Barrington Land Conservation Trust FY24 Annual Report

2024 Annual Repor t

1

BLCT Mission The Barrington Land Conservation Trust protects and stewards our local natural, scenic, and historic open spaces. We advocate for protection of these lands and educate the public about these resources.

2024/ 2025 Boar d of Dir ect or s Of f icer s: President: Ian Donahue Vice President: Andrew Curtis Treasurer: Andrew Curtis Secretary: Steve Boyajian Assistant Secretary: Kate Hamilton

?I wanted something saved. It?s important to have open space in the middle of all this development.?

M em ber s: Charles Brown Meghan Frost Lizeth Garcia Garcia Sara Sampieri Horvet Bill Kirkpatrick Cindy Larson Moura Charles McCoy Cindy Pierce Kelly Chinners Reiss Vince Wicker Richard Waterman

~ Mary Dziedzic D? Arrigo, Land Donor

Com m it t ees

About Us Founded in 1979, the Barrington Land Conservation Trust is a local nonprofit, volunteer-driven organization that has preserved approximately 300 acres of open space in perpetuity for the benefit of the public. Our volunteers also help to manage town-owned conservation land.

Acquisition and Planning: Steve Boyajian (chair) The Barrington Land Conservation Trust relies on volunteers and public support to fulfill our mission. We accept gifts of funds, securities, bequests, and in-kind donations. Donations of conservation land are subject to board approval. For information on how you can support the Barrington Land Conservation Trust, visit www.blct.org or contact Executive Director Cindy Elder at cindyelder@blct.org or 508-733-2443.

Thank you for helping us to preserve open space for future generations.

Design: Ian Donahue. Writing: Cindy Elder, Cindy Pierce. Editing: Kate Hamilton. Photography: Kathryn Beauchamp, Cindy Elder, Jasmine Malik, Charlie McCoy, Gail Read, Sara Sampieri Horvet, and Pat Tavares.

Communications: Ian Donahue (chair) Education: Bill Kirkpatrick (chair), Noelle Cooke, Teresa DeFlitch, Lizeth Garcia Garcia, Jill Lancaster, Cindy Pierce, Sara Sampieri Horvet Finance: Andrew Curtis (chair) Governance: Richard Waterman (chair), Steve Boyajian, Vince Wicker Operation: Ian Donahue (chair), Richard Waterman, Steve Boyajian, Andrew Curtis, Charlie McCoy Scout Projects: Richard Waterman (chair) Stewardship: Charlie McCoy (chair), Ann Brouillette, Charlie Brown, Peter Burke, Ian Donahue, Norman Dudziak, Frank Hearn, Bill Kirkpatrick, Cindy Pierce, Kelly Chinners Reiss, Sara Sampieri Horvet, Richard Waterman Terrapin Conservation Project Liaison: Sara Sampieri Horvet Execu t ive Dir ect or : Cindy Elder Con t act In f or m at ion : Barrington Land Conservation Trust PO Box 324, Barrington, RI 02806 www.blct.org Email: cindyelder@blct.org 508-733-2443

2 | Barrington Land Conservation Trust Annual Report 2023-2024

www.BLCT.ORG

Dear Friends, Over the last year, the Barrington Land Conservation Trust has seen a groundswell of engagement in our work. In this report, you?ll read about the stewardship activities of our growing volunteer force, both adults and students. We?ll share news about special projects funded by grants and charitable gifts, which have enabled us to expand our impact.

Our community-facing activities, like guided walks and the Land Trust Learning Series, have created opportunities for us to bring more people into the conversation about how we preserve and protect open space for future generations.

These successes belong to our supporters and volunteers.

You have made our collective voice stronger. We have doubled our membership in the last two years, but we have more to achieve. Given the serious environmental threats facing coastal communities, we need to continue building a future where natural open spaces are part of our landscape and daily experience.

Since its founding in 1979, the Barrington Land Conservation Trust has been a volunteer-powered organization. That remains true today. With one half-time executive director, we keep expenses low and carefully steward every dollar we receive. Hundreds of hours of volunteer time make it possible for us to monitor and care

for approximately 300 acres of land owned by the Land Trust and three town-owned nature preserves.

We have strong internal financial controls to manage our day-to-day expenses. Slowly but surely, we are building a ?Future Fund? to ensure the Barrington Land Conservation Trust can withstand the winds of change. We feel this is essential to our commitment to care for the land under our stewardship not just for a year, or a decade, but forever.

As we look to the future, we are encouraged by the new generation of environmental leaders rising up in our community. Youth in elementary and middle school are discovering a love for the natural world through our environmental education programs. High schoolers in our Student Stewardship Team are actively engaging in conservation.

We are energized by the strength of our adult volunteer force which offers a diversity of skills and wisdom in addition to good old-fashioned hard work. These volunteers serve as property stewards, members of the Tuesday Trails Team, or members of our board and committees. They make it possible for us to participate in outreach programs and mentor youth who are interested in learning more about the environment.

Through strong partnerships with the Town of Barrington, the Barrington Public Library and partner nonprofits like the Barrington Garden Club and the Barrington Farm School, we are able to achieve a great deal more than we could do alone.

Thank you for being an important voice in the chorus of people who believe that we have an obligation to protect and preserve our natural places. Years from now, people will thank you for your foresight.

With Gratitude,

Ian Donahue President, Board of Directors Barrington Land Conservation Trust

Cindy Elder Executive Director Barrington Land Conservation Trust 3 | Barrington Land Conservation Trust Annual Report 2023-2024

www.BLCT.ORG

Year In Review: Land Acquisitions The Land Trust?s Acquisition and Planning Committee, chaired by Steve Boyajian, had a busy year in FY24 with acquisition of two important properties, both of which were donated by the owners. These represent the largest land acquisitions since the 2017 Land Trust acquisition of the Vendituoli Farm on Federal Road, which is leased to the Barrington Farm School.

The Land Trust Board voted unanimously in 2024 to decrease the Farm School?s lease from $600/year to $1/year in support of their important work to educate the public about sustainable organic farming practices, while fostering engagement and a sense of community.

Dziedzic Family Preserve

commissioned to determine the best location for trails before trails are established. ?This parcel of land has significant value because it is contiguous with the Hampden Greenbelt and offers the potential for trail extensions,? says Ian Donahue, President of the Barrington Land Conservation Trust. ?The Dziedzics worked hard to make this happen, and we are incredibly grateful.?

Every tree, rock and blade of grass resonate with memories for the Dziedzic family. The property was handed down to their father, Albert, in 1951. Albert and his wife, Josephine, built a small house on the property where they raised eight children: Albert, Joe, Mary, John, Paul, Peter, Tom, and Michael.

"Now we'll be able to visit this land because it's been preserved." ~ Paul Dziedzic Michael grew up to become a skilled mason who lived in Warren. In 2018 he acquired their old family home on Sowams Road. He loved being surrounded by the fields and woods of his youth.

(Left to right) Victor Lerish, chair of the Land Trust's Stewardship Committee, Paul Dziedzic, Mary (Dziedzic) D'Arrigo, Joe Dziedzic, and Mary's husband, Joe D'Arrigo, gather on the property their family has donated to the Barrington Land Conservation Trust.

More than 100 years ago, Joseph Dziedzic purchased several acres of undeveloped land off Sowams Road, at a time when this part of Barrington had few houses and plenty of farmland. Joseph grew potatoes and corn there for his family. He walked his milking cow over to the Sowams property from their house on Commonwealth Avenue so she could munch on the clover that grew abundantly in the field.

A century later, Joseph?s grandchildren have transformed their childhood playground into a gift that will live on in perpetuity: The Dziedzic Family Preserve. In August 2023, they donated a three-acre parcel of open space to the Barrington Land Conservation Trust. Work has begun to prepare the property for trail development with the help of volunteer Property Steward Peter Harrington and Student Stewardship Team member Jameson Hogan-Shaw, a Barrington High School student who adopted the property as his senior project. A wetlands survey will be 4 | Barrington Land Conservation Trust Annual Report 2023-2024

When Michael died in 2022 at the age of 52, his seven siblings came together, led by Mary (Dziedzic) D?Arrigo, executor of Michael?s estate, to ensure the natural area adjoining the house would remain forever wild. They subdivided the house from the rest of the property and donated the remaining three acres to the Land Trust. ?Mary said, we can do this,? said her brother Paul Dziedzic.

Joe D? Arrigo (left), husband of Mary (Dziedzic) D? Arrigo, examines property maps with Victor Lerish, who served chair of Stewardship for the Barrington Land Conservation Trust during this land acquisition.

www.BLCT.ORG

?She told us, this is what we?re doing. And now we?ll be able to visit this land because it?s been preserved.?

Albert, the oldest sibling, recalled playing in the woods when he was a very young boy. ?My Mom made me wear a red hat so she could find me,? he said. ?The ditch was only a foot wide at the time. The land on the other side of the ditch was grass and clover. Big yellow machines came to widen the ditch when I was in elementary school.? Whether walking through the woods, leaning against a tree to read a book, or playing make-believe, this wilderness area became a special place for Albert and his siblings. ?I really enjoyed the solitude of the woods.?

