Cottrell Family Preserve
Cottrell Family Preserve is WLT’s latest conserved property featuring 21 acres of wetlands, uplands and riparian along the Pawcatuck River. The property was conserved in February 2022.
Just downstream from the Potter Hill dam, beautiful and expansive laurel stands dot the property. Sneak views of Beriah Lewis Farm across the river in Connecticut and cross the many annual streams that flow through the parcel.
Trails: There are two trails on this property — The red trail is a one-mile upland loop that follows an old roadbed then meanders up a short hill through a mixed hardwood forest, crossing some annual streams and an interesting rock outcrop.
The blue trail is a forked out-and-back that heads north through a small meadow to the south bank of the Pawcatuck River, following it until reaching a nice landing at the edge of the property. Follow the trail back and take the short yellow spur trail, circumventing the meadow for a brief walk through young hardwoods and rich sedge grass.
 Trail Map |
Location: 13-29 Christian Hill Road, just south of the Potter Hill dam. Parking is limited and rustic as we plan a permanent parking solution. One to two cars may park in the unmaintained laneway approaching the property. More ample parking is located at the DEM’s Potter Hill Landing lot.
Stay tuned for future access improvements.
The holidays are right around the corner, and we have some awesome last-minute gift ideas for you! 🎄❄️
If you’d like a WLT bright orange beanie or 2025 calendar, follow the link in our bio to order. 🗓️
💐Do you know someone who would love a fresh basket of produce or bouquet of flowers each week, @echo_rock_flowers subscription or @frontierfarmri CSA would be a perfect gift. Follow the link in our bio to visit both farmers’ websites!
To gift a friend or family member a WLT Membership, follow the link in our bio and select “Levels of Support”. 🌳
🔪 @graygoosecookerywatchhill will sharpen your knives when you make a donation to WLT at the Gray goose cookery! Sharp knives are safe knives!
👗👠 @second.serve.resale strives to lower the consumption of new clothing by promoting the benefits of resale. When you shop Second Serve Resale and select WLT at checkout, 85% of your sale will be generously donated back to WLT. Follow the link in our bio and select “Shop and Support” to check out the pieces they have.
As we wrap up 2024 we want to say a big heartfelt thank YOU to all of our volunteers, supporters, sponsors, and community partners! We couldn’t do all we do without you! 😊💚
#westerlyri #landtrust #conservation #rhodeisland #stoningtonct #newengland #winter #fall #seasons #newyear #2024 #2025 #landtrust #nature
The holidays are right around the corner, and we have some awesome last-minute gift ideas for you! 🎄❄️
If you’d like a WLT bright orange beanie or 2025 calendar, follow the link in our bio to order. 🗓️
💐Do you know someone who would love a fresh basket of produce or bouquet of flowers each week, @echo_rock_flowers subscription or @frontierfarmri CSA would be a perfect gift. Follow the link in our bio to visit both farmers’ websites!
To gift a friend or family member a WLT Membership, follow the link in our bio and select “Levels of Support”. 🌳
🔪 @graygoosecookerywatchhill will sharpen your knives when you make a donation to WLT at the Gray goose cookery! Sharp knives are safe knives!
👗👠 @second.serve.resale strives to lower the consumption of new clothing by promoting the benefits of resale. When you shop Second Serve Resale and select WLT at checkout, 85% of your sale will be generously donated back to WLT. Follow the link in our bio and select “Shop and Support” to check out the pieces they have.
As we wrap up 2024 we want to say a big heartfelt thank YOU to all of our volunteers, supporters, sponsors, and community partners! We couldn’t do all we do without you! 😊💚
#westerlyri #landtrust #conservation #rhodeisland #stoningtonct #newengland #winter #fall #seasons #newyear #2024 #2025 #landtrust #nature
We had so much fun making wreaths last week! Some of the greenery came directly from WLT land foraged by our very own WLT elves!🎄
Big thanks to everyone who helped out and to all who ordered one!! And thanks to @frontierfarmri for letting us use the greenhouse and @broadview_florist_ri for some extra greenery! 💚
#wreaths #holidays #happyholiday #season #christmas #winter #snow #pine #spruce #forage
We had so much fun making wreaths last week! Some of the greenery came directly from WLT land foraged by our very own WLT elves!🎄
Big thanks to everyone who helped out and to all who ordered one!! And thanks to @frontierfarmri for letting us use the greenhouse and @broadview_florist_ri for some extra greenery! 💚
#wreaths #holidays #happyholiday #season #christmas #winter #snow #pine #spruce #forage
Do you have a favorite Thanksgiving tradition? 🍂
For the team at the Westerly Land Trust, one of our favorites has become our annual hike out into the woods of Barlow Nature Preserve in late November to take a group photo. We coordinate a clothing accessory— last year was scarves; the year before that, flannel shirts. This year we chose vests. Someone joked that the caption should read:
Thank you for inVESTing in local land conservation.
(I’ll spare you the details of which teammate made that dreadful pun.)
