Rhode Island
The results are in for the 25th annual Rhode Island BioBlitz – What's Up Newp
The RI Natural History Survey presented its initial findings on the twenty-fifth annual Rhode Island BioBlitz at Middletown Town Hall on Thursday night. This BioBlitz, which took place on June 7-8, 2024, surveyed the biodiversity at the Norman Bird Sanctuary, making the Middletown sanctum one of two repeat locations a BioBlitz has been held (the other repeat being Roger Williams Park). The first time the sanctuary was surveyed for biodiversity was in 2001 at the second annual BioBlitz. The twenty-three-year gap between the two surveys gives Rhode Island officials, scientists, conservationists, and the general public the ability to compare datasets tailored to one specific Rhode Island site and begin to make hypotheses about the health of the local environment over a long period of time.
“A BioBlitz is an effort by volunteers to find as many species as possible within twenty-four hours on one piece of land,” explains Dr. David Gregg, the executive director of the RI Natural History Survey. The idea was created in 1997, and Rhode Island started leading expeditions in 2000. The Rhode Island BioBlitz is the longest running BioBlitz in the history of the event.
While the purpose of a BioBlitz is, of course, to catalogue local biodiversity, the RI Natural History Survey views the BioBlitz as a way to further other goals of citizen science projects, which include: to introduce everyone to the idea of (hands-on) conservation; to form a welcoming community of people interested in nature, conservation, and backyard ecology; to encourage communication about the environment; to engage with science and with nature; and to get kids outdoors, learning and exploring.
What nature can support is the limit in trying to document as many species as possible. “Does this place support this organism” is the question to ask when considering documenting a species during the BioBlitz. Or, for a more specific rule, the RI Natural History Survey counts cultivated plants, but not annuals or crops. The key test to think about whether this specific organism would still be at this specific place if humans were no longer there (no human intervention).
Even with that limit in place, the 2024 BioBlitz broke multiple records. In total, 1,426 species were found on Norman Bird Sanctuary Property (about 250 acres of land, which is relatively small for a BioBlitz, according to Gregg) through the efforts of 395 participants and volunteers. The species count was “a good hundred species more than the next BioBlitz,” and Gregg credits the record-breaking number of volunteers to Norman Bird Sanctuary’s fantastic “brand” as a conservation area and a beloved community hub. In terms of student participation, about 52 kids from kindergarten through grade six, 20 seventh and eighth graders, 24 undergraduates, and 10 graduate students were dedicated to the community science project.
Comparing the 2001 survey to the 2024 survey at the Norman Bird Sanctuary, the total number of species found increased by 85 percent. Only one species of moss was found in 2001 compared to 79 different species from this past BioBlitz. Likewise, there was a 500 percent increase in the species of spiders found, and a 160 percent increase in crustaceans. “This is a broadly diverse place,” Gregg explained. “A lot of taxa broke records.” He also noted that the vascular plant count seemed to have decreased between the two datasets, but admitted that the 2001 survey included Oakland Forest, which might a source of the discrepancy.
To keep discovery efforts similar across the different types of organisms, participants were split up into teams, who then reported in their findings. The moth team found 246 species of moths, a new record. At this, Gregg reminded the audience that “every species correlates with a niche,” so discovering 246 species of moths at the Norman Bird Sanctuary means that there are 246 niche habitats (for moths). Some of the moths found included the beautiful Green Marvel – which Gregg personally referred to as the “Mint Chocolate Chip Moth” – the Abbott Sphinx, and the Trumpet Vine Sphinx moth. The latter is native to the South, were trumpet vines grow. Through the efforts of this BioBlitz, the RI Natural History Survey documented that Rhode Island is becoming the northern tip of the moth’s range.
“Rhode Island is the boundary between cold northern and warm southern,” Gregg explained, which can be increasingly seen as climate change makes its impact felt, and as ranges for different organisms are expanding and contracting. The state’s latitudinal spot, diversity of habitats, and unique weather patterns and climate make Rhode Island the “last hang-on” for both Southern and Northern species.
Other teams had various amounts of success. The beetle team found 112 species, and another team documented 91 species of flies, which sounds like quite a bit, but was, in fact, a mildly deflating number to see. “A bunch of people who were looking for flying insects were surprised they didn’t get more,” Gregg said. Potential cause of the low level of insects could be the two large fields of swallows that inhabits the front sections of the Norman Bird Sanctuary.
