Highland Woods Kick-off Campaign
On Sunday, February 12th the Tiverton Land Trust (TLT) celebrated its latest efforts in preserving open space in Tiverton and held a kickoff fundraising campaign for the newly acquired Highland Woods property. The event was hosted by Louise Durfee, a member of the TLT Advisory Board and a long time advocate of conservation and the Land Trust.
Brief remarks about the campaign and the property by President Connie Lima, Vice-President John Foley, and Advisory Board member and Tiverton Open Space Commission (TOSC) member Garry Plunkett highlighted the value of conserving open space in Tiverton, the diverse yet strong community spirit that is evident in our town, and the ability of the Land Trust to work together with the town and other conservation groups to protect our scenic heritage.
Since the property is adjacent to Fort Barton Woods, the TLT will work with the TOSC so that there will be a unified system in place to manage the woods and to create new trails that complement the existing trail system. Some spaces for cars will also be planned so that the woods and trails will be accessible to the public.
In addition to new hiking trails, some of the natural beauties that can be seen in Highland Woods include cardinal flowers, wood anemones, trout lilies, wood frogs, and vernal pools.
Please click here to see the attached flyer if you would like to contribute to this campaign.
Click here to view more pictures from the event.
TLT Board Members Nancy Weinstein, Trish Sylvester, and Connie Lima (President) receive the D.E.M. Award of $187,500 from Governor Chafee for help in preserving the Clark property.
TIVERTON LAND TRUST TO PURCHASE IMPORTANT STONEBRIDGE AREA PROPERTY
Acquisition of 16 acres on Highland Road adjacent to Fort Barton Awarded $187,500 by Department of Environmental Management
The Tiverton Land Trust (TLT) has announced that it has entered into an agreement to purchase sixteen acres of land on Highland Road, directly adjacent to the Fort Barton Revolutionary War redoubt and Fort Barton Woods. The TLT is acquiring the property from the family of the late Virginia Clark, a long-time resident of Tiverton. In addition, Gov. Chafee and the Department of Environmental Management awarded the Land Trust $187,500 in open space matching grants to help acquire the property.
"The Land Trust's purchase of this important property enhances an incredible historical legacy for the town of Tiverton," says Constance Lima, President of the TLT. "We will now work on a management plan, in consultation with the Tiverton Open Space Commission, to improve public access to this historic site. We are grateful to the Clark family for their cooperation in preserving such a significant property."
At present, public access to the Fort Barton redoubt is a steep walkway up from Highland Road entrance. A new entrance on the land being purchased by the Land Trust would provide easier access to both the historic site and trails of Fort Barton, especially for the elderly and disabled. Improved parking and a kiosk with maps, brochures, and interpretive displays to explain the natural, historic, and archaeological features of the Fort Barton site are also planned.
The majority of the eastern part of the property is coastal oak-holly forest, which exists in only four states and is considered "globally uncommon to rare" by the Nature Conservancy. The majority of the property is within the Sin and Flesh Brook Rare Species Habitat Area as designated by the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management.
The Tiverton Land Trust is a private, nonprofit, all volunteer organization dedicated to preserving the rural character and scenic beauty of Tiverton. Since its founding in1997, donations and grants have enabled the TLT to protect and manage over 400 acres of open space in Tiverton.
Press Release
May 2, 2011 Press Release
TIVERTON LAND TRUST ANNOUNCES LAND ACQUISITION
The Tiverton Land Trust announced that they have acquired 63 forested acres from the Lorraine Durfee Estate. The acquisition is the latest in the Land Trust's efforts to preserve the rural character and scenic beauty of Tiverton. The Durfee Property is part of the Pocasset Ridge, an oak-hickory forest which overlooks Nannaquaket Pond to the west. The terrain of Pocasset Ridge is marked by a prominent granitic, north-south ridge line that is visible at various points along Main Road. Durfee family members Peg and her late husband Roy led several years of discussions with the Land Trust in support of the transfer. Noting that the land has been held by the Durfee family for nearly one hundred years, they consistently expressed their desire to see it remain in its natural state.
According to Connie Lima, President of the Land Trust, "This prominent ridge at Nannaquaket adjoins oak-holly forest parcels which extend south to Tiverton Four Corners and east through the Borden Brook watershed." Half of the properties which extend along the ridge are now held for permanent conservation. The Durfee Property, along with Tiverton Land Trust's Pardon Gray Preserve and the Town of Tiverton's Weetamoo Woods, covers an area of three square miles.
