Tree Swallow Babies
© 2002, W. Saslow
WildFlower Garden
© 2002, W. Saslow
Morris records trap numbers for the record. Two traps are used since some species are repelled from certain lures.
© 2004, W. Saslow
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Ongoing Projects
This section describes ongoing projects and presents timelines which document REWHC progress. Primary Projects are indicated with a star ( * ) :
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Date
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Activity |
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April-August 2000
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Erected 15 nestboxes, monitored them through the season and reported results to WHC. |
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April-August 2001
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Created and delivered nestbox monitoring training material and on-line database, replaced old boxes, increased box count to 21, monitored them through the season, and reported results to WHC. |
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April-August 2002
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Performed nest monitoring training, replaced broken boxes, experimented with soap-based anti-wasp technique, monitored them through the season and reported results to WHC. |
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April-September 2003
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Performed nest monitoring training, prototyped predator guard, replaced broken boxes, erected 3 additional boxes in meadow fields, and performed monitoring. |
| April-August 2004 |
Performed nest monitoring training, prototyped top-hinged nest box, repaired broken boxes. Developed rotating schedule and formed teams for better monitoring efficiency See Report. |
| April – September 2005 |
Recruited and trained volunteers for the nest boxes monitoring program. Assessed, cleaned and repair boxes prior to nesting season. Cleaned boxes at the end of the nesting season. |
| April – July 2006 |
Recruited and trained new volunteers for the nest boxes monitoring program. Assessed, cleaned and repair boxes prior to nesting season. |
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- Plantings for Diversity Project - We will establish wildflower gardens, butterfly & hummingbird gardens, plant trees, and remove invasives to provide food and cover for native species.
- Related Goal: (1) Increase Abundance and diversity
- Participants: 5-6 volunteers, varies by year
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Date
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Activity |
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April 2000
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Planted Butterfly and Hummingbird Garden and tree in Front of Nimitz Building. |
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April-August 2001
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Planted Butterfly and Hummingbird Garden and Tree in front of the Providence Building. |
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April-August 2002
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Planted Butterfly and Hummingbird Garden and Tree in front of the Constitution Building. Planted Wildflower Garden in the meadow fields. |
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April-November 2003
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Expanded wildflower garden in the meadow field, planted tulip poplar, |
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November 2003
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Raytheon Company worked with REWHC to hire a contractor to extensively trim back invasive vines along the face of the western woodlands (particularly Asiatic bittersweet and Rosa floribunda). Also removed invasives along the trails. |
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November 2004
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REWHC worked with John Campanini for the RI Tree Council in developing a plan for planting a number of trees in high visibility locations throughout the facility. |
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April 2005
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Additional plantings installed in meadows during Earth Day 2005 activities Promoted pollinator plantings and distributed seeds during Earth Week |
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Summer 2005
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Initiated pattern of mowing halves of two front meadow fields (leaving the wildflower area un-mowed) |
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2006
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Reviewed plantings with Facilities annually to maintain a pollinator-friendly habitat New pollinator Garden created on the Nimitz south Building entrance. |
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- Paths to Awareness Project - We will develop and maintain walking trails through the environmental zones in the campus.
- Related Goal: (1) Increase Environmental Awareness
- Participants: 12 - 20 volunteers, varies by year
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Date
|
Activity |
| November 1999 |
Mowing schedule set on existing right-of-ways. |
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June 2000
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Woodland Wander Trail Inaugurated |
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February 2001
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Woodland Wander Improved. Initial Planning performed on Poor Farm Ramble. |
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July 2002
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Poor Farm Ramble Completed. |
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April 2003
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Meadow Meander initial mowing completed, initial mapping completed, detailed mapping investigation begun. |
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2004
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Coordinated with the facilities department mowing schedules for the trails. |
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Summer 2005
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Initiated team cleanups of trails. Utilized employee resources via work parties after hours to maintain the trails. Promoted trails and trail walks through multiple company events. |
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Summer 2006
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Continued team cleanups. Employees groups are still maintaining the trails via volunteers work that counts towards their community service goals. Bird watch walk, Lawton Valley and poor farm history walk promoted during earth week. |
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- Educational Interludes Project - We will develop interpretive themes for our trails, create educational material, and host employee and community groups for educational discussion.
