Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID RI_2025_4

Establishing a Neonicotinoid Monitoring Program Across Audubon Society of Rhode Island Wildlife Refuges

Institute: Rhode Island
Year Established: 2024 Start Date: 2024-09-01 End Date: 2025-08-31
Total Federal Funds: $26,778 Total Non-Federal Funds: $35,369

Principal Investigators: Vinka Oyanedel-Craver

Project Summary: The Audubon Society of Rhode Island is planning to set up a long-term program to monitor the presence of neonic pesticides across its refuge complex. These chemicals can easily dissolve in water and do not bind well to soil, so there is a high chance that they’re ending up on conservation land from nearby agricultural and residential areas. This monitoring program will help figure out how much of these pesticides are present in our refuges and when birds that are overwintering, breeding, or migrating through our properties might be exposed to them. The main goal of this seed grant is to put in place the methods for analyzing the samples, and set up the logistics for collecting samples, workflow, and reporting. This is a collaboration with the Engineering Analytical Core at the University of Rhode Island. This project will allow the two entities to work together Island to set up a monitoring program across our refuges.