Welcome to the ReSeeding Rhode Island Initiative! Led by the Rhode Island Wild Plant Society, ReSeeding RI is a long-term project that aims to increase the availability of seed and plants sourced from local wild, native, ecotypic plant populations. Through this work, we hope to increase both native plant populations and pollinators throughout the state.
Our team consists of multi-talented and motivated individuals who are passionate about conserving ecotypic genetic plant material, propagating native plants, and aiding the ecological health of local organic farm sites. Ultimately, our goal is to safeguard the biodiversity of our local habitats. Our RIWPS board members direct this initiative, which includes forming partnerships with local organic farmers, leading seed cleaning sessions, and promoting our project with the wider RI community of plant enthusiasts. We depend on so many volunteers who generously share their time and skills.
Since the spring, our botanist, Shannon Kingsley, has been locating native plant populations, collecting seeds, and networking with local governmental and land stewardship groups. Seed cleaning is currently underway and winter sowing is not far behind. Under watchful eyes, the sowed seeds will be nurtured into plugs for our partner organic farmers (and others), who will grow these native, pollinator friendly plants in designated areas called “founder plots."
Check out our webpage (link in bio) for more information about ReSeeding RI!
📸: New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae) population and a monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus)
🌱 THANK YOU to all of the many volunteers and attendees that contributed to this year's RIWPS spring native plant sale ❣
These plant sales are made possible by the hours of hard work our volunteers pour into them - and they would be nothing without fellow native plant lovers coming out in droves to buy our plants! Swipe through for some scenes scenes from the day ⏩
Cheers to our attendees and volunteers! 🎉
📸 Photos courtesy of Peter L.
Why all the buzz about Keystone plants? 🐝
🕸 Keystone plants support many species of wildlife, playing an outsized role in the food web. According to research out of the University of Delaware, it is estimated that 14% of native species (known as Keystone plants) support 90% of moth and butterfly species. For example, the oak tree genus, Quercus, supports 435 species of wildlife! 🌳
🌎 Keystone plants not only provide pollen and nectar for a wide variety of insects, they also act as host plants, providing food for the larval stage of butterflies and moths. In turn, these butterfly and moth larvae provide critical food for nesting birds in spring. Growing native plants, making sure to include some Keystone species, is the best way to increase biodiversity.
🌼 It’s also important to have a variety of native plants with various flower types and bloom times ranging from March through November in order to support a wide range of insects and birds.
We will have a great selection of Keystone plants at our upcoming sale on THIS SATURDAY, May 9th at Casey Farm! These plants will be easy to find, just look for the butterfly sign! 🦋
Volunteers will also be available to answer any questions. We can't wait to see you soon!
🌱 Why are Spring-blooming native plants essential to the food web and greater biodiversity? 🤔
🌎 Aside from bringing us joy and a surefire sign that spring has returned, early blooming species like serviceberry, blueberries, spicebush, marsh marigolds, and pussy willows play an important role biologically.
🐝 Queen bumblebees and other early pollinators emerge early and hungry. These early blooms are crucial for their ability to pollinate flowers and crops.
🦋 Some of the first plants to leaf out are the sole food source for native butterfly and moth larvae. For example, Fritillary butterflies require violets to survive. Additionally, almost all birds nesting in spring require moth and butterfly larvae to feed their young 🐦
🌼 RIWPS’ Spring Sale (May 9th at Casey Farm!) will offer many spring-blooming trees, shrubs, wildflowers, ferns and grasses. Volunteers will be available at the plant sale to help offer advice and answer any questions.
📸 Photo: marsh marigold (Caltha palustris) by Dan Rakosky
🏎💨 And the race is on…native columbines (Aquilegia canadensis) are sending up flower stalks - will they bloom in time for the first hummingbirds’ arrival?
🤞 Fingers are crossed that the columbines will bloom just in time to greet the returning hummingbirds with the sweet reward of nectar from the flowers' red spurs. After the hummingbirds’ long journey, native columbines are an important source of energy when little else is blooming. These two species are great examples of plants and their pollinators co-evolving over millennia. 💚
🌱 Our Seed Starters are busy preparing for the May sale! They have grown lots of our native columbines from local ecotypic seeds to bring to RIWPS’ much-anticipated spring sale at Casey Farm on Saturday, May 9th.
🌺 Will they be blooming? Come see for yourself! The sale starts at 9:00 and continues until 2:00 or until we sell out of plants.
