255 Years of Growing Grapes at Greenvale Vineyards, Rhode Island
Located off of Wapping Road in Portsmouth, R.I., landowners Bill and Nancy Wilson protected 13 acres of their beloved vineyard with a conservation easement, allowing it to be forever farmed.
This project is a partnership between the Aquidneck Island Land Trust; the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management through the State Land Conservation Program, Agricultural Land Preservation Commission (ALPC); and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service’s (NRCS) Agricultural Conservation Easement Program-Agricultural Land Easement (ACEP-ALE).
About Greenvale Vineyards
The land, with its excellent farm soil, has been working farmland for centuries. While Greenvale Vineyards stretches all the way to the Sakonnet River, the conserved portion is along Wapping Road. The land is also connected to other conservation properties, adding to the protected corridor of lands on the eastern side of Aquidneck Island, known as the Sakonnet Greenway. The Sakonnet Greenway Trail is the longest contiguous nature trail on Aquidneck Island.
“After we purchased the land in 2003 to keep it as a farm, we learned that the land was used by Aaron Lopez as a vineyard in the 1760s. It is amazing to think that we are growing grapes on the same land 255 years later,” explained the Wilsons.
Why the Landowners Chose Permanent Protection
“We have some of the best farming soils in the state here on Aquidneck Island, yet our farms are under tremendous development pressure. The state has lost 80% of its farmland since the 1940s,” said Terry Sullivan, executive director of the Aquidneck Island Land Trust. “Our island’s working farms are essential to our economy and community. We are thrilled to work with our partners and the Wilsons to save this important tract of farmland on scenic Wapping Road.”
Wapping Road is a quiet, residential neighborhood known for its scenic views and close-knit community.
How the Land Was Protected
The 13-acre conservation easement on the vineyard property guarantees that it will remain protected open space for generations to come.
“We are so pleased to have established this portion of our farm to be forever farmed and remain in open space. Open space and farming are critical to the Island’s future and an important component of our mission at Greenvale.” Bill and Nancy Wilson
Working farms are disappearing across the country. Rhode Island acknowledges and supports the essential role these farms play in Rhode Island’s economy.
ACEP-ALE helps private and tribal landowners, land trusts, and other groups such as state and local governments to protect croplands and grasslands on working farms and ranches by limiting nonagricultural uses of the land.
Land protection through a conservation easement ensures preservation of the nation’s food supply by preventing the conversion of productive agricultural land to nonagricultural uses, keeping rich farmland in agriculture.
Find out if ACEP-ALE is right for you
About the Partners
The Aquidneck Island Land Trust’s mission is to preserve and steward Aquidneck Island’s open spaces for the lasting benefit of the community. The land trust protects lands that are vital for clean drinking water, wildlife habitat, local agriculture, recreation, and the Island’s historic and scenic character.
Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM)
To keep Rhode Island’s farmland productive for future generations, DEM works through the Agricultural Lands Preservation Commission to help farmers protect their land by purchasing development rights. This enables farmers to retain ownership of their property while providing a fair financial alternative to selling land for development, while ensuring farmland continues to support Rhode Island’s food system, economy, and landscapes.
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
NRCS provides America’s farmers and ranchers with financial and technical assistance to voluntarily put conservation on the ground, helping the environment and agriculture operations.