The Westerly Land Trust

Thursday Hikes: Bradford Preserve, Bradford
2021-12-09 10:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York)
Join us for our free guided trail walks on Thursdays. All walks begin at 10:00 AM unless stated to the contrary. We will visit various local conservation properties, including some of our Westerly Land Trust preserves. Walks are between 1 ½ to 3 hours and are open to all ages with our target group being agile seniors. Please keep in mind that these are wooded trails with stumps, roots and rocks so be sure to wear hiking boots or good walking shoes. Also, you’ll want to bring water and maybe a snack.
A hidden treasure along Rte 91 in Bradford! The trail is in fact a cross country trail for the Westerly High School, but open to the public when not in use by them. The trail is blazed orange but be sure to keep and eye for them at turns and intersections.
To access the trailhead from the parking area you must cross the large grass field to the right. You will find the trailhead at the back end of the field. A short entrace trail will be the first part of the hike. Turn left at the intersecition to do the orange-blazed loop. The trail climbs slowly and steadily uphill for a bit, passing stone walls, a vernal pool and a fern-covered forest in a northely direction before turning to the south. Ahead a trail to the left will lead you into Woody Hill Management Area. We ill go into Woody Hill then return to continue straight to follow the blazes. When you reach the southern end of the loop you will come upon a large, open field filled with tall grasses and wildflowers. A path to the left will lead you back into the woods. Turn right here and follow along the edge of the woods, keeping the field to your left –take your time here and enjoy the sights! Soon the field path enters back into the woods and the trail starts its long decent down hill. Keep an eye out for a spur trail to the left. This trial leads you to a monument in the woods built in 1886 in honor of the Vars family, who first came to the colonies in 1680. After stopping by the monument, continue along the orange-blazed trail, still descending to the entrance trail. Here you will want to turn left and cross the field once again to the parking area.
Directions from Westerly: Take Rte 91 heading towards Bradford. 131 Bradford Rd. Westerly, RI 02891
Leader: Sally Hanson (401) 348-9109 (h); (401) 932-5295 (c); sallyhanson242@gmail.com
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Due to COVID-19:

We recognize many people still have concerns about gathering; therefore, please sign up with the designated hike leader, so that person will know how many will be attending and cap the group size if necessary.
Maintain a safe and comfortable distance from other hikers.
Please bring a face mask in case it is needed.

****************************************************************
PLEASE NOTE:

There are still a few open Thursdays before the end of the year. If you would like to lead a hike, please contact Sally for availability. sallyhanson242@gmail.com
Inclement weather will cancel the hike. If in doubt, please contact leader.
Please notify the hike leader if you plan on attending.

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FLUORESCENT ORANGE REQUIREMENTS:
In State Management areas everyone is required to wear 200 square inches of solid daylight fluorescent orange from the second Saturday in September to the last day of February and the last Thursday in April to the last day in May, annually.

Wellness in the Woods: Forest Bathing
2021-12-09 09:00 - 11:00, 2021-12-04 09:00 - 11:00 | Wahaneeta Preserve, 118 Moorehouse Road, Westerly, RI, 02891, United States
Join Certified Forest Therapy Guide Deirdre O’Connor for a wander among the trees of Wahaneeta Preserve and experience the healing power of nature and forest bathing. Groups are limited to 6 adults per walk. The only requirement is that you must be able to walk slowly for about one mile over a two-hour period. Each walk is $30 per person, which Deirdre has generously pledged to donate to the Westerly Land Trust.
To register, please contact Deirdre directly at sweetfernforesttherapy@gmail.com.
Deirdre is waiving the fee for healthcare workers in appreciation of their dedication and service to our community.

Annual Meeting
2021-12-02 17:30 - 18:30
This year, WLT’s annual meeting will be held virtually. The meeting is open to WLT members and features a review of the previous year’s accomplishments, completion of necessary business such as the review of the organization’s financial position, and the election of new board members. Should you wish to attend, please send an email to elebling@westerlylandtrust.org for a link to the meeting.

Thursday Hike: Wahaneeta Preserve, Westerly
2021-12-02 10:00 - 12:00 | Wahaneeta Preserve, 118 Moorehouse Road, Westerly, RI, 02891, United States
Join us for our free guided trail walks on Thursdays. All walks begin at 10:00 AM unless stated to the contrary. We will visit various local conservation properties, including some of our Westerly Land Trust preserves. Walks are between 1 ½ to 3 hours and are open to all ages with our target group being agile seniors. Please keep in mind that these are wooded trails with stumps, roots and rocks so be sure to wear hiking boots or good walking shoes. Also, you’ll want to bring water and maybe a snack.
We will start @ Wahaneeta Preserve. The preserve is on left side of Moorehouse Road off Dunns Corner-Bradford Road. Turn in at Trombino Fields sign. All parking must be inside Preserve.
Leader: Sheilia Beattie, 401-741-9240 and email: stb@threeblackdogs.com
*****************************************************************************
Due to COVID-19:

We recognize many people still have concerns about gathering; therefore, please sign up with the designated hike leader, so that person will know how many will be attending and cap the group size if necessary.
Maintain a safe and comfortable distance from other hikers.
Please bring a face mask in case it is needed.

