Walking through the peaceful landscape of mature forest and meandering streams at the Arthur Iversen Conservation Area in Warwick, you would not know that a large tract of land at its center was not conserved. Most of the 500+ acres that make up the Arthur Iversen Conservation Area were protected in the early 1990’s with the exception of a 50-acre parcel right in the middle of the conservation area.
That piece of land was most recently owned by Larry Fitzmaurice, who currently sits on our Board of Directors. The land was purchased in 1967 by Larry’s aunt and grandfather, the Earle family. Larry recalls many hours spent in the woods with his siblings exploring the many natural treasures of the property, dubbed “Earleacres” by the family.
When much of the land was protected, the Earleacres parcel was not included due to a technical issue that predated the Earles. Recently, Larry reaffirmed his desire to see the parcel conserved, and with it, part of his family history. So, Mount Grace resumed diligence on the project and in December of 2019 we were able to accept Larry’s generous donation of the land. The parcel is now designated “Earleacres” in honor of Larry’s aunt and grandparents.
Earleacres is now protected in perpetuity, filling a missing piece of the puzzle for the Arthur Iversen Conservation Area. The nearly 600-acre puzzle forms an ecosystem supporting several threatened birds and plants as well as inspiring landscape features like the Devil’s Washbowl waterfall. You can find directions and trail maps on our website to go explore this peaceful place.