If you follow along with our eNews, you may have seen our new “Invasive Plant Spotlight” section! This month features the invasive bush honeysuckle (Lonicera spp.) vs. its beautiful native alternative, coral honeysuckle (Lonicera semervirens).
The native Coral Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) will be one of the many native plants available for sale at our Annual Spring Native Plant Sale, to be held on Saturday, May 9 at Casey Farm in Saunderstown.
We can’t wait to see you there!
🌱 Want to see RIWPS out and about in the community? We have two different tabling events coming up this week!
🌎 On April 22nd, RIWPS will be at Party for the Planet at Roger Williams Park Zoo from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m! Celebrate Earth Day and enjoy a family fun-filled day that emphasizes the importance of protecting our planet. Enjoy hands-on education stations, animal keeper talks, and learn from local organizations like RIWPS.
🌼 On April 26th, RIWPS will be celebrating spring at the 2026 Gilbert Stuart Spring Fair! Join us at the Gilbert Stuart Museum in South Kingstown for a joyful day of art, history, and seasonal fun. There will be fresh Jonnycakes, live music, crafts, games, and learning!
🌷 Happy earth day, and happy spring!
🦋 Pollinator Night will be held on Wednesday, April 22 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at The Glass Station in South Kingstown. Join RIWPS, the URI Bee Lab, and The Glass Station for an engaging look at our local bees and the vital role they play in pollinating native plants and crops! 🐝
🔍 Insights will be provided regarding recent work supported by the Glass Bee Fellowship, a summer research fellowship funded by sales of artist Jennifer Nauck’s glass bees, and made available annually through the Coastal and Environmental Fellows Program for an undergraduate at the University of Rhode Island. Research Fellows at the Bee Lab Rachel Arabian and Fiona Dell’Antonio, and Professor of Entomology and head of URI’s Bee Lab will share their research findings.
🌼 RIWPS will be there to answer questions about pollinators, native plant species, and ways you can support local biodiversity. RIWPS will also be selling ecotypic seeds from some of the species in the Reseeding RI initiative, along with seeds from other ecotypic 59 species. Plant these seeds to preserve the genetics of our local native plant populations and increase biodiversity across RI and the region.
Head to RIWPS.org/events to register!
🌱 Join Robert Pavlis and the North American Native Plant Society for a webinar about all things soil on Thursday, April 16th from 6-7:30 pm EDT.
🦠 Educator and award winning author Robert Pavlis will dive deep into components of soil, soil microbes and building soil structure, including the rhizosphere!
🔬He will also discuss ways to mitigate risks, overcome barriers, and common myths about soil. Robert publishes the popular gardening blog GardenMyths.com and a YouTube Channel called Garden Fundamentals.
To register, head to Eventbrite.com and search for the North American Native Plant Society. Hope to see you there!
🗓 Did you know? On March 27th, 2026, Senate Resolution 665 was approved with unanimous bipartisan consent designating April 2026 as National Native Plant Month! 🌿
🌱 Want to learn more? Head to NationalNativePlantMonth.org. Happy National Native Plant Month to all! 💚
RIWPS is incredibly grateful for the support we received during 401Gives this year! 💙
🌟 With your help, we raised $6,620! 🌟
🔨 This is over 10 times the amount we raised last year, well exceeding our goal of $5,000. These funds will go toward our capital campaign, supporting the construction of a hoop house and shed at our new Seed Starters West location (head to RIWPS.org to read the full story!)
💸 Now, we’re more than half way to our capital campaign fundraising goal of $35,000! Thank you! 🎉
‼️ TODAY IS THE DAY ‼️
If you are able, please head to 401GIVES.ORG and search for RIWPS. We qualify for a series of prizes and matches for donations made through 401Gives from 6am on 3/31 until 6pm on 4/1. Your donation will have the most impact at the following upcoming timeframes:
MARCH 31st (TODAY!):
💸 Starting at 6:00 a.m., the first $20,000 donated will be matched by Papitto Opportunity Connection.
💸 Starting at 12:00 p.m., donations will be matched by Rhode Island Energy Foundation (up to $25,000).
💸 Starting at 4:01 pm., the next $20,000 will be matched by the Rhode Island Foundation at $20 each (Ex: $20, matched by $20, turns into $40).
APRIL 1st (TOMORROW!):
💸 The biggest match during the whole giving period!~ Starting at 4:01 p.m. donations will be matched by Rhode Island Foundation by $25 each.
THANK YOU for your support of RIWPS and our capital campaign!
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