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 PURPOSES, WHETHER ACCOMPLISHED WITHIN WATCH HILL OR IN OTHER NEARBY AREAS OF THE TOWN OF WESTERLY, RI OR STONINGTON, CT.

CONSERVATION EFFORTS - 2021 WAS THE 16TH YEAR OF THE CONSERVANCY'S INVOLVEMENT IN NAPATREE POINT CONSERVATION AREA PROGRAMMING, AND THE 9TH 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 CONSERVATION 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, RESUMED THIS YEAR (AFTER A ONE-YEAR HIATUS DUE TO THE PANDEMIC) AND HAD MORE THAN 50 PARTICIPANTS. OUR CONSERVATION EFFORTS INCLUDE THE STEWARDSHIP OF PROPERTIES CURRENTLY IDENTIFIED IN THE NAPATREE POINT CONSERVATION AREA CONSERVATION EASEMENT, AS WELL AS EXPLORING THE ACQUISITION OF OTHER REMAINING OUT-PARCELS OF NATURAL SIGNIFICANCE ON NAPATREE POINT. THIS YEAR WE COMPLETED THE ACQUISITION OF THE LARGEST REMAINING OUTPARCEL ON NAPATREE POINT, WHICH IS NOW HELD IN FEE SIMPLE OWNERSHIP BY THE CONSERVANCY WITH THE RI DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT HOLDING A CONSERVATION EASEMENT OVER THE PROPERTY TO ENSURE IT REMAINS AS OPEN SPACE IN PERPETUITY. 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 THE OTHER PROPERTIES CURRENTLY OWNED BY THE CONSERVANCY WHICH ARE OUTSIDE OF THE NAPATREE POINT CONSERVATION AREA.

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 A HISTORIC DISTRICT ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES AS DESIGNATED BY THE UNITED STATE 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 CODE, 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 2021, THE CONSERVANCY WAS HIGHLY INVOLVED IN MONITORING PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY THAT WOULD RESULT IN SIGNIFICANT CHANGE TO COMMUNITY CHARACTER OR HAVE NEGATIVE IMPACTS TO THE HISTORIC DISTRICT DESIGNATION.

INFORMING THE COMMUNITY - 2021 WAS THE CONSERVANCY'S 4TH YEAR HOSTING THE LANPHEAR LIVE PRESENTATION 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 IN 2021 THE CONSERVANCY CONTINUED TO RECORD AND SHARE THE PROGRAMS WITH THE PUBLIC ON ITS YOUTUBE CHANNEL. OWNING AND MANAGING THE READING ROOM AS A COMMUNITY SPACE IS A 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 WHICH ARE FIRST SEEN IN 2021. THE CONSERVANCY IS OFFSETTING THESE COSTS BY SEEKING OUTSIDE FUNDING TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY PROGRAMMING AND BY STARTING A RENTAL PROGRAM FOR INDIVIDUALS, BUSINESSES, AND OTHER NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS. ADDITIONALLY, THE CONSERVANCY IS LEADING A COMMUNITY-WIDE INITIATIVE TO EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY ON SEA LEVEL RISE AND STORM SURGE IMPACTING WATCH HILL. OUR 2021 PLANNING FOR A RESILIENT FUTURE WORK FOCUSED ON IDENTIFYING MITIGATION PLANS TO REDUCE CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS ON BAY STREET AND THE NAPATREE POINT CONSERVATION AREA FOR A 3-5' SEA LEVEL RISE SCENARIO.

BAY STREET INFRASTRUCTURE AND STREETLIGHT PROJECT - THIS PROJECT BEGAN WITH A TWO-YEAR ENGINEERING STUDY AND YEARS OF CONSTRUCTION, ALLOWING FOR THE UNDERGROUNDING OF WIRES AND THE RELOCATION OF TRANSFORMERS. THE INSTALLATION OF AN UNDERGROUND DUCT ON BAY STREET BEGAN IN LATE 2011 IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE TOWN OF WESTERLY'S "TIP" PROJECT. SINCE, TOWN OF WESTERLY HAS FOCUSED ON A MULTITUDE OF BAY STREET IMPROVEMENTS SUCH AS NEW CURBING, CROSSWALKS, SIDEWALKS, AND PAVING. AT THE SAME TIME THE CONSERVANCY'S INSTALLATION OF STREETLIGHTS WAS COMPLETED AS WELL.