Friends of the East Greenwich Land Trust

10/27/2026

Thank you all who came yesterday and helped us continue clearing the trails at the Mark Clark Preserve! It was a perfect Fall day and we really appreciate you choosing to spend a big part of it preparing this pretty spot for public use. I bet all those deer are enjoying the new trail as I type this. :-)

We are SO CLOSE to connecting that the final trail thanks to your hard work! We'll likely have a follow-up event to finish the job some time soon, and then do a proper public opening of the property in the Spring once the trails are blazed, parking area and signage finalized, etc. 🍁🍂

East Greenwich Community Services & Parks Department The New England Wireless and Steam Museum Troop 2 East Greenwich Friends of the East Greenwich Land Trust

10/10/2026

Roy Najecki (Gloucester Land Trust) and I met at the Clark property again this morning to finish clearing the access path from the public access easement! He replaced the DR's carburetor after it broke down during our previous visit, and the machine made quick work of clearing the remaining briar thicket.

Check out the attached brief video of Roy using the DR on some tough briar, along with a longer, narrated (by me) tour of the cleared path.

This is the path we'll be using at our October 25 trail-building event to access the primary trail system!

https://www.facebook.com/share/14sh76Mv25Y/

10/06/2026

A big thank you to local scout Gregory Martin of Troop 1 East Greenwich! For his Eagle Scout project, Gregory replaced the rickety old bridge across the Hunt River at the Mawney-Pine Preserve. He designed and proposed the project, fundraised for the materials, and led a crew of scouts to build the new crossing.

We invite you to visit the property on Tillinghast Road, explore the hiking trails and open meadow, and visit Gregory’s bridge!

10/03/2026

Look who joined us for some trail clearing at the Mary Clark property this morning! Roy Najecki of the Gloucester Land Trust brought its DR machine to the The New England Wireless and Steam Museum's parcel on Tillinghast Road where the town will be establishing public parking and primary access to the new Clark property trail system. The challenge: access from there runs through several hundred feet of thick, matted, thorny briar vines. The solution: a joint effort by EG's Highway Department and the GLT's DR machine to clear the path for future hikers. This morning we worked until the DR quit (carburetor issues). We're almost through!

09/15/2026

Despite the downpour Sunday ☔️ we were happy to partner with the Rhode Island Mycological Society to host a guided mushroom tour/hike at Briggs-Boesch Farm for the Rhode Island Land Trust Council’s Land Trust Days. 🍄

Land Trust Days is a statewide, 2-month celebration of the many special places protected by land trusts. Land trusts across the state host activities to share the special places they are protecting for everyone, young and old to enjoy. These events include guided walks, community festivals, full moon walks, farm tours and a whole lot more.

For more fantastic Land Trust Day events, check out rilandtrusts.org/land-trust-days/

09/10/2026

Have plans this weekend? 📆

Land Trust Days - East Greenwich - Briggs Boesch Farm
Sunday, September 13, 2026 - 1 PM

As part of the Land Trust Days celebration, join us on a guided mushroom tour/hike of Briggs Boesch Farm. Land Trust Days is a program of the Rhode Island Land Trust Council, the statewide
coalition of land trusts, and a two-month celebration of the special open spaces that land
trusts protect across Rhode Island.

Briggs-Boesch Farm is a working farm and protected open-space property in East Greenwich, dating to the early 1700s. The property was part of the Briggs family’s original land and remained in agricultural use for centuries before being acquired by the Town of East Greenwich in 2001 to preserve its historic character, farmland, and natural landscape.
Today, the property serves as an important piece of East Greenwich’s greenway system, with publicly accessible trails through its fields and forests, while portions of the land continue to support working agriculture and educational programming.

Register for this guided walk:
https://forms.gle/BrMcpCgY2F4JTVyD9

https://rilandtrusts.org/land-trust-days/

The Rhode Island Mycological Society, in partnership with the East Greenwich Land Trust, is hosting a guided mushroom walk as part of the Land Trust Days celebration. Briggs-Boesch Farm is a working farm and protected open-space property in East Greenwich, dating to the early 1700s. The property was...

09/02/2026

FREE walk in September through the Rhode Island Mycological Society, in East Greenwich, in partnership with Friends of the East Greenwich Land Trust

Frenchtown Park / Frye Preserve Foray - East Greenwich Land Trust
Saturday, September 5, 2026 - 1 PM
Join us for an afternoon of mushroom hunting followed by a table talk/ID session. Frenchtown Park/Frye preserve offers interconnected trails winding through mature woodland, wetlands, and along nearby streams. The trail system provides several options for exploring the preserve, ranging from shorter walks to longer loops, and its varied habitats make it a particularly interesting location for observing seasonal changes in plants, fungi, birds, and other wildlife. The Town of East Greenwich maintains the property as a public nature park.
Register for this foray:
https://forms.gle/DhxrZ9vDzLcsNK1VA

08/22/2026

The East Greenwich Land Trust Is Seeking New Trustees!

Help shape the future of open space, trails, farms, forests, and historic landscapes in our community.

