The Westerly Land Trust

👀Check out what’s happening in the first month of 2023! 🎆
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🥾Thursday Hike @ Grills Preserve, Bradford

Join hike leader Janice Fifer on January 5th to explore this beautiful preserve. Fluorescent orange is required!Thursday hikes are FREE but sign ups are required.
📸: Deborah Pendola
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🐦January 5th is National Bird Day!

Birds help keep our ecosystems running smoothly! They are essential for pollination, seed dispersal, pest control and so much more!🪺 Check back on our socials for a little National Bird Day celebration!
📸: Northern Cardinal by Jim Burke
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🐝Beginner Bekeeping Workshop

Join Cail Calder of Westerbee honey aka “The Beeman”, on January 10th to learn the basics of beekeeping, while enjoying 🍯 themed refreshments. Workshop is $25.00 per person which Cail has generously pledged to donate to WLT.
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🔥🪵Friday by the Fire

Join us on January 13th at the hidden gem of Crandall Preserve. It may be the dead of winter, but let’s walk, talk and warm our souls with a guided hike, fire, and good eats. This hike is free for members and $10 for non-members. Sign ups are required!
📸: Rene Dion

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🥾Thursday hike @ Flora Whitely/ Cottrell

Join hike leader and WLT’s very own Marc Doherty on January 19th for a moderate woods walk at two of our scenic properties along the Pawcatuck River. Thursday hikes are FREE but sign ups are required.

Follow the 🔗 in our bio to our Calendar of Events to sign up and gain more information about each WLT event.

🔪 Many thanks to for sharpening our community’s knives throughout 2022. So many knives, in fact, that they had to order a new machine! This complimentary service was offered to anyone who made a gift to the Westerly Land Trust while in their store. Gray Goose Cookery, thank you for your generosity and for keeping Westerly’s open spaces protected (and knives sharp!).

At 4:48pm today we celebrate the Winter Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere. Being tilted furthest from the sun, we’ll have the shortest amount of daylight and the longest, darkest night. 🌅

While it is a time of darkness, a time to rest and reflect, it also represents a shift in direction towards warmth and light. Some consider this time one of rebirth.

Today we wish you peace in the darkness and comfort in the knowledge of brighter days ahead. 🌞



📸: Thanks to Rene Dion for submitting this picture of Grills Preserve to the 2022 calendar photo contest!

Buzz, Buzz! Upcoming event alert!🚨🐝👀

Interested in becoming a beekeeper and harvesting your own honey, but not sure where to get started?

🐝Join Cail Calder of Westerbee honey aka “The Beeman”, to learn the basics of beekeeping, while enjoying 🍯 themed refreshments at Barlow Nature Preserve on January 10th @ 5:30 PM! Cail will walk you through how to start your own hive and how to keep them alive!

Workshop is $25.00 per person which Cail has generously pledged to donate to WLT.

👀 for a last minute holiday gift? It’d be oh so sweet to gift this workshop! 🍯

Follow the link in our bio to sign up!

🦃 Happy Thanksgiving from the Westerly Land Trust family to yours. Thank you to this community for continuing to support the protection of Westerly’s green spaces. We hope your day is filled with family and friends, delicious food, and perhaps a walk in the woods.

🚨👀Upcoming events alert!🧣❄️ For more information on the following events click the 🔗 in our bio!

🔬Part research symposium, part happy hour🥂, part honey tasting🍯… how could this not be fun? Get to know the students and faculty that makeup Providence College’s Pollinator Lab. 🐝🦋 Thursday, November 17th from 5:30-7:30 PM @ Barlow Nature Preserve.

❄️It’s holiday wreath time!! This holiday season, adorn your front door with a hand-crafted wreath made from locally harvested foliage🌲. Proceeds will benefit Westerly Land Trust’s conservation efforts.