- Related Goal: (2) Increase Environmental Awarenes
- Participants: 20-30 volunteers, varies by year
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Date
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Activity |
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1999
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Created REWHC.ORG website |
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2000
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Added Info-files for Birds, Mammals, Insects, Reptiles and Amphibians and Checklists for Birds, Mammals, Insects, Reptiles and Amphibians. Held Trails Day Walk. Held 1st Annual Earthday. Held 1st Anniversary Hike, |
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2001
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Held Owl Prowl Trailwalk. Created and delivered nestbox monitoring training material, held 2rd annual earthday celebration. held trailwalks at company picnic. Hosted Bristol Boyscouts for trailwalk. Held trailwalk with RI Wild Plant Society. Attended RI Environmental Education Conference. Developed interpretive trailguides. |
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2002
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Held 3rd annual earthday. Held historical Trailwalks, held trailwalks at company picnic, held trailbuilding trailwalk with Aquidneck Island Land Trust. Had trailwalk with retirees. |
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2003
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Held 4th Annual Earthday celebration. Hosted Brownie Scouting Groups on the trails and fields. Held "Stone Walls", "Emerging Forest", "Bird", and "Site History" trail hikes. Developed and distributed 200 copies of the create-a-bird activity booklet to the Norman Bird Sanctuary for community environmental teaching. |
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November 2003
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Members of the Appalachian Mountain Club (Narragansett chapter) hiked with REWHC in Lawton Valley |
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January 2004
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Lunch-time visit with Great Horned Owl and Laura Smith, Audubon Society of Rhode Island REWHC interview with WNRI, Rhode Island’s NPR affiliate |
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March 2004
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First site-wide photo contest to select entries for WHC 2005 Corporate Homes for Wildlife” calendar |
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March 2004
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Lunch-time talk – URI Master Gardener Suzanne Benson |
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March 2004
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Lunch-time talk – John Campanini, RI Tree Council |
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April 2004
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Lawton Valley cleanup with Sierra Club and Appalachian Mountain Club |
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April 2004
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Annual Earth Day planning and celebration |
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May 2004
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Lunch-time talk – Eelgrass Restoration in Narragansett Bay – Save the Bay needs helper. |
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May – June 2004
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Visit to Mount Hope Farm in Bristol, RI and a trail walk on REWHC’s trails as they plan new trails on their site |
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July 2004
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Planning for a regional “Habitat Partnership” was initiated with community partners, industries and educational institutions throughout the area. REWHC has developed large format display for the technical library in the Nimitz Building. |
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September 2004
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REWHC hosts Habitat Partnership meeting with regional businesses, community partners and educational institutions, to explore the possibilities of cooperating in enhancing local habitat programs. |
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October 2004
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REWHC coordinated efforts to provide volunteers to assist with the Norman Bird Sanctuary Harvest Fair |
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November 2004
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Site visit by Melville Trail planning group and Sakonnet Times |
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January 2005
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Lunch-time talk – URI Master Gardeners Jules Cohen and Marian Gold |
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February 2005
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Second site-wide photo contest to select entries for WHC 2006 Corporate Homes for Wildlife” calendar |
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March 2005
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Lunch-time talk – Ted Clement of the Aquidneck Land Trust presented the accomplishments and goals of this community partner. Several REWHC members were able to visit the campus of Fidelity Investments in North Smithfield, RI, in their quest for WHC certification |
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April 2005
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Annual Earth Day celebration Site visit by Portsmouth Historical Society, work party with PHS to clear historic Poor Farm cemetery |
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May 2005
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Lunch-time tree trimming demonstration |
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September 2005
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Lunch-time talk by Lauren Parmelee, Norman Bird Sanctuary, along with a live Red-tailed Hawk, and Bill Saslow with a trial version of his research on the Portsmouth Poor Farm. |
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November 2005
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REWHC hosted Aquidneck Land Trust for a walk on our Woodland Wander Trail and a quick look into Lawton Valley. |
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January 2006
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Lunch-time talk – Seals of Narragansett Bay presented by Save the Bay. |
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February 2006
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Lunch-time talk – Stories in the Snow by Kelly Fox, Norman Bird Sanctuary |
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April 2006
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Lunch-time talk – Eelgrass Restoration in Narragansett Bay – Save the Bay needs kayakers, divers and other helpers, Annual Earth Day celebration |
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May 2006
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Lunch-time talk – Renewable Energy as RI State Policy, Annual Photo Contest to select entries for WHC 2007 Corporate Homes for Wildlife calendar |
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- Coyotes on Patrol Project - We will investigate and implement environment-friendly techniques of controlling our Canadian Goose Droppings problem.