Their father, Albert, was a firefighter for Barrington. The family ate a lot of home-grown vegetables, harvested quahogs at the shore, and fished off the Warren railroad trestle. The family took care of many animals including a pony, a pig, chickens, ducks, and geese. Their mother, Josephine, was a loving presence and extremely busy raising eight children. She would sometimes try to sneak off into the field with a book and a blanket.

Now, the couple who raised eight children in a humble house in the woods will be forever remembered through their children?s donation of the Dziedzic Family Preserve. ?I get emotional when I think about it,? says Mary. ?This is where we grew up. We had the freedom to be outside, which has stuck with me. I love to go to the mountains and hike. I love to rock climb. Just being outdoors gives me the sense of freedom, and that?s because of where we grew up. These days, everything?s so built up. I wanted something saved. I thought, if we could save our playground and leave it for other people to enjoy as well, we should do it. It?s important to have open space in the middle of all this development.

Being outdoors is part of who I need to be, part of who I am.?

D?Ambra Realty Land Donation Expands Nature Preserve

Mike and Gary D? Ambra stand at the edge of a two-acre parcel off Peck Lane donated by D? Ambra Realty Corp. to the Barrington Land Conservation Trust.

the surrounding neighborhood.?

The parcel, located off Peck Lane, once belonged to Barrington resident Helen Peck. She sold it to D?Ambra Realty as part of a larger land purchase, which included both parcels donated by the D?Ambras for preservation. ?It makes a nice preserve in the northern part of Barrington, with the two properties together,? said Gary D?Ambra.

Gary?s son, Mike, is the third generation of D?Ambras to work in the business. Mike graduated from Barrington High School in 2007 and earned a degree from Endicott College, but always knew he?d return to work in the family business started by his grandfather, Vito D?Ambra. ?I view the two properties being together as a huge thing,? said Mike D?Ambra. ?This neighborhood is tough to walk. I see people walking their dogs along the breakdown lane of the highway. This will provide a safe place for them to walk and enjoy nature. Anytime you can preserve land with old growth trees, land that nobody has messed with in forever, that?s a good thing.?

There?s a corner of Barrington along Wampanoag Trail where you can look across the highway to Osamequin Nature Preserve, but you can?t find a wilderness trail on your side of the road. That?s changing.

Barrington resident Gary D?Ambra of D?Ambra Realty Corp. donated more than two acres of open space in December 2023 to the Land Trust. The land abuts a nine-acre parcel D?Ambra donated to the Town several years ago, creating 12 acres of uninterrupted open space. ?This is an important gift because it creates a much larger corridor of green space and a sanctuary for wildlife,? says Ian Donahue, President of the Barrington Land Conservation Trust. ?In collaboration with the Town, we?re looking forward to creating a walking trail on the property that can benefit 5 | Barrington Land Conservation Trust Annual Report 2023-2024

D'Ambra Nature Preserve www.BLCT.ORG

Year In Review: Stewardship The remarkable power of volunteerism was on full display last year, with more than one hundred volunteers across the age spectrum actively involved in stewarding both Land Trust and Town-owned properties.

We reluctantly said farewell to retiring Board Member Victor Lerish, who served for two terms as Chair of Stewardship. In that time, he founded the Tuesday Trails Team, managed grant contracts with the Natural Resource Conservation Service, coordinated with our property stewards to monitor our conservation land, and served as a tireless but thoughtful voice for land conservation. Victor has graciously agreed to continue managing the Tuesday Trails Team as a volunteer.

We are thrilled to welcome Board Member Charlie McCoy as our new Stewardship Chair. He has served on the Stewardship Committee for years and has jumped into his new role with enthusiasm and appreciation for the breadth of work involved.

The Stewardship Committee combines more than a dozen long-term and new volunteers who serve as a brain trust for our work, providing insight and experience that informs the Board?s decisions relating to care of our properties. Members include: Ann Brouillette, Kelly Chinners Reiss, Ian Donahue, Norman Dudziak, Frank Hearn, Bill Kirkpatrick, Sara Horvet Sampieri, Victor Lerish, Charlie McCoy, Cindy Pierce, and Dick Waterman.

management practices we employ. The members require little guidance: point them in a direction, let them know what our objectives are for the session, and they're off to the races.?

These volunteers enable the Land Trust to implement best practices required under grants from the Natural Resource Conservation Service (USDA). They also serve on the management committees for three Town-owned properties: Saint Andrews Farm, Osamequin Nature Preserve, and the Doug Rayner Wildlife Refuge. ?They share a deep commitment to protecting the environment and possess a diverse knowledge base,? said Victor. ?Whether it's bird or plant identification, formulating best management practices, clearing fallen trees, installing nest boxes or bat houses, planting trees and shrubs, or painting herbicide on cut stumps of invasive woody plants, they're always there to do the work without complaint.?

?The volunteers share a deep commitment to protecting the environment and possess a diverse knowledge base.? ~ Victor Lerish, Stewardship Committee

Tuesday Trails Team

Dozens of adult volunteers on the Tuesday Trails Team contributed more than 200 hours of time toward the stewardship of properties across the Land Trust?s holdings in FY24. The team meets on the second Tuesday of the month for two hours to clear trails, remove invasive species, restore areas that have been vandalized, prepare the nesting area for the Terrapin Conservation Project, and other activities. ?What continues to impress me about the Tuesday Trails Team volunteers is their dedication and willingness to contribute their valuable time to our land management efforts,? said Victor. ?We're a very cohesive group, well versed in the 6 | Barrington Land Conservation Trust Annual Report 2023-2024

www.BLCT.ORG

Student Stewardship Team ?I?ve been so impressed by the skills and work ethic demonstrated by our Student Stewardship Team,? says Cindy Elder, Executive Director of the Barrington Land Conservation Trust and coordinator of the team. ?They?ve tackled some tough jobs, and they?ve done a lot of real-time problem solving, working in partnership with their peers.?

High school students ages 14-18 are welcome to participate, regardless of where they attend school.

Stewardship events are held throughout the year at a variety of properties, with experienced adult supervision.

The Student Stewardship Team, launched in May 2023, contributed 186.5 hours in FY24.

Projects have included: ? Maintaining and improving nature trails ? Planting trees and removing invasive plants ? Cleanups and removal of debris from conservation areas ? Helping to plant the Pokanoket Community Garden ? Establishing an educational pollinator path at Barrington Middle School ? Building protective screens for the Terrapin Conservation Project ? Photography, filmmaking, and website design ? Event management, research and administrative work

7 | Barrington Land Conservation Trust Annual Report 2023-2024

www.BLCT.ORG

Property Stewards Property Stewards are the sometimes invisible ? yet essential ? volunteers who ensure that our properties are monitored and maintained. With more than 80 properties covering approximately 300 acres of land, it?s a tall task that requires nearly two dozen stewards.

Property Stewards accept responsibility for one or more properties which they visit regularly to assess the conditions and concerns that need to be addressed.

They identify invasive plants that need to be removed, encroachments on conservation land such as dumping of leaves or placement of structures, problems with trash or vandalism, trail obstructions such as downed or dangerous trees, the creation of unapproved trails that may be harmful to wildlife, and many other issues.

Ou r st ew ar dsh ip volu n t eer s donate hundreds of hours each year to care for the conservation properties owned by the Barrington Land Conservation Trust and the Town of Barrington.

Here are some ways you can help: - Volunteer for the Tuesday Trails Team for adults. It meets once a month on a Tuesday at 10 am for two hours. There's no commitment - just come when you're available. To register, visit blct.org/volunteer.

- We'd like to build an adult team that meets on the weekend to allow more people to participate. If you're interested in joining or co-leading a team with an experienced volunteer, email cindyelder@blct.org - Do you know a high school student aged 14 to 18 who cares about the environment? Tell them about our Student Stewardship Team.

To learn more, visit blct.org/student-stewardship-team - Do you have a special talent or professional skill you would like to share? We'd love to hear from you! Email cindyelder@blct.org to get the conversation started.

Property Stewards help to maintain trails and receive support from the Tuesday Trails Team and the Student Stewardship Team when needed.

Many also deliver guided walks on Land Trust properties, sharing their intimate knowledge of the places they steward.

8 | Barrington Land Conservation Trust Annual Report 2023-2024

- Financial support is essential to our stewardship activities. Your gift will help us purchase supplies and cover the increasing cost of surveys, engineering, and permitting that are often required before we can build new trails. Visit blct.org/donate or send a check to BLCT, PO Box 324, Barrington, RI 02806.

- Establish a legacy gift that will help us continue providing stewardship programs long into the future. Contact cindyelder@blct.org or call 508-733-2443 to discuss planned giving, named funds, and transfers of securities.

Thank you for helping us to care for our natural places!

www.BLCT.ORG

Stewardship: Cleanups

We participated in three cleanups involving approximately 90 people in FY24, providing opportunities for the public to get involved in caring for our environment.

In January 2024, we partnered with the Barrington Garden Club on a cleanup at Osamequin Nature Preserve which drew 30 people on a winter day for a massive effort that covered dozens of acres. In April, we held a cleanup at Allin?s Cove Conservation Area as part of the RI Department of Environmental Management?s ?Litter Free RI? campaign. A shocking amount of small plastic was found embedded in the salt marsh and sand.