🌳The Westerly Land Trust invites all members to gather at Barlow Nature Preserve 🏠 on Saturday, December 3rd at 9am for the Annual Meeting. We will meet under the newly constructed pavilion, discuss current and future business, and then take a hike on Barlow’s trails, weather dependent.🥾

❄️Embrace the colder weather and join us for a guided hike followed by a fire and seasonal refreshments. 🔥🍾Join hike leader, Personal Trainer/ Medical Exercise Specialist, and amazing cook, Donna Anderson, along with WLT hike guides for a Holiday Hike. Sunday, December 11th @ Grills Preserve.

🥾December is the perfect time for a guided hike through WLT Glacier Park. 🧊Glacier Park lies within the watershed of the nationally designated Wood-Pawcatuck Wild and Scenic Rivers. Learn why this watershed received this special title, explore the glacial terrain and get a closer look at the diverse ecosystem. ⛰️ Tuesday, December 13th @ 12:30 PM @ Dr. John Champlin Glacier Park.

🌅Thanks to the photographers who submitted their work to the 2022 Photo Contest, we have a beautiful compilation of Westerly Land Trust images in our 2023 Calendar! 🗓️Order yours now! Proceeds will directly benefit the very places you see featured within (and then some).

Please follow the 🔗 in our bio to order your calendar and wreath and to register for the WLT Annual Meeting.  Please direct any questions to Erika at [email protected]

📸: Thanks to Rene Dion for submitting the picture of Grills Preserve (used on slide 6 in the lineup) to the 2022 Photo Contest!

It’s holiday wreath time!! The Westerly Land Trust elves are readying the workshop. This holiday season, adorn your front door with a hand-crafted wreath made from locally harvested foliage. Proceeds will benefit Westerly Land Trust’s conservation efforts. Click the link below to place your order. Wreaths will be ready for pick up at Barlow Nature Preserve on Friday, December 2nd and Saturday, December 3rd at the WLT Annual Meeting. Please direct any questions to Erika at [email protected].
https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/cu/aonq918

Image: Doors all over Westerly, Charlestown, and Stonington boasted beautiful Westerly Land Trust wreaths in 2021! Thank you to all who ordered wreaths, and to those who shared pictures!

‼️Interrupting your scrolling to bring you photos that capture the beautiful fall foliage on 7 of our WLT preserves! Fall is one of the best times to explore on our land, so get out there!🍂🍁🍃

👀⬇️ To find out which WLT property each picture was taken at! 🌳🍁

1. Quaker Burial Ground

2. Riverwood Preserve

3. Dr. John Champlin Glacier Park

4. Grills Preserve

5. Cottrell Family Preserve

6. Wahaneeta Preserve

7. Crandall Family Preserve

😊All properties are open for the public to enjoy!

🧭🔎For more information, directions to properties, and easy access to trail maps, download the Westerly Land Trust Trails app! Follow the 🔗 in our bio to download!

👀Check out our fun Fall events coming up!🍂 We hope to see you there!👀

☮️ Yoga in the Preserve 🧘
To honor the intersection of land conservation and mental and physical health, the WLT is thrilled to partner with for another season of outdoor yoga at Winnapaug Farm Preserve. Join us as we practice vinyasa flow in the field while breathing in the fresh air and taking in the natural beauty that surrounds us.

🏃‍♂️Grills Trail Race🏃‍♀️
Register today for 2nd annual Grills Trail Race. There is a 10-mile or 10-kilometer option. Course features beautiful trails, bridges, and riverfront in both WLT’s Grills Preserve and Hopkinton Land Trust’s Grills Wildlife Sanctuary.

🍷Wine in the Woods🍎
Join us this November as WLT pairs with and .doughnuts for our second Wine in the Woods. Bring your friends for a happy hour hike at Wahaneeta followed by a wine and cider tasting in the woods while you study appleology among the oaks and enjoy Knead Doughnuts. Cheers to good friends, good trails and good wine!