There was a large bee team at the BioBlitz who used the event as an opportunity to continue the state’s efforts to atlas bees and pollinator insects; they found 40 species of bees and wasps on the property. Also found were 21 species of ants, 24 species of fish (16 saltwater, 8 freshwater – numbers that did not satisfy nor impress Gregg), 5 types of turtles, 8 amphibians, and 15 mammals that included raccoons, deer, and the Southern flying squirrel. Participants from URI, Roger Williams, Salve Regina, and Wheaton College documented a whopping 75 species of algae.
The birding team had a strong turnout of participants. “This is a site that is stewarded for bird conservation, and we had good bird teams [at both Norman Bird Sanctuary BioBlitzes],” Gregg said, referencing the turnout for the 2001 BioBlitz. This team documented a total of 92 bird species, including rare ones like the piping plover, bobolinks, and osprey; compared to the survey in 2001, that is an increase of 12 bird species and it could correlate to successful continuous stewardship of the land.
Vascular plants were recorded at 282 total species, with maybe two species (one is still in question) on the rare list. “This is diversity, not rarity,” Gregg explains. But while finding rare species can be exciting, the overall diversity of the site can be even more encouraging; the sheer number of different plant species at Norman Bird Sanctuary showcases the good ecological health from a site that has been used for various purposes over the centuries – from wild land to sheep farming and corn production, to vineyards and orchards to bird conservation efforts and land stewardship.
Gregg did note that 40 species on the vascular plant list were invasive. The Norman Bird Sanctuary has had an ongoing battle against invasive species for years. Some of the invasives were known offenders, like the three kinds of privet and the Amur corktree. Others were more surprising, like the chocolate vine, which is a “relatively new invader,” the Russian olive, and the tree of heaven, also known as “the primary host plant for the spotted lantern fly.” Despite the worrisome significance that the tree of heaven was found on the property, Gregg noted that a recent study found that if the spotted lantern fly does not feed on the tree of heaven, birds will eat them. The invasive insect is only unpalatable to birds and acquires its toxicity if they eat from the tree. Cut down the tree and stop one invasive problem may prove helpful in solving the other.
Finally, Gregg reported that the BioBlitz documented 69 species of fungi and 62 species of lichen. The fungus teams had struggled to find deep, warm humus in the woods, and therefore struggled to find some larger varieties of mushrooms. The lack of humus might be because the woodlands on the property are a relatively new forest, and because privet and other invasive plants have shallow root systems that lock out nutrients and moisture from seeping deeper into the soil. The lack of humus and the mushrooms species that thrives in its presence is a sign of a less than healthy forest floor.
These findings, however, are preliminary, and all conjectures made from them are only observational hypotheses. More research is required to answer questions like “What might be impacting soil health?” “What is the long-term trend of bird diversity?” “How is the changing climate affecting the biodiversity of the Norman Bird Sanctuary and the state?” and “Why did the BioBlitz not find even more aquatic species (especially fish)?” For concrete answers, deeper studies are needed, and Gregg recommends venturing into the more remote, hard-to-get-to areas of the sanctuary to continue surveying the biodiversity of the area.
The 2025 RI BioBlitz will be held June 6-7 at the Steere Hill Preserve in Glocester off of Route 44. The “big parcels of old forest” and the remoteness of the site should make the upcoming BioBlitz a “blockbuster” in terms of species count. Those who want to participate should plan ahead and be aware of the tough conditions this remote location will bring: there will be no power or water, so volunteers and team members should come prepared.
Some photos of the presentation follow;
Rhode Island
Rhode Island high school yearbook printed with the word ‘school’ misspelled on its cover: ‘Shocking to see’
It failed spelling.
A Rhode Island high school mistakenly misspelled the word “school” on its yearbook cover.
Over 100 copies of Johnston Senior High School’s 2026 yearbook are missing the letter “c” in the word “school” written on its spine.
Students, faculty and parents at what was dubbed “Johnston Senior High Shool” in the keepsake graduation book are shaking their heads at the cringeworthy mistake.
“It was really a shocking thing to see, a whole high school misspelling the word ‘school,’” Johnston senior Neari Vazquez told NBC 10. “It’s kind of a bad look.”
Johnston Senior High School Superintendent Scott Sutherland told 12 News that he wrote a letter to the school’s families to apologize for the error, made by the yearbook printing company Treering.
In the note, he explained that Johnston’s yearbook club looked over a digital proof of the book prior to publication, but it did not show the spine.
However, Treering, which is based in Silicon Valley, released a statement disputing his claims.
“The school reviewed and approved both before the book went to print,” the spokesperson wrote.
“The yearbook was printed exactly as the school’s editorial team approved it.”
The school’s yearbook club first noticed the glaring error when the boxes of books arrived at the school.
“One little thing, it’s like everything is perfect but this one thing is messed up,” yearbook club member Nate Dellamorte told NBC 10.
