Dr. Peter August is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Natural Resources Science at the University of Rhode Island. He taught and conducted research in landscape ecology and the application of geographic information system technologies to land conservation and stewardship for almost 40 years. He has chaired the Napatree Science Advisors since 2011. Janice Sassi managed the Napatree Point Conservation Area from 2009 to 2021. With a staff of 8-10 seasonal educators and naturalists, she oversaw educational activities on Napatree, stewardship programs, and informing visitors of the natural history of the site. Prior to her appointment as Napatree Manager, Janice worked in the public sector. Daniel Cole is the current manager of Napatree and has served as a park ranger, educator, and site coordinator of a number of natural areas in Florida for over a decade, most recently the 11,500-acre Nature Conservancy Disney Wilderness Preserve in Kissimmee Florida. A native New Englander, Daniel has academic degrees in biology and secondary education.
"""The Watch Hill Conservancy has done a magnificent job documenting the fauna, flora, and geological processes of, and developing education programs about, this important natural area. There are few, if any, conservation sites in the region that have such a rich and current inventory of patterns and trends in plants, animals, and visitors. The Natural History Survey is very proud to have played a role in the formation of the Science Advisors and the production of the annual State of Napatree Report."" -Dr. David Gregg, Executive Director of the Rhode Island Natural History Survey ""The Watch Hill Conservancy's stewardship of Napatree Point is an excellent example of conserving the fauna and flora of a fragile ecosystem while ensuring visitors have a safe and informative experience on this pristine barrier spit! It really showcases the need to balance educating our citizens and protecting nature."" -Kate Sayles, Executive Director of The Land Trust Council of Rhode Island ""The State of Napatree report is an excellent example of scientific transparency and permanently recording the ecological condition of the site and changes that are occurring. Napatree is also a superb training venue for future land managers. Almost half of the chapters in the State of Napatree report include student authors. With the excellent youth education program-the Napatree Investigators-(see chapter by Brown et al.) run by The Watch Hill Conservancy, and the practical, boots-on-the-ground training Napatree Naturalists and students receive, the future of conservation land management in Rhode Island is in good hands. The State of Napatree Report also serves as a valuable model for stewardship of additional natural areas in Rhode Island and along the rapidly changing Atlantic coastline, an undertaking critical to a Goldilocks level of observation and intervention."" -Judith Swift, Director Emeritus, URI Coastal Institute"