Learning Series: “This Land Is Your Land”

Bill Kirkpatrick, Property Steward of Johannis Farm Wildlife Preserve

The Barrington Land Conservation Trust will celebrate Earth Day this year with its next Learning Series event, “This Land Is Your Land,” a virtual tour of Barrington’s conservation properties

The event will take place Wednesday, April 24, at 7 pm at the Barrington Public Library, 281 County St., Barrington. Through pictures and stories, guests will be introduced to hundreds of acres of conservation land in Barrington.

“This Land Is Your Land” is free and open to the public. Registration is required as space is limited in the Salem Family Auditorium. To register, go to www.blct.org/events.

“It’s powerful to have a hands-on experience caring for our environment,” says Cindy Elder, Executive Director of the Barrington Land Conservation Trust. “At the Land Trust, our volunteers feel connected to the lands they steward. We’d like to offer that opportunity to more people who care about preserving the wild places in our town.”

The presentation will be delivered by volunteers who play critical roles in the management and care of these properties. Speakers include Peter McCalmont, Chair of the Doug Rayner Wildlife Refuge Management Committee; Ellen Berren, Property Steward of Sowams Woods; Peter Burke, Property Steward of PIC-WIL Nature Preserve; Ginger Brown, Property Steward of St. Andrews Farm; Bill Kirkpatrick, Property Steward of Johannis Farm Wildlife Preserve; Victor Lerish; Chair of the Land Trust’s Stewardship Committee; and Cindy Elder.

Ellen Berren (second from left), Property Steward of Sowams Woods, with members of the Land Trust’s Student Stewardship Team.

“I speak to many residents who aren’t aware of the public walking trails that are available to them, as well as the more sensitive areas open only for guided tours, and those places that are reserved for conservation,” says Elder. “This presentation will open your eyes to the natural places in our town and help you know when and how to access them. We’re also interested in your ideas about why preservation of open space is important and how these places benefit you and your family.”

The event is part of the 2024 Land Trust Learning Series, sponsored by Santander Bank and Shaw’s, with additional support from Gunness Financial Services, Prickly Ed’s Cactus Patch Native Plant Emporium, Bank Newport, the RI Natural History Survey, and other local sponsors.

The Barrington Land Conservation Trust has preserved nearly 300 acres of open space in perpetuity for the benefit of the public.