Editor’s note: This event has been postponed to Friday, Sept. 1.
BURRILLVILLE – The Rhode Island Land Trust Council will kick off its 12th annual Land Trust Days program. a two-month program highlighting groups throughout the state, at the Eagle Peak Schoolhouse in Burrillville on Friday, August 25.
The public is invited to the event, which will feature tours of the historic schoolhouse, as well as two guided hikes to a nearby quarry.
According to Burrillville Land Trust President Paul Roselli, the event will mark the start of what will be the biggest Land Trust Days program yet. More than 65 events will take place from August 25 through October 29, including guided walks, full moon hikes, wildlife demonstrations, bird watching, kayaking, kite flying, and, new this year, the Council’s Cookout for Conservation.
The program, he notes, aims to bring attention to Rhode Island’s 45 plus land trusts and the beautiful properties they conserve for the benefit and enjoyment of the public.
On Sunday, Sept. 24 at Goddard Park in Warwick, the Rhode Island Land Trust Council will be celebrating Land Trust Days with a fun-filled day of outdoor games, music, dancing, nature walks, and delicious food. Attendees will have the chance to connect with the land trust community while directly supporting the Council’s efforts to plan and execute such events.
The cookout, meanwhile, will be a ticketed event.
In Burrillville, the focus this month will be the schoolhouse and surrounding lands.
“The property at 310 Eagle Peak Road reminds me of why I joined the Burrillville Land Trust many years go: flowing streams, stone walls, trees reaching 50 to 100 feet into the sky, a pond and life of all kinds everywhere,” said Roselli. “This property has value by its very existence.”
“As this schoolhouse helped educate a community, the land trust will help teach all who continue to live on this land, teaching new owners of the natural world and the values in their own backyard,” he added.
The event starts at 9 a.m. with hikes departing at 9:15 and 10:15 a.m. A short speaking program will also take place at 10 a.m., celebrating the work of the Burrillville Land Trust. Parking is available along Knibb Road.
The event, and all of the upcoming Land Trust Days events, urge individuals and families to go out and explore the state’s special places.
“Getting out in the fresh air to unwind, unplug, relax, and participate in outdoor activities improves both physical and mental health, and Land Trust Days is a great way to meet and connect with your local land trust,” said Kate Sayles, executive director for the RI Land Trust Council. “Protected open spaces also add to our sense of community, by providing beautiful places that everyone can enjoy.”
A calendar with more detailed information on all Land Trust Days events can be found at rilandtrusts.org/landtrustdays/. People are also
encouraged to join Land Trust Days on Meetup and Facebook to receive notifications about upcoming activities.