🐝Pollinator Lab Meet & Greet🦋
Get to know the students and faculty that makeup Providence College’s Pollinator Lab. Led by Dr. Rachael Bonoan, the Pollinator Lab does fascinating research on local pollinator biodiversity, population trends, resiliency, and more. (Dr. B) and each of her students will present their latest research projects, field questions, and share the newest pollinator science!

Click the 🔗 in our bio and select “Attend an Event” for more information and to signup!

💐 Here are some spring colors to brighten your rainy fall day and to remind you that October 15 is the last day to order your spring bulbs to support the Westerly Land Trust’s conservation efforts (follow the link below)! You’ll want to get them in the ground before it hardens, and let the bulbs do their thing over the winter. Thank you to everyone who has ordered bulbs thus far. Cheers to a bright and colorful spring! 🐝
https://www.flowerpowerfundraising.com/index.php/marketplace/seller/profile/shop/westerlylandtrust

The WLT is excited to bring back Living Laboratories for the academic year!🌳📓

🔎🙌🏼Looking for hands-on outdoor after-school enrichment?! Look no further, these programs are full of it!! Living Laboratories is open and FREE to all Westerly Public Elementary students. Bus transportation is available to and from program.

⏩Swipe through this post to learn more about the Fall Session!🌳🍄🌿

Click the 🔗 in our bio and select “Living Laboratories” to sign your student up! All events are live!

🔻**Deadline to sign up for the first program is this Friday, 9/22.** 🔻

🎧 Big thanks to our friends Katy Keiffer and at .1fm for hosting WLT’s Marc Doherty and Erika Lebling in Thursday’s Resiliency Radio Hour. We had a blast chatting about open space, land management, local agriculture, and this gem of a town which we are lucky to call home. Follow the link below to listen to the full show!
https://westerlylandtrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Resiliency-Radio-68th-Episode-9-22-2022.mp3

Join local wellness profesionals out on our land this Fall season through our initiative, Wellness in the Woods. 🍂🍁🍃

Events include Gong Baths/Sound Healing☮️, Outdoor Yoga🧘, Forest Bathing🌳, and a Trail Race🏃‍♂️.

Nature has immeasurable holistic benefits for the mind, body, and soul. The Westerly Land Trust is happy to connect our community to open natural spaces and practices for healthy minds and bodies. We hope to see you there!☺️💟🌳

❗️▶️To learn more and sign up, click the link in our bio and select “Attend an Event”.◀️❗️

🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️ Want to run the trails of Wahaneeta Preserve? Join Westerly Track & Athletic Club for a 5K trail run on Saturday, September 17. Follow the link below for more details and to register!
https://westerlylandtrust.org/event/wahaneeta-5k-trail-run/

🌷We’re interrupting your fall scrolling with these spring colors to remind you that while we all may be ready for 🍎, 🍁, and 🎃, right now is the perfect time to start planning your 𝕤𝕡𝕣𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕘𝕒𝕣𝕕𝕖𝕟! The Westerly Land Trust is hosting a spring bulb fundraiser and the proceeds will go directly to our conservation efforts. Click this link http://WesterlyLandTrust.fpfundraising.com to place your order before October 15. Thank you for your support!

🎉👏We are proud to report the Westerly Land Trust has renewed its accreditation through the Land Trust Accreditation Commission, proving once again that, as a part of a network of more than 450 accredited land trusts across the nation, we are committed to professional excellence and to maintaining the public's trust in conservation work. Through this process, we continue to demonstrate that we have sound finances, practice ethical conduct and responsible governance, and can ensure lasting stewardship. Accredited land trusts now steward almost 20 million acres- the size of Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, and New Hampshire combined.

We are humbled by the support of the Westerly community. You've signaled that care deeply about the protection and conservation of local open space. Thank you for your partnership!

