Dr. Rachael E. Bonoan- Nutritional Ecologist

Dr. Rachael Bonoan is an Assistant Professor of Biology at Providence College, where she teaches in the Environmental Biology major and leads the Bonoan (aka Providence Pollinator) Lab. The Providence Pollinator lab focuses on insect pollinators, which get most of their nutrients by collecting protein-rich pollen and sugary nectar from flowers. Hailing from Tiverton, RI, she is grateful to be studying insect pollinator nutrition and behavior in her home state.

Rachael and her students have surveyed insect pollinator diversity on Westerly Land Trust properties using bee hotels, bee bowls, and field observations. These data are part of the Providence Pollinator Lab’s reference collection of RI insect pollinators, with a focus on bees. Students in the Providence Pollinator Lab are also investigating which flowering plant species are most visited by bees, and the nutritional content of those flowers. Taken together, these data can be used to inform native pollinator-friendly plantings on Westerly Land Trust properties and beyond. Preliminary data show that if you want to plant for pollinators, dense blazing star (Liatris spicata) is a pollinator magnet, that is also nutritious!

Outside of research and teaching, Rachael is co-founder of the Tufts Pollinator Initiative and founding member/past president of the Boston Area Beekeepers Association. She is passionate about sharing her research with diverse audiences and engaging children in science through encouraging curiosity, which is the topic of her TEDx talk and children’s eBook, Dress Like a Scientist Day.

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To learn more about the scientists & stewards on our land click HERE.

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WLT conserves open space, revitalizes culturally significant properties and provides environmental programs for the enduring benefit of our community.

This season of gratitude brings to mind the Westerly Land Trust’s pick for our 2025 book club last April: The Serviceberry by Robin Wall Kimmerer. This book promotes the benefits of the gift economy, encouraging readers to count the gifts the land gives us—food, water, wildlife, inspiration—and then reciprocate through stewardship, care, and conservation. Kimmerer speaks to the joy that’s born out of this gift giving cycle, saying,

“To name the world as a gift is to feel your membership
�in a web of reciprocity.”

As a part of the Westerly Land Trust community—whether you’re a donor, a volunteer, an advocate, a student, or the like—we hope you feel your special place in our web of reciprocity. Your continued care returns to the earth, enriching our shared landscapes and nurturing our community. And for this we tip our hats, and send this message of thanks:

From all of us at the Westerly Land Trust, thank you for building bridges between neighbors and nature, for believing in the importance of protecting these special places, and most of all, for being a part of our family.

Happy Thanksgiving! 🧡🌳

#community #thankful #westerlyri #rhodeisland #stoningtonct #pawcatuckct #conservation #outside #nature

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Open post by westerlylandtrust with ID 17904992982293332
This season of gratitude brings to mind the Westerly Land Trust’s pick for our 2025 book club last April: The Serviceberry by Robin Wall Kimmerer. This book promotes the benefits of the gift economy, encouraging readers to count the gifts the land gives us—food, water, wildlife, inspiration—and then reciprocate through stewardship, care, and conservation. Kimmerer speaks to the joy that’s born out of this gift giving cycle, saying, “To name the world as a gift is to feel your membership �in a web of reciprocity.” As a part of the Westerly Land Trust community—whether you’re a donor, a volunteer, an advocate, a student, or the like—we hope you feel your special place in our web of reciprocity. Your continued care returns to the earth, enriching our shared landscapes and nurturing our community. And for this we tip our hats, and send this message of thanks: From all of us at the Westerly Land Trust, thank you for building bridges between neighbors and nature, for believing in the importance of protecting these special places, and most of all, for being a part of our family. Happy Thanksgiving! 🧡🌳 #community #thankful #westerlyri #rhodeisland #stoningtonct #pawcatuckct #conservation #outside #nature

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When @westerlylandtrust and @wildrootsplay.ri come together, learning turns into a magical adventure!✨

At our Prints, Paths, and Play program students discovered animal tracks and signs🐾, then hiked over to @wildrootsplay.ri for a cozy afternoon of play and tea. So grateful for a partnership that keeps curiosity and community thriving! 💚🌳

#westerlyri #rhodeislandlife #nature #conservation #hike #outside #childdevelopment #childledlearning #explore

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Open post by westerlylandtrust with ID 18293747893286604
When @westerlylandtrust and @wildrootsplay.ri come together, learning turns into a magical adventure!✨ At our Prints, Paths, and Play program students discovered animal tracks and signs🐾, then hiked over to @wildrootsplay.ri for a cozy afternoon of play and tea. So grateful for a partnership that keeps curiosity and community thriving! 💚🌳 #westerlyri #rhodeislandlife #nature #conservation #hike #outside #childdevelopment #childledlearning #explore

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November brings shorter, colder days, but also more time to pause and reflect on the year coming to a close. Soon, we’ll all be in full holiday mode, moving a mile a minute. But until then, allow yourself space to sit and contemplate. How have you progressed toward your personal goals in 2025? What remains on your to-do list before the year ends? 🍂

🌳At the Westerly Land Trust, we find that these internal conversations are best had outdoors, surrounded by nature. Big things feel more achievable when you take notice of the everyday miracles around you.

💚In October, the world lost a conservation giant, Dr. Jane Goodall. As we slide headfirst into the holiday hustle, may Dr. Goodall’s words and outlook stay with you:

“People say to me so often, ‘Jane how can you be so peaceful when everywhere around you people want books signed, people are asking these questions and yet you seem peaceful,’ and I always answer that it is the peace of the forest that I carry inside.”

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Open post by westerlylandtrust with ID 18296586307283153
November brings shorter, colder days, but also more time to pause and reflect on the year coming to a close. Soon, we’ll all be in full holiday mode, moving a mile a minute. But until then, allow yourself space to sit and contemplate. How have you progressed toward your personal goals in 2025? What remains on your to-do list before the year ends? 🍂 🌳At the Westerly Land Trust, we find that these internal conversations are best had outdoors, surrounded by nature. Big things feel more achievable when you take notice of the everyday miracles around you. 💚In October, the world lost a conservation giant, Dr. Jane Goodall. As we slide headfirst into the holiday hustle, may Dr. Goodall’s words and outlook stay with you: “People say to me so often, ‘Jane how can you be so peaceful when everywhere around you people want books signed, people are asking these questions and yet you seem peaceful,’ and I always answer that it is the peace of the forest that I carry inside.”

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Witch way to the trail? 🧙‍♀️🕷️🎃

#halloween #witch #trail #hike #westerlyri #landtrust #nature #outside #october #fall

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Open post by westerlylandtrust with ID 18046520510692489
Witch way to the trail? 🧙‍♀️🕷️🎃 #halloween #witch #trail #hike #westerlyri #landtrust #nature #outside #october #fall

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“All the trees are losing their leaves, and not a single one of them is worried.” - Donald Miller

Take a lesson from the trees: slow down, release what no longer serves you, and trust that growth will come again. 🍂

#nature #mindfulness #outdoors #naturelovers #seasonsofchange #fallleaves #fall #leaves #growth

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Open post by westerlylandtrust with ID 17904237516272022
“All the trees are losing their leaves, and not a single one of them is worried.” - Donald Miller Take a lesson from the trees: slow down, release what no longer serves you, and trust that growth will come again. 🍂 #nature #mindfulness #outdoors #naturelovers #seasonsofchange #fallleaves #fall #leaves #growth

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