Congratulations to the winners of this year’s Land Protection Grants! Aquidneck Land Trust, the Audubon Society of Rhode Island, Scituate Land Trust, and Westerly Land Trust all received funds through this program.
The Aquidneck Land Trust will be using their award “We are grateful to receive a grant from the Land Trust Council to help protect 25 acres of prime farmland in Portsmouth,” said ALT Conservation Director Alex Chuman. “The Zurlo property is connected to other large tracts of conservation land, is located in our drinking supply watershed, and will continue to be farmed in the future. By conserving watershed lands and working farms forever, we help protect our drinking water, produce more food locally, and build an Aquidneck Island that is more resilient to climate change.”
The grant money awarded to the Audubon Society of Rhode Island will go to their Congdon Wood Wildlife Refuge, a densely forested 300-acre parcel of land in North Kingstown which protects the headwaters of the Saugatucket River and provides a home for native birds and wildlife.
“The size of this wildlife refuge and the fact that it connects to other protected areas explains the invaluable role it will play in Rhode Island conservation efforts,” explained Audubon Executive Director Jeff Hall. “We are so grateful to our generous land donors. These large tracts of land leverage Audubon’s ability to improve the ecosystem for birds, wildlife, and people.”
The next recipient is the Scituate Land Trust. “We are grateful for the Land Protection Grant,” said Rob Bower, chair of the Land Trust. “We are putting that support together with awards from other sponsoring partners to purchase an important property abutting protected land along the upper Pawtuxet River. Though less than an acre, the purchased lot provides walking access to trails from the heart of Hope Village in Scituate and prevents construction that would diminish open space and endanger river water quality. The grant helped us build additional support for this important purchase. Much appreciated!”
Our final recipient, the Westerly Land Trust, is working diligently to permanently protect a very special place in Westerly. The Champlin Farm boasts more than 90 acres and includes Pawcatuck River frontage, forest, granite ledges, and pasture/farm fields. This will be WLT’s largest acquisition since Dr. John Champlin Glacier Park in 2004. What’s more, the Champlin Farm consists of prime agricultural soils. In a time when Rhode Island’s farmland is among the most expensive and hard to come by in the country, protecting critical properties like the Champlin Farm is paramount and will open opportunities to continue and expand local agriculture. “We at the Westerly Land Trust are grateful for the RI Land Trust Council’s support through their Land Protection Grant Program,” said WLT. “Together, we are a step closer towards protecting this beautiful piece of land forever.”