We’ve waited three years for this! Tonight the Westerly Land Trust hosted the 12th Annual Farm Dinner back out on the land at Avondale Farm Preserve. This event, a celebration of farmers and locally-sourced food, is a true community collaboration. Thank you to all 272 guests who joined us and to the 50+ volunteers who made it run seamlessly behind the scenes. We couldn’t have done it without these farms and producers:
, Dunn’s Corners Market, , , , , , , Narrow Lane Orchard, , , , , , , , , and .

Also, BIG Thanks to our Presenting Sponsor !

And, of course, Thank You to the chefs for crafting this thoughtful and delicious four-course culinary experience: , Allyson Mansfield from , Joe Collins, David Miguel, Eric Perrin, Andrew Nathan from , Adam Young from .

🍅💐🌱🌻🍯📚🎶 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗙𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗗𝗮𝘆! Only three markets left. Enjoy the salty sea sounds of singer Geoff Kauffman as you shop.

Today we are highlighting:

🍅West Farm Organics: Fresh produce

💐Echo Rock Flowers: Beautiful, locally grown flowers

🌱Lovewell Farms: Diversified h**p farm and wellness center

🌻Fenner Ridge Farm: Produce and wild flowers

🍯WesterBee: Raw honey and all natural skin care

📚Nonprofit Guest: Friends of Westerly Library and Wilcox Park

🎶Musical Guest: Geoff Kauffman

🎥𝗪𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘄𝘀!
WLT’s Land Stewardship Manager Marc Doherty and Providence College’s Dr. Rachael Bonoan led a group of volunteers on a Pollinator Safari at Avondale Farm Preserve to collect data on biodiversity. ABC 6’s Kelly Bates joined in on the fun. Follow the link in our bio to see the full story!


📸: .stahl

Pollinator Safari | ABC6

🎥𝗪𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘄𝘀!
WLT’s Land Stewardship Manager Marc Doherty and Providence College’s Dr. Rachael Bonoan led a group of volunteers on a Pollinator Safari at Avondale Farm Preserve to collect data on biodiversity. ABC 6’s Kelly Bates joined in on the fun. See the story here!

Pollinator Safari | ABC6 WESTERLY, R.I. (WLNE) Animals that pollinate flowers are some of the most vital creatures on the planet. Our global food supply depends on these industrious insects. Meteorologist Kelly Bates shows us a fun community project helping to identify the bugs pollinating plants in Southern New England. In...

It's Farmers Market Day! We invite you to do your weekly shopping to the tunes of Big Lux and his hip-hop violin. Today's highlighted vendors are Narrow Lane Orchard, Chicamonina Gourmet, Caribbean Soul LLC and Knives and Roses. Our NonProfit Guest is PACE Organization of Rhode Island.

We look forward to seeing you there!
85 Main Street, Westerly
Wednesday, August 17, 2022
3-6pm

🍑🪱🍦🔪🎶𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗪𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗙𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗱𝗮𝘆! Each Wednesday we’ll be highlighting a few vendors you can find at the market. Read on to find out more about each one pictured above. For the full list, follow the link in our bio. Happy shopping! (Market is Wednesdays thru September 7 from 3-6pm at 85 Main St in Westerly.)

🍑𝗡𝗔𝗥𝗥𝗢𝗪 𝗟𝗔𝗡𝗘 𝗢𝗥𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗗
Today is Narrow Lane's first visit to our market of the season! Swing by for delicious fresh fruit!

🪱𝗩𝗜𝗧𝗔 𝗡𝗢𝗩𝗔 𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗣𝗢𝗦𝗧

Vita Nova Compost diverts organic waste from local landfills through vermicomposting, utilizing worms to break down the waste and create nutrient-rich organic fertilizer and soil conditioner. Talk to owner James Cruso about all the benefits of composting and how to be added to his food scrap pick-up route!

