Resiliency Radio Hour on WBLQ
The Southern RI Conservation District hosts Resiliency Radio Hour on Thursdays from 9am to 10am on Stereo WBQL 1230AM /103.1 FM or wblq.net, and the Westerly Land Trust is a regular guest. Click the links below to hear full episodes.
Dr. Dierdre O’Connor Forest Bathing + Wellness, May 9, 2024
Herpetology with RIDEM’s Sarah Riley, Episode 115, November 16, 2023
Second Serve Resale, Episode 110, October 5, 2023
Wood-Pawcatuck Wild and Scenic Stewardship Council, Episode 105, August 24, 2023
Springtime at WLT, Episode 93, April 27, 2023
Shannon Kingsley of RI Plant Society discusses the Reseeding Initiative, Episode 88, March 16, 2023
Ellie Coffey talks about regenerative agriculture, Episode 81, January 28, 2023
Dick Holliday discusses how WLT came to be, Episode 75, December 8, 2022
All about the Westerly Land Trust, Episode 68, September 22, 2022
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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
Welcome back, Farm Dinner! Oh, how we missed you last year. After pressing pause in 2024 to focus on protecting the Champlin Farm Preserve, we had some butterflies about bringing back this iconic event—but seeing all the smiles and feeling the sense of community reminded us of why the event is so special. Indeed, it is more than just a signature fundraiser supporting WLT’s conservation work. It is about bringing our community together to appreciate the land and Westerly’s rich culture of local food production. 🦪🌸🥗
Many thanks to the South County Tourism Council who helped make this evening possible as the 2025 Farm Dinner Presenting Sponsor. We’d also like to thank our 2025 Corporate Sponsors for supporting our conservation work year-round.
And to our guests: by reserving your seat at the Westerly Land Trust’s Farm Dinner, you are playing an important role in local land conservation. Thank you for taking action to preserve and steward these special places in Westerly, and by doing so in fabulous fashion! 💚🌱
