection.
Please join us to deepen your understanding, share strategies, and build a more just, resilient future for the places and systems we all depend on. In addition to the keynote, the Summit will feature 30 engaging workshops and panels, policy updates, and plentiful networking opportunities. You will leave the event inspired and engaged, with a commitment to build a more resilient future together.
Download a complete schedule for the day here.
Conference Materials
A7. Stewardship Takes to the Skies: Drones as a Tool for Land Conservation
Speakers:
Sean Grandy, Stewardship Manager, Aquidneck Island Land Trust
Adam Yorks, Stewardship Director, Sakonnet Preservation Association
A10. Why Monitoring Matters
Speakers:
Elizabeth Herron, Program Director, URI Watershed Watch
Cindy Gianfrancesco, Chair, Scituate Conservation Commission
Alicia Schaffner, Executive Director, Salt Ponds Coalition
B1. A Culture of Philanthropy: What Does It Look Like (And How Can You Cultivate It?)
Speaker:
Kevin Essington, CEO, City Greener Strategies
B6. Zoning for Housing and the Environment
Moderator:
Brenda Clement, Executive Director, HousingWorks RI @ RWU
Speakers:
James Hardy, Research Analyst, HousingWorks RI @ RWU
Garth Hoxsie-Quinn, Supervising GIS Specialist, Rhode Island Division of Statewide Planning
Jenn Doherty, Preservation Planner, Barrett Planning Group
B9. WQdashboard: Making Water Quality Data Accessible to the Public
Speakers:
Mariel Sorlien, Geospatial and Design Manager, Narragansett Bay Estuary Program
Heather Parry, Water Quality Program Coordinator, Blackstone River Coalition
Alicia Schaffner, Executive Director, Salt Ponds Coalition
C1. Caring for Fishers is Caring for Waters: Health, Equity, and Resilience in Rhode Island’s Seas
Moderator:
Thaís Moreira, PhD, RN, Assistant Professor – URI College of Nursing
Speakers:
Fred Mattera, retired fisherman, President of The Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation (CFRF) and Executive Director of the Commercial Fisheries Center of Rhode Island
Jody King, lifelong quahogger, the “King of the Bay”
C7. Natural Climate Strategies Across Rhode Island
Speakers:
Angela Tuoni, Director of Climate & Government Relations, The Nature Conservancy
Heather Kinney, Coastal Restoration Program Manager, The Nature Coonservancy
Tara Hoda, Natural and Working Lands Policy Fellow, RIDEM
C9. Trespass and Encroachment on Preserves and Conservation Easements
Speakers:
Ailla Wasstrom-Evans, Conservation Defense Fund and Education Manager, Land Trust Alliance
Martha Day, Stewardship Compliance Coordinator, South Kingstown Land Trust
Julia Landstreet, Executive Director, South Kingstown Land Trust
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