Good Dirt from the Aquidneck Land Trust

It is not easy trying to complete the largest public trail on Aquidneck Island. Nevertheless, the Aquidneck Land Trust has been working for approximately five years to obtain all the necessary Trail Easements required to make the approximate seven mile Sakonnet Greenway Trail a reality.

On Tuesday, July 19^th, The Pennfield School conveyed a Trail Easement to the Land Trust putting the Land Trust one step closer to the completion of the Sakonnet Greenway Trail. The Land Trust has now acquired six of the necessary eight Trail Easements for the trail.

Ted Clement, the Land Trust¹s Executive Director, said, ³I would like to thank The Pennfield School for its wonderful contribution to the community. It will help benefit countless numbers of people.²

Nellie Walcoff, Chair of the Board of Trustees for The Pennfield School, stated, ³We are thrilled to be a part of this important community project. The preservation of this beautiful stretch of land will benefit residents and visitors to Aquidneck Island for generations.²

Once finished, the approximate seven mile Sakonnet Greenway Trail, which is contained in the picturesque Sakonnet Greenway on the eastern side of Aquidneck Island, will be the longest single public recreational trail on the Island. It will connect two municipalities. The trail will extend from The Glen in Portsmouth, around Newport National Golf Club, and onto the Town of Middletown¹s recreational complex on Wyatt Road. A 2.2 +/- mile segment of the trail, around Newport National Golf Club¹s Orchard Course, is already built and open to the public.

Regarding the Land Trust¹s trail efforts (the Sakonnet Greenway Trail and the completed Oakland Forest and Meadow Trail), Clement said that the Land Trust¹s mission will not be fully realized by simply putting open space aside but by also engendering love and respect for the land in the greatest number of people. He said, ³One of the best ways to deepen people¹s connection to the land is through experiential education.² As a former Outward Bound Instructor, Clement regularly saw his students have profound experiences in nature that turned them into better stewards of the Earth. The Land Trust¹s trail efforts will help get people out on the land so that they can better appreciate and connect with this cherished place.

The Aquidneck Land Trust¹s mission is to preserve Aquidneck Island¹s open spaces and natural character for the lasting benefit of our community. To date, the Land Trust has conserved more than 1,213 acres on Aquidneck Island. The Land Trust is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. For more information, visit www.AquidneckLandTrust.org or call 401-849-2799.

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