Aquidneck island, rhode island, home to the three municipalities of newport, middletown, and portsmouth, in addition to naval station newport, faces increasing climate threats to water quality,…

This federal Cooperative Agreement award, valued at $1,999,777.00, was granted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) under the Office for Coastal Management program (CFDA 11.473). The award will fund the Aquidneck Land Trust's efforts to conserve open spaces and build resilience to climate threats on Aquidneck Island, Rhode Island, which is home to the municipalities of Newport, Middletown, and Portsmouth as well as Naval Station Newport.

The project will provide technical assistance, capacity building, and actionable strategies to the island's stakeholders for responding to challenges posed by flooding, sea level rise, and water pollution. Key activities will include implementing nature-based solutions, conserving over 2,800 additional acres of open space, and collaborating with local partners to address climate-related threats to the island's water quality, conservation, transportation, and food systems. The award period runs from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2028.

Aquidneck island, rhode island, home to the three municipalities of newport, middletown, and portsmouth, in addition to naval station newport, faces increasing climate threats to water quality, conservation, transportation, food systems, and beyond. According to the aquidneck land trust, at the current rate of development, all of aquidneck island?s remaining unprotected open spaces, if not conserved, will be developed between now and 2050. Led by the aquidneck land trust in partnership with the island municipalities and the navy, and in collaboration with many local stakeholders, this project seeks to capitalize on the momentum of resilience initiatives already underway. Committed to conserving the island?s open spaces and building on prior successful projects (including the conservation of over 2,800 acres), the land trust will use this opportunity to continue their momentum and grow their island-wide approach to resilience, offering technical assistance, capacity building, and actionable strategies for responding to climate change. They will work with their established network of partners to implement resilience projects that include nature-based solutions to address threats from flooding, sea level rise and water pollution.