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 Labโ€™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 childrenโ€™s eBook, Dress Like a Scientist Day.

RELEVANT LINKS:

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

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โฐItโ€™s almost time for 401Gives, Rhode Islandโ€™s Statewide Day of Giving, celebrated every year on 4/01 in honor of the Ocean Stateโ€™s area code. This year, the online fundraiser will run for two full days:

๐ŸŒณMONDAY, April 1 beginning at 6am through TUESDAY, April 2 ending at 6pm.๐ŸŒณ

โ€ผ๏ธOn 4/01 if youโ€™d like to join the 401Gives fun and support the Westerly Land Trustโ€™s conservation efforts, local small scale agriculture and environmental education programs, please follow the link in our bio or visit 
401gives.org/organizations/westerly-land-trust.โ€ผ๏ธ

Powered by United Way of Rhode Island, this is the 5th consecutive 401Gives and the Westerly Land Trustโ€™s 5th time participating. We registered for our first at the end of 2019, and boy, were we glad we did when April 1, 2020 rolled around and our traditional fundraising plans faced an uncertain future. Our amazing supporters rallied to raise $10,000 for WLT in just one day, signaling peopleโ€™s need for connection with nature during a tumultuous time. 401Gives has held a soft spot in our hearts ever since. But itโ€™s more than just what this event does for WLT. All across the state on this day, people are showing up to support the causes that they appreciate most!

Thank you in advance for your generosity.๐Ÿ’š๐ŸŒณ

#landtrust #landtrustalliance #hike #nature #westerlyri #southcountyri #stoningtonct #oceanstate #rhodeisland #401 #401gives

โฐItโ€™s almost time for 401Gives, Rhode Islandโ€™s Statewide Day of Giving, celebrated every year on 4/01 in honor of the Ocean Stateโ€™s area code. This year, the online fundraiser will run for two full days:

๐ŸŒณMONDAY, April 1 beginning at 6am through TUESDAY, April 2 ending at 6pm.๐ŸŒณ

โ€ผ๏ธOn 4/01 if youโ€™d like to join the 401Gives fun and support the Westerly Land Trustโ€™s conservation efforts, local small scale agriculture and environmental education programs, please follow the link in our bio or visit
401gives.org/organizations/westerly-land-trust.โ€ผ๏ธ

Powered by United Way of Rhode Island, this is the 5th consecutive 401Gives and the Westerly Land Trustโ€™s 5th time participating. We registered for our first at the end of 2019, and boy, were we glad we did when April 1, 2020 rolled around and our traditional fundraising plans faced an uncertain future. Our amazing supporters rallied to raise $10,000 for WLT in just one day, signaling peopleโ€™s need for connection with nature during a tumultuous time. 401Gives has held a soft spot in our hearts ever since. But itโ€™s more than just what this event does for WLT. All across the state on this day, people are showing up to support the causes that they appreciate most!

Thank you in advance for your generosity.๐Ÿ’š๐ŸŒณ

#landtrust #landtrustalliance #hike #nature #westerlyri #southcountyri #stoningtonct #oceanstate #rhodeisland #401 #401gives
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๐ŸŒณ๐Ÿฟ๏ธ๐Ÿ“– In partnership with the @westerlylibraryandwilcoxpark, and as part of the Westerly Land Trustโ€™s celebration of Earth Day, we invite you to join our Walden Book Club. In Henry David Thoreauโ€™s short life, he was a poet, philosopher, naturalist, farmer, writer, hiker, surveyor, abolitionist, Transcendentalist, friend, and more. Whether Thoreau has been a source of inspiration for you for years, or youโ€™re interested in reading Walden for the first time, we hope youโ€™ll join us at the Wahaneeta cabin on Wednesday, April 24th at 10am for a discussion of the book followed by a hike through the woods, Thoreau style.

Weโ€™re sharing this event now to give you ample time to read the book. If you donโ€™t have a copy of Walden, head to Westerly Library and Wilcox Park to pick one up (2nd floor, Reference Department). They have generously donated a number of copies for program participants.

This event is free, but registration is required and spots are limited. Please follow the link in our bio> Calendar of Events to sign up!
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#westerly #westerlyri #westerlyrhodeisland #watchhill #stoningtonct #landtrust #landconservation #environment #southcountyri #westerlylibraryandwilcoxpark #walden #thoreau #earthday

๐ŸŒณ๐Ÿฟ๏ธ๐Ÿ“– In partnership with the @westerlylibraryandwilcoxpark, and as part of the Westerly Land Trustโ€™s celebration of Earth Day, we invite you to join our Walden Book Club. In Henry David Thoreauโ€™s short life, he was a poet, philosopher, naturalist, farmer, writer, hiker, surveyor, abolitionist, Transcendentalist, friend, and more. Whether Thoreau has been a source of inspiration for you for years, or youโ€™re interested in reading Walden for the first time, we hope youโ€™ll join us at the Wahaneeta cabin on Wednesday, April 24th at 10am for a discussion of the book followed by a hike through the woods, Thoreau style.

