Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
We can provide you with financial and technical assistance to address natural resource concerns through an array of conservation practices through our partnership with NRCS.
A Guide to Farming in Rhode Island
A wealth of information on finding land, zoning, insurance, taxes, business plans, soil testing, water conservation, and much more!
Farm, Forest, & Open Space Act
Soil Erosion & Sediment Control Handbook
RI Soil Erosion and Sediment Control Field Guide
The Field Guide is a newly created companion document to the RI Soil Erosion and Sediment Control Handbook. The Field Guide is not intended to be an all-inclusive document. It is intended to be used by installers, inspectors, and maintenance staff. The format fits nicely on a cell phone or paper for handy and portable document intended for use in the field. The Field Guide contains information on 45 of the most commonly used control measures that address Pollution Prevention and Good Housekeeping , Erosion Control, Runoff Control, and Sediment Control.
SESC Plan Template for Small Sites (< 1 Acre) with Educational Brochure
To comply with the RI Stormwater Design and Installation Standards Manual (RISDISM)- Minimum Standard 10 – Construction Activity Soil Erosion, Runoff, Sedimentation, and Pollution Prevention Control Measure Requirements, all construction operators are required to develop a "Soil Erosion and Sediment Control Plan" (or "SESC Plan"). Refer to Section 3.2 .10 and 3.3.7 of the RISDISM for additional information. The requirement to develop a SESC Plan applies equally to small-scale construction projects as it does to large-scale construction projects, but the level of detail may vary depending on the nature of a given project. A SESC Plan for the construction of a single residential lot may require less detail because such projects are often easily managed with basic control measures (CMs). Moreover, these projects are relatively small and are usually completed relatively quickly. Where documentation is required, it can be done in a relatively concise manner. With that in mind, RI DEM has developed the Small Residential Lot SESC Plan Template, based on US EPA's December 2015 "Small Residential Lot Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan Template (EPA 830-K-15-001).