« Brown poll finds Clinton leads Obama, McCain in R.I. | Today | Verrecchia stepping down as Hasbro CEO »

February 11, 2008

140 acres of Jamestown farmland preserved for $9.3M

Journal photo/ Mary Murphy
Joe Dutra, left, and Martha and George Neale with their daughters Chandler, 14, and Hadley, 17, stand on the Neale's farm with the Newport Bridge in the background.

JAMESTOWN - With the Pell Bridge and a frozen expanse of fields serving as a picturesque background, a coalition of federal, state and local conservationists gathered here this morning to celebrate the successful campaign to preserve the Dutra and Neal farms.

Purchasing the development rights to the two farms cost $9.3 million.

The 140 acres saved out of the two farms are part of nearly 1,000 acres in the middle of the island that have been preserved during the last 20 years. The expanse, seen by every tourist enroute to Newport, also includes the Watkins Farm and the town-owned golf course.

“These farms go back hundreds of years, so we are recognizing good things here,” U.S. Sen. Jack Reed said to the shivering crowd. The Rhode Island Democrat also praised the Rhody Fresh cooperative that markets locally produced milk and helps support local farmers.

The town contributed $2.1-million -- $500,000 in town coffers and a $1.6-million bond issue that will be paid back over 20 years.

The other sources of money include $3.5 million from the federal Farm and Ranchlands Protection Program, $800,000 from the Rhode Island Agricultural Land Preservation Commission, $750,000 from the Champlin Foundation and $2.1 million from the Conanicut Island Land Trust, according to figures from the town.

Read the deeds and management plans online on the Jamestown Web site.

-- Journal environment writer Peter B. Lord

Posted by Brandie Jefferson  at 12:12 PM | Permalink

Comments

Pam | February 11, 2008 8:34 PM link

Tracey and Giovanni | February 12, 2008 7:10 AM link

Post a comment

Please be civil. Vicious comments, personal attacks and profanity won't be published. Name and email are required; email address will not publish.

Name:

Email Address:

URL:
Remember Me? YesNo

Comments: (you may use HTML tags for style)