Open Space & Land Preservation Commission

 

The Open Space & Land Preservation Commission shall consist of nine members appointed by the Town Council for three-year terms, staggered so that no more than three terms expire in any one year. Vacancies shall be filled by the Town Council for the remainder of an unexpired term. The Commission shall annually elect a Chairperson and such other officers as they deem appropriate.



Duties and Responsibilities:
The Open Space and Land Preservation Commission shall report to the Town Administrator. Responsibilities include the management of existing public open space/conservation lands, the identification and protection of significant natural and scenic resources in the Town such as unique plant and animal habitats, ecological or archaeological sites, the identification and development of potential nature sanctuaries, greenways and sites for nature studies, the orderly development and accessibility to open space areas to all neighborhoods, a town-wide inventory of open land and town owned land, the encouragement of farm preservation as well as liaison with other town agencies to foster town-wide land use planning and open space preservation. The Commission shall advise and assist the Town Council in the acquisition of development rights and land for open space. (Ref. Section 1004 of the Home Rule Charter).
The Commission is guided in its efforts to preserve and manage natural areas and promote the preservation of farmland by Element 9 of the Tiverton Comprehensive Community Plan.

Meeting Schedule:
Regular meetings are on the third Mondays of January, March, May, July, September, and November (except holiday Mondays when the meeting will be on Tuesday). Meetings begin at 6:00 PM at the Tiverton Town Library, 34 Roosevelt Avenue.

Contact:  Inquiries regarding land stewardship may be directed to Jean Paul Forcier (624-8431). All other inquiries may be directed to Brian Janes (624-7636) or Garry Plunkett (624-2549).

Open Space Preservation
Public open space in Tiverton may be protected by five separate organizations, the Tiverton Open Space Commission (TOSC), the Tiverton Land Trust, The Nature Conservancy, the RI Department of Environmental Management, and the Audubon Society of RI. Some of the town preserved natural areas consist of multiple land parcels acquired by combinations of these agencies, but stewarded as a single preserve. The below link is to a booklet describing the town’s publicly accessible open space areas and associated trail networks, with a town map of them on page 5.

Open Space booklet/trail maps

Town Owned Natural Areas Stewarded by the Open Space Commission

Ft. Barton – Highland Woods
During the American Revolution the "Tiverton Highlands" was an important strategic location for preventing an invasion of the mainland across the Sakonnet River by British Forces occupying Newport. It was named for William Barton, who led a daring nighttime raid in three rowboats to capture the British commanding general, Richard Prescott, in July 1777. The coastal area around the redoubt was also where colonial forces marshalled to cross the Sakonnet in August of 1788 to engage the British in what became known as the Battle of Rhode Island. Original earthworks of the fort are across from the Town Hall at 343 Highland Road. An observation tower provides a panoramic view of the Sakonnet River basin and Aquidneck Island. From there, visitors may hike over 2 miles of trails in the pristine Sin and Flesh Brook Natural Area, with its mature mixed hardwood forest and a diverse assemblage of woodland plants and shrubs. These trails include rustic foot bridges, sloped inclines and rocky paths that require stamina and sure footing.


Fort Barton Observation Tower

Sin and Flesh Brook

Fort Barton Existing Conditions Report - February 2021

Weetamoo Woods
Weetamoo Woods is over 750 acres of varied habitats, including globally rare coastal oak-holly forest, 11 acres of managed grassland, an Atlantic white cedar swamp, and the remains of an “up-and-down” (reciprocating) saw mill that operated in the mid-1800s. Over 8 miles of trails weave through Weetamoo and the adjacent Pardon Gray Preserve owned by the Tiverton Land Trust. The primary trail head is on East Road, ¼ mile east of Tiverton Four Corners. Weetamoo was the last sachem of the local Pocasset band of Wampanoag Natives. She heroically supported the Great Sachem, Metacom (aka King Philip), in the King Philip's War, dying in that conflict. Additional entrances to Weetamoo-Pardon Gray trails are off Main Road, Lake Road, and Lafayette Road.

Meadow Trail

Borden Brook

Pocasset Ridge Conservation Area
Pocasset Ridge is nearly 700 acres of forest, owned and stewarded jointly by the Open Space Commission, Tiverton Land Trust, and The Nature Conservancy. It is kept as a wild preserve with minimal ecosystem disturbance, reserved for hikers without dogs or mountain bikes. The only trailhead is at 2910 Main Road, adjacent to the south intersection of Nanaquaket Road and Main Road. Trails are minimal, rugged, and involve a substantial climb up to the ridge elevation.

WARNING: Bow hunting is permitted in this preserve as regulated by the RIDEM. Visitors must be familiar with those regulations and wear mandatory international orange clothing during hunting seasons.

Fogland Conservation Area
The north side of Three Rod Way (opposite the Fogland Beach Recreation Area) is an estuarine salt marsh managed by the Open Space Commission to sustain natural vegetation that is important for erosion control and storm buffering. Minimal dune openings provide public access to that shoreline while minimizing wind and stormwater erosion to the dune system.

Chaves Lot at High Hill Point
This one-acre parcel was given to the town for open space. While protected from development there are presently no trails nor off road parking, however a small, pristine beach is public land.

Regulations for Tiverton Open Space Areas
Detailed regulations for Open Space Properties are in Tiverton Town Ordinance Chapter 54 and posted at public trail heads. Briefly, they include:

• Open sunrise to sunset.
• Dogs must be leashed or on trails and under positive control with a leash available. Dogs are NOT ALLOWED
in Pocasset Ridge.
• Mountain biking and horseback riding are permitted ONLY in Weetamoo Woods.
• PROHIBITED: discarding trash, smoking, fires, alcoholic beverages, metal detectors, or organized group activities other than guided nature walks. It is also illegal to disturb vegetation, soil, mineral depositions, or alter signs or archeological artifacts (e.g. stone walls, cellar holes).

NOTE:  The Audubon Society of RI posts visitor guidelines for the Emilie Ruecker Wildlife Preserve, as does the RIDEM Division of Fish and Wildlife for Eight Rod Farm.