Middletown, RI – November 7, 2023 – The Aquidneck Land Trust (“ALT”) has announced the conservation of 2.5-acre wetlands property, the “Sullivan Preserve,” on Portsmouth’s northwest shore. The parcel is adjacent to the Wood-Estabrook Preserve, another 5-acre property donated to ALT earlier in the year. The Sullivan Preserve is a part of a larger 44-acre marsh and beach. A CRMC-designated path runs through the land with access to a public beach. Parking for the pathway is near Pheasant Drive. Combined with the Wood-Estabrook parcel donated last year, 7.4 acres between the railroad line and the bay are now protected from development in perpetuity by Aquidneck Land Trust.
The property was generously donated by four siblings in the Sullivan family. “These wetlands have been a part of our experience as an Aquidneck Island family since we were kids in the 1950s.” The family detailed in a joint statement, “Our family shares many pleasant memories exploring this woodland, marsh, and shoreline. We are happy to deed this property to the Land Trust to preserve and steward its natural state for future generations.”
The site includes beach, salt marsh, and scrub-shrub habitat, and is visible from the path, railroad, surrounding houses, boats in the bay, and cars on the Mount Hope Bridge. It is strategically located should a multi-use path on the adjacent railroad line ever be created. A number of bird species have been recorded during site visits by ALT staff, including osprey and egrets.
“This coastal marsh area is a really special part of Portsmouth. Both the views and habitat are incredible,” said Alex Chuman, Conservation Director. “Protecting salt marshes and adjacent
uplands make our coasts more resilient to climate change, soaking in storm surge and allowing space for marshes to migrate as waters rise. We are grateful to the Sullivan family for donating
their land for conservation.”
ALT is the oldest accredited land trust in Rhode Island. Since 1990, it has conserved 99 properties covering more than 2,815 acres of land on Aquidneck Island, or over 11.5% of the Island’s total acreage.
