WEST GREENWICH – The Nature Conservancy announced Tuesday the purchase of 122 acres that will join its Tillinghast Pond Management Area in West Greenwich.
The environmental organization said the recent purchase brings the management area to 1,911 acres. The conservancy, state and town have worked together over the last several years to assemble the preserve.
“This beautiful property is a wonderful addition to Tillinghast Pond,” said Maureen Sheridan, acting state director of the conservancy in Rhode Island. “Thanks to the support of The Champlin Foundations and the Department of Environmental Management, the Tillinghast Pond Management Area continues to grow, keeping this part of Rhode Island wild and forested.”
The conservancy said it purchased the land for $160,000 from Geoff Bates, whose father previously had donated a conservation easement on the property.
The property, on Plain Meetinghouse Road, contains part of Phillips Brook, a tributary to the Wood River. It is heavily forested with oak and pine, and is home to migratory songbirds such as black-throated green warblers. The conservancy said that it plans to add new trails and signs on the property to open up additional areas for recreation.
In a separate transaction, the conservancy purchased 42 acres on Hazard Road from David Capwell for $253,000. The property on the Rhode Island-Connecticut border overlooks Hazard Pond.
As with the Bates transaction, the state and the Champlin Foundations helped pay for the purchase. The conservancy said it is reviewing public access options for the property.
