Eryka Reid

View of an established wildflower meadow

RMI is abuzz with activity! This year we’ve started our very own Bee Project to help bees, and other native pollinators, whose numbers are suffering due in part to loss of habitat. Our goal is to establish and grow wildflower meadows as bee foraging habitat beginning with a meadow at our office in Holderness, NH.

RMI based the siting of our bee meadow on research from the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension, the Northern New England Pollinator Working Group and the Xerces Society. Many bees native to New England nest on the edge of fields in the ground, dead trees or hollow stems of plants. The distance these bees can travel to feed is largely determined by their body size – the smallest bees can fly about 50 feet, others can fly miles to find flowers. To create a bee meadow you need an open area with one or more forested edges protected from pesticides/pesticide drift. Our native bees can use all the habitat they can get so the bigger the bee meadow the better. However, budget, space and management constraints must be taken into consideration. Bees respond faster to smaller dense plantings of wildflowers than large sparse plantings. The bee meadows must also be mowed annually to allow the wildflowers to thrive. Because of this RMI is placing our bee meadow close to the treeline on our property in a long continuous strip that will allow the bees to travel the furthest distance.

Before seeding a wildflower meadow, you must first smother any existing vegetation. Two common smothering methods are solarization and/or the application of herbicides. Solarization uses greenhouse plastic film placed on the ground to “bake” the soil. However greenhouse plastic can cost upwards of fifty cents a square foot and the solarization method requires an entire summer season to take effect. For those wishing to establish a larger bee meadow, the cost and labor associated with the solarization method can be prohibitive. Similarly, many people interested in establishing a wildflower meadow do not wish to use herbicides on their property. RMI is using a new smothering technique in the creation of our meadow applying our NutraSoil manufactured topsoil to smother our lawn. Using NutraSoil is a cost-effective and less labor-intensive option that avoids the need for herbicide!

RMI is collaborating with municipalities, conservation districts, and other local partners in NH, VT and MA to establish their own bee meadows. Want to participate in RMI’s Bee Project? Give us a buzz!

	A graduate of Cornell University, Brandy has received degrees in Dairy Science and Agricultural Business. Prior to joining RMI, Brandy worked as a Horticultural Farm Inspector for the New York Department of Agriculture and Markets. Brandy’s diverse agricultural experience also includes having lived and worked on her family’s farm, as well as on fruit and dairy farms throughout New England. Brandy will be working closely with RMI’s agricultural customers in New Hampshire, western Maine and eastern Massachusetts. Cell: (603) 481-1568
A graduate of the University of New Hampshire and the Maine Compost School, John brings a unique set of skills and a focus on waste stream diversion, composting and beneficial use in the industrial and municipal markets. John will be working directly with partners in New England and New York providing cost-effective, environmentally-sound solutions. Cell: (603) 520-2877

This year’s Annual Harvest Pig Roast marked RMI’s 20th anniversary! Read an article on the event, featured in The Citizen newspaper, below.

Marking 20 years in business

By BOB MARTIN | Sept 29, 2014

HOLDERNESS — Resource Management Incorporated celebrated its 20th year in business Sunday during its annual pig roast, which is a chance for the company to have a fun day of entertainment, food and drinks as a way of saying thanks.

Senior Project Manager Charley Hanson explained that

the company began in November 1994, and it is amazing how much the company has grown but also working with the same people that they started with- many of whom were farmers and local residents attending to event on Sunday.

“It’s all about building relationships,” said Hanson.

RMI is owned by Hanson, President Shelagh Connelly and Vice-President Martin Riehs. Connelly said that she is so pleased to have worked with such quality people over the years. She said that the event on Sunday was a nice way to celebrate the work that they have all accomplished together.

“It’s a perfect fall day together with our friends,” said Connelly. “The company has changed dramatically in 20 years. We started with two computers and now we have a whole network and now shifting to the cloud. It has been really fun. But most importantly, the core values have not changed. With technology changing, the economy changing, our core values have never strayed in terms of doing a really good job for our farmers, communities and partners.”

As an annual tradition, RMI also grows pumpkins that the guests at the party can take home to decorate. Those who take one can make a donation to New Hampshire Food Bank, and New Hampshire Electric Cooperative and Meredith Village Savings Bank will be matching the amount collected.

Resource Management Incorporated, located in Holderness, follows the mantra of being committed to the land, the environment and the people they serve. The company focuses on “down to Earth recycling solutions,” and provides organic residuals and recycling services to address the customers’ needs. They specialize in nutrient management strategies and approaches for farms, municipalities, site developers and other businesses around New England and New York.

RMI is excited to participate in the Local Foods Plymouth Farm to Desk program as a new business member. In its inaugural year, this project allows local companies and their employees to order local produce and products online, THEN have orders delivered every Friday to their place of work! The convenience of this program will allow our employees to support local farms and growers and to eat healthy foods in a convenient Farm to Desk program!

RMI welcomes three new members to the team this spring as we gear up for a busy summer season.

	Felicia Morrissette is our new GIS and Compliance Project Assistant. Felicia received a BS in Forestry from the University of New Hampshire. Prior to joining RMI, Felicia worked for UNH as a Forestry Research Technician exploring field techniques to improve the Forestry Industry. In her new role at RMI, Felicia will be managing permit renewals, analytical data, and compliance oversight. She brings great skill and experience with GIS mapping to our team enabling even more efficiency in the field.
Joanne Chickering joins RMI as a new Sales Representative. Joanne received a BS in Animal Science from Cornell University. Prior to joining RMI, Joanne worked as a Field Crops Nutrient Management Intern with Cornell’s Cooperative Extension and as an Environmental Educator at Stonewall Farm in Keene, NH. Joanne’s diverse agricultural experience also includes having lived and worked on her family’s dairy and goat farm. Joanne will be working closely with RMI’s agricultural customers in southwest NH, southeast VT and western MA.
	Gillian Carroll joins RMI’s administrative team as an Administrative Assistant. Gillian received a BS in Geography with a focus on Terrain Analysis from Plymouth State University. As an Administrative Assistant she will ensure that RMI customers connect with the right person on our team to provide solutions. Gillian is excited to be getting into the residuals recycling field and she has a demonstrated commitment to environmental integrity.

RMI is fortunate to keep growing with winners on our team!!

Liam Riehs, Plymouth High School; Fred McNeil, City of Manchester; Harry Stewart, NH DES Water Division; Congresswoman Ann McLane Kuster; John Adie, City of Nashua; Shelagh Connelly, Resource Management, Inc.

RMI President, Shelagh Connelly and fellow members of the NH Water Pollution Control Association (NHWPCA) traveled to Washington DC in April to participate in the annual New England Water Environment Association (NEWEA) Congressional Briefing. This year’s briefing also overlapped with the National Water Policy Forum & Fly-In sponsored by the National Association of Clean Water Agencies, the Water Environment Federation and the Water Environment Research Foundation.

The topics brought before our elected officials this year were the need to invest in our aging and failing water infrastructure, and the difficulty of working with increasing regulatory burden. Acknowledging that water is essential to our economy and public health, attendees urged our elected officials to re-authorize funding for State Revolving Funds and for bi-partisan support of the Clean Water Act .

The NHWPCA is committed to visiting DC each year so that our delegation keeps water as a high priority. The unseen water infrastructure needs a champion – and that is what we are, because Water’s Worth It!!!