Enrollment now open for Salt Pond Smart: a new program to protect Rhode Island’s coastal waters
KINGSTON, R.I. – Aug. 25, 2025 – Enrollment is now open through Sept. 6 to join Salt Pond Smart, a new community engagement initiative offered through the University of Rhode Island Cooperative Extension. Designed for homeowners along Rhode Island’s southern coast, Salt Pond Smart empowers residents to take meaningful action to protect and improve water quality in the state’s treasured coastal salt ponds.
Aging septic systems and fertilizer use, especially in densely developed areas, contribute excess nutrients, bacteria, and other pollutants to the salt ponds. These problems have led to shellfish closures, algal blooms, and damage to the ponds’ ecosystems. Salt Pond Smart helps residents make property management decisions that reduce nutrient pollution, which is essential to safeguarding public health and preserving the ecological integrity of these fragile environments.
Salt Pond Smart is a free program that includes online training, a property assessment, and certification for homes that meet salt pond-friendly criteria. Residents who complete the program and meet the criteria will be recognized with a Salt Pond Smart property sign, showcasing the homeowner’s commitment to environmental stewardship.
- Participants will gain practical knowledge on topics including:
- Onsite wastewater treatment (septic systems)
- Sustainable lawn care and gardening
- Stormwater management
- Native coastal planting
“Rhode Island’s salt ponds are an irreplaceable habitat serving as the home to many aquatic species including flounder, quahogs, and horseshoe crabs, as well as many bird species as well,” says alumna Alicia Schaffner, director of the Salt Ponds Coalition. “They are at the heart of many of the communities that surround the ponds and have given generations of pondgoers memories of clamming, swimming, and more. We need a community effort to protect these ponds and Salt Pond Smart is a great chance to get involved and help protect the ponds you love.”
Salt Pond Smart is part of a broader effort funded by the Environmental Protection Agency’s Southeast New England Program (SNEP) to improve water quality in the salt ponds. In 2021, URI’s Onsite Wastewater Resource Center (OWRC) partnered with the Town of Charlestown, Save The Bay, and the Salt Ponds Coalition to launch a pilot watershed management initiative focused on Green Hill and Ninigret Ponds. In 2024, the Tomaquag Museum joined the partnership to highlight the cultural significance of the salt ponds and the importance of healthy ecosystems to Indigenous traditions.
Salt Pond Smart participants will explore the ecological and cultural importance of the ponds, learn about nitrogen-reducing technologies, and receive guidance on sustainable landscaping. Technical assistance and limited funding are available for eligible shoreline property owners interested in installing native coastal plantings to help filter contaminants before they reach the water.
All community members are encouraged to explore resources and learn more at the Salt Pond Smart website, even if they are not ready to participate in the Salt Pond Smart program.
Enrollment for Salt Pond Smart is currently open until Sept. 6, and includes online training and property assessments. The program is open to any Rhode Island resident living within the Salt Ponds and Narrow River Watersheds. Currently there is no fee to participate in Salt Pond Smart. Charlestown residents living along the shoreline of Green Hill or Ninigret Pond may be eligible for a free native coastal planting consultation and installation. Enroll or learn more at uri.edu/saltpondsmart/ or contact lisa.hollister@uri.edu or (401) 874-5950.
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