The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM) is a Rhode Island state government agency charged with supervising and controlling the protection, development, planning, and utilization of the natural resources of the state, including, but not limited to: water, plants, trees, soil, clay, sand, gravel, rocks and other minerals, air, mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, shellfish, and other forms of aquatic, insect, and animal life.^[3]

This article relies excessively on references to primary sources. (March 2024)

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Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM)

Agency overview
Jurisdiction	Rhode Island
Headquarters	235 Promenade Street Providence, Rhode Island[1]
Agency executives	Terrence Gray, Acting Director[2] Adam Brusseau, Assistant Director-Finance Michael Healey, Chief Public Affairs Officer Ryan Mulcahey, Legislative Liaison Mary E. Kay, Executive Counsel Jason McNamee, Deputy Director, Bureau of Natural Resources
Website	www.dem.ri.gov

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It includes the Division of Parks and Recreation which is responsible for management of Rhode Island's fifteen State Parks, seven state beaches, and five public use lands.

Predecessor agencies include:^[4]

• RI Metropolitan Park Commission (1904-1934)
• RI Division of Forests, Parks and Parkways (1935-1952)
• RI Department of Public Works (Parks and Recreation Division, 1952-1965)
• RI Department of Natural Resources (1965-1975)

The lobbying of the Public Parks Association (1883-1903) was a significant factor in the creation of state parks in Rhode Island.^[4]