Voices of the Land: Trends of the Rhode Island Osprey Nest Locations
2023-05-09 17:30 - 19:00 (America/New_York) | Barlow Nature Preserve, 449 Westerly Bradford Road, Westerly, RI, 02891, United States
Discover the changing trends in nest locations of the RI Osprey. Discussion is led by Lincoln Dark of Audubon Society of RI Naturalist.

Join us in a seminar with Audubon Society of Rhode Island Naturalist, Lincoln Dark, about his research on the changes and trends in the nest locations of Rhode Island’s Osprey. In this seminar, you will learn about the natural history of the Osprey, the history of both local and international efforts to conserve this species, where Osprey are moving in the state, and where they may go in the future.

This event is located at Barlow Nature Preserve.
Parking is available in the main parking lot, with overflow parking in the field behind the outbuildings to the east (up the farm road).
Registration is required.

Discussion is open to WLT members. Our members donate annually. Not a member and would like to be? Become a member today and click HERE.

Voices of the Land: Protecting our Freshwater Turtles
2023-06-28 17:30 - 19:00 | Barlow Nature Preserve, 449 Westerly Bradford Road, Westerly, RI, 02891, United States
Join in on the discussion with Dr. Kevin Aviles who will share his research that aids in developing new methods to conserve turtle species.

Turtle species are declining across the globe due to humans and urbanization. More than 50% of turtles are considered at risk for extinction. By far the largest impacts are the illegal harvesting of turtles by humans, habitat loss, and climate change. Dr. Kevin Aviles and his teams project will monitor freshwater turtle communities in New England across urban wetlands and protected wetlands within conservation lands. Through this extensive monitoring, they hope to answer the following questions: (1) Are turtle communities in New England experiencing declines in population size and diversity? and (2) How do urbanization and human activity affect turtle species?
At this discussion Dr. Kevin will share the preliminary findings of their pilot project which was conducted last summer across 25 wetlands in Rhode Island and Connecticut. They have reported finding some patterns that suggest a shift in the sex ratio of turtles within urban wetlands. However, turtle body size and body condition appear to be similar across the wetlands sampled. By continuing this work, Dr. Kevin hopes to provide early detection of turtle decline in New England. Learn more by registering to attend today!

This event is located at Barlow Nature Preserve.
Parking is available in the main parking lot, with overflow parking in the field behind the outbuildings to the east (up the farm road).
Registration is required.

Discussion is open to WLT members. Our members donate annually. Not a member and would like to be? Become a member today and click HERE.
T﻿o learn more about Dr. Kevin Aviles click here.

Voices of the Land: Echo Rock Flower Farming
2023-07-13 17:00 - 18:30 | Barlow Nature Preserve, 449 Westerly Bradford Road, Westerly, RI, 02891, United States
Join Stephanie Bennett, owner/operator of Echo Rock Flowers, for a walking tour of her operation at the Barlow Preserve.

Walk amongst the blooms as Stephanie shares some of the methods used in growing for cut-flower production. Get an up close look at techniques used for weed suppression, crop support, irrigation, pest management, and building soil health. See where your local flowers come from!
*Please note, this is a working farm so guests are required to wear sturdy, closed-toe shoes and be prepared to walk on uneven ground.

This event is located at Barlow Nature Preserve.
Parking is available in the main parking lot, with overflow parking in the field behind the outbuildings to the east (up the farm road).
Registration is required.

Discussion is open to WLT members. Our members donate annually. Not a member and would like to be? Become a member today and click HERE.
To learn more about Stephanie and her Echo Rock Flower Farm click here.

Ceremonial Stonework: The Enduring Native American Presence on the Land
2023-08-08 17:30 - 19:00 | Barlow Nature Preserve, 449 Westerly Bradford Road, Westerly, RI, 02891, United States
This discussion is part of the WLT Voices of the Land series featuring Markham Starr. You won’t want miss it!

This slideshow takes the audience on an extended walk through the woods to see the ceremonial stonework left behind by the indigenous population that occupied New England for over 12,000 years. Native Americans built nearly two dozen distinct types of structures in our area, ranging from cairns to stone serpent effigies, and these spiritual offerings remain standing in our long abandoned woods. While Native American stonework is widely recognized in other parts of the country, New England’s stonework remains obscure, having blended back into the woods. This slideshow, from the book by the same name, comes from photographs of over 8000 objects and ceremonial sites in Connecticut and Rhode Island. Slideshow by Markham Starr, a documentary photographer living in Connecticut.

This event is located at Barlow Nature Preserve.
Parking is available in the main parking lot, with overflow parking in the field behind the outbuildings to the east (up the farm road).
Registration is required.

Discussion is open to WLT members. Our members donate annually. Not a member and would like to be? Become a member today and click HERE.

Voices of the Land: Walking Rhode Island
2023-09-13 17:30 - 19:00 | Barlow Nature Preserve, 449 Westerly Bradford Road, Westerly, RI, 02891, United States
John Kostrzewa writes the “Walking Rhode Island” column for The Providence Journal and has been hiking across the state for decades.

