28-Acre Land Parcel To Expand Tillinghast Pond Management Area

WEST GREENWICH, RI — The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management and The Nature Conservancy bought 28 new acres of land in West Greenwich. The forested parcel will be open for public use, including hunting.

"I am delighted that we've been able to protect this priority habitat at Tillinghast Pond and enhance recreational opportunities for the public," DEM Director Janet Coit said. "Preserving Rhode Island's natural assets enhances our quality of life and helps support sustainable communities. Tillinghast is one of the best spots for hiking, bird-watching, hunting, and just being outdoors enjoying nature. Kudos to The Nature Conservancy and our partners for helping to make this important acquisition in West Greenwich possible."

The department bought the land for $265,000. It abuts more that 2,000 acres of protected land in the Tillinghast Pond Management Area and Wickaboxet Management Area, and is near several other parcels of protected land.

"The lands around Tillinghast Pond are part of the largest coastal forest in the northeast and regionally important for storing carbon, for wildlife, and for public recreation," John Torgan, the state director for The Nature Conservancy, said. "Together with DEM and the people of West Greenwich, we've conserved more than 2,000 acres at Tillinghast, but we're not done yet. We still have more work to do."

Had not department not acquired the land, two new homes would have been built within 800 feet of the trailhead, "changing the character of the preserve and diminishing the visitor experience,"
the DEM said in a release. The land also includes the last unprotected tributary stream to Phillips Brook, which flows south to the Wood River.

The new land parcel will be added to the Tillinghast Pond Management Area, owned by The Nature Conservancy and managed in a partnership between the DEM and West Greenwich.