Outdoors in RI: Fighting Ticks, Clean Water, Deer Hunting, Martha’s Vineyard, National Parks

NEW Non-profit formed to combat Ticks/Lyme Disease

TICK FREE MARTHA’s VINEYARD has been formed on Martha’s Vineyard, which has the highest rate of Lyme Disease in Massachusets, and perhaps in the world. It’s goal is to working together to make Martha’s Vineyard safer from tick-borne disease and allergies. The island is a national hotspot not only for Lyme disease, but for babesiosis, anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis, and Alpha-gal syndrome.

A science-based, Island-wide effort that includes bringing the deer herd into ecological balance, alongside other proven interventions, to significantly reduce the Island’s tick population and address a growing public health crisis.

Martha’s Vineyard Hospital recorded 1,254 Alpha-gal tests with 523 positives in 2024 – an exponential rise in this red-meat and dairy allergy linked to lone star ticks – up from just 9 tests and 2 positive cases in 2020.

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Infrastructure Bank Provides $788,000 Loan to Bristol for Design of Multiple Clean Water Projects

Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank, the state’s central hub for financing infrastructure improvements for municipalities, businesses, and homeowners has closed on a $788,000 Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) loan to the Town of Bristol for the design and engineering required for four waste and stormwater projects:

1. Design of a Bristol composting facility
2. Rehabilitation of wastewater infrastructure
3. Improvements to Bristol’s wastewater treatment facility
4. Elimination of the Ferry Road shoreline pipe

“Like many coastal communities, Bristol is experiencing more frequent flooding events that require increased wastewater/stormwater collection and treatment capacity,” said William Fazioli, Executive Director of the Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank. “This low-cost Clean Water State Revolving Fund loan will allow Bristol to move forward with the design and engineering of four important projects to modernize the town’s waste and stormwater infrastructure.”

“Several recent heavy rain and coastal flooding events have made it clear that Bristol needs to upgrade our sewer and stormwater collection and treatment infrastructure,” said Town Administrator Steven Contente. “This loan will allow us to conduct the design and engineering needed to move these important upgrade projects forward. We want to thank Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank for providing this low-cost financing. And once design and engineering are complete, we anticipate returning to the Infrastructure Bank for financing to build these critical infrastructure projects.”

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Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket on Deer Hunting Season

The deer hunting season on Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket for primitive firearms and bowhunting has been expanded through mid-February and an early fall season Sept. 21 to Oct. 1.

The officials cited the high density of deer as a driving force behind tick-borne conditions on the Vineyard. Cape and Islands officials Senator Julian Cyr and Representative Thomas Moakley also met with local and state experts late this afternoon after our deadline for the weekly print edition to discuss the tick crisis and possible ways to mitigate the prevalence of deer.

State officials also announced that the administration will hold public information sessions in 2026 to consider other tools to manage the population, such as allowing hunting on Sundays. “Hunting has always been woven into Massachusetts’ history — supporting families, boosting local economies, and helping keep our deer populations healthy,” Governor Maura Healey said in a press release about the hunting extension. “These expanded regulations carry that tradition forward, creating more opportunities for hunters while protecting public health and ensuring we’re maintaining balance in our wildlife populations.” This photo was taken at the MV Hunt Club headquarters.

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The Scenic 8-Mile Trail in Rhode Island’s George Washington Management Area Worth the Trek – from Only in Your State

The Walkabout Trail (Orange Loop) at George Washington Management Area is one of those Rhode Island hiking trails you almost don’t want to share—quiet, wild, and tucked deep in the woods near Burrillville and Glocester. This part of Rhode Island has that classic New England feel: pine needles underfoot, moss-covered rocks, and forest air that smells like earth and rain. Spread across more than 4,000 acres, the management area is a haven for anyone who enjoys the outdoors, whether it’s hiking, birdwatching, camping, or simply wandering among the trees.

The land itself has a rich history. Acquired by the U.S. government in the 1930s and shaped by the Civilian Conservation Corps, it was transferred to Rhode Island after World War II for public use. In 1965, Australian Navy sailors temporarily stationed nearby helped construct the Walkabout Trail’s Orange Loop, leaving a lasting mark on the landscape. Today, the area features ponds, marshes, and forest roads that weave through the woods. Near the trailhead, Bowdish Reservoir offers a campground, a small beach, and calm waters for swimming or fishing in warm weather.

The Orange Loop is the highlight of the management area. Stretching close to eight miles, the trail passes through upland forests, rocky ridges, cedar swamps, and wetland crossings with old “corduroy” log bridges. Orange blazes make navigation simple, but the path still feels rugged enough to encourage slowing down and noticing the surroundings.

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Free Days at National Parks – America First Pricing

The Trump administration has removed Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth from next year’s calendar of entrance fee-free days for national parks and added Flag Day (June 14) (also Pres. Trump’s bday) — the updated calendar of fee-free dates includes the 110th anniversary of the NPS (August 25), Constitution Day (September 17) and President Teddy Roosevelt’s birthday (October 27). The changes will take effect starting January 1.

Non-U.S. residents will still be required to pay entrance fees on those dates under the new “America-first pricing” policy. At 11 of some of the country’s most popular national parks, international visitors will be charged an extra $100, on top of the standard entrance fee, and the annual pass for non-residents will go up to $250. The annual pass for residents will be $80.

Notably, the Louvre and other international sites are beginning to put their country’s residents first in line for visiting local iconic museums and locations – with tourists going to the back of the line as tourism has taken over some cities and towns, prohibiting locals from access to their own sites.