The Nature Conservancy Protects 100 More Acres Of Tiverton's Valuable Coastal Forest

Tiverton, RI—September 18, 2006—The Nature Conservancy today announced it has protected 100 acres of coastal forest along the town’s Pocasset Ridge overlooking Nannaquaket Pond. This open space acquisition adds to the protected area within the largest undeveloped and unfragmented forest in the Rhode Island East Bay region. The forested parcels in this Pocasset Ridge area, together with the Town's Weetamoo Woods and the adjoining Pardon Gray Preserve, make up over 2,000 acres of contiguous forest area. This ridge is part of South Tiverton's rural landscape of woodlots, small farms, historic villages, harbors, and scenic roads that provide economic value for tourism, agriculture, the arts, and maritime businesses. This coastal forest contains areas of American holly and oak which are globally rare and only exists in four states: Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York.

Three parcels were purchased by the Conservancy's Rhode Island Chapter from the National Grid (formerly Narragansett Electric). The Conservancy received funding support for this effort from the U. S. Forest Service, R. I. Department of Environmental Management (DEM), and the Iselin Foundation. Assisting the Conservancy were The Champlin Foundations, the Town of Tiverton's Open Space Commission, the Tiverton Land Trust, and Rhode Island's Congressional delegation. In spite of all the financial support already committed to this project, the Conservancy still needs to raise $150,000 to fund the protection of these parcels.

"As a local company, we recognize how special this coastal forest land is to Rhode Island, and are pleased to be able to turn it over to the good keeping of The Nature Conservancy," said Michael Ryan, regional president—Rhode Island, National Grid (formerly Narragansett Electric). "As with lands elsewhere in the state we have helped protect, conservation of open spaces remains important to us."

There are additional ecological concerns that make this Pocasset Ridge acquisition a high priority for The Nature Conservancy. Small streams and vernal pools within the coastal forest provide breeding grounds for Spring Peepers, Green Frogs, Spotted Salamanders, Fairy Shrimp and other animals. These waters, in turn, contribute to the marine productivity of coastal estuaries like Nannaquaket Pond.

The Tiverton, Rhode Island/Southeast Massachusetts area is located directly on the "Atlantic Flyway", a coastal migration route for many species of songbirds that travel from the tropical Americas to the forests of Canada. In springtime, this forest in Tiverton resonates with the “voices” of the deep woods—the nesting songbirds like warblers and thrushes which require large forested tracts for nesting and survival.

Additionally, the Pocasset Ridge forest tract which is the focus of this purchase contains strong historical significance. The area is named for the Pocassets, a subtribe of the Wampanoags, who held the land area from what is now Tiverton to the falls in Fall River. Since colonial times, this forested ridge has been managed for timber harvest. The areas included in the Conservancy's purchase are remnants of plantation tracts purchased before 1680 by some of America’s first settlers—the proprietors who received grants from King Charles and his successor. Although today, this forest area is young, but in time it will mature. When it does, it will have all the same features that the Pocassets would recognize.

"Rhode Islanders, like most New Englanders, are very proud of their rich history," said Janet Coit, chapter director of The Nature Conservancy. "We also appreciate greatly the beauty and richness of our natural environment. The coastal forests of Weetamoo Woods and along Pocasset Ridge combine both of those admirable values. Protecting these special lands is a tremendous achievement, and part of a continuing preservation initiative in the area by the Conservancy and its partners."

Now that these parcels have become protected, a forest management plan is being prepared by The Nature Conservancy and its partners. The central goal of this plan is preserving and improving ecological values throughout this coastal forest community. Specific objectives of this plan include encouraging the long-term development of habitat conditions found only in old-growth forests, protecting the native forest community from invasive species, and further assessing the properties for any cultural or archaeological importance. This fall, The Nature Conservancy plans some walks among these parcels and other protected areas of the forest on Pocasset Ridge.