BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Nicholas J. Stahl, President
Linda Griffin, Vice President
Gail Mallard, Vice President for Acquisitions
Gerard Gorman, Treasurer
David C. Hannon, Secretary
Jennifer Brinton
Polly Chorlton
Bill McKendree
Joseph Miceli
Deirdre O’Connor
Stephanie Raia
David Rathbun
Steven Ruzzo
Kate Smith
Jeffrey Walker
Harvey C. Perry II, Director Emeritus
STAFF
Jennifer Fusco, Executive Director
Lauren Barber
Conservation Programs Manager
Marc Doherty
Land Stewardship Manager
Erika Lebling, Director of Development
Emma Stahl
Conservation Programs Coordinator
Colleen Sullivan Accountant
The Westerly Land Trust’s Annual Meeting is open to all members. Join us at Barlow Nature Preserve on Thursday, December 4 from 5:30-7:30pm as we recap 2025 and share plans for 2026. To RSVP, please email Erika at elebling@westerlylandtrust.org or call 401.315.2610.
MILESTONES:
The foundation of my life’s work wasn’t built in a classroom; it was shaped in the swamp. I spent countless days of my childhood exploring the woods and wetlands behind my childhood home in Westerly, a world defined by the thrill of lifting logs to search for salamanders, netting slippery pollywogs, and listening to the chorus of spring peepers from my bedroom window on summer nights. This hands-on, unfiltered exploration taught me more about the natural world than any classroom ever could, instilling in me the value of conservation well before I even knew what that meant.
Years later, the first time I set out to monitor properties for WLT, I realized my journey had brought me full circle. Assessing the perimeter of Mastuxet Brook North, I came upon a familiar stone wall, and it struck me – this was the wall behind my family’s home. I was standing in the very same wetlands that were my earliest sanctuary, this time as an official steward. I often reflect on how differently things could have gone; the woods and waters that shaped my youth could easily have been lost, had it not been for a dedicated group of individuals who worked tirelessly to conserve them.
My pride stems from working for the organization that secured not only this special place, but many more acres throughout our community. Now, our mission extends beyond mere preservation to include inspiration. It is my sincere hope that the next generation gets to experience that same spark of discovery that I did beyond that stone wall. By giving every child the opportunity to get their hands dirty exploring the wild world, we ensure those hands will be strong, capable and motivated to protect these special places long into the future.
Jennifer Fusco, Executive Director
STEP INTO THE WESTERLY LAND TRUST STORY
As a nonprofit organization, the Westerly Land Trust empowers members and donors to create meaningful change in ways that resonate personally. Behind every protected acre, every stewarded mile of trail, and every inspired young mind is someone like you—committed to making a difference in our community.
When you give, you become part of our shared story. The woods where you walk your dog? You are helping ensure they’re protected for generations to come. That busload of eager students heading off to explore Barlow Nature Preserve? Their adventure—and those smiles—are possible because of you.
Step into this story by making your gift today. Visit westerlylandtrust.org or use the QR code to make a onetime donation or set up sustaining recurring gifts. Prefer to give by mail? You can send a check to PO Box 601, Westerly, RI 02891.
Thank you for leading the way! Your generosity helps protect what matters most.
WLT ACQUIRES 129.3 ACRES FROM THE NATURE CONSERVANCY
In September 2025, The Nature Conservancy of RI (TNCRI) generously donated two parcels of land to the Westerly Land Trust. The two tracts have added a cumulative 129.3 acres to the nearby 423.7-acre Crandall Family Preserve, bringing WLT’s current land holdings to 1,956 acres.
The Crandall Family Preserve is at the center of the Aguntaug Swamp, one of the largest freshwater wetland systems in Rhode Island, and an important groundwater resource and flood control area for the Pawcatuck River.
This transfer of land from one conservation organization to another allows for homogeneity in management goals and stewardship practices within a given area. This donation reflects the deep trust The Nature Conservancy places in the Westerly Land Trust to steward these parcels for generations to come—an honor WLT proudly accepts.
BRINGING ELOISE HOME: RELOCATING A MEMORIAL TO SUNNYACRES PRESERVE
In July, siblings Ellen, Sarah, and Bob Madison met with the Westerly Land Trust to propose relocating their aunt Eloise Saunders’ memorial stone from Burlingame State Park to the Sunnyacres Preserve on South Woody Hill Road — land their family has cherished for generations.
In 2016, Ellen Madison partnered with WLT to permanently protect 18.5 acres of the historic Saunders Farm, which had been in the family since 1857. That act of conservation established the Sunnyacres Preserve, which has since expanded to 35.5 acres.