- Related Goal: (1) Increase Abundance and diversity
- Participants: 10 volunteers, varies by year
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Date
|
Activity |
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2003
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Erected 8 Coyote Decoys around the campus. |
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January 2004
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Added 4 additional decoys |
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Summer 2005
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Rotated coyote Decoys around the center to prevent the local gees population from getting used to them. Started utilizing the services of Spooner the goose dog (border collie) to control the geese population on the center. |
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Spring 2006
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Acquired new coyote decoys to replace deteriorated ones. Continue use of Spooner the dog in conjunction with the coyote decoys |
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Top of Page
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Date
|
Activity |
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May 2004
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Placed three "hawk" decals on courtyard windows. |
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Spring 2005
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Distributed information to the employees and to managers with window offices |
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2006
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Decals are available for employees on demand. |
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Portsmouth, RI Location
Tree Fungus
© 2000, W. Saslow
Download the Create-a-Bird
Activity in PDF (6.9MB)
Download the Create-a Bird
Survey in PDF (85KB)
Hiking the Trails
© 2000, W. Saslow
Feed Me!
© 2002, W. Saslow
Fungus
© 2002, W. Saslow
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Autumn
by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Thou comest, Autumn, heralded by the rain,
With banners, by great gales incessant fanned,
Brighter than brightest silks of Samarcand,
And stately oxen harnessed to thy wain!
Thou standest, like imperial Charlemagne,
Upon thy bridge of gold; thy royal hand
Outstretched with benedictions o'er the land,
Blessing the farms through all thy vast domain!
Thy shield is the red harvest moon, suspended
So long beneath the heaven's o'er-hanging eaves;
Thy steps are by the farmer's prayers attended;
Like flames upon an altar shine the sheaves;
And, following thee, in thy ovation splendid,
Thine almoner, the wind, scatters the golden leaves
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Chipmunk By The Well
© 2002, W. Saslow
Beetle Clues Bug Naturalists
Brenda, Morris, and Robert view beetle tracks in some packing crate materials trans-shipped from Asia. Results inconclusive.
© 2004, W. Saslow
Transport Tool or Trojan Horse?
Hardwood pallets, originating overseas, may harbor unwelcome visitors such as the Asian Longhorned Beetle.
© 2004, W. Saslow
In Memoriam A. H. H. OBIIT MDCCCXXXIII: 11
by Alfred Lord Tennyson
Calm is the morn without a sound,
Calm as to suit a calmer grief,
And only thro' the faded leaf
The chestnut pattering to the ground:
Calm and deep peace on this high wold,
And on these dews that drench the furze.
And all the silvery gossamers
That twinkle into green and gold:
Calm and still light on yon great plain
That sweeps with all its autumn bowers,
And crowded farms and lessening towers,
To mingle with the bounding main:
Calm and deep peace in this wide air,
These leaves that redden to the fall;
And in my heart, if calm at all,
If any calm, a calm despair:
Calm on the seas, and silver sleep,
And waves that sway themselves in rest,
And dead calm in that noble breast
Which heaves but with the heaving deep.
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