Bumblebee Preserve expanded by 18 acres in Little Compton

An 18-acre parcel stretching from West Main Road to Dundery Brook has been permanently protected, expanding the Bumblebee Preserve, according to The Nature Conservancy. It is known as the
An 18-acre parcel stretching from West Main Road to Dundery Brook has been permanently protected, expanding the Bumblebee Preserve, according to The Nature Conservancy. It is known as the "Last Stand." / COURTESY THE NATURE CONSERVANCY

LITTLE COMPTON – An 18-acre parcel stretching from West Main Road to Dundery Brook has been permanently protected, expanding the Bumblebee Preserve, according to The Nature Conservancy.

The property, which previously housed the Last Stand, a seasonal market that has since closed, was purchased by the conservancy for $300,000 from George and Wayland Purmont.

According to information from the conservancy, more than 60 local families contributed toward the cost of buying the land and readying it for public use.

The Little Compton Agricultural Conservancy Trust also provided a grant of $145,250 for the fundraising campaign, the conservancy said.

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Said Terry Sullivan, state director of The Nature Conservancy’s Rhode Island chapter, “The conservation of this property protects habitat for migratory birds, as well as the excellent water quality in Dundery Brook, flowing toward Briggs Marsh. It is a fantastic addition to our Bumblebee Preserve.”

The Agricultural Conservancy Trust also will hold a conservation easement on the property, providing additional legal protection.

With the addition of the Purmont property, the Bumblebee Preserve now protects 136 acres.

Plans for a new trail on West Main Road are underway, as well as a connecting trail to the Dundery Brook Trail, which features a fully accessible, three-quarter-mile-long boardwalk through a wetland forest.

The conservancy hopes to recruit volunteers this winter and spring to help with trail clearing and other activities.

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