Eloise Saunders was originally memorialized by the Audubon Society of Rhode Island in June 1989 with a large stone birdbath and plaque placed at Burlingame State Park, honoring her support of the Kimball Wildlife Refuge within. However, the Madison family felt that the Sunnyacres Preserve — where Eloise had been the last resident — was a more fitting and personal location. Eloise never married and throughout her life, she stayed close to the farm. Her memoir, SUNNYACRES, offers a unique, personal account of subsistence farming and everyday life in the early twentieth century.
WLT quickly took action, beginning with a review by the Stewardship Committee and securing permission from RIDEM, which manages Burlingame. From there, a section of WLT’s CCC (Coffee and Clearing Club) led by Dave Prigmore got to work and made the relocation happen.
Today, Eloise’s memorial rests on her family’s beloved land at Sunnyacres Preserve. “I appreciate everyone who made this run so smoothly,” Ellen Madison said. “We are all so grateful.”
Photo credits: Jim Natale
Left: Eloise Saunders at Woody Hill Road
INSPIRING THE NEXT GENERATION
LIVING LABORATORIES
While WLT has prioritized environmental education since 2016, this fall marks the 5-year anniversary of Living Laboratories, our outdoor, hands-on, afterschool experiences geared towards K-4th grade Westerly Public School students and created to respond to the social and emotional needs of our community’s youth during the pandemic. These programs still prove to be vital, and, thanks to generous community support, they are all free of charge and include transportation, ensuring every student who wants to attend, can. In 2025, students engaged in the following lessons: Pollinators and Planting, Watersheds and Wildlife, Habitat Hunters, and Wacky Weather
FIELD TRIPS
WLT has created field trips for elementary and middle school grades, in which the curriculum dovetails with the students’ classroom lessons, so they can experience firsthand what they have learned at their desks.
HOMESCHOOL
One year ago this fall, WLT embarked on a journey to connect with homeschooled K-8th graders, mirroring Living Laboratories. This program continues to grow and blossom.
STORY TIME IN THE GARDEN
In August at Barlow Nature Preserve, WLT hosted Story Time in the Garden, a reading series inviting children and families to connect with nature through stories and play.
In the end, we will conserve only what we love; and we will understand only what
Think back to your childhood. Did you flip over rocks to discover what creatures burrowed beneath? Did you climb trees limb by limb, reaching towards the top? Did you gaze up at stars or out into the sea wondering what’s out there?
Chances are, your commitment to protecting the environment today was informed by outdoor experiences, exploration, and adventures in your youth. At some point in your life, a connection was made with the natural world, and a relationship was forged. This is what the Westerly Land Trust strives to do through our youth outdoor education programming.
FARM SQUAD
In Summer 2025, WLT hosted eight sessions of Farm Squad, a fourweek educational series for children ages 5–10 at the Barlow Nature Preserve. Twenty-five returning students—mostly from Springbrook, State Street, and Dunns Corners schools—took part in immersive and interactive learning led by the WLT Education Team. During three-hour sessions twice a week, students explored gardening, pollinators, composting, soil health, biodiversity, and hydroponics in our children’s garden, modeled after nearby Frontier Farm and Echo Rock Flowers. New this year, WLT introduced Scientists & Stewards Meet & Greets, featuring guest educators. Dr. Rachael Bonoan of Providence College taught about local pollinators, Kain Bonneau of Jolly Greens gave lessons on growing microgreens, and WLT’s Sustainable Farm Intern Ella Anderson shared sound agricultural practices. Farm Squad concluded with a family picnic, where students proudly shared their garden and harvest with their caregivers.
WLT EXPANDS INTO PRESCHOOLS
With the belief that it’s never too early to connect with nature, WLT expanded its 2025 curriculum to include preschoolers. Educators visited Littlebrook Childcare Development Center, Cadence Academy, and Trinity Lutheran Preschool to lead nature crafts and introduce exploration tools like binoculars and bug vacuums—the youngest participant was just 17 months old!
GENERATION OF CONSERVATIONISTS
love; we will love only what we understand; what we are taught. ~Baba Dioum
Youth education doesn’t stop at elementary school. Here are some inspiring ways WLT is helping high school and college students shape their educational paths:
The Southeastern New England Educational and Charitable (SNEC) Foundation sponsored two internship positions at WLT in 2025, ensuring these students would be compensated for their work, while gaining real-world experience in their fields of study.
QUINCY ROME of Appalachian State University, Conservation Programs Intern Quincy assisted with the creation and delivery of youth environmental curriculum. “There is no better way to raise an environmentally conscious citizen than to expose them to nature at a young age and prioritize fun while doing it.”
ELLA ANDERSON of UCONN, Sustainable Farming Intern Ella supported Frontier Farm and Echo Rock Flowers, the two farms at the Barlow Nature Preserve. She learned, “sustainable practices including responsible land stewardship, no tiling, in ground raised beds, the use of cover crops, watering systems, natural fertilizers, pest prevention, and more.”
