The Rye Garden Club has a long tradition of educating its members and the community on environmental and conservation issues. As early as the mid 1940s, members were actively composting and giving talks on the subject at the local high school and neighboring garden clubs. This effort was spearheaded by the Club’s Conservation Chair and President, Pauline Pierce (mother of Barbara Bush, former First Lady of the United States).

It is thanks to the tireless efforts and leadership of another long-time member, Edith Read, that the town boasts the Rye Nature Center and the Edith G. Read Wildlife Sanctuary. Mrs Read was a noted environmentalist and helped protect open spaces, wetlands and natural waterways.`

In 2015, RGC created a walk-in Pollinator Garden at the Edith G. Read Wildlife Sanctuary. This Centennial gift to the community serves as a showcase of native plant species that are deer-browse resistant and attracts an abundance of bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.

RGC members volunteer in the classroom to teach conservation to Rye nursery and elementary school students by presenting their “Drip and Drop” and “Environscape” curriculum. This helps the children understand how their actions impact the ecological balance of this unique coastal town.

For more than two decades RGC has been writing the “Green Space” column in The Rye Record. The column covers a breadth of current topics such as gardening with native plants, recycling, and much more.

Rye Garden Club will continue to “keep it green” for generations to come.