“When I talked to the advisor, he was already actively trying to fix it and a lot of the members said they’re gonna help him.”
Sutherland is outraged over the embarrassing oversight, and has already consulted with lawyers for advice on the matter.
“We are extremely disappointed that this error made it through the company’s quality control and production process,” he continued in his letter.
“We are currently working directly with the yearbook company and other local vendors to ensure the issue is corrected before any yearbooks are distributed to students.”
Others think the yearbooks shouldn’t be reprinted — and the school should just chalk it up to a funny mistake.
“I mean it does happen, and I’m sure it would be too costly to reprint everything,” parent Melanie DaSilva told NBC 10.
“So it might just be one for the books and probably get a laugh.”
Rhode Island
R.I. House Finance budget phases in millionaires tax over three years – The Boston Globe
In January, Governor Daniel J. McKee touched off a debate about a millionaires tax by proposing a state budget that would impose a 8.99 percent tax rate on personal income of more than $1 million — a 3 percentage point increase over the current top bracket that would have generated $67 million in fiscal year 2027.
The House Finance budget would phase in that millionaires tax by raising that top rate by 1 percentage point per year over three years — 6.99 percent for tax year 2027, 7.99 percent in 2028, and 8.99 percent for 2029. The move would generate an estimated $22 million in 2027, $68 million in 2028, $115 million in 2029, and $142 million in 2030.
Blazejewski said phasing in the millionaires tax will help Rhode Island deal with federal funding cuts as they take effect in the years ahead. Advocates see that tax as a crucial source of funding for essential programs amid federal cuts, he noted, while opponents predict it will hurt small businesses and drive away rich residents.
“We thought this strikes the right balance here for our state, given the situation we’re in with the federal government,” Blazejewski said. “We think this is a prudent way of increasing revenue over time, and then phasing it in, so it has less shock, it has more time to be absorbed, and then also comes online exactly when we need it.”
Rhode Island is pursuing a millionaires tax three years after Massachusetts imposed a 4 percent millionaires tax on top of its 5 percent income tax, raising billions in revenue. On May 25, the Globe reported that the Massachusetts surtax on that state’s highest earners has already generated more than $3.1 billion in revenue this fiscal year, with two months remaining — surpassing the $2.4 billion projected.
Inspector general
The House Finance budget includes $1.3 million to fund an independent inspector general’s office staffed with 12 full-time employees who will investigate waste, fraud, and abuse in state government.
Blazejewski called for creating an inspector general’s office soon after becoming House speaker on May 7. The move by the state’s most progressive House speaker came as a surprise to some because Republicans have long made the inspector general’s office a top legislative priority.
But Blazejewski noted he introduced inspector general legislation in 2015. On Friday, he said the federal government is cutting funding at the same time the state has seen “high-profile state failures” such as the closure of the Washington Bridge westbound and the botched rollout of a $99 million state payroll system.
McKee and Republican lieutenant governor candidate John J. Loughlin II questioned why Blazejewski wants the inspector general to oversee the executive branch — but not the Legislature.
On Friday, Blazejewski noted that voters approved a separation of powers amendment to the state Constitution in 2004 to ensure the three branches of government are separate and distinct, and that the inspector general’s office would be an administrative agency of the executive branch.
“If you allow the executive office to run roughshod over the Legislature, the judiciary, you no longer have three branches of government,” Blazejewski said. “It’s not original to Rhode Island. It’s a fundamental principle of government.“
RIDOT audit
The budget includes an audit of maintenance work by the state Department of Transportation. “We just have had too many high-profile failures, and we need to conduct an audit as to the maintenance program,” Blazejewski said.
The budget also removes the Department of Transportation director as chairman of the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority. Former DOT director Peter Alviti Jr. began serving as chairman of the bus agency’s board in 2023. But Blazejewski said, “We just think it’s a conflict of interest.” The DOT director can continue to serve on the board, but not as chairman, he said.
No line-item veto
The House Finance budget rejects McKee’s call for placing a constitutional amendment on the November ballot asking voters to give the governor line-item veto power, which would allow him to strike specific items from the budget without having to approve or veto the entire bill.
Last year, McKee refused to sign the state budget approved by the General Assembly because it raised taxes and fees, but he did not veto the bill. And McKee noted that 43 other states have some form of line-item veto authority.
But Blazejewski said, “That line item veto is about changing the power structure between the governor and the General Assembly,” and the current process works with the governor proposing a budget and legislators passing a budget. Other states have had “issues” with the line item veto, he said, noting Wisconsin’s governor used that power to delete words, numbers, and punctuation from a bill to change its meaning.