We also partnered with Save the Bay in September 2023 at Barrington Beach as part of International Coastal

9 | Barrington Land Conservation Trust Annual Report 2023-2024

Cleanup Day. Unlike other cleanups which focus simply on picking up trash, this event requires volunteers to document the type and amount of trash by category as a way to understand the environmental challenges we face. Across the state, 2,830 volunteers collected 132,912 pieces of trash weighing 22,480 pounds. The largest percentage ? 33% -- was drinking bottles.

Cigarette butts and tiny pieces of plastic and foam tied for the next biggest offenders at 18% each.

If you're a member of an organization that would like to hold a cleanup on one of our properties, contact Executive Director Cindy Elder at cindyelder@blct.org or 508-733-2443. We have all the tools and supplies needed and can provide a leader for the cleanup.

www.BLCT.ORG

Year In Review: Education and Outreach The Land Trust?s education and outreach activities multiplied in FY24, thanks to an active Education Committee chaired by Bill Kirkpatrick. The Education Committee is composed of board members and volunteers who help us plan, manage, and deliver a variety of programs. The FY24 Education Committee included: Noelle Cooke, Teresa DeFlitch, Lizeth Garcia Garcia, Sara Horvet Sampieri, Bill Kirkpatrick, Jill Lancaster, Cindy Larson Moura, and Cindy Pierce.

featured in his book, Walking Rhode Island. Pulitzer Prize-nominated author Elizabeth Rush took us on her adventure into Antarctica and motherhood with her book, The Quickening.

?I appreciate your hard work to keep our minds focused on problems and solutions to climate change.?

Community members had opportunities to engage in hands-on activities, outdoor experiences, and environmental education.

~ Attendee, ?A Conversation with Alex Kuffner?

Land Trust Learning Series

Our environmental film festival highlighted Indigenous communities around the world where ancestral lands and foodways are threatened. We learned from filmmaker Daniel Byers what?s involved in traveling to these remote areas as he photographed wildlife in extreme conditions and worked alongside local experts.

Closer to home, we were honored to hear from members of the Pokanoket Tribe about their efforts to create a community garden to increase access to healthy food among their families.

The discussion followed an airing of the documentary Gather, about Indigenous food sovereignty.

Several members of the Land Trust?s Student Stewardship Team

In partnership with the Barrington Public Library, the Land Trust hosted a wide range of speakers in the Land Trust Learning Series.

Nearly 1,000 people attended these events in FY24, either in person or virtually.

From inland flooding to ?forever chemicals,? we dug into a host of environmental issues topping the headlines with award-winning environment reporter Alex Kuffner with the Providence Journal.

We also heard from Tom Kutcher of the Rhode Island Natural History Survey about threats to our salt marshes and remediation strategies underway.

We featured three authors with newly released books. Uli Lorimer, Director of Horticulture and the New England Wild Flower Society, energized local gardeners with a discussion of his book, 235 Plants for an Earth-Friendly Garden. Providence Journal columnist John Kostrzewa introduced us to nearby nature hikes 10 | Barrington Land Conservation Trust Annual Report 2023-2024

have had the honor of assisting Tribal members with their garden.

Volunteers took center stage in two presentations. ?Behind the Scenes: The Barrington Terrapin Conservation Project? featured reflections and stories from the dedicated team of volunteers who are the lifeblood of this local project. The event also included an airing of the movie, Turtles on the Hill. The presentation,?This Land Is Your Land,? provided an introduction to Land Trust properties presented by volunteers who help to manage these conservation lands. www.BLCT.ORG

We offered two walks designed for ?young explorers,? where we traveled at a child?s pace and allowed plenty of time to run and explore. They tested their detective skills on a winter scavenger hunt, danced the Hokey-Pokey around a champion oak tree, and sang hiking songs. After a new fallen snow at St. Andrews Farm, kids slid down the hill in their snow pants.

Our self-guided Day After Thanksgiving walk attracted lots of families home for the holidays on a perfect autumn day.

Land Trust volunteers posted across the property answered questions and helped with directions.

Guided Walks The Land Trust led 27 guided walks in FY24, attended by a total of 387 people. Walks were offered at several Land Trust properties including Sowams Woods, Johannis Farm Wildlife Preserve, Allin?s Cove Conservation Area, PIC-WIL Nature Preserve, Andreozzi Nature Preserve, and Lombardi Park. We also offered walks at Town-owned properties including Doug Rayner Wildlife Refuge, Osamequin Nature Preserve, St. Andrews Farm, and the Hampden Greenbelt.

11 | Barrington Land Conservation Trust Annual Report 2023-2024

In a first for the Land Trust, we offered a Spanish-language tour of Sowams Woods, presented by Land Trust Board Member Lizeth Garcia Garcia. The event attracted native Spanish speakers and people seeking to improve or exercise their Spanish while enjoying the outdoors.

We partnered with Barrington Middle School Librarian Melanie Roy and Barrington Public Library YA Librarian Tanya Paglia on a program called ?For the Birds.? Based on the book, Where Have All the Birds Gone? by Rebecca Hirsch, the program involved a book club, craft projects, and a wilderness walk at Johannis Farm Wildlife Preserve with birding enthusiasts Jerry and Ginny Gonville.

www.BLCT.ORG

Projects in the Schools On a cold gray day in January 2023, fifth grade teachers Jennifer Reynolds and Deena St. Angelo reached out to the Barrington Land Conservation Trust for help. With Hampden Meadows School positioned on the edge of a forest and an outdoor classroom at their disposal, they wanted to create an outdoor environmental education program for their students.

of it when I walk in the door and they say, Here comes the tree lady!?

The program enhances the fifth-grade science units on Ecosystems, States of Matter, Observing Our Sky, and Human Impact. ?A Tree of My Own? also reflects the school?s multidisciplinary focus with tie-ins to English Language Arts, Social Studies, Arts and Math.

?Students feel so lucky to collaborate with the Barrington Land Conservation Trust. They love getting out into the woods behind the school.?

?Students feel so lucky to collaborate with the Barrington Land Conservation Trust,? says Ms. Reynolds. ?They love getting out into the woods behind the school. Groups have even given their trees special names.?

~ Jennifer Reynolds, Fifth Grade Teacher, Hampden Meadows School

The Land Trust developed the curriculum and volunteers attended several sessions, but Ms. St. Angelo and Ms. Reynolds took the leading role, scheduling outdoor lessons around the weather and classroom priorities. A special unit on pinecones was added this year due to the unusually high production of cones (known as a ?mast year ?). The Land Trust brought in hundreds of pinecones for the students to paint and taught the students about methods of seed dispersal. Students even learned to

The result of this collaboration is a curriculum entitled ?A Tree of My Own,? piloted by Ms. Reynolds and Ms. St. Angelo during the spring 2023 semester. They completed their first full year with the curriculum during the 2023/2024 school year. Additional fifth grade teachers are now participating.

Over the course of the year, small groups of students team up to ?adopt? a tree near their outdoor classroom and study it from multiple perspectives. They map the location of their trees, sketch and measure them, study changes in and around the tree through the seasons, and discuss threats to their tree. Students consider the plants and animals which relied on their tree and learn about the history of the area where their tree now grows. ?I?ve had a great time participating with the students,? says Land Trust Executive Director Cindy Elder. ?I get a kick out 12 | Barrington Land Conservation Trust Annual Report 2023-2024

identify the Fibonacci Sequence in pinecones. Each student went home with an extra pinecone and instructions for making a pinecone bird feeder.

In FY25, Land Trust Board Member Sara Sampieri Horvet will partner with Ms. Reynolds and Ms. St. Angelo on a new environmental program focused on measuring water quality, using nearby Kent Street Pond as a study site. Sara is a frequent speaker at the schools, engaging students in environmental topics and sparking their interest in science. www.BLCT.ORG

Look and Find April school vacation saw the return of the self-guided ?Look & Find? Nature Walk at Osamequin Nature Preserve for kids, a partnership of the Land Trust and the Barrington Public Library. Numbers hidden along the trails provided clues to letters that were entered into a word scramble. This year ?s secret phrase was ?Leave the world a better place.?

Children submitted their word scrambles to the Library in a raffle for a backpack filled with outdoor exploration gear and books. The project was led by Sara Sampieri Horvet, Cindy Pierce, and Librarian Lisa Lesinski.

Outreach The Land Trust met lots of new people at the 2023 summer Farmers?Market held by the Barrington Business & Community Association and the Barrington Arts Festival at Town Center. Adult and student volunteers introduced visitors to the work of the Land Trust and engaged them in crafts and activities.

Recognizing that some people lack the mobility to attend wilderness walks, the Land Trust offered a series of ?virtual walks? at Atria Bay Spring Village, an assisted living facility in Barrington. Live presentations by Property Stewards and Executive Director Cindy Elder took residents on photographic journeys through Land Trust properties, where they learned about the history and ecological importance of conservation land. We enjoyed some great discussions!

13 | Barrington Land Conservation Trust Annual Report 2023-2024

This poem was written by a fifth grader named Truman during his study of trees at Hampden Meadows, based on a curriculum developed by the Land Trust.