Joking aside, 2024 was a big year for the Westerly Land Trust: Our education program is booming, complete with a new program designed for our community’s homeschool families. We successfully transferred the Ice Rink to the Town of Westerly— a big win for our Urban Initiative. And most recently, we grew by 90 acres with the permanent protection of Champlin Farm Preserve. 🌳
These Westerly Land Trust successes belong to our community—the real drivers of our growth and achievements.
Without you, we couldn’t do what we do. And maybe it’s this recognition that makes our annual November stroll into the woods that much sweeter— it is a time for us as a team to reflect on the work we do, where we do it, while thinking of the people who make it all possible.💚
From all of us at the Westerly Land Trust,
Happy Thanksgiving!🦃
#landtrust #westerlyri #community #thankful #thanksgiving #thankyou #nature #conservation #rhodeisland #stoningtonct
Do you have a favorite Thanksgiving tradition? 🍂
For the team at the Westerly Land Trust, one of our favorites has become our annual hike out into the woods of Barlow Nature Preserve in late November to take a group photo. We coordinate a clothing accessory— last year was scarves; the year before that, flannel shirts. This year we chose vests. Someone joked that the caption should read:
Thank you for inVESTing in local land conservation.
(I’ll spare you the details of which teammate made that dreadful pun.)
Joking aside, 2024 was a big year for the Westerly Land Trust: Our education program is booming, complete with a new program designed for our community’s homeschool families. We successfully transferred the Ice Rink to the Town of Westerly— a big win for our Urban Initiative. And most recently, we grew by 90 acres with the permanent protection of Champlin Farm Preserve. 🌳
These Westerly Land Trust successes belong to our community—the real drivers of our growth and achievements.
Without you, we couldn’t do what we do. And maybe it’s this recognition that makes our annual November stroll into the woods that much sweeter— it is a time for us as a team to reflect on the work we do, where we do it, while thinking of the people who make it all possible.💚
From all of us at the Westerly Land Trust,
Happy Thanksgiving!🦃
#landtrust #westerlyri #community #thankful #thanksgiving #thankyou #nature #conservation #rhodeisland #stoningtonct
There’s still time to order your holiday wreath! 🎄
Adorn your door with a hand-crafted wreath made from locally harvested foliage. Wreaths are $65 and when you order a wreath, you can order a 2025 WLT calendar for $15 ($5 discount).
Proceeds will benefit the Westerly Land Trust’s conservation efforts. 🌳
Wreaths will be ready for pick up at Barlow Nature Preserve (449 Westerly Bradford Road) December 4th-6th.
Follow the link in our bio or type the following url into your web browser to order your wreath and/or calendar! Thank you!💚
https://westerlylandtrust.org/support-our-work/shop-and-support/
#wreath #winter #holiday #christmas #thanskgiving #decoration #holidays #foliage #forage #landtrust #hike #westerlyri #rhodeisland
There’s still time to order your holiday wreath! 🎄
Adorn your door with a hand-crafted wreath made from locally harvested foliage. Wreaths are $65 and when you order a wreath, you can order a 2025 WLT calendar for $15 ($5 discount).
Proceeds will benefit the Westerly Land Trust’s conservation efforts. 🌳
Wreaths will be ready for pick up at Barlow Nature Preserve (449 Westerly Bradford Road) December 4th-6th.
Follow the link in our bio or type the following url into your web browser to order your wreath and/or calendar! Thank you!💚
https://westerlylandtrust.org/support-our-work/shop-and-support/
#wreath #winter #holiday #christmas #thanskgiving #decoration #holidays #foliage #forage #landtrust #hike #westerlyri #rhodeisland
The Westerly Land Trust Annual Meeting is open to all members. Join us as we recap 2024 and share plans for 2025. To RSVP, please call 401-315-2610 or email Erika at [email protected]. 🎄
❄️We’ll meet at Barlow Nature Preserve (449 Westerly Bradford Road) on Tuesday, December 3, from 5:30-7:30pm.
#landtrust #westerly #rhodeisland #westerlyri #southcounty #stoningtonct #annualmeeting #hike #nature #2024 #2025
The Westerly Land Trust Annual Meeting is open to all members. Join us as we recap 2024 and share plans for 2025. To RSVP, please call 401-315-2610 or email Erika at [email protected]. 🎄
❄️We’ll meet at Barlow Nature Preserve (449 Westerly Bradford Road) on Tuesday, December 3, from 5:30-7:30pm.
#landtrust #westerly #rhodeisland #westerlyri #southcounty #stoningtonct #annualmeeting #hike #nature #2024 #2025
It’s holiday wreath time!! The Westerly Land Trust elves are readying the workshop. 🎄
❄️This holiday season, adorn your door with a hand-crafted wreath made from locally harvested foliage. Wreaths are $65 and when you order a wreath, you can order a 2025 WLT calendar for $15 ($5 discount).
Proceeds will benefit the Westerly Land Trust’s conservation efforts. 🌳
Wreaths will be ready for pick up at Barlow Nature Preserve (449 Westerly Bradford Road) December 4th-6th.
