SKLT celebrated the completion of the “Building Now. Protecting Forever.” campaign and construction projects with a ribbon cutting ceremony at Weeden Farm on Friday, April 30th.
With close attention to COVID protocols, the event brought together campaign donors, contractors, directors, and staff to celebrate the success of the campaign, which raised the funds for the new structures and the Clarkson A. Collins Stewardship Fund.
The 17 Matunuck Beach Road property was established as the “Woodcock Campus at Weeden Farm” after the addition of the new Welcome Center with staff offices and a tractor shed next to the beloved Barn.
In a speaking program before the ribbon cutting, architect Jack Renshaw explained his vision for matching the new buildings to the pastoral landscape and historic farm structures and Executive Director Julia Landstreet expressed appreciation for the donors and tireless work of contractors, including Jim Bridge from J Bridge Construction.
“It was an absolute pleasure to welcome all the supporters and contractors back to this beautiful piece of land to take a tour of the new buildings that they made possible,” said Landstreet. “This project will allow South Kingstown Land Trust to continue stewarding the properties in our care and it’s all thanks to the support of our community.”
The new “Woodcock Campus” is named in honor of Ken Woodcock, a longtime supporter and advocate for “whole place preservation.” Woodcock gifted the property and Barn at 17 Matunuck Beach Road to South Kingstown Land Trust in 2001 and has since championed the efforts to create a campus to house the organization’s equipment, staff, and programs in one location.
The 3-acre parcel of the Woodcock Campus is located adjacent to South Kingstown Land Trust’s 97-acre Weeden Farm property which features restored stone walls, 1.6 miles of walking trails, 82 acres of hay, corn, and vegetables, and 15 acres of wildlife habitat for ground nesting birds and pollinators.