****************************************************************
PLEASE NOTE:

There are still a few open Thursdays before the end of the year. If you would like to lead a hike, please contact Sally for availability. sallyhanson242@gmail.com
Inclement weather will cancel the hike. If in doubt, please contact leader.
Please notify the hike leader if you plan on attending.

FLUORESCENT ORANGE REQUIREMENTS:
In State Management areas everyone is required to wear 200 square inches of solid daylight fluorescent orange from the second Saturday in September to the last day of February and the last Thursday in April to the last day in May, annually.

Wellness in the Woods: Mindful Walk
2021-12-01 10:00 - 12:00 | Grills Preserve, 198 Bowling Lane, Westerly, RI, 02808, United States
Get Outside. Go Within. A Mindful Nature Connection Experience. Led by Nan Quinlan in partnership with Wood-Pawcatuck Wild and Scenic Stewardship Council.
This nature-based experience provides walks in the forest where participants use the practice of mindfulness, meditation, and practical outdoor skills to deepen their connection with the land and the more-than-human world. The walks are not geared toward nature identification but rather nature immersion and connection. Participants use their senses to observe and notice their surroundings and spend time being present with those sights and sounds. Participants report that they feel less stressed, more aware, and happier at the end of the walk and see the benefit of getting outside in nature.
Sadly, many people have a somewhat detached appreciation of nature, that nature is something “over there.” With 80% of people in North America living in urban areas and Americans spending 11 hours a day on a screen and 90% of their lives indoor their senses can become dulled, they often have attention difficulties, and can suffer from physical and emotional illnesses. Research has shown that time outdoors can reduce stress, settle the mind, and contribute to increased physical and psychological health.
The walks are not physically challenging, and the pace is slow with stops along the way to participate in brief exercises to deepen the nature connection. Comfortable clothing and shoes as well as water, sunscreen and insect spray are recommended. Required – participants need to bring a low folding type stool that is easy to carry or a cushion, beach towel or small blanket that can be folded to sit on the ground for a personal meditation and group circle.
Nan Quinlan is a Certified Mindful Outdoor Guide. Nan attended the Kripalu School of Mindful Outdoor Leadership. The school calls on the power of mindfulness to inspire individuals and human societies into greater partnership with the living Earth, so future generations can thrive.
To sign up for this event please email: lbarber@westerlylandtrust.org with the following information:

Email subject: Mindful Walk
Include: All attendee’s names

This event is FREE for members, and $10 per person for non-members.
**Please note: Spots are limited. If you sign up and can no longer participate please let us know so that we can open this experience to others on our waitlist.
To learn more about the Wood-Pawcatuck Wild and Scenic Stewardship Council click here!

Turkey Trot at Riverwood Preserve, Westerly
2021-11-26 10:00 - 13:00 | Riverwood Preserve, 5 Boy Scout Drive, Westerly, RI, 02891, United States
It’s the Friday after Thanksgiving and all of the food has been eaten – now, come hike it all off! This property is part of the Westerly Land Trust’s Pawcatuck River Corridor Initiative. It consists of 148 acres of woodland, rocky ridges and freshwater wetlands adjacent to the Pawcatuck River and the Boy Scout Camp. It has interesting quarry remnants, river views and descent through a beautiful gorge. Some climbing in rocky areas may be involved as the best views are from the higher elevations.
Directions: Please park along Old Hopkinton Road OR in the Faith Bible Chapel parking lot– everyone should meet at the intersection of Old Hopkinton Rd and Boy Scout Drive, we will walk into the preserve there.
Co-Leaders: Sally Hanson, (401) 348-9109 (h), (401) 932-5295 (c), and email: sallyhanson242@gmail.com and Judy Simpanen, (401) 601-5601, and email: jlgsjoy16@gmail.com
*****************************************************************************
Due to COVID-19:

We recognize many people still have concerns about gathering; therefore, please sign up with the designated hike leader, so that person will know how many will be attending and cap the group size if necessary.
Maintain a safe and comfortable distance from other hikers.
Please bring a face mask in case it is needed.

