A busy and productive year for Seekonk Land Trust

Land acquisition! Trail walks! Workdays! Photo contests! Educational enrichment!

Since 1967, SLCT has preserved over 700 acres through acquisition and conservation restrictions, and in recent years assisted in many more land preservation successes with the Town’s Community Preservation Committee. These preserved properties enrich our daily lives and enhance what remains of the beautiful rural character of Seekonk.

This year the SLCT assisted a long-time resident who generously donated 13 acres to the Land Trust, adding to the adjacent 40 acres previously protected through a conservation restriction. We recently accepted another gift of 4 acres on Greenwood Ave which abuts other Land Trust properties. We are also continuing to participate in formulating plans to preserve Seekonk’s agricultural heritage and to develop additional walking trails and athletic fields for the 40-acre Medeiros Family Farm acquired by the town in 2023.

Honored at our Annual Meeting, Sarah Newkirk received the Mary C. Wilson Conservation Award for her work as Farm Manager of Osamequin Farm, “a non-profit educational space and working farm committed to preserving land and sharing it with farmers and neighbors for generations to come”. SLCT is cooperating with Sarah, Osamequin Farm, and the Town to raise funds to link walking trails from the Turner property on Read St. to trails within the 200+ acres at Osamequin and adjacent SLCT properties.

Jessie Blackledge, our Stewardship Coordinator, brings her abundant organizational skills and enthusiasm to SLCT activities furthering our mission of promoting conservation, stewardship, environmental awareness. Throughout 2024 activities have included:

~ Collaboration with Rehoboth Land Trust to conduct a winter native seed planting event and winter woodland walk at Osamequin Farm.

~ Earth Day cleanup at Martin Wildlife Refuge and other Land Trust properties. This cleanup occurs with the valued assistance of our Stewardship Coordinator, Seekonk Scout Troop 1 and other community volunteers.

~ Meeting with Pokanoket tribal members exploring mutual interests in preserving wildlife and stewarding land.

~ Three nature photo walks on Land Trust properties supporting the Library’s annual Nature Photo Contest. And, an award presentation for Nature Photo Contest winners at the Seekonk Library.

~ Workday at Cushing Conservation Area spreading wood chips on newly installed trails with help from Seekonk Scouts and their parents, and at SLCT’s Allen Avenue property clearing trails with volunteers.

~ Having been awarded grants from the USDA, National Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), SLCT will develop forestry plans for conservation of wooded land on three Land Trust properties. These plans will be the basis for obtaining further funding for stewardship of these properties.

The Land Trust also continues to promote local environmental education through our Mini-Grant Program for Seekonk public school teachers. Grants provide funding for environmental education programs for their students. Recent grants funded a visit by Mrs. Borden’s AP Environmental Science class to the RI Resource Recovery landfill and to the wastewater treatment center at Fields Point in Providence. Ms. Hopkins and other third grade teachers from Martin Elementary were awarded funding for a Caratunk Wildlife Refuge nature hike led by a RI Audubon naturalist. The SLCT also awards an annual grant to the library’s Environmental Resource Center for materials and programs.

Please check our website www.seekonklandtrust.org for pictures, news, events and strategies for preserving land. Sign up for our newsletter, and we will notify you of upcoming events. Look for us and follow us on facebook.

We look forward to the year ahead and invite you to join us in the effort to preserve the beauty of nature that enhances our lives in Seekonk. The enclosed envelope gives options for supporting the work of the Land Trust. You may also choose to DONATE through our website via PayPal.

In the meantime, we extend the best of holiday greetings to you and your family and our thanks for your continued support!