Groundwork Rhode Island

Happy Thursday! This week’s tree of the week is the Japanese Stewartia also known as Stewartia Pseudocamellia. The meaning behind its scientific name comes from the flowers resemblance to camellia flowers. Because they bloom in summer, in Japan this tree’s native name is Natsu Tsubaki, which translates to summer bloom. Not only is this tree native to Japan, but it’s also native to Korea and typically matures in urban landscapes due to its slower establishment period and how sensitive it is to sunlight. Intense sunlight will end up scorching and burning the delicate leaves. In early summer the tree starts to bloom with white flowers that feature yellow-orange stamen. In mid-autumn the dark green foliage turns into a beautiful crimson.This tree only becomes more beautiful with each passing season, especially during the winter due to its peeling bark. The outer bark peels away at random and reveals a vibrant underlayer of gray, orange, and reddish-brown bark.

Fun fact: this tree is located at the Central Falls diversity garden!! 🌼

RSVP here! https://qrcodes.pro/AlX1kn

EXPLORE RESILIENCE ON THE SOUTH PROVIDENCE SHORELINE!
Open House & (Optional) Boat Trip!
Learn about a collaborative effort to envision climate resilience, habitat restoration, and public access opportunities along the port shoreline.

Join us on a boat tour (space limited) and for dinner and an open house to learn about the process over the past three years and contribute to the design!

Day & Date: Tuesday, June 23, 2026
Place: Save The Bay Center, 100 Save The Bay Drive, Providence, RI, 02905
Time:
4:30 pm-6:00 pm - boat tour departing from Save The Bay parking lot
6:00 pm-8:00 pm - open house, discussion and dinner

Thank you for being a part of this important event!

Secure your spot by filling out the registration form.

Due to the weather forecast our Garden Planting event has been postponed. The new date will be June 6th from 10am to 1pm!

Use the link in our bio to register and stay updated on any other changes, hope to see you there! 🌸❤️‍🩹

It has almost been three weeks, and we’re still riding the high of our microforest planting event at JSEC! All together, we were able to plant almost 300 native shrubs and trees and we couldn’t have done it alone!

In addition to all the volunteers who came out, we want to give a special thanks to Groundcorp for all of their hard work prepping the site ahead of planting day. The nice soil they brought to the site made planting a breeze and will ensure our baby forest has just what it needs to thrive.

We’d also like to thank our amazing community partners , , and ’s Canopy Crew for showing up and showing out. Staff members Kuno, Layla, and Tonay lent their helpful hands and brilliant minds just when we needed them and we are forever grateful! These organizations are outside daily doing vital work to ensure our urban forest and riverways are being cared for. Be sure to check out their socials to stay in the loop about ways that you can get involved!

Thank you to Mrs. Greene and the students of the National Honor Society at JSEC who will be conducting watering and maintenance of the forest. The JSEC microforest will impact not just the students of the school but the entire port community for generations to come!

Lastly, we’d like to give a massive thank you to our magically talented face painters Nico and Harper who graciously volunteered their time and talents and brought whimsy and beauty to our event and faces! If you’re interested in their services, let us know and we’ll happily connect you!!

Happy Thursday! This week’s tree of the week is Horse Chestnut also known as Aesculus hippocastanum. If you look closely, you’ll see their flowers in full bloom adding beauty to any landscape and aiding in tree identification! In addition to their showy flowers, this tree can be identified by their large compound palm tree-like leaves and spiky green shells known as conkers. Though their seeds may be fun to play with, when ingested they become poisonous to humans and animals, so be mindful! Tag us in a picture of a Horse Chestnut in your neighborhood!

Do you live in Central Falls, Cumberland, East Providence, Johnston, Lincoln, Pawtucket, Providence (Lower South Providence or Washington Park), or Woonsocket? You may qualify for a FREE tree on your street and/or at your home or business! Contact us at [email protected]

Join us Saturday May 30th for a day at our community garden! 🌻🌽🍅

Help us remove invasive weeds, plant native flowers, paint signage, assist urban farmers or come explore our community garden and learn more about our space and all ecosystem that lives within our urban community!

Click the link in our bio to register and view more info!

Thank you to everyone who came out this past Saturday to help plant our third Microforest at JSEC! The day was a complete success with over 100 volunteers helping to plant all 296 native trees and shrubs! More “thank you’s” to come, but for now enjoy these beautiful photos from planting day. We hope to see you all at the next one!☀️🌈🌸🫧

It’s just two days until we plant our organization’s 3rd microforest at Juanita Sanchez Educational Complex! Site prep is complete ✅ and excitement is building! Join us this Saturday at 182 Thurbers Ave in Providence to help plant a forest with your neighbors ❤️🌳

We hope to see you there!!

Bloom report!🌸🌺🌳 Check out some of the flowering trees in the West Broadway Neighborhood. A sign of life, renewal and the return of our pollinator friends!!

Trees provide so much, not only to our physical health but to our mental health. Tomorrow marks the start of mental health awareness month and studies show that being in green spaces can alleviate symptoms of stress, anxiety, and/or depression. This spring, remember to slow down, enjoy nature, and take care of yourself. 💚

Featured Species:
- Crabapple🍎 (Malus spp)
- Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida)
- Eastern Redbud🌺 (Cercis canadensis)
- Flowering Cherry (Prunus spp)
- Chokecherry🌼 (Prunus virginiana)

🌿Applications are now open for the Providence Summer Green Team🌿
This 6 week, paid summer job is an opportunity that’s open to PVD youth, ages 14-17.

This program offers various educational trips and teaches real life skills, such as gardening, tree stewardship, leadership building, environmental advocacy, and more!

Click the link in our bio to apply!