Evening Presentation on Water Quality
On Thursday March 29th, members and friends of SKLT enjoyed potluck dinner at the Barn and learned about the water quality of Yawgoo Pond over
the past decades. URI Watershed Watch Director Linda Green set the stage with a
mini-primer on lake ecology,and explained the water quality challenges that have occurred
at Yawgoo (and downstream Barber Pond) -- how they were caused and how they have changed over
the years, what issues remain, and what challenges await this beautiful, resilient lake
located in the northern reaches of South Kingstown.
South Kingstown Land Trust owns over 80 acres of land bordering Yawgoo Pond – much of which
was conserved with water quality protection in mind. We also have a public access trail on our
land on the east side of the pond. Check the Trail Maps page of our website for directions and
more details.
Major Support for SKLT Land Protection on Yawgoo Pond
South Kingstown Land Trust is pleased to announce it has won an Open Space Grant award from
Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management for our Wells Farm project on Yawgoo
Pond. SKLT will receive $300,000 toward the purchase of a conservation easement on 31
acres. This land abuts 68 acres of SKLT land to the south where we have a hiking trail,
thus enhancing our preservation of a unique South County greenway combining forest, wetland
and open water expanses. Here Land Protection Director Joanne Riccitelli accepts the grant
award from Governor Lincoln Chafee at the State House ceremony on November 2, 2011.
Calling All Amateur Photographers!
SKLT is proud of the ‘sense of place’ that is South Kingstown.
If you have a favorite scene that captures the natural beauty
of South Kingstown, grab your camera, and plan to enter your favorite local
photos in our next Photo Contest, which provides us great
photographs of our local landscape for use in SKLT publications and
invitations. (Note: the forthcoming contest date has been postponed until next year. Our
Events Calendar will post the revised date once it is available.)
Entries must be unframed, sized to fit in an 8” x 10” mat, and may
be black and white or color. On a piece of paper affixed securely to
the back of each photo, please print your name, telephone number,
e-mail address, the name or subject matter of the photo, and date and
location where it was taken. Contestants are limited to three entries,
and there is a $10 per photo entry fee. Make checks payable to SKLT
and send to our Main Street office.
Photos will be judged by a panel of judges for first, second and
third place winners, and by all who visit the show for a ‘People’s
Choice” award. All photos entered will be matted by SKLT and
displayed at the Barn on Matunuck Beach Road during the Contest. Photos may also be reproduced and later
used by SKLT.
To view the work of our most recent contest participants and winners, click on the link below. For
more information, please contact Jane at jane.baumann@sklt.org.
2010 Photo Contest Winners & Submissions - Click Here
SKLT to Hire Full-time Executive Director
To enhance continued success in our conservation and stewardship work and further strengthen the
effectiveness of our organization, the South Kingstown Land Trust has decided to hire its first
Executive Director in twenty-nine years of operation. We presently have four part-time
employees.
As a member of the SKLT team the Executive Director will:
- Provide vision and leadership
- Lead the fundraising efforts
- Manage the office and staff to ensure an efficient, effective
and cohesive organization
- Oversee the fiscal management
- Represent SKLT in the community
- Fully utilize the resources of board, staff and supporters of SKLT in
coordinated pursuit of the SKLT mission.
Requirements: Bachelor’s degree + 5-7 years relevant work experience
Salary: Commensurate with experience
Application Deadline: April 15, 2012
Email cover letter and resume in complete confidence to SKLT Search Committee (cttsklt@gmail.com)
OF INTEREST FROM SKLT'S NEWS ARCHIVES
 EverGreen Event
American Chestnut Research Orchard Photos
Rudi Hempe was in fine form when he addressed SKLT’s EverGreen members on August 4, 2010 at
the site of the American Chestnut Foundation Research Orchard. Rudi is the URI Master Gardener who
heads up the effort to generate hybrid American chestnut trees in South Kingstown. This partnership
includes The South Kingstown Land Trust, which provided the land for the orchard, The American
Chestnut Foundation RI /MA chapter, which provides oversight, nuts and ‘know how,’ and the Master
Gardeners who have provided the brawn to plant, steward and protect the site (from deer browse,
for example). The project is part of a national effort to develop American chestnuts that are
immune to blight and can be eventually planted in northeastern forests. The orchard occupies one
acre of the SKLT’s 55-acre Tuckertown Road property.
This was a chance to update EverGreen members on the exciting results of the year’s efforts. EverGreen
members are our loyal SKLT members who have either made an outright gift of $10,000 to our legacy fund,
and/or have let us know that they have included us in their estate plans. Their vision for SKLT will
ensure that the lands we protect today will be stewarded for their natural resources, beauty and sense
of place that is South Kingstown, for generations to come. To date there are more than 40 members.
So, what was the good news? Of 260 nuts planted in the orchard's first season, all but five germinated, and potted reserves
will compensate for the losses. It seems the solar-powered watering system that was developed and installed
by our Master Gardeners, with funding from the generous South County Garden Club, may well be the
secret to the high rate of nut germination. In fact, the watering system is so effective it is to
become the prototype for future chestnut orchards! The planting of this orchard is the
next-to-last step in a multi-generational effort to bring back American chestnuts to RI. Kudos to
the hard working Master Gardeners, to the South County Garden Club, to TACF RI/MA, and to SKLT.
