By PATRICK GOUGH
On Saturday, in a showing of community spirit and collaborative conservation, members of the Richmond Rural Preservation Land Trust, residents and students from the University of Rhode Island, gathered at the entrance to the Crawley Preserve. The group gathered to begin construction on two footbridges – linking a three mile footpath in the Richmond woods – that are the centerpiece for the most recent improvements on these public protected lands.
“No one gets paid to do it”, said Dr. Peter August, a URI professor and board member of the Land Trust. “This is from the ground up, citizens and the community getting together to protect what’s important to them.”
The area, a former pasture, is set off of Rt. 138, at the edge of the Kingston line, behind the Kenyon Grist Mill. It is one of five properties that the Land Trust has purchased through state and federal funding and serves as a community center for those wanting to take advantage of the town’s rural setting.
August has been an active member of the Land Trust and like his 28 years of dedicated service to the sciences at URI, he is enthusiastic about preserving open space.
“Let me tell you two reasons we do this,” stressed August. “One it saves money and two, this water flows into the Queens River Watershed.”
The Queens River Watershed is known, regionally, as the number-one environment for biodiversity.
In saying this, August cites examples of the cost-saving benefits of preserving nature. Throwing out figures, one after another, the professor estimates that the community costs of providing public services to an area of 50 homes would be much greater than the cost to maintain the public land.
August estimates that the Crawley Preserve could have been enough space for up to 50 homes.
“That’s 80-90 students, four whole new classrooms – eighty-percent of our tax revenues go to schools, when you
increase the number of kids you increase the burden on the schools”, said August.
The Town of Richmond allocated $1,800 in preservation funds to be used for the creation of the footbridges.
“The money the average home brings in property tax is less than what it costs the town to provide services”, stressed August.
Dr. August was not the only one to see the benefits of the Crawley initiative.
Dan Rakosky, a former trustee with the Land Trust, was emphatic about the role the volunteers play in conservation.
“This land is our land and it’s protected forever”, said Rakosky. “Take a minute to look at where you are,” commanded Rakosky looking around at the others. “The rain, the leaves, do you hear any cars? This is what it’s all about.”
The others taking time out for open space were URI students.
“It’s hard work but somebody’s got to do it”, said Pamela LiPetri, a 20-year-old geology major.
Her classmate Shannon Heiny, also 20, was nearby helping the others on one of the bridges.
People from throughout the community visit the Crawley Preserve to walk dogs, ride horses and some meditate in the areas timeless serenity.
Ashley Kirkwood, a URI graduate student and intern with the Richmond Land Trust, organized the event with the help of Denise Poyer, another member of the Land Trust and acting President.
Poyer was not there in person on Saturday, her daughter was in labor. Yet Poyer’s presence was not missing. “God Bless her”, said Rakosky. “She’s the energizer bunny.”
Just as the community came together, the conservation efforts of the Richmond Land Trust are a collaborative effort of local and state agencies.
“Every deal the Land Trust does, it is essential to find partners”, explained August. “No one is big enough to do it all.
The Land Trust partners with the town of Richmond and the Nature Conservancy, a federally funded environmental protection agency, to create the community initiative and generate necessary funding to launch conservation efforts.
“This was successful as a result of really great partnerships,” said August thankfully.
The two bridges erected on Saturday, span small streams, and will complete a one mile section of trail, that will be added to an existing two-mile network of footpaths.
This weekend, on Sat. Nov. 15, members of the Land Trust will return to the Crawley Preserve and with the bridges complete, will start to clear the land for more accessible nature walking. Anyone interested in volunteering should show up anytime between 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.
“It would be great to see some more people out here,” said Kirkwood, smiling.
|
