The Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council has partnered with URI Cooperative Extension to provide information about the best approaches to landscape management on suburban coastal properties through the Coastal Landscapes Program.

The goal of the Coastal Landscapes Program is to create a climate of cooperation among property owners, landscapers and other green industry professionals, and the CRMC to protect our valuable coastal resources and encourage environmental stewardship in Rhode Island. To achieve this goal, a multi-tiered education program has been developed for CRMC staff, Rhode Island residents, and green industry professionals.

Some of the resources created through the Coastal Landscapes Program partnership include:

• The RI Native Plant Guide is an interactive, searchable database of plants native to Rhode Island was developed in 2016 and revised in 2024 and is meant to help landscape professionals and backyard gardeners familiarize themselves with flora endemic to our local ecosystem.
• An Invasive Plant Management Certification Program for green industry professionals providing invasive management service to clients in coastal areas. The goal of this program is to train green industry professionals working in the coastal zone to provide sustainable invasive plant management services to clients and to facilitate restoration of degraded coastal habitats. Training topics include site assessment and inventory, landscape management plan development, control measure selection, revegetation and CRMC regulations. To view a list of certified Invasive Managers, click here. For a list of Rhode Island invasive plant species, click here.
• Updated guidance materials for regulated coastal buffer zones. These include a Coastal Buffer Planting Guide (PDF) that provides guidance for coastal buffer zone restoration and enhancement, and an updated version of CRMC’s Buffer Zone and Invasive Plant Management Guidance (PDF), which outlines management options for coastal property owners under current CRMC regulations.

Quick Links:

• RI Native Plant Guide
• Native Plant Trust Garden Plant Finder
• RI Wild Plant Society
• Coastal Buffer Planting Guide (PDF)
• CRMC’s Buffer Zone and Invasive Plant Management Guidance (PDF)
• URI’s List of Coastal Plant Suppliers (PDF)
• Invasive Plant Management Certification Program
• List of certified Invasive Managers (PDF)
• List of Rhode Island invasive plant species (PDF)
• Landscape Management Strategies to Minimize Exposure to Ticks and Mosquitoes (PDF)
• List of Beach Grass Suppliers (PDF)

Please contact Leah Feldman with questions about the URI/CRMC Coastal Landscapes program or related materials.