Connecticut and R.I. trust groups add acres to preserved areas in Griswold, Westerly

Two land trust groups announced they have acquired land for conservation in Griswold and Westerly this month.On Friday, Avalonia Land Conservancy announced it acquired 64.67 acres alongside Pachaug Pond in Griswold, adjacent to two other Avalonia properties and Pachaug State Forest.Avalonia bought the piece of land, which will expand its Dutka Family Nature Preserve to 80 acres, using a grant from the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection's Open Space and Watershed Land Acquisition grant program.The previous owner, Mary Dutka, donated 75 percent of the property, which was appraised at a value of $250,000. Avalonia is raising the balance of the purchase price through an ongoing capital campaign.The preserve, a forested freshwater wetland on the western side of Pachaug Pond, is home to turtles, amphibians and many birds, including bald eagles, owls, and hawks, Avalonia President Dennis Main said in a news release Friday. DEEP staff have installed wood duck boxes on the stream, and migratory waterfowl use the pond in the winter. It is one of the last remaining large undeveloped areas around the pond, Main said.The purchase of the Dutka property illustrates the land trust's strategy of acquiring land that borders already conserved properties, "completing a puzzle," Main said. It's adjacent to Pachaug State Forest and two Avalonia properties that cover 17 and 9 acres, and is now part of over 26,600 acres of contiguous greenway.Avalonia also owns Burton's Island, 25 wooded acres near the Dutka preserve in the south end of Pachaug Pond. It was donated by Jill Marquardt-Scola of Westerly and her family and will be named the Scola Preserve in memory of Lee Curtis Marquardt and Grace Scola."This is a big win for the residents and visitors to the area," Main said. "We are grateful to Mary Dutka, who has made it possible to preserve and protect an ecosystem of high habitat value for wildlife and high recreational value for the community, as well as link existing open space and agricultural land adjacent to the property."On Thursday, the Westerly Land Trust, which manages about 1,700 acres of land and seven downtown Westerly properties, announced it will add 11 acres of forest on South Woody Hill Road in Westerly to its Wahaneeta Preserve. Peter and Andrea Verbos donated the land, on which the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management will hold a conservation easement.This 72-acre preserve on Moorehouse Road, which the trust bought in 2012, is the site of a former Girl Scouts of Rhode Island camp, consisting mostly of wooded wetlands. It features a trail system, stream, pond and former camp lodge. "The future success of land conservation depends upon strong community support, partnerships with other organizations such as RI DEM, and such charitable individuals as Peter and Andrea Verbos," land trust Executive Director Jennifer Fusco said in a news release. "The Westerly Land Trust is grateful to accept their donation and we are committed to protect this special place forever."m.shanahan@theday.com