Local Working Group Meetings Happening Across Rhode Island
Rhode Island’s Conservation Districts in partnership with USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will be holding Local Working Group meetings throughout the Ocean State between January 22 and March 25. These meetings are open to the public.
Local Working Groups (LWGs) are comprised of people with diverse backgrounds within agriculture and natural resources. Members may be farmers representing the variety of crops and livestock raised within the district; woodland owners; representatives of agricultural and environmental organizations; and representatives of state or local government agencies that carry out agricultural and natural resource conservation programs and activities in the district.
Local Working Groups provide recommendations on local natural resource priorities and criteria for conservation activities and programs. Recommendations may include, but are not limited to:
- Priority natural resource concerns in the community.
- Criteria to be used in ranking program applications.
Local Working Group meetings are a valuable part of the NRCS planning process, enabling farmers, woodland owners, and local land managers to be part of a collaborative effort to improve natural resources in their community. Local Working Group meetings are led as open discussions among members. Discussions focus on identifying local natural resource concerns that can be treated using NRCS programs and services. All recommendations are considered.
2026 LWG Meeting Schedule
- Eastern RI Local Working Group Meeting:
- February 25, 2026, 6:00-7:00 p.m., Greenvale Vineyards, 582 Wapping Road, Portsmouth, RI
- Northern RI Local Working Group Meetings:
- March 11, 2026, 6:00-7:00 p.m., Glocester Manton Library, 1137 Putnam Pike, Chepachet, RI 02814
- March 18, 2026, 6:00-7:00 p.m., William Hall Library, 1825 Broad St., Cranston, RI 02905
- March 25, 2026, 6:00-7:00 p.m., Cumberland Library, 1464 Diamond Hill Rd #1, Cumberland, RI 02864
- Southern RI Local Working Group Meetings:
- February 2, 2026, 12:00-1:00 p.m., virtual meeting via Microsoft Teams
- February 28, 2026, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., South Kingstown Land Trust Barn, 17 Matunuck Beach Rd, South Kingstown, RI 02879
More Information
For over 90 years, NRCS has helped farmers, ranchers and forestland owners make investments in their operations and local communities to improve the quality of our soil, water, air, plants, animals, and wildlife habitat. NRCS uses the latest science and technology to help keep working lands working, boost agricultural economies, and increase the competitiveness of American agriculture. NRCS provides one-on-one, personalized advice and financial assistance and works with clients to help them reach their goals through voluntary, incentive-based conservation programs. Visit www.RI.nrcs.usda.gov or call your local Conservation District Office or NRCS Field Office for more information.
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