Watch Hill Conservancy

THE WATCH HILL CONSERVANCY WAS INCORPORATED IN 1999 TO PROMOTE THE PRESERVATION OF THE NATURAL AND BUILT ENVIRONMENTS OF WATCH HILL, RI; TO CONSERVE, MAINTAIN, AND ENHANCE THE SCENIC, OPEN SPACE AND HISTORICAL VALUES AND THE CHARACTER OF WATCH HILL; TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC CONCERNING THE SAME; TO ACQUIRE AND PRESERVE INTERESTS IN REAL PROPERTY; AND ANY OTHER PURPOSES INCIDENTAL TO THE AFORESAID PURPOSE WHETHER ACCOMPLISHED WITHIN WATCH HILL OR IN OTHER NEARBY AREAS OF THE TOWN OF WESTERLY, RI OR STONINGTON, CT.

CONSERVATION EFFORTS - 2023 WAS THE 18TH YEAR OF THE CONSERVANCY'S INVOLVEMENT IN NAPATREE POINT CONSERVATION AREA PROGRAMMING, AND THE 11TH YEAR THAT THE CONSERVANCY HAS BEEN LEAD STEWARD OF NAPATREE, ASSUMING THIS ROLE FROM THE WATCH HILL FIRE DISTRICT IN 2013. THE CONSERVANCY CONDUCTS A VARIETY OF STEWARDSHIP AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN THE CONSERVATION AREA. IT ALSO CONDUCTS ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ECOLOGICAL PRESERVATION ON NAPATREE. OUR POPULAR CHILDREN'S PROGRAM, THE NAPATREE INVESTIGATORS HAD 84 YOUNGSTERS PARTICIPATE IN 2023. OUR NAPATREE CONSERVATION EFFORTS INCLUDE THE STEWARDSHIP OF THE PROPERTIES CURRENTLY IDENTIFIED IN THE NAPATREE POINT CONSERVATION AREA CONSERVATION EASEMENT WITH THE WHFD, PROPERTY THE CONSERVANCY OWNS UNDER CONSERVATION EASEMENT WITH RIDEM, AND OTHER PARCELS THE CONSERVANCY OWNS ON NAPATREE POINT. NAPATREE POINT IS THE MOST PRISTINE BARRIER BEACH ECOSYSTEM IN THE REGION AND IS HIGHLY VALUED BY THE PUBLIC WHO VISIT THE CONSERVATION AREA YEAR- ROUND. CONSERVATION ACTIVITIES ALSO INCLUDE THE MAINTENANCE OF OTHER PARCELS CURRENTLY OWNED BY THE CONSERVANCY WHICH ARE OUTSIDE OF THE NAPATREE POINT CONSERVATION AREA. IN 2023 WE INCREASED THE NUMBER AND VARIETY OF OUTREACH ACTIVITIES TO INFORM THE COMMUNITY OF OUR STEWARDSHIP AND EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES ON NAPATREE.

PRESERVING COMMUNITY CHARACTER - AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE CONSERVANCY'S MISSION IS TO PRESERVE AND ENHANCE THE HISTORIC CHARACTER OF THE COMMUNITY. MOST OF WATCH HILL IS RECOGNIZED AS AN HISTORIC DISTRICT ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES AS DESIGNATED BY THE UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR AND THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE. THE WATCH HILL HISTORIC DISTRICT'S DESIGNATION REPORT LISTS MORE THAN 180 STRUCTURES AS SIGNIFICANTLY CONTRIBUTING TO THE HISTORIC VALUE OF THE DISTRICT. THE HISTORIC CHARACTER OF WATCH HILL IS UNDER CONSTANT PRESSURE FROM DEVELOPMENT, CHANGES TO STATE AND TOWN BUILDING AND ZONING CODES, SEVERE WEATHER, AND INCREASED FLOODING FROM RISING SEAS. THE WATCH HILL CONSERVANCY HAS BEEN PARTICULARLY BUSY WORKING JOINTLY WITH THE WATCH HILL FIRE DISTRICT LEADERSHIP TO RESPOND TO THESE PRESSURES. IN 2023, THE CONSERVANCY WAS HIGHLY INVOLVED IN MONITORING PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY AND STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTAL DECISIONS THAT COULD RESULT IN SIGNIFICANT CHANGE TO COMMUNITY CHARACTER OR HAVE NEGATIVE IMPACTS TO THE HISTORIC DISTRICT DESIGNATION.

INFORMING THE COMMUNITY - 2023 WAS THE CONSERVANCY'S SIXTH YEAR HOSTING THE LANPHEAR LIVE SPEAKER SERIES. THE CONSERVANCY DESIGNED THE SERIES TO INFORM THE COMMUNITY ON TOPICS THAT ARE INTERESTING AND TIMELY, TYPICALLY COVERING AREAS SUCH AS SCIENCE, HISTORY, NATURE AND TECHNOLOGY. LANPHEAR LIVE IS HELD IN THE CHAPLIN B. BARNES READING ROOM AT THE LANPHEAR LIVERY AND IS PROVIDED AT NO COST TO THOSE WHO ATTEND. THE VIRTUAL PRESENTATIONS WE HOSTED IN 2020 IN RESPONSE TO THE PANDEMIC WERE SO POPULAR THAT THE CONSERVANCY CONTINUES TO RECORD AND SHARE ITS LANPHEAR LIVE PROGRAMS WITH THE PUBLIC ON ITS WEBSITE AND YOUTUBE CHANNEL. OWNING AND MANAGING THE READING ROOM AS A COMMUNITY SPACE IS A RELATIVELY NEW INITIATIVE FOR THE CONSERVANCY. THE CONSERVANCY ACQUIRED THE PROPERTY IN LATE 2020. CARRYING AND MAINTAINING THE SPACE RESULTS IN SIGNIFICANT COSTS TO THE ORGANIZATION. THE CONSERVANCY IS WORKING TO OFFSET THESE COSTS BY SEEKING OUTSIDE FUNDING (COMMUNITY PROGRAMMING SPONSORS AND GRANT FUNDING) TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY PROGRAMMING AND BY RENTING THE SPACE TO THIRD-PARTIES.