PORTSMOUTH — Aquidneck Land Trust (ALT) has acquired a perpetual Conservation Easement from C. William Welch for a 14.25-acre horse farm and woods off Mitchell's Lane.
The property sits next to other conserved properties within ALT’s Sakonnet Greenway on the east side of Aquidneck Island. The Sakonnet Greenway runs from near Glen Road in Portsmouth south to Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge in Middletown.
“For years, we have benefited from the terrific conservation work of the Aquidneck Land Trust, especially their extensive bridle trails, so we felt it was time to do our part,” Mr. Welch said.
“We thank Bill Welch for helping us add another important green patch to the impressive green quilt, known as our Sakonnet Greenway, that we have been working on for about 20 years.” said ALT Executive Director Ted Clement.
The Welch land has a number of conservation values, Mr. Clement said, among them that the parcel contains US Department of Agriculture-recognized prime farmland soils.
Welch Farm uses about three acres of the property for its horse operation. The rest of the land, considered protective buffer for Little Creek, has water resource and wildlife habitat values, ALT said..
Little Creek flows through this portion of the property on its way to the Sakonnet River
The property also contains vernal pools and a mature red maple/black gum swamp that supports a variety of wildlife.
Furthermore, Welch Farm affords scenic vistas to the residents and passersby on Mitchell’s Lane and Harvest Drive.
With last Thursday’s closing, the ALT has conserved over 2,385 acres on 65 properties on Aquidneck Island since 1990.
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