Levels of Support
We greatly appreciate every level of support. Please let us know if you would like to keep your gift anonymous.
President’s Circle: $1,000+
With your gift of $1,000 or more, you will be invited to our Annual President’s Circle event, gain early access to event reservations and be recognized in our newsletter, A Sense of Place.
Preservationist: $500-$999
Protector: $250-$499
Conservationist: $100-$249
Family Membership: $50
Individual Membership: $30
Business Membership: $100
Planned Giving
Orchard Society
By including the Westerly Land Trust in your estate plans, you will become part of the Orchard Society, a group of forward-thinking individuals committed to protecting the natural beauty, environmental health, and urban character of Westerly for future generations.
For those who make a planned gift of $10,000 or more, we will plant a native Rhode Island tree in a Westerly Land Trust preserve garnished with a plaque acknowledging your legacy.
In whatever manner you choose to give, and in whatever amount, we are grateful for your investment in Westerly Land Trust’s future. Your planning today helps ensure the natural beauty and ecological integrity of Westerly tomorrow. Future generations will benefit form your foresight. You will truly give a gift that lasts forever.
Planned Giving Opportunities
Bequests through a will or trust
The most common and simplest way to make a planned gift is through your will or trust. You can provide a specific dollar amount, a percentage, a residual amount, real estate, or tangible property to the Westerly Land Trust. This provision can be made through a new will or trust or added as a codicil or amendment. The following sample language can be used to add a codicil to your will:
I give to the Westerly Land Trust, with its principal business office at P.O. Box 601, Westerly, Rhode Island 02891 (insert written amount of gift, percentage of the estate or residuary of estate, or description of property) for its land conservation work.
A simple codicil as this may be attached to your will at no cost. It need only be signed and dated by you and forwarded to your attorney.
IRA Rollover and Pension Fund Gifts
Often the largest part of one’s estate, these funds are some of the best ways to make a charitable gift because of the ease of initiation, particularly under recent legislation. Donating these assets to the Westerly Land Trust avoids potential double taxation under both income and estate tax provisions. The Westerly Land Trust can be named as a partial or contingent beneficiary of your retirement or pension plan.
Gifts of Life Insurance
Several options are available for making a charitable gift of insurance policies. With a relatively small outlay for premiums, you can make a substantial gift while obtaining tax benefits. The Westerly Land Trust can be named as the sole, partial, or contingent beneficiary of a new or existing policy. Also, a paid up policy can be donated to the Land Trust as the owner and sole beneficiary.
Charitable Gift Annuity
There are many ways to fund a Gift Annuity, but cash or appreciated stock are the most common. When transferring securities to the Westerly Land Trust, you can obtain an immediate charitable income tax deduction and avoid a portion of potential capital gains tax as well. In addition, your income can frequently be increased in the form of a lifetime annuity payment based upon your age.
The Next Step
If you would like assistance planning and directing your gift to the Westerly Land Trust, please contact Jennifer Fusco jfusco@westerlylandtrust.org or 401-315-2610.
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Join @dpnaturectr and WLT to learn about local mushroom foraging. We will begin with an introduction to mushroom foraging, followed by a hike to identify local mushrooms on the trail. You’ll have the opportunity to explore both the Flora Whitely Preserve and the Cottrell Family Preserve during this program.
Wednesday, October 15th, 4:30 - 6:00 pm
This is a free event open to all ages!
Follow the link in our bio for more information and to sign up for the event! We hope to see you there!🍄
#westerlyri #rhodeisland #conneticut #mushrooms
Thanks to @jollygreensri for another great Microgreen Experience! From seed to plate, we got hands on with planting, learned how to grow year round, and tasted fresh, flavorful greens in a live recipe demo! 🌱🍽️
#microgreen #fresh #nutrition #recipe #growing
Fall is a great time to explore our local woods. It’s still warm now, but soon, the temperatures will dip, and you’ll hear that familiar sound of leaves crunching beneath your boots.🍂🍁
📓Nature Journaling Workshop 2
Saturday, October 4, 9:30-11:30am
Wahaneeta Preserve
🌱The Microgreen Experience
Sunday, October 5, 10am-12pm
Barlow Nature Preserve
🍄Fungal Foray w/ DPNC
Wednesday, October 15, 4:30-6pm
Flora Whiteley Preserve
🥾Thursday Hikes
If you are interested in becoming a hike leader, please contact Sally Hanson at sallyhanson242@gmail.com.
🧭Trail Blazing for Girl Scouts
Juniors, Daisies and Brownies
Sunday, October 19, 10am-12pm
Wahaneeta Preserve
🏃♀️WTAC Grills Trail Race 10M & 10K
Saturday, October 25, 9am
Grills Preserve
🌸Echo Rock Flower’s Dahlia Workshop
Saturday, October 25, 1-3pm
Barlow Nature Preserve
🎃It’s the time of year for our favorite color: orange! Pumpkins, leaves, CCC caps, and Rhode Island’s orange requirements: 200 inches of solid daylight fluorescent orange (500 square inches during shotgun deer season).
