“It’s not only a working vineyard or farm, but it also plays a very important role in the social fabric of Little Compton and our part of the state,” said Mason. “Were it ever sold to a developer…we would have lost the vineyard and the whole cultural aesthetic of it.”

The Samsons will still pursue the sale and development of 70 acres surrounding the vineyard. But they plan only five lots with development restrictions, which will be marketed to people who want to live next to a farm.

The Samsons plan on their family continuing to operate the vineyard. But if the vineyard were to cease operating, the land would still have to be used for farming, according to the agreement with the land trust.

“The Samsons have agreed to keep the land in permanent agricultural use,” said Mason, saying an area farmer or the town could be entrusted to keep the land active if the vineyard were to go out of business.

The trust acquired grants of $500,000 from the state Agricultural Land Preservation Commission, which is connected to the Department of Environmental Management, and $1.1 million from the U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service. The trust contributed the remainder, about $612,000, much of which comes to the trust through a fee collected on certain land transactions in town.

“A lot of these deals can only happen through partnerships,” said Mason, who was thankful for the assistance of the state and federal governments as well as the generosity of the Samsons.

The state Properties Committee unanimously approved the use of the $500,000 at a meeting in December.

“This has been a priority for us for many years,” Mary Kay, a DEM lawyer, told the committee members.

The couple also agreed in the transaction to continue allowing community events on the property each year.

“That shows the kind of people they are,” said Mason. “This is the consummation of close to four years worth of work between the Little Compton Conservancy Agricultural Trust and [the Samsons]…For the trust, it adds to a continuous greenway that we’ve been building for the last 12 to 15 years.”

According to the trust announcement, the vineyards constitute important watersheds for the adjacent Watson Reservoir, which supplies drinking water to Newport, and Dundery Brook, which flows into Briggs Marsh and helps replenish wells for Little Compton residents.

The brook also helps support migratory waterfowl such as the rare marsh wren and piping plover.

“The preservation of Sakonnet Vineyards ensures continued agricultural use of this prime farmland as well as the protection of an important watershed and scene area,” said W. Michael Sullivan, DEM director.

The land trust, created by town voters in 1986, has helped protect 1,650 acres of agricultural land and open spaces in Little Compton from development.