Weekapaug Foundation For Conservation

Mission The mission of the Weekapaug Foundation for Conservation is to preserve open space in the watersheds of the Quonochontaug and Winnapaug salt ponds, protect the barrier beaches, and ensure the integrity and water quality of the Ponds themselves through the support of the WFC members and the local pond communities.

Guiding Principles/Values Since 1989, the Foundation’s success has depended on the extraordinary level of volunteerism and generosity of its members. With this heritage in mind, the Foundation considers specific criteria when weighing any future actions and the potential investments of resources. These include:

• How will this strategy or action foster the Founders’ original mandate to preserve the natural beauty of the local community and protect the remaining greenbelt of undeveloped land?

• How will this strategy or action protect and enhance the quality of life and desirability of the pond communities as places to live, visit and enjoy?

• How will this strategy or action help to maintain or enhance scenic and historical, open space, wildlife and outdoor recreational opportunities?

• How will this strategy or action allow the WFC to manage our annual budgets and longer-term financial resources?

Fulfilling The Mission

The Foundation protects over a thousand acres of green space, including marsh, fields, woodlands and barrier beaches which are habitat for migratory and endangered birds, small mammals, reptiles and dozens of different plant species. The Foundation’s mission includes the following programs and initiatives:

• Protecting open space through donations, outright land purchases, or purchases of development rights.

• Identifying suitable open space for conservation purposes, followed by appraisals, title searches, engineering studies, and assessments of strategic value to the Foundation.

• Working with other conservation and environmental organizations to promote clean water and green spaces; working with area farmers to preserve their land and their way of life.

• Carrying out stewardship responsibilities by clearing rocks and brush, mowing, soil renewal, mending stone walls, fencing, planting, and beautifying with regular maintenance and roadside trash removal.

• Supporting research, studies and maintenance projects to restore and enhance the marine habitat quality and recreational value of our ponds, wetlands and waterways.

• Encouraging and supporting opportunities for education and research that heighten interest in land preservation and lead to greater appreciation of the area’s ecology.

• Maintaining property surveys and documentation, inventories of plant and animal species, and supporting environmental studies and other scientific projects to protect land, waters and endangered species.