72 Acres, St. Mary's Church, to be Preserved

The papers have been signed, the property has closed and 72 acres of land and St. Mary’s Church in Portsmouth will be preserved in perpetuity.

It’s all thanks to a years-long effort by members of the Aquidneck Land Trust, a team of donors and an assortment of like-minded believers in open space and history.

In 2011, ALT and St. Mary’s and its related entity, the Sarah Gibbs Trust, entered into a binding agreement to preserve the land and the church, which is located in a town-designated open space and agricultural area. The church is next to other conserved lands in ALT’s Center Island Greenway “thereby building upon and enhancing this past conservation work,” the ALT said in a release.

ALT raised enough money in just one year but delays at the federal level kept the largest grant for the project trapped in the bowels of the federal government, specifically the United States Department of Agriculture/Natural Resources Conservation Services.

The details have finally been worked out and the closing on Jan. 30 was much anticipated and served as a capstone to a major undertaking by a ”truly amazing and committed group of individuals,” said Chuck Allot, ALT’s executive director.

“We would not have been able to accomplish this closing without our important financial stakeholders, as well as all those who dedicated their time to the conservation of this parcel,” he said. “The Church and the Sarah Gibbs Trust were amazing partners as we fought our way through the bureaucratic red tape of the federal funding agency for over a year and a half. In addition RIDEM and local NRCS staff ultimately found the way through to get the deal done. Aquidneck Island received a wonderful gift today, and to all those who helped us make this possible, we are forever grateful.”

ALT raised money from three government agencies, six foundations and 40 individuals to cover the $3 million project cost.

The land also is within the St. Mary’s Pond Watershed and abuts the St. Mary’s Pond Reservoir with 1,000 of frontage on the reservoir property.

“The St. Mary’s Church land therefore acts as a natural buffer to this important island water reservoir from stormwater and nutrient runoff,” a release stated.

The land was identified in a 2000 study of watershed issues in Newport County as a threatened open space parcel.

The woods, fields and wetlands are also home to a range of wild animals and endangered species like the Glossy Ibis, proving that open space preservation can benefit both human and animal alike.

The preservation move will also help keep Portsmouth’s streetscape beautiful. With 1,000 feet of frontage on East Main Road, “is also an iconic property that provides joy to numerous passersby everyday with its spectacular scenic vistas. Furthermore, the fields of the proposed conservation area consist of mostly Prime Farmland Soils as recognized by the United States Department of Agriculture making the property an important agricultural resource,” the release stated.

Jennifer Pedrick, the rector of St. Mary’s, shared this regarding the closing, “The experience of working with Chuck Allott and The Aquidneck Land Trust on this deal demonstrated to us the deep commitment and perseverance of this organization. We are delighted to begin a new chapter in partnership with the Aquidneck Land Trust, our closest neighbor. St. Mary’s and I look forward to supporting the great mission and work of the ALT. Congratulations!”.

A number of parties made significant leadership contributions including NRCS, the State of Rhode Island/Department of Environmental Management, the Town of Portsmouth, the van Beuren Charitable Foundation, the Prince Charitable Trusts, the Alletta Morris McBean Charitable Trust, The Nature Conservancy through a grant from The Champlin Foundations, and The Rhode Island Agriculture Lands Preservation Commission.