WILL WHOLEAN of Clark University was WLT’s 2024 SNEC Conservation Programs Intern. He returned in 2025, this time as our Stewardship Intern, directing his attention towards removing invasive plant species at Champlin Farm Preserve and tending the Barlow Nature Preserve’s Foundation Plot. Will also conducted a trail camera study at Champlin Farm Preserve to document types of local wildlife. This study will serve as baseline data as WLT stewards this property. To read Will’s full report, including methodology and findings, please visit www.bit.ly/CFPTrailCam
Through a partnership with Westerly High School, students can gain experiential knowledge while earning school credit. Brady Casady joined us in Fall 2024 and is back in 2025 for his senior year. Combining his medical career aspirations with his love for nature, Brady is studying how the environment can benefit our mental and physical health. This fall, WLT has also welcomed Joe Conti, a WHS senior, who is tackling land stewardship projects, and WLT will be the beneficiary of Felicity Orlando’s Senior Project, in which she’ll raise funds through hand-designed prints and tote bags featuring native plants.
WLT looks forwards to expanding this partnership with Westerly High School through internships, community service, senior projects, and elective classes.
In 2025, Westerly Land Trust has forged new educational partnerships with the following organizations:
THESE OLD WOODS: THE BARRED OWL
BY MARC DOHERTY, LAND STEWARDSHIP MANAGER
During our October Hunter’s Moon hike at Champlin Farm Preserve, I led a small group down the blue trail through late-day light. Before turning on the white trail, a large bird silently swooped through the yellow-tinged green of the early fall understory. Creeping forward and squinting, I confirmed the identity of the silent swooper—a healthy barred owl, now perched ten feet up a bent sapling. As the rest of the group locked onto the owl’s position, the crepuscular raptor stayed put long enough for everyone to register its mottled brown and white plumage.
Bumping into a barred owl (Strix varia) in our dense deciduous forest is a relatively regular occurrence, as far as owl sightings go. You may even spot one during the day out on a chipmunk hunt, and I’m sure most have heard their classic call or at least its mnemonic—who cooks, who cooks for you all! Barred owls are considered a generalist species, meaning they are adaptable to a variety of habitat and prey types, but typically prefer mature wooded bottomlands. They are also total homebodies—in the East, fledglings travel a few miles to find their own territories and, once established, home ranges are small, typically only 200 to 400 acres (Livezey 2007). In our region, barred owls and redshouldered hawks often coexist in the same habitat—red-shouldered hawks take the day shift, while the barred owl hunts by night. Because the hawks are migratory and their breeding seasons don’t overlap, the two species might even share the same nest!
CHAMPLIN FARM PRESERVE: ONE YEAR
For one year now, we’ve been basking in the honeymoon phase with the Champlin Farm Preserve—and that glow shows no signs of fading. These 90 acres are, simply put, magical. With CCC hard at work blazing trails, clearing a parking area, and installing a kiosk, the Champlin Farm Preserve is now open for business—and that business is peacefully wandering through the woods, wondering Who built these stone walls? Or was that the same barred owl Marc saw?
Over the past twelve months, the Westerly Land Trust has welcomed visitors to the Champlin Farm Preserve through a variety of special events: the property’s inaugural Thursday Hike, our President’s Circle Reception, the Mini Bioblitz, and the Hunter’s Moon Hike. Each visit offered something new—a testament to the diversity and everchanging nature of this landscape.
If you haven’t been yet, now’s the time. You’ll find it at 64 Boombridge Road. GPS-powered trail maps are live at westerlylandtrust.org. But if you’d like a personal tour, just ask. Clearly we can’t get enough of this special place.
Historically, barred owls ranged up and down eastern North America, but in the late 19th century, they began expanding their range westward through Canada, eventually reaching the forests of the Pacific Northwest. This expansion led to competition with a close relative, the threatened northern spotted owl (Strix occidentalis var. caurina). As a generalist, the barred owl outcompetes the spotted owl, furthering its demise and warranting management of western barred populations.
A walk at Champlin Farm Preserve at dusk might give you a chance to say hello to our very same owl friend -- just remember to tread lightly and keep your eyes peeled!
A team explores the Pawcatuck River during the MiniBioBlitz
WLT’s President Circle gets a first glimpse at Champlin Farm Preserve.
VOLUNTEER CORNER: BOB SEGAL
Bob Segal, an avid runner, discovered the Westerly Land Trust four years ago while in town for a trail race hosted by the Westerly Track and Athletic Club at Wahaneeta Preserve. There, Jeff Walker—WLT Board member and WTAC President—welcomed participants and highlighted the strong partnership between the two organizations. “If I’m going to run on the trails, at least I can help maintain them,” Bob said of his decision to join WLT’s Tuesday morning volunteer group, the Coffee and Clearing Club (CCC). “I feel like I should give back.”