To learn more information and to register for each event, follow the link in our bio to our Calendar of Events!
Spent a beautiful day on the trails with a great group of Girl Scouts at Grills Preserve🥾🧭
They learned how to identify animal tracks, tell native from invasive plants, pack a first aid kit, stay safe on the trails, read maps and trail signs, and use a compass - then put it all into practice on a hike to the overlook. 🐿️🐝
The best part? They earned badges for all their hard work and new skills! 🍀
So proud of how much they learned and how confident they were out on the trails!
Will Wholean recently completed his second summer internship with the Westerly Land Trust. In 2024, he served as the Conservation Programs Intern, and in 2025, he returned as the Land Stewardship Intern. As part of his most recent role, Will was tasked with developing and leading a stewardship project. With guidance from Land Stewardship Manager Marc Doherty, Will conducted a trail camera wildlife survey at the newly protected Champlin Farm Preserve.
The goal of the project was to gather baseline data on the local wildlife population to help inform WLT’s ongoing stewardship efforts. Over a 43-day period, Will installed and monitored five trail cameras strategically placed across the preserve. His survey captured images of five animal species, with white-tailed deer being the most frequently observed.
To read Will’s full report, including methodology and findings, follow the link in our bio.
Will has now returned to Clark University in Worcester, MA, where he is pursuing a degree in biology. The WLT team thanks him for his dedication, curiosity, and commitment to land stewardship!
In July, siblings Ellen, Sarah, and Bob Madison met with the Westerly Land Trust to propose relocating their aunt Eloise Saunders’ memorial stone from Burlingame State Park to the Sunnyacres Preserve on South Woody Hill Road — land their family has cherished for generations.
In 2016, Ellen Madison partnered with WLT to permanently protect 18.5 acres of the historic Saunders Farm, which had been in the family since 1857. That act of conservation established the Sunnyacres Preserve, which has since expanded to 35.5 acres.
Eloise Saunders was originally memorialized by the Audubon Society of Rhode Island in June 1989 with a large stone birdbath and plaque placed at Burlingame State Park, honoring her support of the Kimball Wildlife Refuge within. However, the Madison family felt that the Sunnyacres Preserve — where Eloise had been the last resident — was a more fitting and personal location.
WLT quickly took action, beginning with a review by the Stewardship Committee and securing permission from RIDEM, which manages Burlingame. From there, a section of WLT’s CCC (Coffee and Clearing Club) led by Dave Prigmore got to work and made the relocation happen.
Today, Eloise’s memorial rests on her family’s beloved land at Sunnyacres Preserve. “I appreciate everyone who made this run so smoothly,” Ellen Madison said. “We are all so grateful.”
🌱Welcome to Westerly, Green Legacy Salon! Owned and operated by Conner Pierce (Chariho grad!), this new salon at 106 Cross St is dedicated to using green practices and sustainable products. They have partnered with @greencirclesalons who will collect and recycle all their beauty waste— can you believe the waste baskets featured in the second image here are made out of recycled hair clippings?!! 💇♀️
You’re invited to the Green Legacy Salon’s open house on Sunday, September 21st, 12-3pm. In addition to refreshments and salon tours, Conner is hosting a basket raffle to benefit the Westerly Land Trust! We are honored to be a part of the salon’s grand opening. Keep up the good work, Conner!!
#westerly #greenlegacysalon #greencirclesalons #sustainablehaircare #landtrust #conservation #environment #sustainablity
The Westerly Land Trust’s Farm Dinner is a celebration of the land’s bounty and the people who grow and produce our food. We were so fortunate to connect with Julian Elfedayni-Connell and his team from @thetinpeddler and @barbarycoastct . Julian enthusiastically took on the whole menu—and what a treat it was! His business partner Mariah Pfiffner curated the wine list, and his sous chef Tabitha Soto was responsible for the grand finale, the native corn tiramisu. Julian led a group of veteran chefs who volunteered their time and services: Chris Champagne, Tom Champagne, Jennifer Gibson, Allyson Mansfield, David Miguel, and Andrew Nathan. At the dinner, Chef Julian mentioned that the Connecticut Restaurant Association is currently accepting nominations for their “CRAzies Awards”. If you are moved to do so, please follow the link in our bio to nominate Julian, his team, and his restaurants by Sunday, September 21st at midnight.
We can’t thank our partner farms and producers enough—not only for supporting the Farm Dinner, but also for feeding our community. If you’re searching for fresh local food and flowers, please visit these places: Adam’s Garden of Eden, @baffonispoultryfarm @carpentersfarmstand, Dunns Corners Market, @echo_rock_flowers @frontierfarmri , Hillandale Farm, @greysail & @southcountydistillers @simplicityfarmsri @vestabakery @watchhilloysters @wehpittituckfarm @westerbeeri and @westfarmorganics
#westerlyri #rhodeisland #landtrust #nature #hike #conservation #outside #summer #stoningtonct #farmdinner #localproduce #farmtotable #community
