Innovative and passionate Cranston resident, Lindsay Dulude, has been named Audubon Society of Rhode Island’s (ASRI) 2024 Volunteer of the Year. Her win represents the magnitude of her hard work, dedication, and pragmatic thinking as a community science volunteer. This recognition was announced at the society’s annual meeting held on Oct. 20, at the Audubon Nature Center and Aquarium in Bristol.

Each year the ASRI staff gets together to recognize volunteers whose hard work has furthered their efforts and benefited the community.  The organization notes that volunteers are critical to the work it does – including running field tests, observing wildlife or organizing events.   “This year, Lindsay stood out for her years of service,” said Hope Foley with the Audubon Society, adding that she has been particularly valuable to the Stormwater Innovation Center and is appreciated for her “positive can-do attitude.”

Dulude has been a resident of Cranston for the last seven years and earned a bachelor’s degree in environmental science from Roger Williams University in 2007. She began her volunteerism in 2020 during the initial months of the Covid-19 pandemic. Frequenting the park during this time is how she came across the information on how to become a volunteer with Audubon and how to help with its goals of cleaning up the park, giving back to the community, and boosting the vibrancy of life.

She lives in the Edgewood neighborhood, and, after her initial volunteering efforts with ASRI, began focusing on the organization’s Stormwater Innovation Center at Roger Williams Park and its Rain Snap Project.

According to the Audubon Society, the Stormwater Center uses installations of natural infrastructure to help prevent stormwater pollution at the park and the Rain Snap Project enlists volunteers to visit sites within the park to see how preventative measures are working and to collect data.

Ryan Kopp, the Director of The Stormwater Innovation Center, said he asked Dulude to get involved in the Stormwater and Rain Snap projects after noticing her hard work as a volunteer.  On one of Dulude’s weekly water quality tests, she had extracted data uncovering a flooded inland cove. This find allowed the team to act fast, find where the water flow was being blocked and fix the problem immediately. Through the data systems used in collaboration by The Stormwater Innovation Center and the University of Rhode Island, the team is able to see their work and impact in real time. Kopp says that "[Lindsay] is kind, hardworking, dedicated and really interested in making a difference in her community by leading through example."

Dulude told the Herald there is measurable contamination in the park where she tests and where she sees people fishing or walking. “It is sad because people deserve the cleanest and purest water and then you see the geese, fish and turtles and believe the same for them.” She said that everyone can help, even if they’re not a volunteer. It’s as simple, she said, as throwing litter away when you see it instead of walking by.

After accepting her award Dulude told the crowd, she "did this work with Audubon to give back to [the] community.”

She added that “helping to protect water quality is one small step we all can do to help the environment.”

Those looking to get involved and become a community science volunteer should visit the Audubon Society of Rhode Island’s website at https://asri.org, or should email Ryan Kopp directly at rkopp@asri.og.