Guided Walk Postponed to Sunday July 7 at 1:00 pm
The Attleboro Land Trust invites you to participate in “A Year in the Life of the Lawrence Preserve”, a one-year scientific study of the Anthony Lawrence Wildlife Preserve. Jessie Knowlton, Associate Professor of Biology at Wheaton College, will lead the study and provide guidance to participants.
Volunteer Observers will be asked to visit the Preserve on their own at least once in each of the four seasons and to report what plants and animals they observe. These reports may include notes, sketches, photographs, and audio or video recordings. The volunteer reports will be collected every three months and combined with the observations of Professor Knowlton and her students. The data will then be reviewed, summarized, and made available to the public.
At the conclusion of the study, a final report will include recommendations for maintaining and protecting the Preserve’s ecosystem, and for engaging the public in stewardship of the property.
If you or your child would like to be a Volunteer Observer, you may sign up by email to attleborolandtrust@gmail.com, or by using the online sign-up form on this website. If you are under 18, you must have an adult partner to accompany you on your site visits and to co-sign your application. A guided walk for Volunteer Observers will be led by Professor Knowlton at the Lawrence Preserve on Sunday, July 7 at 1:00 pm. Any schedule changes will be posted on this website. 
If you are undecided about becoming a Volunteer Observer, you may attend the guided walk to find out more before deciding whether to sign up. Just let us know that you will be attending by emailing attleborolandtrust@gmail.com.
This project is made possible by a Giving While Living Grant from the Woodard & Curran Foundation.
ALT Receives a $10,000 Grant from the Woodard & Curran Foundation
The Attleboro Land Trust is pleased to announce that we have received a $10,000 Giving While Living Grant from the Woodard & Curran Foundation, whose mission is to support nonprofit organizations that work locally to protect our environment, with a special focus on water resources. We are one of 10 non-profits receiving grants out of 35 organizations nominated. There is no application process, and we did not know we were one of the nominees.
The ALT will use the funds to study and protect the Anthony Lawrence Wildlife Preserve in South Attleboro. The 59-acre Preserve, most of which was donated by Anthony Lawrence in 1994, includes a stretch of the Seven Mile River which winds through a pristine open marsh. Grant money will be used initially to support a scientific study of the Preserve’s ecosystem, and then to address any needs identified.
The study, “A Year in the Life of the Lawrence Preserve,” has just been launched and will continue for one year. Jessie Knowlton, Associate Professor of Biology at Wheaton College, is leading the study and a group of Wheaton students are working under her direction. We have also invited members of the public to participate in the study as Volunteer Observers. This will be a direct educational benefit to those children and adults who participate, as well as providing additional observational data for inclusion in the study.
The ALT was nominated for this grant by Sherri Peak-Palermo, an Attleboro resident who works at the Providence office of Woodard & Curran, an environmental consulting firm. The Woodard & Curran Foundation is supported by donations from the firm and its employees.
We are honored to have been chosen as a grant recipient, and grateful to be able to devote funds toward enhancing the preservation of one of our most pristine properties.
Trail Dedicated to Former ALT President Larry St. Pierre
On Saturday, June 1, a trail at the Handy Street Conservation Area, 109 Handy Street, was formally opened to the public. The 80-acre preserve was acquired by the City of Attleboro in 2014 in a collaborative project that also involved the Attleboro Land Trust and Mass Audubon. The trail is named in memory of Larry St. Pierre, who served as president of the land trust from 1991 to 1994 and 1997 to 2001.
The dedication ceremony featured remarks by Mayor Cathleen DeSimone, State Representative Jim Hawkins, Attleboro Conservation Agent Nick Wyllie, and Larry’s sister Linda and brother Michael. Following the ceremony, Gary Krofta led a guided walk along the trail.
A temporary map of the trail is available here. The program for the event may be downloaded here.
Mayor Cathleen DeSimone read a proclamation in memory of Larry St. Pierre as his son Joshua and widow Donna looked on. Image credit: Dick LaCivita
State Representative Jim Hawkins spoke to thank everyone present for their efforts in preserving open space in the City.
Larry’s sister Linda and brother Michael shared some memories of Larry. Image credit: Ken Salome
Donna and Joshua unveiled the sign while Charlie Adler formally dedicated the trail in memory of Larry. Image credit: Ken Salome
The sign in memory of Larry explains his deep connection to this part of Attleboro. His grandparents owned a farm nearby on Park Street. Image credit: Ken Salome
The family of Larry St. Pierre gathered around the sign created in his memory. Image credit: Ken Salome
In fulfillment of the requirements for the rank of Eagle, Raphaiah Joseph, Troop 314, Foxborough, installed signposts along a new trail extension that will connect the St. Pierre Trail to Locust Street. Image credit: Ken Salome
Scout Christopher Vallejos, Troop 25, Attleboro, built a boardwalk on a portion of the St. Pierre Trail to fulfill his requirements for the rank of Eagle Scout. Image credit: Ken Salome
Gary Krofta led a guided walk along the St. Pierre Trail. Image credit: Ken Salome
Conservation Agent Nick Wyllie (standing next to Gary) represented the Conservation Commission, owner of the Handy Street Conservation Area. Image credit: Ken Salome