A Providence resident, Bob is WLT’s furthest-commuting regular volunteer. “I think that’s the reason they awarded me the orange cap!” Bob joked.
In truth, Bob earned his (now sun-bleached) orange CCC cap through the many hours he’s spent stewarding Westerly Land Trust properties. His love for the outdoors goes back to childhood. “I always went out into the woods. Even if we lived in the suburbs, I would find the nearest creek or forest,” he recalled. There, he would search for all sorts of critters—frogs, turtles, snakes— and bring them home in his pockets.
Fast forward to present day, Bob is retired from a career as a technical editor and writer, so he’s able to spread his time among several conservation organizations. “I’m older and wiser now. It’s not about taking from nature; it’s about leaving and preserving.”
In addition to the Westerly Land Trust, Bob volunteers at Blackstone Parks Conservancy and Roger Williams Park, both in Providence. In doing so, he has amassed a great deal of knowledge of plants, specifically invasive species. “I now have a nice balance of knowledge that is not so heavily weighted in the animal kingdom.”
Bob shared a story of visiting a friend’s house in Massachusetts and realizing that 75% of their backyard consisted of black swallow wort, a highly invasive plant harmful to monarch butterflies. “I spent four hours removing it!” he laughed, a testament to his unwavering commitment to conservation.
When Bob first joined CCC, veteran volunteers Sheilia Beattie and Dick Holliday, along with Land Stewardship Manager Marc Doherty, showed him the ropes. Today, confident in his stewardship skills, Bob mentors newer members. “This group is very welcoming. I love this crew!”
The feeling is mutual, Bob!
2025 FARM DINNER
On September 13, WLT welcomed 184 guests to the return of the Farm Dinner at Barlow Nature Preserve, celebrating five years as our headquarters and home base. The evening overflowed with community spirit as Chef Julian Elfedayni-Connell and his team from Tin Peddler and Barbary Coast crafted a delicious, farm-inspired menu. Heartfelt thanks to the South County Tourism Council, our 2025 Presenting Sponsor, our Corporate Sponsors, 40+ volunteers, and every guest who helped further WLT’s mission through their reservations.
PRESENTING SPONSOR
RIVER SPONSOR
EVERGREEN SPONSORS
EAGLE SPONSORS
HERON SPONSORS
The Clarion Group
Ed French & Son, Inc
Ginger’s Service Station
Miceli’s Furniture
Printing Plus
Professional Planning Group
Seaside Pharmacy
Urso, Liguori & Micklich
Valenti Family of Dealerships
Watch Hill Garage
BLUEBIRD SPONSORS
BarreCoast
Broadview Florist and Garden Center
First Financial Advisory Services
The Hotel Maria
McQuade’s Ace Hardware
Napatree Capital
Pat’s Power Equipment
Premier Physical Therapy
Schilke Realty
THE WESTERLY LAND TRUST
PO Box 601, Westerly, RI 02891-0601
401.315.2610 • www.westerlylandtrust.org
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
Printed locally on recycled paper
Cover photo by Emma Stahl
Westerly Land Trust Wreaths
UPCOMING EVENTS
Scan the QR Code to the right for our full calendar.
Crandall Family Preserve, Saturday, November 22, 8:30-10:30am Wear your favorite flannel shirt and join us for a hike through Fall’s colorful foliage.
Wahaneeta Preserve, Friday, November 28, 10am-1pm Walk off your Thanksgiving feast in Wahaneeta Preserve!
Barlow Nature Preserve, Thursday, December 4, 5:30-7:30pm
The Westerly Land Trust’s Annual Meeting is open to all members. Join us as we recap 2025 and share plans for 2026. To RSVP, email Erika at elebling@westerlylandtrust.org or call 401.315.2610.
Regular guided hikes run Thursday mornings at various locations all over Rhode Island and Southeastern Connecticut. Check westerlylandtrust.org for the complete schedule.
When you make a donation to the Westerly Land Trust at Gray Goose Cookery, they will sharpen your knives…Just in time for turkey carving!
This holiday season, adorn your door with a wreath handcrafted by WLT staff and volunteers using local evergreen branches foraged from WLT properties. Stay tuned to westerlylandtrust.org and our social media for updates on how to reserve yours. Wreaths will be ready for pick up the first week of December.
Westerly Land Trust Notecards
Thanks to the incredible submissions from local photographers in our 2025 Photo Contest, we’re putting together sets of beautiful notecards featuring WLT landscapes. Soon, you’ll be able to share your favorite views with friends and family around the world.
Flannel in the Forest
Turkey Trot
Annual Meeting
Thursday Hikes
Knife Sharpening at Gray Goose Cookery