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900 Forested Acres Preserved at River's Source

Series of Conservancy Acquisitions Links Land at Headwaters of Queen's River

September 20, 2004—Today, more than 900 contiguous acres of protected forest are linked at the source of one of southern New England's most pristine rivers.  The Conservancy saved the latest link Friday with the purchase of 98 acres in West Greenwich.

Quietly meandering through West Greenwich, Exeter and South Kingstown, the Queen's River is one of the little-known jewels of Rhode Island.  Its clean, cool waters boast native brook trout and the state’s highest concentration of freshwater mussels, a good indicator of a healthy river system.

Queen's River Preserve © Lee Alexander/TNC

By acquiring two parcels in July and September, the Conservancy has succeeded in protecting and linking most of the land surrounding the Queen’s River’s headwaters.  The Queen's River flows through both of the recently-protected properties.

Dennis Almonte of Cranston and Anthony DellaGrotta of East Greenwich sold their 98-acre property in West Greenwich to the Conservancy on Friday. 

"Our initial plan was to develop the property as housing, but as you get a little older and wiser, you realize there are more important things in life than making money off a development," said Anthony DellaGrotta.  "We knew that the Nature Conservancy would protect the land and its beauty.  They are a fine organization, and it was a pleasure working with them."

Just south of the of the West Greenwish land, in Exeter, is the land protected last July.  The Conservancy purchased 170 forested acres from L. Everett Peck, Jr.  "This is a win-win for me, the town and The Nature Conservancy," said Peck.  "It's a piece that really needed to be conserved, and we're happy that it went in that direction."

With these two acquisitions, the Conservancy's Cuttyhunk Brook Preserve has grown to 805 acres of woodlands, wetlands and streams where the Queen's River starts.  "It's really exciting," shared Lee Alexander, manager of the Conservancy's South County Landscape Program.  "Maintaining forest at the river's headwaters is critical to ensuring clean, flowing water downstream.  We couldn't have done it without our partnerships with the town of Exeter, the West Greenwich Land Trust and the Champlin Foundations."  The preserve abuts another 108 acres protected by the West Greenwich Land Trust.

More than half of the Cuttyhunk Brook Preserve was protected with grants from the 2000 Rhode Island Open Space Bond.  A referendum asking Rhode Island voters to approve a new bond for open space protection will be on the ballot this November.

In Exeter, the exceptionally pure groundwater beneath the Queen's River provides drinking water for much of the town's eastern half.  This groundwater reservoir, or aquifer, is part of the larger Pawcatuck Basin Aquifer which is the only viable source of drinking water for more than 60,000 residents in southern Rhode Island. The excellent condition of the Queen's River and its aquifer stem largely from its forested watershed, which serves as a natural water filter.

As development pressures intensify, the forest is increasingly threatened.  Admired for its proximity to beaches, its natural beauty and its rural charm, South County is the fastest growing region in the state.  With easy access to Routes 4 and I-95, the populations in Exeter and West Greenwich are increasing at two to eight times the state-wide rate. The Nature Conservancy's South County Landscape Program aims to protect the region's rivers, ponds, woodlands and beaches before it's too late.

"We're extremely pleased with the progress we've made in protecting the headwaters of this river," said Nature Conservancy Rhode Island Chapter Director Janet Coit.  "Its exceptionally high water quality is important not only for the species that depend on it, but also for South County residents who rely on its underlying aquifer for drinking water.  While protection of the headwaters is critical to the health of this river, we now need to focus on the unprotected areas on its main stem."

“We owe particular gratitude to the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and to the Champlin Foundations, who helped make this purchase possible,” Coit added.

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The Nature Conservancy is an international, non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the plants, animals and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive.

Working with state and local partners,  the Conservancy has protected more than 24,000 in Rhode Island, including almost 1,800 acres in the Queen's River.  The Rhode Island Chapter of The Nature Conservancy was established in 1989 and has since grown to become the state’s most successful non-profit land conservation agency.  With more than 5,000 members and offices in Providence, Block Island and North Stonington, Connecticut, the Rhode Island Chapter continues to focus on protecting our most critical natural resources.