11-2SG Mill Cove Conservancy
Grant Round:
2011 September
Grant Program:
Small Grants
Grant Type:
Other Grants
Grant amount requested:
2,500.00
Please provide a brief description of the project for which you seek funding.
NEGEF support is essential in order for the Mill Cove Conservancy (MCC) to continue its efforts to help preserve and protect the land surrounding the Mill Cove, Conimicut Marsh and Buckeye Brook (all contributors to the vitality of the Narragansett Bay) from inappropriate land use, littering, erosion and ecologically destructive practices. MCC employs four strategies to continue and expand its work: 1) public education efforts, 2) acquisition of land impacting on environmental vitality, 3) relationship building and cooperation with like minded governmental, civic and community officials and organizations and 4) membership development and expansion. Our neighborhood sits on a small mixed-use peninsular that extends to the middle of the north end of Narragansett Bay. Conimicut Point asserts itself half-way across the Bay at this point, becoming a major target for hurricanes when they move up the Bay. The Point includes a tidal stream, cove and marsh, all with considerable ecological value. The original small summer cottages that have survived hurricanes are being converted to all season residences or replaced by expansive waterfront or water view houses. Vacant lots are prime targets for development, regardless of their zoning and environmental limitations. The Point was platted in the 1920s with small (4,000sf) lots and was thickly settled. Two hurricanes destroyed much of the housing creating many small vacant lots. Zoning and conservation regulations since the 1950s have called for minimal development density ( one house per 40,000sf) due to environmental and protection from storm damage concerns. Many of the original land owners still own the small lots and are stridently insistent about their rights to develop the lots, even though they now are outside of all regulatory plans for development. This tension between development and preserving the land is real and has a significant history in this community, of which MCC is a significant player. The recent economic downturn and the potential increase in environmental protection in the state is creating a "best times" scenario for local land owners to consider the benefits of donating their land to avoid continued taxation as their ability to sell or develop their land seems less likely.
Project Summary
To preserve Mill Cove, Buckeye Brook, Shawomet (Conimicut) Marsh and to improve the quality of water in the Narragansett Bay through identifying, mapping and planning for the acquisition of environmentally critical lots, conducting community education programs, and expanding our membership to support the achievement of our goals.
Primary Issue Area:
Land & Water
Please break-down/categorize the program expenses:
| Proposed Item | Estimated $ Amount | Would grant funds be used for this item? | Type Of Expense |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brochure printing | $260.00 | Yes | Materials |
| Postage | $55.00 | Yes | Materials |
| Insurance | $750.00 | Yes | Materials |
| Conference Fees | $325.00 | Yes | Materials |
| Travel Expenses | $50.00 | Yes | Materials |
| Land Trust Alliance | $200.00 | Yes | Materials |
| Taxes | $20.00 | Yes | Materials |
| Web Hosting | $350.00 | Yes | Materials |
| Earth Day Clean up fees | $150.00 | Yes | Materials |
| Food - volunteers | $50.00 | Yes | Materials |
| Bags for cleanup | $40.00 | Yes | Materials |
| Teaching Materials | $250.00 | Yes | Materials |
| Professional Fees | $4,000.00 | Materials |
Whom does your group need to make this project happen?
Please explain how your group will engage members from your community in this project.