🍦𝗠𝗔𝗠𝗔 𝗘𝗠𝗜𝗟𝗬'𝗦 𝗦𝗪𝗘𝗘𝗧 𝗧𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗧𝗦
Mama Emily's Sweet Treats will take you back to your childhood summer days spent chasing the ice cream truck. She has a wide variety of novelty pops guaranteed to help beat the heat.

🔪𝗞𝗡𝗜𝗩𝗘𝗦 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗥𝗢𝗦𝗘𝗦
Come meet George, purveyor of unique knives and cutlery. He specializes in on the spot, by-hand sharpening services and hand-forged knives for the outdoors or kitchen. Bring your knives and have them sharpened at the market.

🎶𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗠𝗬𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗖 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗣𝗛𝗘𝗧𝗦
Chris, Dave and Rich have known each other for decades but only recently decided to form The Mystic Prophets with a new twist on live music. With a rich tapestry of vocal harmony and the organic sounds of the acoustic guitar alongside the Cajon the band has created a unique sound. They do everything from Simon and Garfunkel to modern rock, anything encompassing male harmony. Photo Credit: Tim Martin.

🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️ 𝕃𝕒𝕔𝕖 𝕦𝕡 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕣𝕦𝕟𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕤𝕙𝕠𝕖𝕤! WLT’s Setting the Pace for Conservation 5K starts at 6pm on August 4, 2022 at Avondale Farm Preserve. This nice flat race through the preserve and surrounding neighborhoods benefits the Westerly Land Trust’s conservation efforts. Following the race, stick around to celebrate summer in the field with music by Sarah Luann Thompson and food from Caribbean Soul LLC , Saugy Franks and MamaEmilys SweetTreats ! To register, click here: https://westerlylandtrust.org/event/wlt-5k-setting-the-pace-for-conservation/

🌸🍅🥛🐝 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗪𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗙𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗱𝗮𝘆! Each Wednesday we’ll be highlighting a few vendors you can find at the market. Read on to find out more about each one pictured above. For the full list, follow the link in our bio. Happy shopping! (Market is Wednesdays thru September 7 from 3-6pm at 85 Main St in Westerly.)

🌸𝗘𝗖𝗛𝗢 𝗥𝗢𝗖𝗞 𝗙𝗟𝗢𝗪𝗘𝗥𝗦
Shop here for beautiful cut flowers grown locally by owner/ operator/ flower farmer, Stephanie Bennett.

🍅𝗙𝗘𝗡𝗡𝗘𝗥 𝗥𝗜𝗗𝗚𝗘 𝗙𝗔𝗥𝗠
Ken brings a variety of wildflowers, produce, and good stories from his life on Fenner Ridge Farm.

🥛𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗥𝗔 𝗙𝗜𝗥𝗠𝗔 𝗙𝗔𝗥𝗠
Terra Firma Farm is a diversified pasture-based livestock and poultry farm located in North Stonington, CT, and committed to using environmentally sustainable practices and alternative energy inputs.

🐝𝗪𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗕𝗘𝗘
WesterBee, formerly Bee Mindful, has raw honey and all natural skin care. Bees at this farm are raised without chemical treatment, utilizing sustainable practices. All products are naturally gluten free.

👋𝗡𝗼𝗻𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗶𝘁 𝗚𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁: 𝗪𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗟𝗬 𝗩𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗔𝗚𝗘
Westerly Village is a locally based non-profit organization whose mission is to help keep Westerly's aging community in their own homes as they grow older. For more information or to join as a member (must be Westerly resident) or volunteer (open to all) , contact [email protected]

🎶𝗠𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗚𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁: 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗠𝗬𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗖 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗣𝗛𝗘𝗧𝗦
Chris, Dave and Rich have known each other for decades but only recently decided to form The Mystic Prophets with a new twist on live music. With a rich tapestry of vocal harmony and the organic sounds of the acoustic guitar alongside the Cajon the band has created a unique sound. They do everything from Simon and Garfunkel to modern rock, anything encompassing male harmony. Photo Credit: Tim Martin