How t o St an d Tall I once saw a tree, tall and grand Its branches reaching to the sky, But at its trunk, a sight so sad A split, as if it was about to die.

The bark had cracked, revealing wood A wound that seemed impossible to mend, Yet still, it stood, as firm as it could A testament to nature's resilience, in the end.

Even though it had been broken The tree still bloomed, and leaves still grew, Its roots held firm, its spirit unshaken A symbol of hope, for me and you.

So when life splits us down the middle And we feel like we're about to fall, Remember the tree and its riddle Of how to stand tall, even through it all.

www.BLCT.ORG

Year In Review: Special Projects Pollinator Pathways

members Cindy Pierce, Cindy Larson Moura, and Sara Sampieri Horvet, and Land Trust Stewardship Committee member Ann Brouillette.

A major project is now underway to establish a .7-acre pollinator meadow at Johannis Farm Wildlife Preserve, a Land Trust property. The project is funded by grants from the Eastern Rhode Island Conservation District and the Natural Resource Conservation Service. Planting will take place in the fall of 2024.

The meadow will serve as a teaching resource as well as an improved habitat for birds, bees, and other pollinators.

In partnership with the Barrington Farm School, Barrington?s Pollinator Pathway held a ?Pollinator Palooza? event in September 2023. Visitors viewed their pollinator garden, asked questions, and took home free pollinator plants for their own gardens. Land Trust Board Members worked with the Farm School to create curriculum units for community teaching on pollinators.

Land Trust Board Members spent a day with Barrington second graders across the District in May 2024, digging in on the importance of native plants to pollinators and empowering them to think about ways that their schools and their own yards could be part of the Pathway initiative.

The group held a Pollinator Meet Up at the Barrington Public Library in February, where several gardeners shared photos and stories of their journey into gardening with native plants.

Participants shared successes, lessons learned, and resources that have helped them transition to a pollinator-friendly yard.

Barrington?s Pollinator Pathway is part of a regional effort to create public and private pesticide-free corridors of native plants that provide nutrition and habitat for pollinating insects and birds. Across New England and the world, the need for this effort is growing as an increasing amount of open space is carved up for residential, commercial and municipal development.

Barrington?s Pollinator Pathway gained dozens of new followers in FY24. The group's newsletter explores how to create habitat and offers book reviews and spotlights on local gardeners. The group is comprised of Board 14 | Barrington Land Conservation Trust Annual Report 2023-2024

Members of Barrington?s Pollinator Pathway helped plan the ?resilience garden? filled with native plants in Town Center.

They also joined a community education panel at Mt. Hope Farm to discuss ways that community members can engage around practices and programs that support pollinators in our state. They were joined by representatives from local businesses, the Audubon Society of RI, the Department of Environmental Management, and the University of Rhode Island Bee Lab. They tabled at the April 2024 Audubon Annual Conference, ?Transforming the Landscape,? with keynote speaker Doug Tallamy, who proposes a ?homegrown national park,? where private and public landowners transform their properties for the good of the planet.

If you?re interested in getting involved in the Barrington Pollinator Pathway, email pollinatorpathways@blct.org. www.BLCT.ORG

Barrington Terrapin Conservation Project The 2023 season marked the 34thyear of operation for the Barrington Terrapin Conservation Project, which is currently co-led

by Kathryn Beauchamp and Madeleine Linck. Volunteers work to ensure the safe nesting and hatching of state-endangered Diamondback terrapin turtles and track the number of returning terrapins that return to nest each year.

The nesting area was first discovered in 1990 by naturalist Doug Rayner. In 1992, Land Trust leader Charlotte Sornborger worked with Doug to create a systematic method of marking and recording the population, which has been carried on for more than three decades. much-needed trail cameras for the project.

Volunteering can involve long days in every kind of weather, but those who come back year after year find deep meaning in the experience. ?I love being out in nature,? said volunteer Nancy Kellman-Maddocks, a former Barrington Middle School librarian. ?That calmness, that centering, that lack of artificial stimulation is so soothing, so healthy. When you go through a whole season, from nesting to hatchlings, there?s such a reward when you see those tiny, perfectly formed little babies. It gives you hope that nature still persists here in suburban Barrington. I feel a sense of pride that there?s a community who really cares about nature and is trying to preserve it.?

During 2023, a team of 30 dedicated volunteers contributed 878 hours during nesting and hatchling emergence. In addition, three outstanding interns ? Ashley Katusa, Alex Ledoux, and Hugh Tucker -- put in a combined 364.5 hours.Two Barrington High School students, Clover Burke and Izzy Mysak, were mentored by Kathryn Beauchamp as they completed their senior projects on the impact Diamondback terrapins have on estuaries and salt marshes.

When you go through a whole season, from nesting to hatchlings, there?s such a reward when you see those tiny, perfectly formed little babies." ~ Nancy Kellman-Maddocks, Volunteer The Land Trust covered the cost of two of the three interns in 2023. Thanks to a generous contribution by Land Trust donor Ronald Russo, the Land Trust will be able to cover the cost of three interns during the 2024 season. Mr. Russo also funded 15 | Barrington Land Conservation Trust Annual Report 2023-2024

www.BLCT.ORG

Financial Review Andrew "Drew?Curtis, Treasurer The Barrington Land Conservation Trust?s (?Land Trust?) budget prioritizes allocating financial resources for the preservation of open space and education of the public on environmental issues.

With a half-time executive director and more than 100 active volunteers, we are able to fulfill our mission while keeping expenses low. The Land Trust carries no debt and is in good standing with local, state, and federal authorities. Our financial records are maintained by a volunteer Treasurer and Operations Committee, and our IRS Form 990 is prepared and reviewed by a local accounting firm.

Revenue The Land Trust relies on charitable donations from a variety of sources to support its work. Temporarily restricted donor revenue includes gifts and bequests which are for a designated purpose or are time restricted. These funds often are not spent within the same fiscal year in which they were received. Individual contributions fund the ongoing operating expenses of the Trust. Corporate sponsorships cover expenses associated with our education programs. Grants may support specific initiatives or operational expenses, depending on the grant.

In FY24, we realized our goal of maintaining the equivalent of a full year ?s budget in cash and cash equivalents, thanks to our growing community of annual donors. This best practice helps the Land Trust withstand change and respond to opportunity. Through careful management of charitable donations, we were also able to contribute $30,000 to our unrestricted Land Trust Future Fund, an investment fund managed by Gunness Financial Services in Warren, RI. At the Board of Director ?s discretion, this fund fuels the Land Trust?s long-term sustainability and strengthens our ability to acquire and maintain conservation land in combination with individual donations, grants, and government funding.

Expenses Our volunteer force is key to our operating model. Our Tuesday Trail Team and Student Stewardship Team contributed a total of 376 hours in FY24. In addition, Property Stewards, Board Members, and Committee Members volunteered hundreds of hours to ensure the effective functioning of the Land Trust. This value is not reflected in our expenses but is an integral part of our operations.

Community Support We increased the number of individual donors by 30% (from 326 in FY23 to 425 in FY24), and we saw a 78% increase in total funds raised. With 7,100 households in the Town of Barrington, we hope to expand our community of support in years ahead.

The Land Trust Learning Series generated important sponsorship funding which covered speaking fees and other expenses, making it possible for us to offer these events to the public at no charge.

This year ?s United Way 401Gives campaign raised $5,500. We are grateful to volunteers Alexis Kellogg, Cindy Larson Moura, Sara Horvet, and Lora Urbanelli for serving on the 401Gives team. Thank you to all the generous donors who participated. We applaud Barrington High School students Niki Sharif and Jasmine Malik for creating fundraising videos for 401Gives and #GivingTuesday.

We received continued grant funding from the USDA?s National Resource Conservation Service and the New England Grassroots Environment Fund. We were honored to receive a Legislative Grant in FY24, recommended by Rep. Jason Knight, Sen. Pam Lauria, and Rep. Jennifer Boylan. We also received grants from the Fields Pond Foundation, the Leiter Family Foundation, and the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management?s ?Litter-Free RI? program.

We anticipate increased expenses in the years ahead due in part to the cost of permitting, wetlands surveys, engineering, and construction of footbridges and boardwalks on our properties. In years past, our trail structures were built by volunteers and members of the local Boy Scouts. While many of our structures continue be built by volunteers, the regulatory landscape. concerning wetlands and coastal areas is increasing, requiring a higher level of due diligence, permitting, and approval. In addition, we are seeing increased stewardship costs relating to removal of dead or diseased trees.

16 | Barrington Land Conservation Trust Annual Report 2023-2024

Thanks to designated gifts by community members, we were able to achieve several items on our wish list in FY24. Ronald Russo funded the Land Trust?s scholarships for graduating seniors, trail cameras and stipends for interns with the Terrapin Conservation Project, expenses associated with our Student Stewardship Team, and costs involved in preparing the Dziedzic Family Preserve for public trails. Dick and Barbara McWhirter funded hats, t-shirts, tools and supplies for our adult and student volunteers. Kate and Michael Hamilton funded the Land Trust?s new interactive map on the property page of our website.