Project Goals GOAL 1: To develop with community partners a viable plan for protecting the 40 acres of land that makes up the Conimicut Marsh. The starting point for this is to construct a visual graphic that both presents future possibilities and portrays a plan of action for acquiring or protecting the different lots. The first step will be to build a draft of the visual to stimulate community discussion. The final plan would be responsive to input and ideas from neighbors, relevant agencies and community groups and environmental experts. Working with the City of Warwick and the Warwick Land trust, as well as the Buckeye Brook Association and Save the Bay, MCC will identify the privately owned, city owned and tax lien properties and prioritize the importance of each and outline a plan of action for acquisition. GOAL 2: To continue and expand the community education program for adults and children. For the past few years MCC has provided information regarding the dynamics of the local ecological systems and its impact on the Bay and human communities. Regularly scheduled talks in the community have ranged from a coastal geologist Janet Freidman's presentation of the 80 year trend in local beach erosion to a pictorial history of the community. Children's programs with entertainment and information combined have attracted kids and parents, while a bird photo contest during spring migration have attracted yet another type of interested citizen. GOAL 3: To develop greater involvement from the community that increases our membership. MCC is a relatively small organization which relies on a small core of volunteers to conduct its business and work to achieve its goals. Its funding has been almost totally from modest annual membership dues and from the pockets of the core leadership group. With the success of the acquisition of our first property to MCC, our responsibilities and operating costs have increased. In order to maintain our current efforts, as well as to extend our work further, a larger pool of volunteers and leaders will be required. We believe that the attainment of Goals 1 and 2 above will further the public visibility of MCC, but a more targeted and sustained effort to "market"; the values of MCC is necessary. For example, a recent "neighborhood pot luck" social gathering was held on our Spot Park property to encourage a sense of community and to highlight MCC importance. More efforts like this need to be sponsored. GOAL 4: To continue and increase the relationships between MCC and non-profit, city, state and federal organizations to foster the protection and improvement of our community watershed. In recent years, MCC has been increasingly involved with and often partnered with other like-minded organizations and has reached out to city, state and federal governmental agencies to further our mutual goals. We believe the coordinated development of a local land map of strategic lots towards the creation of a protected area in our community will be a unifying activity. As a result, better relationships will develop, common priorities will be formed and long term efforts will be more likely coordinated as a result. GOAL 5: MCC is also working with DEM to have another geology study the rate of the erosion of the cove and marsh lands. We feel we have experienced an incredibly high loss of land due to the current directional change and storm damage that has caused more erosion that had been predicted to happen in the next 20 to 50 years.
If your group receives a NEGEF Grow grant, how do you plan to pay for remaining expenses?
| $ Amount | Source |
|---|---|
| $2,500.00 | NEGEF |
| $1,050.00 | Member Dues |
| $500.00 | Contributions |
| $2,000.00 | Other Grants |
Please list these materials or services
| $ Amount | Item |
|---|---|
| $2,650.00 | Board contributions |
Please describe what changes will occur in your community and its environment when your group's project is successful.
The development and early implementation of a plan that will create a focal point for the city, state and local non-profit organizations to plan together for the environmental improvement of our community. The continued community education will bolster the sensitivities of the community regarding the ecology of our neighborhood and what difference what they do makes on the Point and the Bay. This effort will enhance our visibility and effectiveness, promoting more people to join. November 1, 2011 Development of Plan and Visual Working with the City of Warwick to create a comprehensive plan that will help to maintain the Conimicut Marsh and Mill Cove as an undeveloped area for wildlife and maintain the coastline's natural state. The City has recognized our organization, MCC, as the group who they would prefer to call on when developing the program that will best preserve the water's edge and the environmental concerns presented by construction in this area. They too would like to see this are become a preserved park to be kept in its natural state. They recognize that their efforts going forward with the Comprehensive Plan takes years, but they feel if we can hold on and continue to persuade landowners to respect the essence of our natural state, and not sell out to developers, that we can eventually be granted the City's preferential treatment and take this area in an eminent domain. This will all play out in the future City meetings that are held within the community in the various groups we are invited to speak. Series of community discussions Final Visual January 1, 2012 Community Education Program: Two public forums Earth Day Clean Up Photo Contest Bird Migration Day Children's Program Conimicut Village Day November 2011 Membership Drive Development of member recruitment brochure Host community social meetings (2) Local newspaper coverage: MCC programs, profile and human interests story Renew newsletter and e-mail communication
Please list how many people in your community your group expects to actively engage in this project.
5
What relevant skills does the group need (but does not currently have access to) to help move the initiative forward?
Help in building a specific approach to the marsh landowners. We have approached all of the landowners with a mailing and follow-up phone calls, but have not been able to convince the owners that their property will never be allowed to be built on. They continue to pay their taxes on this property, but feel there is an outside chance they will someday be able to build their dream home on the property they acquired for $500 or hope to sell it for a couple hundred thousand to a developer. Everyone is waiting for the other to make the move and sell to a developer or go for a permit, but they know our organization is strong and will fight them every step of the way, so they have held off on making a move. For as long as we exist, we do not feel they will attempt to endure the costs of the permit or lawyer. Saying all of that, we need someone who can persuade the landowners to donate their land to preservation and quit holding out for the pie in the sky.
What relevant skills do current members of the group have to help move the initiative forward?
All board members are either advanced level educators or executives that have communication skills and a desire to maintain and preserve the land and water in their natural state. All of the members are active in City and Community events and organizations that support our efforts. The mere presence of our Board Members has instilled the strength of our organization.