The uninterrupted expanse of forest along the ridge comprises the largest forest tract remaining to the east of Narragansett Bay. Throughout the tract, a variety of forest habitats, uplands, steep slopes, vernal pools, wetlands and brooks support a diversity of resident and migratory species. In 2003, volunteer biologists for Rhode Island Natural History Survey identified 844 different kinds of plants, animals and invertebrates in the area.
The $485,000 acquisition of the Durfee Property has been the result of years of concerted effort by the Tiverton Land Trust, The Nature Conservancy in Rhode Island, the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, and the Town of Tiverton Open Space Commission. The Nature Conservancy supported the Land Trust's purchase of the property with a $175,000 grant from The Champlin Foundation. The J. Phillip Anderegg Estate contributed $165,000 towards the purchase price and another $5,000 for the stewardship and management of the land. Support from Rhode Island voters for a state bond fund for open space supplied nearly a third of the purchase price, $140,000. The Land Trust also received a $5,000 grant from BankNewport to help acquire and protect this forested parcel. In exchange for its contribution, the Rhode Island DEM will hold a conservation easement on the property to ensure that the forest remains protected.
Ms Lima believes that the Land Trust's commitment to preserving forests, farmland and open space, the Town of Tiverton's belief in protecting its rural heritage, landowners' commitment to preserving their property in its natural state, and the continued support of private foundations and state and local conservation partners all played important roles in ensuring the successful protection of the Durfee property.
Upcoming Events
Celestial Observations
On Saturday, March 3rd, the Tiverton Land Trust will host the Astronomical Association of Southern New England (ASSNE) who will offer the public an opportunity to see celestial wonders. Six telescopes will be set up to view the waxing gibbous moon; the Orion, Perseus, Gemini, and Taurus constellations as well as lesser-known constellations; the Orion Nebula, the planets Jupiter and Venus and perhaps several galaxies. Observing will be held at the Pardon Gray Preserve at the Main Road entrance. Viewing will take place between 7:00 - 9:00 pm, but participants should arrive no later than 6:45 to avoid vehicle headlights interfering with the program. The program is offered free of charge. Should a cloudy sky occur on March 3rd, the program will be re-scheduled at the same time and place on Sunday, March 4th.
News & Events
- September 17, 2011- Pardon Gray Day
- The Tiverton Land Trust's Pardon Gray Day was held on Saturday, September 17th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Pardon Gray Preserve on Main Road in Tiverton. The popular community event included music, hayrides, children's actvities, food, drinks, and lots more.
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- September 3, 2011 - Great Walnut Hunt
- On Saturday morning, 24 young kids participated in the 'Great Walnut Hunt' at Pardon Gray Preserve. Hurricane Irene had come through and stripped the trees of walnuts. They are large and very hard. Stepping on them does not crush them but more often causes them to roll.
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- May 28, 2011 - Nature up Close and Personal
- The Tiverton Land Trust hosted a family event on Saturday, May 28, 2011 at the Pardon Gray Preserve for an up close view of life along the fields and trails.
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- May 7, 2011 Go Fly a Kite
- About 10 families showed up at Pardon Gray Preserve on Saturday morning (May 7th) to take advantage of the beautiful weather & great breezes to try their luck at kite flying. Everyone had a great time with only one kite ending up in a tree.
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- Knapweed Study
- On Friday, April 8, 2011, University of Rhode Island (URI) Entomologist, Lisa Tewksbury and Carl Sawyer from the department of Plant Sciences at URI came to Pardon Gray Preserve to meet Garry Plunkett and Wayne Browning to collect seed heads from Black Knapweed, an invasive plant which is flourishing at the Preserve.
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- Egg Hunt
- It was a bit nippy, but the chill did not stop over 50 kids from enjoying their egg hunt at Pardon Gray Preserve.
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- Community Forum Held
- On Tuesday, April 5th, Robert M. Thorson returned to the Tiverton Land Trust as a guest speaker for its Spring Community Forum.
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- Guided Nature Walks
- The TLT has initiated a series of guided nature walks, beginning this past fall. The first, a Full Moon Walk took place in November, 2010.
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- If You Build It…
- One of the many children's activities during September's Country Day at Pardon Gray was making bluebird boxes. Fifteen boxes were donated to the TLT and set up around the Preserve.
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- Annual Letter from the TLT President
- In 2010 the TLT was part of a consortium of public and private organizations that helped purchase the development rights for 140 acres of Ferolbink Farm.
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