We are grateful to all who contributed to our progress. For information on how you can support the work of the Barrington Land Conservation Trust, visit www.blct.org/donate or email cindyelder@blct.org. Thank you!

www.BLCT.ORG

More than 82 people have served on the Board of the Barrington Land Conservation Trust since its founding in 1979. The following individuals are continuing their service on the Board in 2024-2025.

Current Board Members

St eve Boyajian

Ch ar les F. ?Ch ar lie? Br ow n IV

An dr ew ?Dr ew ? Cu r t is

Steve joined the Board in 2022 and serves as Secretary and Chair of the Acquisition and Planning Committee, which reviews properties that have been offered to the Land Trust to determine if they fit well within our objectives for preservation of open space.

Charlie joined the Board in 2023. He serves on the Stewardship Committee and is co-manager of the Doug Rayner Wildlife Refuge. ?It?s been a great experience getting to know the other members of the Board,? said Charlie.

?Over the last year, I?ve had the good fortune to work with generous donors, like the Dziedzics and the D?Ambras, and the helpful personnel at Town Hall, to close on land acquisitions that make open spaces more accessible,? said Steve.

Charlie served for 24 years with the RI Department of Environmental Management?s Division of Fish and Wildlife, where he was the expert on mammals and frequently quoted on issues relating to coyotes, bats, fishers, bears, foxes, bobcats, and even pumas. His work included bat research, wildlife rehabilitation, and nuisance wildlife control.

Drew joined the Board in 2022 and serves as Vice President, Treasurer, Chair of the Finance Committee and a member of the Operations Committee. He moved to Barrington in early 2020 and learned about the Land Trust as he explored the town during the early days of the pandemic. This led him to volunteer for the Tuesday Trails Team and become the steward for the Allin?s Cove Conservation Area.

He has served as an attorney with Robinson+Cole for more than 12 years. A member of the firm?s Bankruptcy and Reorganizations Group, his practice includes bankruptcy, creditors' rights, real estate litigation, and utilities regulation. Steve is a member of the firm?s pro bono committee. He earned a bachelor ?s degree in politics from Pomona College and a Doctor of Law from Boston College Law School.

In addition to his service with the Land Trust, Steve participates in the Rhode Island Bar Association?s Elderly Pro Bono Program by assisting elderly individuals faced with collection actions. He has served on the Barrington Town Council and is also a member of the Boards of Directors of Day One, an organization which advocates for victims of sexual abuse and violence; Barrington Little League; and the Rhode Island Bar Foundation, for which he also serves as Treasurer and chairs the Scholarship and Finance Committees.

Prior to the DEM, he worked as a forestry technician with the U.S. Forestry Service and a wildlife biologist with the Coastal Resources Management Council. Charlie earned a bachelor ?s degree in natural resources from the University of Rhode Island.

Charlie grew up in Barrington, where he lives with his wife and former Land Trust President, Virginia ?Ginger ? Brown. He credits his family and the local environment for instilling his love for the natural world and recalls that every boyhood hour not spent in school or at the dinner table was spent outside? fishing, trapping, and exploring.

17 | Barrington Land Conservation Trust Annual Report 2023-2024

?Every day I spend helping the Land Trust is memorable, as it goes towards protecting land for present and future generations,? said Drew.

This awareness increased for Drew and his wife Alexis as they welcomed their first child, Maren, in late 2023.

Currently, Drew manages global real estate projects for a biotechnology company. His professional experience includes roles in accounting, internal controls, and financial planning. He earned a bachelor ?s and master ?s degree in accounting from the University of Connecticut and is a licensed CPA in Connecticut. www.BLCT.ORG

Current Board Members, continued

Ian Don ah u e

M egh an Fr ost

Lizet h Gar cia Gar cia

Ian Donahue joined the Board of the Barrington Land Conservation Trust in 2017. He continues to serve as President, a position he has held since 2023. He also serves as chair of the Communications Committee and a member of the Operations Committee.

Megan Frost joined the Board in 2018.

She has participated on the Communications and Development Committees and has volunteered with the Land Trust Learning Series.

Lizeth joined the board in 2023. In the last year, she led our first guided tour of Sowams Woods in Spanish, which engaged native Spanish speakers as well as those seeking to improve their Spanish in an interactive outdoor experience.

?One of the highlights of my time with ?It?s been great to watch the Land Trust the Land Trust was our environmental film festival and the showing of the Learning Series grow and engage so many members of our community,? said movie, Gather,? said Meghan. ?It was Ian. ?I?m encouraged to see new people great to greet visitors coming to a getting involved in our work and Land Trust event for the first time and supporting the Land Trust.? educating them on our work prior to Ian works as Project Manager for DCL the films. It was also inspiring to view Communications Ltd. in Avon, MA. He the natural world and native farms in has also worked as a project manager this format. Truly a great way to learn for Mystic Scenic Studios, Inc., a and be immersed in a place!?

Lizeth works as a DULCE Family Specialist in Integrated Behavioral Health with Pediatric Primary Care at Hasbro Children?s Hospital. She also has worked as a community liaison and interpreter for a K-12 charter school, a Spanish tutor and translator, and an international customer service and technical support specialist.

marketing and sales manager for Creative Conners, Inc., and owner of Hope Street Improvement. He earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in design/tech from SUNY Purchase.

Currently, Meghan is a strategic philanthropic advisor to organizations and individuals. Previously, she served as Assistant Dean, Development and Alumni Relations, College and Ian has lived in Barrington since 2011 and served on the Barrington Zoning Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Board of Review, where he became at Boston University. Her career also familiar with the town?s building codes includes roles in senior development and development requests. He saw the at Brown University, Harvard Business Land Trust as a way to help preserve the School, and Putnam Investments. She town?s limited remaining open space. earned a bachelor ?s degree in history His wife, Kerrie, serves as Director of from the University of Pennsylvania.

Development at St. Andrews School.

They have a daughter, Megan, and a son, Brian.

18 | Barrington Land Conservation Trust Annual Report 2023-2024

Lizeth was born and grew up in San José, Costa Rica, where she studied English at La Universdad Interamericana. She is proud of her heritage, which she describes as White (Spain/Italy) and Brown (Native American from Nicaragua). She moved to Barrington in 2012 because she saw the town as a safe place for her children to grow up and attend school.

She has two daughters, one of whom is in college and one who graduated from college in 2024. ?Our minds are best while we connect to Mother Earth," said Lizeth. P"reserving open spaces for future generations is primordial. Everything is interconnected.

As a Native American once said (attributed to Chief Seattle), When the last tree is cut down, the last fish eaten and the last stream poisoned, you will realize that you cannot eat money.? www.BLCT.ORG

Current Board Members, continued

Sar a Sam pier i Hor vet

William ?Bill? Kir k pat r ick

Cin dy Lar son M ou r a

Sara Sampieri Horvet?s current term on the Board started in 2023. She also served from 2016-2020. She is an active participant on the Stewardship Committee, the Terrapin Conservation Project, and the Education Committee, and she has led several programs in the public schools on environmental topics.

Bill joined the Board in 2022. He chairs the Education Committee and serves on the Stewardship Committee. He has served as Property Steward of Johannis Farm Wildlife Preserve since relocating from Maine to his hometown of Barrington nine years ago.

Cindy Larson Moura joined the Board in 2019. She participates on the Pollinator Pathway team of the Education Committee and the planning of a new pollinator meadow at Johannis Farm Wildlife Preserve.

Cindy is the co-owner of Prickly Ed?s Cactus Patch Native Plant Emporium.

?Educating our community and students about the Pollinator Pathway was one of my most rewarding activities this year,? said Sara. ?I had the opportunity to visit all three elementary schools in town. I was able to witness first-hand the children's enthusiasm as they learned about the significance of native plants and eagerly learned how they could be environmental stewards in their own yards.?

Sara has worked as a Research Associate with the Coastal Systems Program at the UMass Dartmouth School of Marine Science and Technology for 22 years. She has a bachelor ?s degree in environmental studies from Providence College and a master ?s degree in Coastal Systems Science from UMass Dartmouth-SMAST. Her primary focus is on water quality and the impact of nutrient enrichment on the habitat health of estuaries and freshwater ponds.

Sara lives in Barrington with her husband and two children. She joined the Land Trust to preserve the town's natural habitats so that her children and future generations can enjoy the same beautiful places.

?My most meaningful experience on the board has been the opportunity to chair the Education Committee, which has been reformulated with many new members,? said Bill. ?We?ve had wonderful outcomes, including the Land Trust Learning Series and events by the Pollinator Pathway project, which has translated into a greater awareness of the Land Trust. I also get great joy and satisfaction from stewardship of Johannis.

Bill?s career in health and behavioral health spans more than 45 years. He currently serves as Lead Inpatient Behavioral Health Social Worker at Roger Williams Hospital.

He serves on the Bio-Ethics Committee at Miriam Hospital and volunteers for the Alzheimer ?s Association and Rhode Island Blood Bank. He has also served as Director of Clinical Social Work, Interpreter Services and Spiritual Care at Lifespan, Senior Teaching Associate at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, and in senior positions with the Alzheimer ?s Chapter (Maine), the PACE Organization of RI, and Roger Williams Medical Center.

