Thank you for being part of the 2026 Land & Water Conservation Summit at URI! It was a truly inspiring day of learning and connection. We were proud to bring together people from across Rhode Island and beyond who care deeply about our land, water, and communities.
From a full room for our keynote, to engaging hands-on workshops and meaningful networking throughout the day, the Summit reflected the strength of our conservation community and a shared commitment to the work ahead—caring for our land and water and creating a just future.
Events like the Summit take significant time and resources to bring to life, and they are only possible because of supporters like you. If you found value in the day and want to see this work continue, we invite you to make a gift.
We are grateful to Ethan Tapper for a powerful keynote that invited us to slow down and embrace the nuance of this complicated work. He challenged us to deepen our practice: to build trust, to listen, and to reconsider what it means to care for the land. At the heart of his message was the idea of potentiality, and the opportunity to help ecosystems be themselves through thoughtful restoration and stewardship. This work is ultimately about creating a more abundant world, rooted in love, trust, and hope.
Watch the opening program and Keynote address here.
Survey Says!:
“Thank you for organizing this event! Love it, and look forward to it every year!”
“The food was fabulous, the people were fabulous!”
“The breadth of topics is excellent.”
We want to hear from you! If you didn’t have a chance to fill out the survey, please take a few moments to do so here.
Closing Program: Working Together for What’s Ahead
We closed the day by grounding our collective work in the broader policy landscape and the partnerships that make legislative progress possible.
We were honored to share a video message from Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, highlighting the importance of continued leadership on climate and conservation at the federal level.
We also heard from RI Department of Environmental Management Director Terry Gray, who spoke to ongoing efforts to protect Rhode Island’s natural resources and the role of collaboration.
Finally, Representative Megan Cotter and Senator Louis DiPalma joined us for a timely conversation on how we can work together to strengthen investments in conservation by Making the Green Bond Greener by adding $17.5 Million to the Green Bond this session.
Thank you!
This event would not have been possible without the support of our incredible community. We are deeply grateful to our sponsors for their leadership and commitment to conservation. A very special thank you to the volunteers, board members, presenters, and partners who helped make the day run seamlessly—we couldn’t do this without you. A special shout out to Richard Staples who took all of these wonderful pictures!
Keep the Momentum Going!
Make Your Vote Count Twice! Support the work of the Rhode Island Land Trust Council and make your Creature Clash vote count twice during 401 Gives on March 31st! Your gift helps advance conservation, strengthen local capacity, and expand access to the outdoors for all Rhode Islanders.
Support our work! If the Summit inspired you, we invite you to support this work by making a donation or becoming a member. Your gift helps strengthen the land trust community across Rhode Island by advancing conservation, building local capacity, and expanding access to the outdoors for all.
Take Action: Make the Green Bond Greener
Rhode Island has a critical opportunity to invest in conservation, climate resilience, and community access by making the Green Bond Greener this session! Join us in our advocacy efforts by contacting Kate Sayles (ksayles@rilandtrusts.org) to see how you can get involved.
Thank you to our Sponsors! We are deeply grateful to our sponsors for their leadership and commitment to conservation.
