CHARLESTOWN – One hundred and twenty acres of wildlife habitat, divided among two parcels in separate South County towns, have been conserved through a “unique” public-private effort.
Representatives of the R.I. Department of Environmental Management (DEM), the U.S. Interior Department’s Fish & Wildlife Service, The Conservation Fund and The Nature Conservancy were joined by the members of the state’s congressional delegation for this morning’s news conference at Camp Pastore.
The multi-party land deal includes:
• The 48-acre Camp Pastore in Charlestown, on the northwestern shore of Watchaug Pond. The parcel had been part of Burlingame State Park until 1986, when it was transferred to the R.I. Department of Mental Health, Retardation and Hospitals (MHRH). Now, it is returning to DEM control and being reincorporated into the state park.
The MHRH had been seeking to sell the property since 2007. But the DEM, which opposed the sale, worked with others to devise a plan that would both address the other department’s budget deficit and allow the land to be conserved.
• A 72-acre parcel in South Kingstown, known as the Steadman property, that once was state-owned. The property – which adjoins the John H. Chafee National Wildlife Refuge and includes frontage on Pettaquamscutt Cove – is home to more than a dozen high-priority species, including the salt marsh sharp-tailed swallow and the American black duck, the DEM said.
The Fish & Wildlife Service is purchasing the Steadman parcel – in a transaction facilitated by The Conservation Fund – for $1.18 million that was secured from the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund by the state’s congressional delegates. The bureau then will incorporate the property into the adjacent refuge, which it already manages.
“The Nature Conservancy is pleased to be a part of this partnership that not only safeguards the natural resources of Camp Pastore in perpetuity but also adds additional lands to the John H. Chafee Wildlife Refuge,” said Janet Coit, the nonprofit’s state director for Rhode Island.
In return for the federal bureau’s purchase of the South Kingstown site, the state has agreed to grant The Nature Conservancy a conservation easement on the Pastore property in Charlestown. “This is an innovative conservation solution that meets the fiscal demands of the state and preserves Rhode Island’s natural resources – a true balance of economics and environment,” said Reggie Hall, a real estate associate for The Conservation Fund. “We applaud the federal and state governments for working together to make this project a success.”
“It takes a village of conservation-minded individuals and organizations to conserve land as a refuge for wildlife and people,” said Marvin Moriarty, Northeast regional director for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. “We would not be here today, celebrating this addition to the John H. Chafee National Wildlife Refuge, without the involvement and support of the Rhode Island congressional delegation, The Conservation Fund and the State of Rhode Island.”
“This is a good arrangement for all parties,” added DEM Director W. Michael Sullivan. “The Stedman land expands the buffer and habitat along the Narrow River,” while also enhancing public access and recreational opportunities along Pettaquamscutt Cove. “And the return of the Pastore land to DEM holdings and stewardship provides enduring protection of Watchaug Pond.”
“What we’re marking today is a true win-win for Rhode Islanders, who will see environmental and natural habitat preserved as well as critical federal funding returned to the state to meet the budget challenges we face,” said U.S. Sen. Jack Reed, a member of the Appropriations committee, who secured federal funding for the Steadman acquisition.” He commended Reggie Hall, The Conservation Fund and Charles E. “Charlie” Vandemoer, manager of the state’s natural wildlife refuges and a member of the R.I. Rivers Council, “who worked to make this happen.”
“Our open spaces and our wilderness spaces are under more pressure than almost anywhere,” added U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, a member of the Committee on the Environment and Public Works (EPW). (U.S. Rep. James R. Langevin and Patrick J. Kennedy also offered statements about the acquisition.)
“It merits – and will take – a significant effort to try to acquire as much property and as many conservation rights as we can,” Whitehouse continued. ”Preserving these lands in Charlestown and South Kingstown is an important first step.”
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News and information from the R.I. Department of Environmental Management and its Division of Planning and Development, office of Land Acquisition and Real Estate, are available at www.dem.ri.gov. Information about the Northeast regional office of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service – a bureau of the federal Department of the Interior – is available at www.fws.gov.
The Conservation Fund – “America’s partner in conservation,” dedicated to advancing the nation’s land and water legacy – has helped protect more than 6 million acres of wild or agricultural property since 1985. To learn more, visit www.ConservationFund.org .
The Nature Conservancy is a leader in the effort to protect ecologically-important lands and waters in Rhode Island and around the world. To learn more, visit www.nature.org/RhodeIsland.