Bill attended Barrington High School and earned a bachelor ?s degree at Barrington College, a Master of Social Work at Boston College, and a certificate in Bioethics and Health Policy at Loyola University.

19 | Barrington Land Conservation Trust Annual Report 2023-2024

?My passion for conservation comes from a deep desire to thoughtfully preserve and maintain spaces for area wildlife that are being forced into quickly shrinking habitats,? said Cindy. ?I?m excited about the growing momentum of Barrington?s Pollinator Pathway.?

Her own yard has been a NWF Certified Wildlife Habitat for more than fifteen years, is part of the Homegrown National Park network, and is a Monarch Waystation and Certified Firefly Habitat. Cindy?s work, volunteerism, and advocacy helps residents and communities embrace resilient landscaping practices rooted in sound ecological practices.

As an independent consultant, Cindy assists nonprofit, philanthropic and government entities with strategic endeavors. She worked for the Local Initiatives Support Corporation and led agencies in Rhode Island and Massachusetts where she grew and managed programs that benefited thousands of young children and their families. She?s lived in Barrington since 1999, where she helped to found the Barrington Partnership for Animal Welfare.

She earned a bachelor ?s degree from Roger Williams University. www.BLCT.ORG

Current Board Members, continued

Ch ar lie M cCoy Charlie McCoy joined the Board in 2022 and now serves as Chair of the Stewardship Committee. He served as a property steward for several years and enjoys wildlife photography. ?My most satisfying and enjoyable experiences with the Land Trust have been working on the Tuesday Trails team and meeting other volunteers,? said Charlie. ?Open land is necessary to maintain the health of the environment and preserve native species. Being involved with the Land Trust is a way that I can contribute to protecting nature.?

Charlie retired in 2022 from a practice in nephrology. He served as Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, for the Warren Albert Medical School at Brown University, and as President of the medical staff and Rhode Island Hospital from 2000 to 2020. Charlie was named Physician of the Year at Rhode Island Hospital in 2022. He earned degrees at Lehigh University and Hahnemann, Medical College.

Charlie and his wife Lory have lived in Barrington for 33 years. They own and run the McCoy Community Farm which provides fresh food to East Bay food pantries. They are also members of the Barrington Yacht Club.

Cin dy Pier ce Cindy joined the Board in 2017 and is currently a member of the Education, Stewardship, and Pollinator Pathways Committees. She and her family moved to Barrington in 2012 next to one of the Land Trust?s properties, which led to her volunteering with the Land Trust and joining the Board. ?I?ve especially enjoyed working on the Pollinator Pathway initiative this year and meeting new friends and neighbors interested in it too,? said Cindy.

In addition to her concern for environmental issues, she?s interested in promoting literacy and the arts.

Cindy volunteers with several other organizations, including the URI Master Gardeners?Program, and she serves on the Board of the Friends of the Barrington Library.

She previously worked in arts education, connecting performing artists with school children through performances and in-school residencies. She earned a bachelor ?s degree from the University of Oregon and a Master of Fine Arts in Dance/Arts Administration from Arizona State University.

20 | Barrington Land Conservation Trust Annual Report 2023-2024

Rich ar d Wat er m an Dick joined the board in 2019 and serves as Chair of Governance and a member of the Operations and Stewardship Committees. He also is our liaison with the Scouts, who conduct many helpful projects on our properties.

A lifelong New Englander, Dick is an environmental professional and an executive in a nationwide environmental science and engineering consulting firm.

He earned a bachelor ?s degree in chemistry and biology and a master ?s degree in environmental engineering. ?I have always loved the outdoors, and I?m a lifelong sailor, fisherman, hiker, and bicyclist,? says Dick. ?From a young age, I believed it?s our collective responsibility to protect and steward the environment for the next generation.?

Dick and his family moved to Barrington 22 years ago from Massachusetts to live near the coast. ?As I learned about the Land Trust?s mission and walked the properties, I realized what an important role the Land Trust has in preserving land and educating the community on the importance of preserving open space.

Barrington is mostly built out. It?s important that we protect open areas to sustain the local ecology and provide open spaces for all to enjoy."

www.BLCT.ORG

Current Board Member

New Board Members

Kelly Ch in n er s Reiss

Kat e Ham ilt on

Kate joined the Board in 2024 after learning about the Land Trust through friends and participating in Land Trust Vince joined the Board in 2023 with a events. She has a long history of long history of community service, volunteerism, including teaching including 17 years as Board Chair of mindfulness in schools, tutoring, working the Barrington Public Library Board of with Hospice patients at Hattie Ide Chaffee Trustees and the Barrington Public Home, and helping clients at the East Bay Kelly is a professor of environmental Library Corporation.

Food Pantry shop for food. In addition to science, policy and management with the her volunteer work, Kate is an In his first year on the Land Trust American Public University System and an accomplished poet and a former Board, his knowledge of our elementary school teacher with a adjunct professor with the Feinstein community and nonprofit leadership bachelor ?s degree in English from School of Social and Natural Sciences in have provided an important the Department of Biology, Marine Biology Connecticut College and a master ?s degree perspective for board discussions. in education from the University of and Environmental Science at Roger Colorado. ?I hope that everyone realizes - the way Williams University. She serves as co-principle investigator of the Water ?My grandparents lived in Barrington when I have this year - how deeply the Testing and Awareness Project .

I was a child,? said Kate. ?My grandmother

Vin cen t Wick er

members and board are committed to the long-term sharing and caretaking of Barrington?s open spaces,? said Vince.

Vince works in Accenture's Data and Artificial Intelligence Group in Boston.

He has founded Turnswing, an enterprise supply chain consultancy, and has held senior positions in marketing, industry research, and business development at several high-tech firms.

Kelly joined the Board in 2024 after serving on the Land Trust?s Stewardship committee and the Johnnis Farm Wildlife Preserve enhancement project. Kelly chairs the Town of Barrington?s Open Space Committee. She and her family moved to Barringtonin 2019.

Kelly has a Ph.D. and Master of Science in Environmental Engineering Sciences, Systems Ecology from the HT Odum Center for Wetlands, University of Florida, Gainesville, where she also earned a bachelor ?s degree in forest resources and conservation.

loved the outdoors. She explored this town on foot, looking for mussels and edible mushrooms, and she loved swimming in the river near her house. I learned to love nature in part by her example. I played outside a lot as a child.?

She and her husband Michael moved to Barrington to raise their three daughters, ?I grew up engaging with nature in all of whom are now in college or southeast Florida,? said Kelly. ?My father graduates. Kate makes frequent use of the and Papa, both recreational fishermen, nature paths around town. Sowams Woods would take my sister and I out on the boat. and St Andrews Farm are two of her I am drawn to conservation. People are favorite walking spots. part of nature. Conserving green spaces He earned a bachelor ?s degree in ?I believe teaching children and adults to allows people the opportunity to engage business administration from the love our planet has to start in small, with nature, experience nature, and learn University of Michigan Stephen M. tangible ways, close to home. If we learn to Ross School of Business and a Master ?s from nature. Local conservation efforts enjoy it and care for it, that care could of Business Administration from Emory promote local community health, which is spread out to other communities. I love critical for a resilient and sustainable working in the woods near our cabin in the University?s Goizueta School of future.?

Berkshires, making paths, and I enjoy

Business.

gardening at our home in Barrington.?

21 | Barrington Land Conservation Trust Annual Report 2023-2024

www.BLCT.ORG

Departing Board Members

BLCT Executive Director

Vict or Ler ish Victor joined the Board in 2016 and has served as Chair of the Stewardship Committee for several years. He also served on the Education, Communications, Operations, and Acquisition and Planning Committees.

From 1979 until 2020, Victor was a pediatrician at Barrington Pediatric Associates, caring for kids and their families in the local community. While completing his pediatric residency at RI Hospital/Brown University, Victor fell in love with Rhode Island.

Victor and his wife Joanna enjoy walking trails, camping, kayaking, canoeing ? anything outdoors. When not in Rhode Island, you can often find them in southern Maine where he also volunteers as the water quality advisor for his local pond association. ?I?ve always been interested in the environment and would probably have studied environmental science or wildlife biology had I not gone into medicine,? says Victor. ?Getting involved with the Land Trust was a natural fit for me.? He started as a property steward and went on to found the Tuesday Trails Team.?My involvement with the Barrington Land Conservation Trust comes out of a strong sense of the need and obligation to protect and preserve the natural world for our children and grandchildren.?

Thank you, Victor, for leading our stewardship efforts and guiding our efforts with wisdom and grace. Your deep involvement in our work has made us a better team.

Cin dy Elder Cat h er in e Boisseau Catherine joined the Board in 2016 and served on the Acquisitions and Planning Committee. She has lived in Barrington for 40 years, raising her family and pursuing interests in the arts, the environment, and the study of birds.

Catherine has served as curator and director at history museums in Connecticut, director of a Newport-based gallery of historic American fine art, and as an independent fine art appraiser.

Catherine?s interest in birding was revived with a course at the Audubon Society of Rhode Island. She has participated in birding surveys, banding, and research programs. ?Growing up in a pristine natural environment that became over-developed, and later learning how important birds are as indicator species for the health of the planet, gave me a new appreciation for how humans are inextricably linked to the natural world, even as that connection becomes increasingly attenuated. The study of birds has reinforced my belief in the importance of respecting and nurturing the natural world before it is lost."

