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Portsmouth Open Space Committee, Ted Clement and Louis Escobar
Miantonomi Park
Photograph by Jan Armor
1.18 acre Clubhouse Partners, LP
property in Middletown
2.62-acre Harrison Property
in Middletown
Again, a very special thank you to our Annual Meeting Sponsors:
The Hilton Group at Smith Barney
The Newport Harbor Corporation
and
The Hyatt Regency Newport Hotel and Spa
for hosting the event |
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Exciting News at the Land Trust's 15th Annual Meeting!
Over 200 Aquidneck Land Trust members and friends came to ALT's 15th Annual Meeting to celebrate local land conservation successes and to hear an inspiring keynote address by one of conservation's founding fathers, Ben Emory.
In addition to our business meeting and remarks, we also had some exciting announcements. The recent award of a $750,000 grant from the Town of Portsmouth to support the preservation of 75 acres of Louis Escobar's Highland Farm was great news. Preserving this very special dairy farm is a $3.2 million dollar "labor of love," and the farm is now closer to permanent preservation thanks to the Portsmouth Open Space Committee and the unanimous vote of the Town Council!
In an unexpected interruption of our "regularly scheduled program," board Chair Alison Vareika called for attention as City of Newport Mayor Trifero came to the front of the room. With all present as witnesses, the Mayor and ALT signed a purchase and sale agreement to protect the 31+/- acre Miantonomi Park, the largest public park in Newport.
The City of Newport plans to expand Miantonomi Park by buying the adjacent 6-acre Sunset Hill property from the Newport Housing Authority. The Land Trust and RI Department of Environmental Management are providing funds to complete this important addition in return for permanent conservation easements on the Park and Sunset Hill parcels, ensuring their benefit to all Islanders for future generations.
Two More Milestones in Middletown...
The top of 2005 also marked the permanent protection of two additional natural areas on Aquidneck Island: Clubhouse Partners, a gorgeous 1+ acre gem of land abutting the Norman Bird Sanctuary, that will be managed as meadow habitat for wildlife, and the Diana Harrison parcel, over 2 1/2 acres of open fields and natural shrub lands. We are especially grateful for these donated easements as they provide additional safe haven for wildlife. Thank you to these forward-thinking and generous landowners!
Good Grapes!
Wine tasting in support of the Aquidneck Land Trust!
On Monday, February 21, ALT Trustee Nancy Parker Wilson of Greenvale Vineyards will present delectable local wines at a wine tasting at Brick Alley Pub in Newport. The tasting runs from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. and costs $5 at the door ($3 if you sport a Winterfest button). Finger foods will be available and proceeds go to benefit ALT. For more information, call Brick Alley Pub at 849-6334.
and for a Little Off-Island Fun and Learning...
Sign up now for the 7th Annual Land Trust Conference. This Land & Water Conservation Summit will take place on Saturday, March 12 at the URI Memorial Union in Kingston. This conference is held by the Rhode Island Land Trust Council in collaboration with the Rhode Island Rivers Council, watershed organizations and leadership from the state's conservation commissions. Inspiring speaker Peter Forbes will give the keynote, "The Soul of the Land."
Register before March 1st for only $25 per person (includes continental breakfast and lunch). The pdf program is available for download here.
Volunteers are still needed at the conference! If you are interested or need additional information, please contact Rupert Friday, Executive Director of the R.I. Land Trust Council at 401-331-7110 x 39 or by email at rfriday@tnc.org.
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