Join us and discover how John started, where he has hiked and what he has learned. He’ll share his observations about the history, geological features, vegetation and wildlife he has found along the trails.
During his talk, he’ll also explain what makes Rhode Island’s trails unique and outline some of the challenges Rhode Islanders face to maintain the state’s public preserves.
Kostrzewa worked for 45 years in the newspaper industry, including the last 29 at The Providence Journal as a business reporter, columnist, business editor, and assistant managing editor. He retired from the Journal in 2017 and spent the last three years as an adjunct professor at Bryant University.
Since launching “Walking Rhode Island” in 2021, he has written more than 100 columns. He is compiling 40 of the hikes into a book, with pictures, GPS coordinates and trail maps, that is set for release in September, 2023.

This event is located at Barlow Nature Preserve.
Parking is available in the main parking lot, with overflow parking in the field behind the outbuildings to the east (up the farm road).
Registration is required.

Discussion is open to WLT members. Our members donate annually. Not a member and would like to be? Become a member today and click HERE.

Voices of the Land: Sustainable Pasture Management of Grass-based Livestock
2023-10-11 17:30 - 19:00 | Barlow Nature Preserve, 449 Westerly Bradford Road, Westerly, RI, 02891, United States
Dr. Justine Deming of URI joins us to share her worldview of livestock, grazing, grasses and land management in RI and beyond.

Voices of the Land: Sustainable Pasture Management of Grass-based Livestock
Justine Deming is a clinical associate professor and extension specialist of animal management at the University of Rhode Island. She will be discussing the impact ruminant animals have on the pastoral landscape and focus on how the management of those animals can be optimized for farm productivity and sustainability.
Check out this video about URI’s Peckham Farm for a sneak peek!

If you have been curious abut the role of livestock in our food supply and as influencers of our landscapes, make sure to register and put this talk on your calendar!

This event is located at Barlow Nature Preserve.
Parking is available in the main parking lot, with overflow parking in the field behind the outbuildings to the east (up the farm road).
Registration is required.

Discussion is open to WLT members. Our members donate annually. Not a member and would like to be? Become a member today and click HERE.

Voices of the Land: Nature Speaks- A Lesson in Human Rewilding
2023-11-09 17:30 - 19:00 | Barlow Nature Preserve, 449 Westerly Bradford Road, Westerly, RI, 02891, United States
Join Keith Cowley, Ethical Forager, for a workshop on how nature works to reset our bodies and minds back to efficiency.

Join Keith Cowley, Naturalist, Ethical Forager and Wildlife Conservationist for a workshop on how Nature works to reset our bodies and minds back to efficiency. Learn language, concepts and moving meditation techniques that Cowley uses to deepen his connection in Nature and get closer to wildlife.

This event is located at Barlow Nature Preserve.
Parking is available in the main parking lot, with overflow parking in the field behind the outbuildings to the east (up the farm road).
Registration is required.

Discussion is open to WLT members. Our members donate annually. Not a member and would like to be? Become a member today and click HERE.
To learn more about Keith Cowley, check him out on Instagram @ethicalforager , or stop by and visit him at the Living Sharks Museum in downtown Westerly.

A Chemical Engineer's Perspective on Sustainability
2023-12-04 17:00 - 19:00 | The United Theatre, 5 Canal St, Westerly, RI, 02891, United States
*This event is free and open to the public. Information on registration is below.
In partnership with the Notre Dame Club of Rhode Island/SE Massachusetts and the United Theatre, we invite you to join us for an informative discussion about sustainability and local agriculture, a part of the Hesburgh Lecture Series.
Mark J. McCready is the Senior Associate Dean for Research and Faculty Affairs and a Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Notre Dame University. He has prepared a lecture entitled A Chemical Engineer’s Perspective on Sustainability to lead a discussion about landscape change, historical land use, climate change and the importance of farmland.
The Hesburgh Lecture Series brings Notre Dame Faculty into the University’s alumni communities, encouraging extended education at all ages.
RSVP for this free event to Erika at elebling@westerlylandtrust.org or by calling 401-315-2610, ext 2.

Common Ground Film at United Theatre
2024-01-04 19:00 - 20:30, 2024-01-26 19:00 - 20:30 | RI
As part of our Voices of the Land series, Westerly Land Trust in partnership with The United Theatre will host a screening of Common Ground – the highly anticipated sequel to the successful documentary, Kiss the Ground, which touched over 1 billion people globally and inspired the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to put $20 billion toward soil health.
To purchase tickets, click HERE.

Clear Day Thunder: Rescuing the American Chestnut
2024-03-24 15:00 - 17:00 | United Theatre (5 Canal St, Westerly, RI 02891, United States)
As part of its “Voices of the Land” series, Westerly Land Trust in partnership with The United Theatre hosts a screening of Clear Day Thunder: Rescuing the American Chestnut. At the turn of the 20th century, a deadly blight accidentally imported into the U.S. from Asia devastated the American Chestnut. Within a span of only two generations, the tree was nearly extinct. This new documentary film tells the story of passionate citizen scientists and researchers working to restore this ecologically and economically important species, during this pivotal moment.
After the film, stick around for a Q&A with the folks from The American Chestnut Foundation.
Reserve your free ticket at The United Theater by clicking the link below:
https://unitedtheatre.org/shows/clear-day-thunder-rescuing-the-american-chestnut/