The East Greenwich Land Trust is looking for engaged, thoughtful residents to fill current and upcoming vacancies on our board. If you care about conservation, public access, local history, or the long‑term stewardship of our town’s natural assets, we’d love to hear from you.

As a Trustee, you can help:
✅ Protect and preserve EG’s woodlands, farms, waterways, and meadows
✅ Advise the town on land acquisition, conservation easements, and stewardship priorities
✅ Support public access by helping design trails, improve signage, and enhance visitor experiences
✅ Engage the community through guided walks, cleanups, educational events, and outreach
✅ Collaborate with partners like Parks, Planning, Public Works, EG Historic Preservation Society, RI Audubon, RI Land Trust Council, and local civic groups
✅ Champion conservation by building relationships with landowners and promoting long‑term protection of open space
✅ Strengthen the Land Trust’s mission as we update our governing language and clarify our role for the future

Trustees are appointed by the Town Council and must be resident electors of East Greenwich. The board meets monthly (3rd Tuesdays) and works closely with Town staff and partner organizations throughout the year.

If you’re passionate about preserving the natural and historic character of East Greenwich—and ensuring these special places remain accessible and protected for generations—this is a meaningful way to serve your community.

👉 Learn more about the Land Trust: https://www.eastgreenwichri.gov/landtrust
📩 To ​hear about what we're working on and what it's like to serve, contact Land Trust chair Derek Steinbrenner ([email protected]) and include a note about yourself.
📝To apply for an open board position, visit the EG Boards & Commissions website (https://www.eastgreenwichri.gov/478/Boards-Commissions) for the application form and contact EG town clerk Leigh Carney at [email protected].

Let’s continue protecting the places that make East Greenwich special. 🌳💚

The Land Trust is responsible for acquiring and managing real property in the town for open space, agricultural and recreational use, protection of ground water resources, protection of historic resources, wetlands, and wildlife habitat, and for public access to the shore.

08/21/2026

Check out this article about our recent work building trails on the parcel donated by resident Mary Clark. We couldn’t have done it without the hardworking team from RI Audubon’s Youth Conservation League! Next steps: blazing, parking, and a trail map!

Above: Members of the Audubon Society’s Youth Conservation League move a downed tree out of the way of the new pathway being built at the Tanner Preserve earlier in August. The Town of East Greenwich and the East Greenwich Land Trust got several helping hands recently by way of the Audubon Society...

06/26/2026

More developments at Briggs-Boesch Farm! We look forward to assisting the town with its future investments in the property that will be made possible by this new source of income!

Town of East Greenwich and RI Agricultural Lands Preservation Commission Reach Agreement to Protect the Future of Boesch Farm

The Town of East Greenwich is pleased to announce the successful resolution of litigation with the RIDEM’s Agricultural Land Preservation Commission (ALPC) concerning the future management and stewardship of the Town-owned Boesch Farm. The agreement reflects a shared commitment to preserving one of East Greenwich's most important agricultural and open-space resources while securing significant long-term funding for its protection and enhancement.

The settlement resolves legal issues related to the Town’s right to provide an underground power connection to Rhode Island Energy across town property for the neighboring South Road Solar project. Importantly, the agreement protects historic stone walls, scenic resources, trees, farm operations, and the public water supply during construction of the project and establishes a framework that advances agricultural preservation, environmental stewardship, public access, and the long-term sustainability of the farm.

As part of the agreement, South Road Solar will provide an additional $650,000 dedicated exclusively to Boesch Farm. Combined with other revenues generated through the easement agreement, the farm is expected to receive approximately $3 million over the 30- to 40-year term of the agreement. These funds will be placed in a restricted account and may only be used for the preservation, maintenance, operation, and improvement of Boesch Farm in accordance with its agricultural preservation restrictions. In addition, the Town will secure ownership of the property (30+ acres) at the termination of the agreement in 30-40 years, in allowing for a permanent expansion of the farm property.

The Town Council is pleased to have secured this agreement with the ALPC and South Road Solar that reinforces Boesch Farm's primary agricultural mission by supporting current and future farm tenants, helping offset construction-related impacts, and ensuring that land beneath the solar array remains available for sheep grazing and other compatible agricultural uses. Additional provisions protect historic stone walls, scenic resources, trees, farm operations, and the public water supply well while minimizing roadway and construction impacts.

"This agreement ensures that Boesch Farm will continue to serve as a valued agricultural, environmental, and community resource for generations to come," said Andrew E. Nota, Town Manager. "By resolving litigation and securing dedicated funding for the farm's future, the Town and ALPC have achieved a positive outcome that protects this important public asset while strengthening its long-term viability."

The Town Council, Administration and ALPC recognize that both organizations share the same fundamental goal: preserving Boesch Farm and its agricultural heritage for future generations. The agreement demonstrates how collaboration and constructive dialogue can produce lasting benefits for the community while protecting one of East Greenwich's most cherished public properties.

Media Contact
Andrew E. Nota
Town Manager
Town of East Greenwich