Climate Action Planning at Casey Farm

Historic New England is committed to taking action toward climate justice, resiliency, and mitigation at our sites and in our region. Read on to learn how we are implementing our first site-specific climate action plan.

We are pleased to share that Historic New England has completed its first site-specific Climate Action Plan for Casey Farm in Saunderstown, Rhode Island. The plan was developed with support from the 1772 Foundation and builds on the institutional goals we developed for climate justice, mitigation, and resiliency. The Casey Farm plan was an exciting opportunity to analyze what it might take to turn our already organic and sustainable farming operation into a climate-ready site.

Over the course of ten months, staff from across Historic New England worked with our consultant, GreenerU, to develop the plan. We began by establishing baselines for operational and programmatic activities, greenhouse gas emissions, and the potential impacts of weather on the site. Then, we began to delve into the changes we might consider making at the site. Our planning was guided by public input via a webinar and two in-person planning meetings with local partners and constituents. Through this process, we developed a five-year plan with nine goals related to climate justice, resiliency, and mitigation.

We are already acting on these goals, whether they are to share more of the farm’s resources, protect the buildings and the land, or reduce our carbon footprint. This year, Casey Farm visitors can expect to see an even greater focus on recycling and composting of waste. Our farm staff will be running more than a dozen climate-related programs, including free admission to Open Farm Day on June 15, 2024, featuring the Rhode Island Black Storytellers. 

While less visible to the public, we have completed a forest management plan outlining the health of our wooded areas and ways to improve negative conditions. To understand the energy used in different aspects of our operations, we are installing sub-meter devices so we can differentiate greenhouse energy use from our walk-in refrigerator. We are also applying for funding to analyze how we can better protect our farmyard and buildings from the impacts of stormwater.

We are keen to share our work, but we are aware that a farm may seem out of scale for most homeowners and so the means and methods might not feel appropriate to the casual reader. To that end, we are starting a similar project at Pierce House in Dorchester, Massachusetts, to explore how to make a house in an urban environment with limited land a carbon-neutral and resilient site that supports the climate health of the surrounding neighborhood. So, if a farm isn’t for you, hold tight—we’re working on it!

Please take a moment to read the Casey Farm Climate Action Plan. While we did have a public component to our planning, we know not everyone could participate. Feel free to pass along any comments or questions —email us at [email protected] and we will gladly respond! This is a five-year plan, and we know we won’t be finished in those five years. Any new ideas can be incorporated into this plan or in our planning for what comes next!

Written by Ben Haavik, Team Leader for Property Care