Mission
The Mission of The West Bay Land Trust is to maintain a rich blend of wetlands, woodlands, urban preservation and pastoral space in the city of Cranston. Our goals include sustaining the working farms in the rural, western area of the city, as well as preserving the diverse nature of all Cranston’s communities, thus allowing the city to offer a continued variety of residential lifestyles to its citizens.
WBLT has been in existence since 1999. To date, we have preserved over 300 acres in Cranston, with the help of city, state, and philanthropic sources.
History
1998 The city of Cranston proposes to turn John L. Curran State Park into a municipal golf course. The citizens group FOREST (Families Opposed to Ruining Environmental State Treasures), forms, and their effort results in legislation to protect John L. Curran Park from future development.
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1999 The West Bay Land Trust, lead by Kate Smith, emerges from FOREST.
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2002 The West Bay Land Trust becomes a nonprofit; achieving 501C status.
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2003 High Hopes Organic Childrens Garden at Hope Highlands Elementary School is planted.
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2004 With funding from Cranston open space bonds, the Nature Conservancy, the Champlin Foundation, RI Department of Environmental Management and, the trust preserves another 300 acres of open space. The protected properties form the cornerstone of The Cranston Historic Farm Route.
Kate Smith receives the Peter Merritt Award for her preservation efforts to create the The Cranston Historic Farm Route project.
Katie King becomes president of West Bay Land Trust.
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2008 Working with local grassroots groups, the West Bay Land Trust assists in the passage of the 2008 Open Space Bonds.
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2009 The first ExploreCranston launches with sailing, canoeing, photography, fishing and nature walks.
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2010 West Bay Land Trust wins a grant from the RI attorney general to take kids to local farms as part of the Green Bean Project.
The trust also receives a $1200 DEM grant to plant trees for ExploreCranston program, All About Water.
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Officers
President ~ Josh Wood
Vice President ~ Annemarie Bruun
Treasurer ~ Katie King
Secretary ~ Kathleen Scharf
Members at Large
John Holscher
Joyce Holscher
Doug Doe
