In 2005, the Coventry Land Trust purchased a conservation easement on a 165 acre parcel of forested land to prevent future development of the property. The property, owned by RI Senator Kevin Breene, borders the eastern edge of the 45,000 acre Wood River Barrens, which includes Nicholas Farm and Arcadia Management Area. More importantly, the property is part of the ecologically diverse “Pawcatuck Borderlands”, which encompass 136,000 acres of conservation land in 10 towns along the Rhode Island-Connecticut border.
Senator Breene will retain ownership of the property. He is willing to allow passive recreation. The $500,000 purchase was a cooperative effort with The Nature Conservancy, the US Forest Service Legacy Program, RI DEM and the Coventry Land Trust.