Weโ€™re sharing this event now to give you ample time to read the book. If you donโ€™t have a copy of Walden, head to Westerly Library and Wilcox Park to pick one up (2nd floor, Reference Department). They have generously donated a number of copies for program participants.

This event is free, but registration is required and spots are limited. Please follow the link in our bio> Calendar of Events to sign up!
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#westerly #westerlyri #westerlyrhodeisland #watchhill #stoningtonct #landtrust #landconservation #environment #southcountyri #westerlylibraryandwilcoxpark #walden #thoreau #earthday
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๐Ÿ”ช Many thanks to @graygoosecookerywatchhill for continuing to sharpen our communityโ€™s knives. This complimentary service is offered to anyone who makes a gift to the Westerly Land Trust while in their store. They also just become a 2024 WLT Evergreen Corporate Sponsor! Gray Goose Cookery, thank you for your generosity and for keeping Westerlyโ€™s open spaces protected (and knives sharp!).
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#westerly #westerlyri #westerlyrhodeisland #watchhill #stoningtonct #landtrust #landconservation #environment #southcountyri

๐Ÿ”ช Many thanks to @graygoosecookerywatchhill for continuing to sharpen our communityโ€™s knives. This complimentary service is offered to anyone who makes a gift to the Westerly Land Trust while in their store. They also just become a 2024 WLT Evergreen Corporate Sponsor! Gray Goose Cookery, thank you for your generosity and for keeping Westerlyโ€™s open spaces protected (and knives sharp!).
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#westerly #westerlyri #westerlyrhodeisland #watchhill #stoningtonct #landtrust #landconservation #environment #southcountyri
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Support Westerly Land Trust and our local feathered friends when you purchase a birdhouse or nesting shelf built by our dedicated CCC volunteers! ๐Ÿฆ

๐Ÿชบ Species-specific with notes about each species
๐Ÿชบ Made from local pine 
๐Ÿชบ Detailed installation instructions included
๐Ÿชบ Comes with a bag of wood shavings for a head start

Follow the link in our bio and select โ€œShop & Supportโ€ or head over to our website at westerlylandtrust.org to order yours! โ˜บ๏ธ

Birdhouses are available for pick-up only at Barlow Nature Preserve (449 Westerly-Bradford Rd in Westerly)

#birdhouse #birds #westerlyri #rhodeisland #connecticut #stoningtonct #spring #nest

Support Westerly Land Trust and our local feathered friends when you purchase a birdhouse or nesting shelf built by our dedicated CCC volunteers! ๐Ÿฆ

๐Ÿชบ Species-specific with notes about each species
๐Ÿชบ Made from local pine
๐Ÿชบ Detailed installation instructions included
๐Ÿชบ Comes with a bag of wood shavings for a head start

Follow the link in our bio and select โ€œShop & Supportโ€ or head over to our website at westerlylandtrust.org to order yours! โ˜บ๏ธ

Birdhouses are available for pick-up only at Barlow Nature Preserve (449 Westerly-Bradford Rd in Westerly)

#birdhouse #birds #westerlyri #rhodeisland #connecticut #stoningtonct #spring #nest
...

157 9
Did you know that taking care of house plants can benefit your mind and body in many ways?๐Ÿชด

Big thanks to @curlyruplants and Liz from @plantsbythevillage for bringing so much knowledge and love of plants to Barlow at our Houseplants 101 event this past week! ๐Ÿ’Ÿ

Fellow plant enthusiasts got their hands dirty, discovered many plant parenthood tips, asked questions to troubleshoot problem plants at home, and even got to take home a new friend! ๐ŸŒฟ

#westerlyri #mysticct #stoningtonct #rhodeisland #connecticut #houseplants #plantparenthood #plantcare101 #wellness

Did you know that taking care of house plants can benefit your mind and body in many ways?๐Ÿชด

Big thanks to @curlyruplants and Liz from @plantsbythevillage for bringing so much knowledge and love of plants to Barlow at our Houseplants 101 event this past week! ๐Ÿ’Ÿ

Fellow plant enthusiasts got their hands dirty, discovered many plant parenthood tips, asked questions to troubleshoot problem plants at home, and even got to take home a new friend! ๐ŸŒฟ

#westerlyri #mysticct #stoningtonct #rhodeisland #connecticut #houseplants #plantparenthood #plantcare101 #wellness
...

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