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.
Follow Us
Join Our Email List
What. A. Night! All the stars aligned and Saturday night was pure magic. Thank you for joining us at the table for the Farm Dinner at Barlow Nature Preserve. ✨🍽️
One of our favorite recollections of the evening was walking along the table and seeing people of all ages and backgrounds sharing a meal and conversation. This event is all about community, and our community truly shined. The farmers shared their stories, and we could taste their respect and connection to both land and sea in every bite. 🥬🥩
We were honored to partner with Chef Johan Jensen and his wife Abbey Hemmann of @whitecresteatery and @backdoorkitchen in Stonington, CT. Not only did their culinary creativity astound us, but they exuded positive energy and good vibes. Cheers to Abbey and Johan for welcoming their third baby just a week prior to the event. We are so happy for their beautiful, growing family. 💚
Thank you for supporting our conservation work through this special event. Your presence directly impacts our mission to protect local habitats, sustain community agriculture, and preserve open space for generations to come. If you enjoyed the fresh local ingredients highlighted during dinner, we encourage you to continue supporting our regional farm partners who made the evening possible. Buying local helps sustain our agricultural economy while keeping active farmland protected. 🚜🧑🌾
@beriahlewisfarm
@brightside_seafood
@carpentersfarmstand
@everbreezefarm
@richeeses
@smithsacres
@watchhilloysters
@wehpittituckfarm
@westfarmorganics
📸 Thank you to @metalcamera.events for capturing the beautiful night!
What’s your favorite color to notice in nature? 🌈🌿
We spent this morning exploring the trails at Flora Whiteley Preserve with local families. To slow down our adventure and really notice our surroundings we used paint chips to match against the beautiful natural colors of the changing seasons. 🍁🍄🌸
✨Join us for our next Wonder Walk on October 7th at Winnapaug Farm Preserve starting at 10 am. ✨
Wonder Walks is a guided family hiking series hosted by @westerlylandtrust and @wildrootsplay.ri designed to spark curiosity and nurture a lifelong love of nature. All walks are offered at no cost to you and your family but registration is required. An adult must accompany their child(ren) during program. This is a great opportunity to adventure together!
Follow the link in our bio to our Calendar of Events or type the following link into your browser to learn more and sign up!
https://westerlylandtrust.org/events-calendar/
Welcome September! Save this post for later and scroll through to see what’s happening in September at the Westerly Land Trust! 🥾🌳
Thursday Hikes & Paddles🚣🥾
The Thursday Hiking Group’s last paddle of the summer will take place on September 3 and depart from the Mystic YMCA. Hikes resume for the fall (and winter and spring!) on Thursday, September 10.
These paddles and hikes are volunteer-led and free for the public. The groups visit WLT properties along with other preserves in RI and CT.
To view the full Thursday Paddle and Hike schedules, go to the Hikes, Paddles & Wellness tab on our website (westerlylandtrust.org).
Wednesday Wonder Walk✨
Wednesday, September 9, 10-11am
📍Flora Whiteley Preserve
Join @wildrootsplay.ri and the Westerly Land Trust once a month for Wonder Walks, a guided family hiking series designed to spark curiosity and nurture a lifelong love of nature.
Follow the link in our bio to our Calendar of Events on our website or head to westerlylandtrust.org.
☕️School is back in session this month, and so is WLT’s Coffee and Clearing Club, “CCC”. If you’re interested clearing trails and wielding weed wackers, not to mention joining one of the best volunteer groups in Westerly, please join us at 8:30am on Tuesday, September 15th, at Barlow Nature Preserve. We’ll start with coffee as usual and go from there! 🪚🌲
Voices of the Land Presentations🏞️
🪨Rhode Island Stone Walls🪨
Thursday, September 17, 5:30-6:30pm
📍Barlow Nature Preserve
In this presentation, Elliot Vosburgh, founder of the Rhode Island Stone Wall Mapping Project, will lead an exploration of how thousands of miles of historic stone walls reveal the intersection of RI’s geology, history, and ecology.
🪶Hawk Migration 🪶
Thursday, September 24, 5:30-7pm
📍Barlow Nature Preserve
Joseph Zbyrowski is a raptor specialist with more than 30 years of experience working with hawks and owls. In this lecture, Joseph will present the findings from a multi-year survey of hawk migration at Napatree Point.
Trails to Treasure Girl Scout Adventure 🧭🗺️
Saturday, September 19, 10am-12pm
📍Barlow Nature Preserve
This Girl Scout program is for levels Juniors, Volunteers, and Browni
Did you miss the goats while they were at Avondale Farm Preserve? Here’s what they were up to.🐐
Our mowing crew had some stiff competition recently. In partnership with @romlandlivestock the herd of Kiko goats was back again hard at work removing invasive species. It’s a win win for everyone. The goats love porcelain berry and their efforts help to remove unwanted plants, provide nutrients to the soil and minimize our carbon footprint. 🚜🌾
#westerlyri #rhodeisland #landconservation #landtrust
Stop scrolling and appreciate the bees. They’re working hard!🐝🌼
We had so much fun helping @wildrootsplay.ri create a whimsical fairy trail! Thanks to everyone that joined and helped make today so magical!✨🧚♂️
Join our next Wonder Walk on Wednesday, September 9 at Flora Whitely Preserve starting at 10 am. These free guided family adventures will continue monthly. Check out all up coming Wonder Walks at our Calendar of Events through the link in our bio or westerlylandtrust.org🌳
Wednesday Wonder Walks are back starting tomorrow
Wednesday, August 12, 10-11am
✨Join @wildrootsplay.ri and the Westerly Land Trust once a month for Wonder Walks, a guided family hiking series designed to spark curiosity and nurture a lifelong love of nature.
On August 12, our group will be working together to build a whimsical fairy village!🧚♂️🍄
Wonder Walks are no cost to you and your family thanks to generous community support. Registration is required!
Copy this link into your browser for more info and to sign up. (https://westerlylandtrust.org/event/wonder-walk/)
‼️LOCATION CHANGE‼️
November 11 at Champlin Farm Preserve
February 17 at Riverwood/ Camp Quequatuck
📝Fresh off the Presses:
A History of Wahaneeta Preserve
We are pleased to present The History of Wahaneeta Preserve. Many thanks to Steve Ruzzo for his hours of detailed research and wordsmithing, and to all the contributors who helped unearth Wahaneeta’s history: Sheilia Terranova Beattie, Les Crandall, Ellen Madison, and Dave Prigmore.🥾🌲
📖Pick up your copy at Barlow Nature Preserve or view an online version on our website. You can also enjoy the histories of Avondale Farm Preserve, Barlow Nature Preserve, Dr. John Champlin Glacier Park, Grills Preserve, Sunnyacres Preserve, and Winnapaug Farm Preserve—both in print version and online.