****************************************************************
PLEASE NOTE:

Inclement weather will cancel the hike. If in doubt, please contact leader.
Please notify the hike leader if you plan on attending.

Beaver Moon Hike: UPDATE TIME CHANGE
2021-11-19 17:00 - 18:30 | Crandall Family Preserve, 79 Pound Road, Westerly, RI, 02891, United States
UPDATE: THIS HIKE IS NOW SCHEUDLED TO START AT 5:00 PM
Grab your headlamps/flashlights and join us for a Beaver Moon Hike at the Crandall Family Preserve. Snack on appetizers on the cedar marsh and look carefully, you may catch a glimpse of a beaver on its last night out before taking shelter for the winter months ahead.
To sign up for this event please email: lbarber@westerlylandtrust.org with the following information:

Email subject: Beaver Moon Hike
Include: All attendee’s names

This event is FREE for members, and $10 per person for non-members.
**Please note: Spots are limited. If you sign up and can no longer participate please let us know so that we can open this experience to others on our waitlist and prepare the proper amount of refreshments.

Thursday Hike: Grills Wildlife Sanctuary, Hopkinton (222 Chase Hill Road)
2021-11-18 10:00 - 13:00
Join us for our free guided trail walks on Thursdays. All walks begin at 10:00 AM unless stated to the contrary. We will visit various local conservation properties, including some of our Westerly Land Trust preserves. Walks are between 1 ½ to 3 hours and are open to all ages with our target group being agile seniors. Please keep in mind that these are wooded trails with stumps, roots and rocks so be sure to wear hiking boots or good walking shoes. Also, you’ll want to bring water and maybe a snack.
This hike:
This hike is approximately 5 miles and rated easy to moderate. The Hopkinton Land Trust trails follow the Pawcatuck River and Tomaquag Brook. We will cross the brook and hike to the Polly Coon Bridge that leads to the Westerly Land Trust Grills Preserve.
Directions: I-95 S, Exit 1 (which is Rte 3), to Rte 216 in Ashaway (this is a left hand turn), in about 2.5 miles at the intersection of Chase Hill Road is where we will meet. N 41° 24.647’ N W 71° 4581’
Co-Leaders: Sue & Geoff Sewall, 401-377-2826 (h)
*****************************************************************************
Due to COVID-19:

We recognize many people still have concerns about gathering; therefore, please sign up with the designated hike leader, so that person will know how many will be attending and cap the group size if necessary.
Maintain a safe and comfortable distance from other hikers.
Please bring a face mask in case it is needed.

****************************************************************
PLEASE NOTE:

There are still a few open Thursdays before the end of the year. If you would like to lead a hike, please contact Sally for availability. sallyhanson242@gmail.com
Inclement weather will cancel the hike. If in doubt, please contact leader.
Please notify the hike leader if you plan on attending.

FLUORESCENT ORANGE REQUIREMENTS:
In State Management areas everyone is required to wear 200 square inches of solid daylight fluorescent orange from the second Saturday in September to the last day of February and the last Thursday in April to the last day in May, annually.

Wellness in the Woods: Yoga Hike
2021-11-14 11:00 - 13:30 | Dr. John Champlin Glacier Park- Tom Harvey Trailhead, Intersection of Tom Harvey Road & Newbury Dr., Westerly, RI, 02891, United States, United States
Hiking and yoga go together like fall and pumpkin pie! Stay active and get outside with yoga teacher and outdoor guide Janice Fifer. To begin, Janice will guide you through some centering and invigorating breath work followed by a hike into the woods where we will stop at different points to take in the nature that surrounds us, practice standing yoga poses and a short sitting meditation. You will leave feeling calm and refreshed.
No need for a yoga mat. Consider bringing an old towel or garden kneeling cushion to make sitting on the ground more comfortable. All levels welcome, no yoga experience necessary.
To sign up for this event please email: lbarber@westerlylandtrust.org with the following information:

Email subject: Yoga Hike
Include: All attendee’s names

This event is FREE for members, and $10 per person for non-members.
**Please note: Spots are limited. If you sign up and can no longer participate please let us know so that we can open this experience to others on our waitlist.

Community Garden Clean-Up
2021-11-11 13:00 - 16:00
Come join us to put the WLT Community Garden to bed for the winter!
After this year’s long and fruitful growing season it is time clean up the garden and plant the seeds for next year’s success. Together we will do some weeding, raking, organizing and cut back the pollinator garden perimeter, Come for 30 minutes or 3 hours! There will be refreshments, good stories and one last chance to get your hands dirty before the ground freezes.
Email mdoherty@westerlylandtrust.org to RSVP.
We hope to see you there!