Thank you, Catherine, for your thoughtful service. Your probing questions helped ensure we are doing our best to protect habitats for wildlife and the ecosystems which support them.

22 | Barrington Land Conservation Trust Annual Report 2023-2024

Cindy has served as the Land Trust?s Executive Director since 2022. During her tenure, she has focused on strengthening the organization, building the Student Stewardship Team, launching the Land Trust Learning Series, expanding outreach, and facilitating donations of land and funds.

She grew up in Barrington and attended Barrington Public Schools. Cindy earned a bachelor ?s degree in writing from Roger Williams University and a Master of Public Affairs from Brown University. She lives in Barrington with her husband Bob. They have two children, Emily and Elizabeth. ?It?s immensely satisfying to work locally on environmental issues that matter to me and my family,? she says. ?Whether I?m leading a guided walk, mentoring students, or bumping into a Land Trust volunteer in the grocery store, I feel connected to my hometown in an immediate and powerful way. I?m honored to be able to make a difference in the place where I grew up.?

Cindy has held leadership positions with the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, Coggeshall Farm Museum, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) of RI, the RI Community Food Bank, and Hospice of Central Florida.

www.BLCT.ORG

Your Gift Preserves Open Space Help us preserve and care for open space in Barrington by making a gift to the Barrington Land Conservation Trust. Every gift counts!

Here are a few ways you can have an impact.

1. GIVE ONLINE:Go to www.blct.org/donate.

2. SEND A CHECK: Make check out to BLCT and mail to: BLCT, PO Box 324, Barrington, RI 02806.

3. DONOR ADVISED FUNDS: We?re listed as Barrington Land Conservation Trust, Inc. 4. DONATE SECURITIES: Our financial advisor, Gunness Financial Services, LLC in Warren, RI, makes donations of stocks and other securities simple and secure. For details, email cindyelder@blct.org or contact Larson Gunness directly at 401-297-2900.

5. BEQUESTS: Emailcindyelder@blct.org or call Cindy at 508-733-2443 for more information or to request a personal meeting.

6. M EM ORIAL AND TRIBUTE GIFTS: Our online giving form allows you to honor a special person, place, or animal with a gift. If you send your donation by mail, please include a note regarding your tribute and the name and address of anyone who should be notified that you have made a gift in their honor.

7. M ATCHING GIFTS: Many employers will match your gift and increase the impact of your contribution.

8. IRAs: Donors age 70 ½ or older can support the Land Trust through IRA Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs). QCDs allow you to make tax-free charitable distributions (up to $100K annually) and lower your taxable income. If you?re age 72 or older, they help you meet your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD). Provide your IRA Trustee with this information: Barrington Land Conservation Trust, Inc., PO Box 324, Barrington, RI 02806. EIN #72-1591150.

9. DONATIONS OF LAND: Most of the land owned by the Barrington Land Conservation Trust has been donated. All offers of property donations are reviewed by the Board?s Acquisitions and Property Committee and must be approved by a vote of the full Board to proceed. To explore property donations, email cindyelder@blct.org or call Cindy at 508-733-2443.

10. VOLUNTEER: Volunteers are the lifeblood of our organization.

Fill out a volunteer information form at www.blct.org/volunteer to let us know your interests. Students age 14+ can sign up for our Student Stewardship Team at www.blct.org/student-stewardship-team.

Email cindyelder@blct.org with questions. Thank you!

23 | Barrington Land Conservation Trust Annual Report 2023-2024

www.BLCT.ORG

Su ppor t er s of t h e Bar r in gt on Lan d Con ser vat ion Tr u st Fiscal Year 2024 (June 1, 2023 ?

May 31, 2024) We are grateful to all of those who have supported the Barrington Land Conservation Trust during the last fiscal year through memberships, donations, sponsorships, grants, and in-kind donations. Our work wouldn?t be possible without you. We also honor members of our Founders?Circle who have made lifetime contributions of $10,000 or more.

Kate and Michael Hamilton

Gif t s f r om $400 - $499

Santander Bank (sponsorship)

Anonymous

Laura Laurence and David Portelli

Victor and Joanna Lerish

Barbara Leasher

Gif t s f r om $1,000 - $1,999

Deirdre and Charles Paul

Humphrey and Faye Maris

E. Jane Carter

Andrea Teichman

Giovanni Cicione

Andries van Dam

Charles E. Millard, Inc. General Contractors (sponsorship)

Cindy and Bob Elder

Richard and Karen Waterman

Lifetime gifts of $10,000 or more Anonymous Linda Chapman

Nancy Mirto

Jonathan and Ruth Fain Alan Flam and Judith Semonoff

Gif t s f r om $300 - $399

Elizabeth Pesce

Barbara Hail

Alexion Pharmaceuticals

Warren and Deborah Prell

Legislative Grant recommended

by Rep. Jason Knight, Sen. Pamela Lauria and Rep. Jennifer Boylan (grant)

Anonymous

Gail and Bob Read

Catherine Boisseau

Michele and Mark Siskind

Spencer Cowles and Deborah Clickner

United Way of Rhode Island

Dr. Charles McCoy and Lory Snady McCoy Dorothy R. McCulloch Fund

Fou n der s Cir cle

Chas A Miller, III

Shaw?s/Star Market (sponsorship) Pamela Stanton and Jack O?Donnell

Elfriede and the late Charles Collis

Helen Tjader

Glenn and Mary Jane Creamer

Bryan McWilliams

Jackie and Manuel Vales

James and Sabra Cregan

Ian and Kerrie Donahue

Elizabeth White and John Hazen White

Meridian Custom Homes, Inc. (sponsorship)

Gif t s f r om $100 - $199

Notable Works, Noreen Inglesi, and Bina Gehres

Joella Adams? in honor of Mike and Katie Spencer

Sarah O'Brien

Jeffery Allen and Susan Darcey-Allen

Alan and Ramona Silk

Robert and Barbara Allio Gif t s f r om $200 - $299

Anonymous (2)

Lawrence Bacher and Susan Payne

Patricia and John Arcari Kevin Baker

William and Tracy Daugherty

Gif t s f r om $500 - $999

Kathryn Beauchamp

The Barako Family

Pamela Faulkner and the late Robert Faulkner

Anonymous

Ellen and Larry Berren

Mars J. and Prudence B. Bishop

BankNewport (sponsorship)

Sarah Fogarty and the late Gerald Fogarty, Jr.

Patricia & Alan Buff

Cathy and Thomas Bledsoe

Peter and Rebecca Burke

Nick & Julia Califano

Ann and Donald Brouillette

Andrew Curtis

Mary and Jeff Caplin

Charles and Virginia Brown

Norman Dudziak, Jr. & Damaris Rohsenow

Christian and Cheryl Christiansen

Cambria Family

Sarah Fogarty and the late Gerald Fogarty, Jr.

John Cregan

Bill and Jill Caskey

Complements Art Gallery

Peter and Margaret Caton

Gary and Paula D'Ambra

Charles and Kay Chapin

Joseph and Mary D?Arrigo

Linda Chapman

Stan Dimock

Samuel and Eszter Chase

Michelle Denault and Mark Palmer

Bob Chew

Kimberly and Bradford Dimeo

Janet Coit and Peter Regan

Gay Egan and Ed Ionata

Harry and Skooky Collins

Pamela Faulkner

Elfriede Collis

Tim Faulkner

James and Sabra Cregan

Claudia Ferro

Gary D. Curtis

Anne and Robert Hall Dorothy McCulloch and the late Norman E. McCulloch Richard and Barbara McWhirter Virginia Soutter Barbara Spicer* Helen Tjader

Deborah and Neil Greenspan Gunness Financial Services, LLC (sponsorship) Michelle M. Jacques

* deceased

Frederick Mattis Saundra McMillan

Gif t s f r om $6,000+ Ronald Russo

Cheryl and Paul Mincone Joseph and Patricia Mundy

Cynthia Capra

Lisbeth Chew

Fields Pond Foundation (grant)

Prickly Ed?s Cactus Patch and Native Plant Emporium (sponsorship)

Leiter Family Foundation (grant)

Debra Provolo

Meghan Frost

Theresa M. DeCoste

Harris and Julianne Galkin

Gif t s f r om $4,000 - $4,999

Carol Dizio

Joyce Greene

Anne and Max Makowsky

Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (grant)

Melissa and Dan Horne

Carol Dorros and Boris Skurkovich

Richard and Barbara McWhirter

John and Gail Sampieri

Cynthia and John Hughes

Eric Dow

Lynne Seacord and David Mehl

Chris and Paula Downs

Gif t s f r om $5,000 - $5,999

Gif t s f r om $3,000 -$3,999

Charlotte Sornborger

Cindy Larson Moura and Ed Moura

Natural Resource Conservation Service, USDA (grant)

Bob Speaker

Jaffe Orthodontics (sponsorship)

E Jenny K Flanagan

Duncan and Annette Sutherland

Four Town Farms

Alison and Charles Townsend

Cheryl King and Bernard Zimmermann

Elizabeth Welch and Stephen Glinick

Audrey Kupchan and Samuel Havens

Mary Gold

Gif t s f r om $2,000 - $2,999 New England Grassroots Fund (grant)