When we work together, we work smarter.
South Kingstown Land Trust Protects the Perryville Carpenter Farm
The South Kingstown Land Trust recognizes a significant achievement for conservation with the acquisition of a
conservation easement on most of the historic Carpenter farm on Moonstone Beach Road and Post Road in Perryville.
With the closing concluded on July 20, 2009, now just over 40 of the farm’s 52 acres are preserved in perpetuity,
preventing the development of up to 19 houses on that portion of the site. Most of the funding for the project
was provided by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Farm and Ranchland Protection Program (FRPP) and
the Town of South Kingstown’s Open Space Bond program. SKLT also received funding support from the Bafflin
Foundation, the Ruth and Hal Launders Charitable Trust, the Sharpe Family Foundation, and 70 generous individuals,
all of whom came to the rescue with only a month left until closing to fund a shortfall of $125,000.
The landowners also contributed to the project’s success by agreeing to a reduction in the purchase price.
The strong grassroots community support for the project was evident, with gifts from individuals ranging from $5 to $10,000.
“On behalf of our board and staff at SKLT, I want to thank everyone who contributed to this project, especially in
these difficult times. This was a one-time opportunity to protect a true village gem, and we are grateful that so
many people pitched in to make this project a success,” commented Mike Sherry, president of the board of trustees
of SKLT.
For more information about the South Kingstown Land Trust’s programs, or how you can contribute to preserving South
Kingstown’s special places, call SKLT at (401) 789-0962.
A Close-up of Browning Woods Trail
It was a beautiful, warm and sunny Sunday afternoon in late October 2008 when 19 hardy hikers took to the woods on
South Kingstown Land Trust’s Browning Woods Farm Trail. Under the able leadership of Clarkson Collins, SKLT’s
Land Management Director, we gathered to explore the historic lands that were preserved by SKLT. This trail
crosses three parcels of land. The largest, the 165-acre Browning Woods Farm, was purchased from Harold
Browning, Jr. in 1999. In 2001 and 2003, the adjacent lots were purchased from the Kenney family and the
Animal Rescue League, together encompassing 21.8 acres. These acquisitions were funded by The Nature
Conservancy (with funds from the Champlin Foundation and the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation); RI
Department of Environmental Management’s Forest Legacy and local open space bond programs; the Town of South
Kingstown’s open space bond program; and the RI Greenways grant, which helped to fund the trail construction
and signage.
The trail begins at about 100 feet above sea level, comfortably passing over a swamp and intermittent stream,
due to impressive trail work, before ascending to almost 200 feet through wooded uplands for 2.6 miles.
Stately white and pitch pine offer soft needles underfoot. Looking closely, we found the fragrant red berries
of the wintergreen and outcrops of protected princess pine along the trail. Red squirrels darted through the
oak leaves looking for robust acorns, which were plentiful. The well-marked trail is easily navigable, as our
team of land stewards has done an impressive job of keeping the greenbrier at bay. Clark pointed out some of
the ‘not so obvious’ remains of the Browning homestead, among them, three large, flat stones of varying height
lined up next to each other, for horseback riders of different heights, to assist them in their mounts
(see photograph). The Woods farm was part of the original Pettaquamscutt Purchase dating from the 1650s and
remained in the Browning family for 10 generations before it was protected by SKLT. Along with the purchase of
the land came a family history, complete with samples of fabric that was woven from flax raised on the farm.
To learn more about the sense of place that is South Kingstown, check our Events Calendar and join us on future hikes with SKLT. We hope
to see you there. (For details and to register, contact Jane Baumann at jane.baumann@sklt.org.)
At the Browning Woods Trail Head
Browning Woods Hikers, 10-25-08
Browning Homestead "Stepped Stones"
Wintergreen
A Report on Monitoring Day, November 28, 2008
November 2008 Monitoring Day photos
On a glorious autumn day, some 65 volunteers descended on the farms, fields, and woodlands of the South Kingstown
Land Trust to perform an annual inspection of the properties we protect. The volunteers first met at the Land
Trust Barn on Matunuck Beach Road, where a series of property maps were displayed on bulletin boards throughout
the room, for an overview of the project and to learn how to complete the forms they would be taking into the
field. Clarkson Collins, SKLT’s Land Management Director, explained the process to everyone present, and then
assigned properties to each of the teams (2 or more inspection sites per team).
By midday, everyone was on the way to one or more of the 129 properties either owned or otherwise conserved by
the Land Trust. The teams reported back to the Barn later in the afternoon, with their completed forms. Each
property was photographed, and this visual data will be filed along with the reports taken each year by our
volunteer teams.
At the end of the day, all participants were treated to a hot chili dinner in the Barn and lots of good
conversation about the day's activities. A giant bonfire blazed away in the nearby field, warming all who
wanted to linger just a little bit longer before heading home.
Although this was our first effort to involve large numbers of volunteers in a single project, it was an
extraordinary day for all of us at the Land Trust and, we believe, for all who participated. This important and
necessary monitoring task could not have happened without the dedication, perseverance, and participation of so
many of our members. We are extremely grateful for your hard work that day. Stay tuned -- more to come in the future. And many thanks to our SKLT site monitors
for a job well done!
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