dedication of Ernie and norma o’leary Agricultural and conservation land.
The first agricultural fields saved from the bulldozer in Northwestern RI
Ernie and Norma O’Leary Agricultural and Conservation Land Dedication and Celebration August 24th, 1pm
A first for northwestern Rhode Island. The Burrillville Land Trust will celebrate the acquisition and dedication of a 65 acre property in Northwestern Rhode Island as the Ernie and Norma O’Leary Agricultural and Conservation Land on August 24th from 1pm till 2:30pm.
Invited guests include the Governors from Rhode Island and Connecticut, federal and state representatives from both states and folks from environmental and land conservation organizations from around the region. The public is invited.
Because of the generosity of a family steeped in farming in Northwestern Rhode Island, a group of private and public open space and conservation organizations could buy a 65-acre parcel in Pascoag, RI known for its prime agricultural soils and save it from development forever.
For more than 40 years, Ernie and Norma O’Leary grew corn for the family’s dairy herd on the land, which abuts Buck Hill Management Area. After Mr. O’Leary passed away in 2021, Mrs. O’Leary worked tirelessly to fulfill her late husband’s wish of seeing this piece of the Rhode Island landscape preserved for all time. She fulfilled this wish and sold the property to the Burrillville Land Trust, a private all volunteer land trust in Burrillville. Funding for the purchase came from the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) through funds from voter-approved green economy bonds, The Nature Conservancy from their Ginty Fund, the Bafflin Foundation, the June Rockwell Levy Foundation, and members of the Burrillville Land Trust.
The O’Leary family will continue to grow corn on 22 acres via a lease agreement with the land trust. The leased area will continue to be farmed but closed off for any and all public use.
“The land will continue to be farmed as Ernie wanted,” said Mrs. O’Leary. “I am very pleased with how this worked out and know that Ernie would have felt the same.” “Agriculture and agricultural soils in Rhode Island are under threat,” said Burrillville Land Trust President Paul A. Roselli. “Rhode Islanders are losing much of their healthy, produce-producing soils to the bulldozer. We are extremely happy to save this property for agriculture in perpetuity.”
“Only a true love of the land would motivate generosity like Mrs. O’Leary’s, and DEM is very grateful for it,” said DEM Director Terry Gray. “The O’Learys’ farm is another key piece in the natural corridor that runs down the Rhode Island-Connecticut border,” said Scott Comings, TNC Associate State Director. “By keeping the forest and farms connected, the area stays resilient to climate change and continues to sustain migratory birds and other wildlife in two states.”
The celebration takes place on Saturday, August 24th from 1pm. Use 265 Croff Road, Pascoag, RI or 41.97689° N, 71.79693° W as GPS guides to get you to the event site. From the east enter Croff Road from Buck Hill Road just before you reach the CT border. Travel South down Croff Road about 3/4 mile. Event is on your left. Park on your left. There is a 0.2mile walk in the woods to the event site. Wear sturdy shoes. A brief speakers program. Meet and greet the O’Leary family. Cold lemonade. View site of poet E. Merrill Root cabin. For more information call 401.447.1560 or send an email to burrillvillelandtrustfriends@gmail.com.
The Burrillville Land Trust is an all volunteer, non-profit, USA IRS classified 501(c)(3) public charity, RI registered non-profit corporation, and private land trust in the Town of Burrillville. The land trust owns nearly 300 acres and has conservation easements on two properties totaling 36 acres. The Burrillville Land Trust recognizes those peoples that steward and lived on these lands long ago. The mission of the Burrillville Land Trust is to preserve and protect the rural character of the Town of Burrillville through education, advocacy and acquisition. The land trust is not connected with town government. All the land trust properties are managed by volunteers who love the forests, the hills, lakes, ponds and streams and all species that live on these lands.
You are invited to Burrillville Land Trust’s dedication and declaration of the Ernie and Norma O’Leary Agricultural and Conservation Land.