2012 -- H 8194

=======

LC02529

=======

STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2012

____________

J O I N T R E S O L U T I O N

PROCLAIMING AUGUST 10TH THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30TH OF 2012 TO BE "RHODE

ISLAND LAND TRUST DAYS"

     Introduced By: Representatives Walsh, Tanzi, Ruggiero, Ferri, and Naughton

     Date Introduced: May 23, 2012

     Referred To: House read and passed

1-1

     WHEREAS, Rhode Island is a really special place and our citizens are fiercely proud of

1-2

our rich heritage.  We love our bay and islands, our rivers and ponds, our beaches and shorelines,

1-3

our working farms and forests, and our scenic landscapes, unique natural areas, and historic

1-4

places; and

1-5

     WHEREAS, All these settings form the fabric of Rhode Island’s communities and define

1-6

the character of our communities and state; and

1-7

     WHEREAS, Rhode Island residents value this legacy as a central asset essential to our

1-8

quality of life, the foods we eat, our sense of place, and the foundation for much of our economy;

1-9

and

1-10

     WHEREAS, We have long recognized a need to protect our heritage by protecting these

1-11

special places in our communities for ourselves, our children, our grandchildren, and future

1-12

generations; and

1-13

     WHEREAS, Citizens from across our state have formed land trusts to take action to

1-14

permanently protect the special places in our communities; and

1-15

     WHEREAS, The Rhode Island House of Representatives and the Rhode Island Senate

1-16

have long supported the creation, restoration, and funding for numerous projects that preserve and

1-17

enhance the natural, cultural, and historical world that surrounds us; and

1-18

     WHEREAS, For decades, Rhode Island’s citizens have demonstrated strong community

1-19

support for land trusts’ land conservation activities through memberships and by voting to

1-20

approve state and municipal bonds that help fund land conservation projects; and  

2-1

     WHEREAS, Rhode Islanders across the state annually volunteer hundreds of hours of

2-2

their time on boards and committees of land trusts in order to protect the special places in our

2-3

communities and to help manage those protected lands; and 

2-4

     WHEREAS, Land trusts all over Rhode Island want to increase community enjoyment of

2-5

these special places and the beauty, respite, solitude, wonder, and history they provide; and

2-6

     WHEREAS, The Rhode Island Land Trust Council is sponsoring Rhode Island Land

2-7

Trust Days to help spotlight the activities of the state’s more than forty-five land trusts; now,

2-8

therefore be it

2-9

     RESOLVED, That this General Assembly of the State of Rhode Island and Providence

2-10

Plantations hereby recognizes the important contributions of land trusts and their volunteers, and

2-11

encourages residents and visitors to our beautiful state to get outdoors, take a hike, paddle a river,

2-12

discover the history around you, and enjoy the protected lands in our communities; and be it

2-13

further

2-14

     RESOLVED, That this General Assembly hereby proclaims August 10th through

2-15

September 30th of 2012 to be “Rhode Island Land Trust Days” and invites all our citizens to

2-16

discover and enjoy Rhode Island’s special places; and be it further

2-17

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and he hereby is authorized and directed to

2-18

transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Roy Najecki, President of the Rhode Island

2-19

Land Trust Council.

=======

LC02529

=======