Budget exceeds $15 billion
The budget totals a record $15.2 billion for the fiscal year that starts July 1, marking an increase over the $14.859 billion proposed by McKee.
In August, the business-backed Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council warned that the state’s rate of spending was not sustainable. And in the Republican response to McKee’s State of the State, House Minority Leader Michael W. Chippendale said the state budget has grown by 200 percent since 2000, when it was about $4.5 billion.
URI medical school funding
The House Finance budget includes $5 million as an initial investment in creating a medical school at the University of Rhode Island.
The Senate had included that proposal in a 17-bill package aimed at strengthening the state’s strained health care system. Blazejewski said the medical school will help alleviate the state’s severe shortage of primary care doctors in the future.
Tax on Social Security
The House Finance budget includes the first year of McKee’s proposal to eliminate state personal income taxes on Social Security benefits over three years.
Under current law, taxpayers who have reached full Social Security retirement age (67 or older) and have incomes of less than $107,000 for single filers, or $133,750 for joint filers, are exempt from state income tax on Social Security income. The House agreed to eliminate the current minimum age threshold.
Child tax credit
The House Finance budget does not adopt McKee’s proposal to replace an existing tax deduction for dependents with a new child tax credit that would refund families $325 on their taxes per child, per year.
But it does build on the existing tax deduction structure and adds a $330 child tax credit to help lower income families. Blazejewski said the new system “costs a little bit more but gives even more of a benefit to families in Rhode Island.”
Bond questions
The budget includes a record $600 million in bond questions on the November ballot, but it modifies some of the proposals in McKee’s budget.
- Blazejewski said McKee’s budget “underfunded” an integrated health building at URI. So the budget provides $275 million (rather than $215 million) for the state’s three colleges, including $165 million (rather than $105 million) for the URI building, $50 million to renovate Rhode Island College’s Adams Library; and $60 million for a workforce innovation center at the Community College of Rhode Island.
- $120 million for housing, including $25 million for producing housing units for homeownership.
- $100 million (rather than $115 million) for economic development, including $55 million (rather than $70 million) for site development at the Quonset Business Park and I-195 District.
- $50 million for the “cultural economy,” including $45 million for a State History Center that would display the state’s founding documents.
- $55 million for “green economy bonds.” Blazejewski said, “Our caucus spoke over and over about making the green bond greener, and we’ve done just that.“
- The House budget eliminated the $50 million McKee proposed for Career and Technical Education. Blazejewski said testimony indicated the proposal was underfunded even at $50 million, “so we’re going to go back to the drawing board.”
Energy proposals
The House Finance budget adopts some, but not all, of McKee’s proposals for lowering energy bills.
House Majority Whip Katherine S. Kazarian, an East Providence Democrat, said the budget expands the renewable energy standard to including hydro and nuclear energy, which will result in savings.
But she said the budget would reject McKee’s plan to push back the 2033 deadline to reach 100 percent renewable energy sources for state electricity until 2050. “We’re going to continue to keep that 2033 deadline, which is really important to our caucus and, frankly, to the renewable energy investments that have come to the state,” she said.
Central Falls schools
The budget returns the Central Falls school district to local control after 35 years of state control. Blazejewski said this was a priority of Central Falls Mayor Maria Rivera.
Domestic violence calendar
The House budget includes $600,000 to hire three full-time employees and create a domestic violence calendar in state Superior Court to address a backlog of 1,200 felony domestic violence cases.
The House Finance Committee voted 11 to 2 to send the budget to the House floor for a vote next Friday, June 5.
Edward Fitzpatrick can be reached at edward.fitzpatrick@globe.com. Follow him @FitzProv.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WJAR) — Health professionals are warning Rhode Islanders to look out for a fast-moving threat in the brush this summer: the Lone star tick.
NBC 10’s Martha Konstandinidis went out to see the increase in ticks firsthand and has some simple steps to protect your family.
-
Los Angeles, Ca1 hour agoMotorcyclist killed by hit-and-run truck driver in Sun Valley
-
Detroit, MI2 hours agoClear skies give Metro Detroit perfect Blue Moon viewing weather
-
Dallas, TX2 hours agoH-E-B files construction permit for Dallas location, next step towards 2028 open
-
San Francisco, CA2 hours ago18-year-old dies in crash on I-80 near SoMa district
-
Miami, FL2 hours agoLive Updates from Florida Gators vs. Miami Hurricanes in Gainesville Regional
-
Boston, MA2 hours agoPolice Blotter: Cambridge meth chemist sentenced to prison; Boston firefighters make high-flying save
-
Denver, CO2 hours agoColorado outdoor spirit, music comes to downtown Denver
-
Seattle, WA2 hours agoMild weekend weather in Seattle before 80s return