24 | Barrington Land Conservation Trust Annual Report 2023-2024

Sally Easton

Barbara and Steven Fuller Virginia and Jerry Gonville www.BLCT.ORG

Laura Young and Frank Cummings

Alexandra Dissanayake

Weayonnoh Nelson-Davies

Jacqueline Tessa Draper and Paul Patrick Joyce

Peter and Barbara Niekerk

John S. and Betsy Harker

Gif t s u p t o $99

Erik and Katie Egge

Nancy Gregg O'Brien

Francis and Joy Hearn

Susan Adamowicz

Elizabeth Elder

Kerry O'Neil

Mark Hilty and Maryanne Noris

Katie Almeida Spencer

Maria Escorial Briso-Montiano

Gina and Andy Hodgkin

Madeline Anderson

John Fitta

Christina Lund Orciuch and Chester Orciuch

Sara Sampieri Horvet and Alexander Horvet

Anonymous (8)

Lizeth Garcia Garcia

Don and Lisa Parrott

Jane Austin

Louis and Irene Gerbi

Alice Paul

Lorena and Christopher Houseworth

Victoria Antonucci

Susan and Lawrence Ginsberg

David Pinkham

Linda and David Bainer

Heather and Billy Glassner

June and Roy Poses

Frank Robert Huisking

Robert and Anna Barako

Myles Glatter

Michael Rayner

Sandra Jones

Elizabeth B. Barker

Barbara Glucksman

Andrew and Jennifer Reich

Nancy Karraker

Brenda Barrett

Lindsay Green

Kelly and Benjamin Reiss

Nancy Kellman-Maddocks and Richard Maddocks

Joan and Robert Batting

Jacqueline Guerra Lofgren

Charles and Mary Beth Riotto

David Beal

Joan and James Haas

Deirdre Robinson

Teresa Kellogg

Susan Beck

Phoebe Hall

Beth and Anthony Rondeau

Karen Kemp

Marjorie Becker

Nina and Richard Harrison

Raymond and Lillian Rose

Bill and Carol Kirkpatrick

James Belleman

Robert and Katie Hart

Andrea Ross

Susan and Jude Kostas

Louise Bermon

Julie & Clyde Haworth

Teresa Sarli

Jay and Linda Lamb

Erin Biebuyck

Amy Herlihy

Kate Sayles

Steve and Patty Lang

Christy and Kevin Blanchard

Nancy Hetherington

Nancy J. Simon

Becky Levick

Dr. Lawrence and Susan Bowen

Holly Holmes

Margaret Slane

Karl Machata

Steve Boyajian

Michael and Charron Holtzman

David and Elizabeth Small

Dr Philip and Niamh Maddock

Representative Jennifer Boylan

David Hruska

Margaret M Small

Paul and Ginny Mahoney

Alan Bradbury Jessica Bradley

Bonnie Grassie Hughes and Dennis Hughes

Ginger Stabach

Duncan Maio Deb Matson

Martha and Richard Brooks

Kathryn Hyams

Virginia Streeter

Peter and Susan McCalmont

Domenic and Catherine Carbone

Jessica Jacoby Lemos

Leslie Tatar

Bob and Lynn Kelly

Joshua Taub

Dr. Michael and Mrs. Sharon Monsour and Family

Michelle Carr

Norma and Paul Taubman

Emanuel Carvalho

Lisa Keswick and Eduardo Borges

Laura Murphy

Marie Casavant

Linda Khamsyvoravong

Beverly Nichols

Florence Chatowsky

Allan and Linda Klepper

Cindy Pierce and Josh Lamb

Stan and Sally Chamberlain

Denise Kmetzo

Ron Pitt

Kristen and Wellington Chin

Jane Anne Knight

Philip and Tracey Rizzuto

Mark and Mina Cladis

Marc Kuchner

Diane and Gregory Sanborn

Barbara Lamont

Nancy & Edward Schottland

Candace Clavin and Christopher Rein

Dianna Shaw

Peter and Mary Clifford

Christina Larisa

Meg Shinkle

Lorraine and Chris Conti

Barrie and Mary Lee

Rock and Anne Singewald

Bethany Couto

Derek & Louise Lightbown

Carol Solimene

Moyne Cubbage

Melina Lodge

Richard & Elizabeth Staples

Christine Cuthbertson

Marilyn and Patrick Malone

Philip and Susan Stockwell

Davy Cutts

Carole Marshall

The Gob Shop (sponsorship)

Denise Dangremond

Paola Martinez

John Treat

Michele and Leon Danish

Kara Massie

Nancy Tripp

Mare Davis

Barbara Masterson

In Kin d Gif t s

William and Nancy Tsiaras

Danielle De la Monja

Douglas and Carolyn Materne

Peter Burke

Janet Tumber

Andrew De Vito

Tina McCurdy

Beverly Nichols

Roy Wedeles

Patricia Deal

Heather McMordie

Lenny Rumpler

Scott and Kate Weymouth

Teresa DeFlitch

Lisa Miles

Vince Wicker and Maura Contrata

Renee Demello

Ann Miller

Penny Dennehy

Kristin Winoker

Eileen and Paul Dennis

Sydney & Michael Monstream-Quas

Leslie Whittle Goodwin Mary Grover Robert and Anne "Robin" Hall

Saundra McMillan

25 | Barrington Land Conservation Trust Annual Report 2023-2024

Jill Lancaster

Richard Noto

Stop & Shop

Amanda Thacher-Soares Steven and Deborah Thurston Sandra Tinyk Judith Titzel Arlene Treacy-Montgomery Liz Tuohey and Jay Fogarty Jean Twomey Lora Urbanelli and William Rae Stephen and Dianne Venuti Melissa Vernon Karen Weber Allison Wilbur Ernest and Pauline Woods, Jr. Sandra Wyatt Li-Ling Yang

www.BLCT.ORG

Russo Gift Fuels Land Trust Scholarships The Barrington Land Conservation Trust awarded three $500 scholarships in May to graduating seniors at Barrington High School who made significant contributions to environmental work in the last year. This was made possible by Barrington resident Ronald Russo, who funded the scholarships for these outstanding seniors.

Phineas has been in the Scouts since 5th grade. He chose the project because he loves the natural environment at Osamequin, particularly the osprey. He discovered Osamequin when his older brother built the bird outlook there for his Eagle Scout project.

taking the first semester off to work at a farm in Costa Rica.

Noah Hor ow it z

Lau r ie Gar cia

Ph in eas St abach

Laurie Garcia has been an active volunteer for four years at the Barrington Farm School.

The Farm School operates on property acquired by the Barrington Land Conservation Trust.

Phineas Stabach, a member of Boy Scout Troop 2, built a hand-shingled information kiosk at Osamequin Nature Preserve. The impressive project fulfilled the community service requirement for attaining Eagle Scout rank, which also involves earning 21 merit badges, taking on leadership roles, and displaying outdoor skills.

"She has done every task on the farm with vegetables and flowers," says Gail Read, President of the Farm School. "Her enthusiastic nature made her a standout with volunteers of all ages. For her senior project , she used social media to create fundraising videos for the Farm, which was enormously helpful."

Noah Horowitz selected the Land Trust for his senior project at Barrington High School.

He focused on learning about invasive plants on our conservation properties.

Noah visited Osamequin Nature Preserve with Stewardship Chair Victor Lerish and met with Executive Director Cindy Elder to discuss his research. He participated on our Student Stewardship Team, helping to maintain trails and remove invasive plants at St. Andrews Farm.

His final project detailed the characteristics of Autumn Olive and Russian Olive. Future students can build on his research to expand our understanding of both native and invasive plants on our properties.

Laurie will attend Middlebury College. She is

Rep. Jennifer Boylan (center, in pink) presents a legislative grant for $2,500 to Executive Director Cindy Elder and volunteers with the Barrington Land Conservation Trust?s Tuesday Trails Team and Student Stewardship Team.

26 | Barrington Land Conservation Trust Annual Report 2023-2024

www.BLCT.ORG

The open spaces preserved by the Barrington Land Conservation Trust lie within the ancestral homelands of the Pokanoket people, who have lived in what we now call the East Bay for thousands of years. They have long been thoughtful stewards of this place we call home. We aspire to their example by honoring and protecting the natural resources around us.

27 | Barrington Land Conservation Trust Annual Report 2023-2024

www.BLCT.ORG

NONPROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE

PAID BARRINGTON, RI

PO BOX 324 BARRI NGTON, RI 02806

PERM IT NO. 35

The Barrington Land Conservation Trust protects and stewards our local natural, scenic, and historic open spaces. We advocate for protection of these lands and educate the public about these resources.

St ay in f or m ed an d con n ect w it h t h e BLCT on lin e:

www.BLCT.org BarringtonLCT barringtonLCT cindyelder@blct.org 508-733-2443

The Barrington Land Conservation Trust is recognized as a tax-exempt organization by the IRS under Section 501(c)(3), EIN #72-1591150.

28 | Barrington Land Conservation Trust Annual Report 2023-2024

www.BLCT.ORG