About Block Island Conservancy:
Block Island Conservancy, oldest of the Island's environmental protection groups, was founded in 1972 by Island residents. The Conservancy's purpose is to protect Block Island's natural heritage, rural character, and public access to its resources. This is accomplished primarily by preserving land as open space through acquisition or via conservation easement. When Capt. John R. Lewis and other Island residents founded Block Island Conservancy, local land trusts were a little known idea. The efforts of this determined group generated such strong grass-roots support that The Nature Conservancy, an international organization with similar goals, committed its talent and expertise to Block Island projects. Although similar in name, there is no formal affiliation between the two organizations. They have worked together since that time as partners in land protection, each complementing the strength of the other, to secure common goals along with the Block Island Land Trust.
It took 4 years to complete the first acquisition of 37 acres at Rodman's Hollow. This was the seed of the project that ultimately protected hundreds of contiguous acres of open space stretching from Rodman's Hollow to the shore at Black Rock and westward across Lewis-Dickens Farm to Southwest Point.
Meanwhile, a major recreational opportunity presented itself on the other end of the Island. Did you know that Mansion Beach, the jewel at the northern end of our beautiful crescent of bathing shoreline, was once privately owned and public access was threatened? Block Island Conservancy assisted the Town of New Shoreham in the purchase of Mansion Beach by financing a funding shortfall, helping to secure the land for the public domain.
Major leadership and financial participants in these early projects included The Nature Conservancy, Audubon Society of Rhode Island, RI Department of Environmental Management, Town of New Shoreham, generous landowners, and a multitude of individual donors, large and small. During the last decade, Block Island Land Trust, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and The Conservation Fund have also provided leadership and funding.
Block Island Conservancy is a membership organization, open to all that share common concern for the preservation of Block Island’s open spaces. We depend solely on the financial support of our donors. We invite all who share concern about the future of Block Island’s natural features and open character to join us in our work (Box 84, Block Island, RI 02807, or call 401-466-3111).
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