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Description:
Ninigret NWR is located in Charlestown, Washington County, Rhode Island almost 30 miles south of Providence. The refuge, 407 acres, has experienced many "histories": created from run off from the glaciers of the last ice age 14,000 years ago through early Native American use and subsequent colonial period farming. Refuge staff is attempting to restore the native coastal sand plain grasslands, a habitat in danger of completely disappearing from the southern New England coast. Over 30% of the endangered and threatened species in Rhode Island can be found in this area. There is an extensive trail system avilable to hikers that will provide beautiful views of wetlands, grasslands, forested and shrublands, wooded swamps and a stretch of barrier beach, as well as Ninigret Pond. Ninigret Pond is Rhode Island's largest salt pond (at approximately 1700 acres) and is linked to the Block Island Sound via a man-made breachway. Black ducks, Canada geese and diving ducks winter in large numbers on the pond. Osprey, harriers, kestrels and other migrating raptors frequent the refuge lands, too. On the beach, the Refuge staff manages an extensive federally threatened piping plover nesting program.
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