URI Cooperative Extension to host bi-weekly webinars on gardening, tick bite prevention, well water protection, more

KINGSTON, R.I. – February 2, 2021 – The University of Rhode Island Cooperative Extension is expanding its free online webinars this spring and summer to include topics such as tick bite prevention, well water protection, septic system management, nutrition, forestry and other topics.

Programs are offered every other Tuesday through July beginning at 7 p.m. The programs are free and open to the public, but registration is required.

“The pandemic forced us to switch from in-person programming to virtual programs last year, and we were able to reach an average of 150 people per live webinar – a five-fold increase from attendance at our in-person workshops,” said Kate Venturini, the outreach program administrator for Cooperative Extension. “It’s wonderful to see the appetite for science-based information from folks at home this year. We are so happy to be a connector to factual information for Rhode Islanders through our free webinar series.”

More than 5,000 people attended 36 Cooperative Extension-hosted webinars in 2020, and an additional 2,000 people have viewed the recordings on YouTube. The lineup for upcoming webinars is as follows:

  • , Feb. 16: Seed-Starting Indoors

March 2: Seed-Starting and Transplanting Outdoors

  • , March 16: Interactive Discussion: Community Troubleshooting for School Gardeners
  • , April 6: Insects in the Vegetable Garden—Tools for Success
  • , April 20: Ground Covers: An Alternative to Lawns
  • , May 4: Are You a Smart Well Owner?
  • , May 18: The What and When of Tick Protection!
  • , June 1: Unusual Fruits to Consider for your Landscape
  • , June 15: Managing Forests to Combat Climate Change
  • , June 29: Septic System Basics: Keeping Them at their Best to Protect Public and Environmental Health
  • , July 13: Q&A: The Science Behind Diets and Nutrition

For more information about each program or to register to attend, visit https://web.uri.edu/coopext/events. Can’t attend live? The webinars can be viewed on the URI Cooperative Extension YouTube channel at: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXL0ba4UPZKI7KCME8MJBOaTDdpNk-mlT.