Follow the link in our bio or type the following url into your web browser to order your wreath and/or calendar! Thank you!💚
https://westerlylandtrust.org/support-our-work/shop-and-support/
#wreath #winter #holiday #christmas #thanskgiving #decoration #holidays #foliage #forage #landtrust #hike #westerlyri #rhodeisland
It’s holiday wreath time!! The Westerly Land Trust elves are readying the workshop. 🎄
❄️This holiday season, adorn your door with a hand-crafted wreath made from locally harvested foliage. Wreaths are $65 and when you order a wreath, you can order a 2025 WLT calendar for $15 ($5 discount).
Proceeds will benefit the Westerly Land Trust’s conservation efforts. 🌳
Wreaths will be ready for pick up at Barlow Nature Preserve (449 Westerly Bradford Road) December 4th-6th.
Follow the link in our bio or type the following url into your web browser to order your wreath and/or calendar! Thank you!💚
https://westerlylandtrust.org/support-our-work/shop-and-support/
#wreath #winter #holiday #christmas #thanskgiving #decoration #holidays #foliage #forage #landtrust #hike #westerlyri #rhodeisland
👏🌳👏 𝙀𝙭𝙘𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙣𝙚𝙬𝙨 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙒𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙡𝙮 𝙇𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙏𝙧𝙪𝙨𝙩: we have permanently protected 90 acres on Boombridge Road along the Pawcatuck River. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗻 𝗙𝗮𝗿𝗺 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲—named for its previous stewards, the Champlin Family— boasts forests, streams, and prime agricultural soils, making this acquisition a huge success for our community’s agriculture, economy, water quality, wildlife habitat, and historic heritage.
To make this possible, WLT secured more than a million dollars of state funding through the Agricultural Land Preservation Commission (ALPC) and the Local Open Space Conservation and Acquisition grant through the RIDEM State of Rhode Island Natural Heritage Preservation Commission. The latter funding was contingent upon WLT obtaining 1:1 matching funds—a goal met with support from the Champlin Foundation, the Bafflin Foundation, ParsonsKellogg, the Forrest and Frances Lattner Foundation, the Horace A. Kimball and S. Ella Kimball Foundation, the Fields Pond Foundation, the Wild and Scenic Stewardship Council, Roddy-Holden Foundation, and the Rhode Island Land Trust Council.
The Westerly Land Trust is grateful for the underpinning of support that made this endeavor possible and for the Champlins’ forethought that set the process in motion. Like all WLT properties, a conservation management plan will be created specifically for this parcel, focusing on sound agricultural practices, habitat preservation, and wildlife protection. WLT also will be considering how best to provide public access to the land and the bordering section of the Pawcatuck River. We look forward to sharing this beautiful landscape with our community.
Your support of the Westerly Land Trust ensures that more than 1,800 acres of land in Westerly, now including the Champlin Farm Preserve, will be protected in perpetuity for the enduring benefit of our community.
👏🌳👏 𝙀𝙭𝙘𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙣𝙚𝙬𝙨 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙒𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙡𝙮 𝙇𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙏𝙧𝙪𝙨𝙩: we have permanently protected 90 acres on Boombridge Road along the Pawcatuck River. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗻 𝗙𝗮𝗿𝗺 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲—named for its previous stewards, the Champlin Family— boasts forests, streams, and prime agricultural soils, making this acquisition a huge success for our community’s agriculture, economy, water quality, wildlife habitat, and historic heritage.
To make this possible, WLT secured more than a million dollars of state funding through the Agricultural Land Preservation Commission (ALPC) and the Local Open Space Conservation and Acquisition grant through the RIDEM State of Rhode Island Natural Heritage Preservation Commission. The latter funding was contingent upon WLT obtaining 1:1 matching funds—a goal met with support from the Champlin Foundation, the Bafflin Foundation, ParsonsKellogg, the Forrest and Frances Lattner Foundation, the Horace A. Kimball and S. Ella Kimball Foundation, the Fields Pond Foundation, the Wild and Scenic Stewardship Council, Roddy-Holden Foundation, and the Rhode Island Land Trust Council.
The Westerly Land Trust is grateful for the underpinning of support that made this endeavor possible and for the Champlins’ forethought that set the process in motion. Like all WLT properties, a conservation management plan will be created specifically for this parcel, focusing on sound agricultural practices, habitat preservation, and wildlife protection. WLT also will be considering how best to provide public access to the land and the bordering section of the Pawcatuck River. We look forward to sharing this beautiful landscape with our community.
Your support of the Westerly Land Trust ensures that more than 1,800 acres of land in Westerly, now including the Champlin Farm Preserve, will be protected in perpetuity for the enduring benefit of our community.
Thanks for joining us at Trails and Ales this past weekend!🥾 We hiked at Wahaneeta Preserve then shared a brew from @greysail and a bite to eat under the pavilion🍂🍻
#fall #fallfoliage #hike #outside #westerly #rhodeisland #greysailbrewing #landtrust #conssrvation
Thanks for joining us at Trails and Ales this past weekend!🥾 We hiked at Wahaneeta Preserve then shared a brew from @greysail and a bite to eat under the pavilion🍂🍻
#fall #fallfoliage #hike #outside #westerly #rhodeisland #greysailbrewing #landtrust #conssrvation