Overview • Properties • Significance • Funding • Opportunity
WE DID IT!
Unanimous vote saves the farms
Voters declared a rousing victory for land conservation on September 18, 2007. 402 Jamestowners came together at a special Financial Town Meeting and unanimously approved the bond to purchase development rights of the Dutra and Neale farms. This ensures that approximately 1,000 acres of central island land will be preserved as farmland in perpetuity.
Overview
Over the past six years, the Conanicut Island Land Trust has led an effort to permanently preserve the three remaining unprotected historic farms in the center of Conanicut Island, via the purchase of development rights from the current owners, the Dutra, Neale, and Ceppi families. Originating with the Land Trust, the effort evolved into a multi-party endeavor involving the federal, state, and local governments.
Although the Ceppi family withdrew their property from the project, our fundraising success encouraged us to continue with the Dutra and Neale properties. Federal and state funds will account for 35% of the total purchase cost of $11.75M; grant funds account for another 5%; and a town bond issue will account for $2.1M. The Conanicut Island Land Trust raised the balance of $2.15M from private donors.
Properties
The two farms involved, detailed below, are located in the island’s central corridor, surrounded by approximately 865 acres of protected open space. Please see the attached maps for additional information.
- 100 acres, located on Weeden Lane and North Road, surrounding a historic colonial windmill
- property of Jesse and Joe Dutra, who continue a 90-year tradition of farming the land
- open fields and pasture, dedicated to a dairy farming operation
- black and white mottled Holsteins greet all who travel Route 138, the central highway to Newport and the Cape
- 43 acres, located east of North Road and bounded on the north by Weeden Lane and on the south by the Great Creek, a pristine 100 acre coastal marsh
- property of Martha and George Neale
- primarily pastureland and home to approximately 50 Belted Galloways (black with white “belts”)
