Rhode Island National Wildlife Refuge Complex
Northeast Region
 

Welcome to the Headquarters of the Rhode Island National Wildlife Refuge Complex and Kettle Pond Visitor Center!

Here's the Latest News And Happenings From Our Refuge Complex:


Rhode Island Refuges Accomplishments, Reports and Information:


Deer Management Environmental Assessment:


Dotted along the Rhode Island’s Atlantic coastline (see map below), the five refuges that make up our complex (Ninigret, Trustom Pond, John H. Chafee at Petaquamscutt Cove, Block Island and Sachuest Point) offer a wide variety of natural settings that appeal to both the people who visit, and the wildlife that live there.

All National Wildlife Refuges were established to conserve habitat for wildlife, but Rhode Island’s five refuges were established specifically for migratory birds. Over 400 species of songbirds, shorebirds, waterfowl, and raptors use the refuges to rest and feed during spring and fall migrations. Year-round resident birds, as well as seasonal visitors such as the federally-threatened piping plover, nest in the shelter of the refuges.
Check the quicklinks above, and explore the refuge links on the left for more information about the wildlife in our refuges, and how you can see it all yourself!

Birds are not the only attraction of Rhode Island’s refuges. Uplands, lowlands, and coastal environments provide a home for many species of animals and offer any outdoor enthusiast a richness of plant life to explore. These protected lands are critical as increasing development enroaches on local, natural spaces.

Although wildlife protection is a principle focus, the refuges also provide visitors with a place for a peaceful respite from their daily lives and to learn about nature first-hand. Whatever you are seeking, our visitor centers are open every day from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Please call 401-364-9124 to confirm our scheduled hours and to find out about closings for holidays and weather. Our trails are available to you from dawn until dusk everyday. So take a break, explore the visitor center and get out on our trails. We always have indoor scavenger hunts, puzzles, crafts , and a variety of public programs including talks and walks. However you choose to enjoy our wildlife refuges and visitor centers, you will also find "refuge" here, through connecting with the natural beauty that is the heart of Rhode Island’s refuges.

Looking for more pictures of our refuges? We have created sets of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service photos at Flickr for your enjoyment. Please visit the following link to the Kettle Pond Visitor Center photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/usfwsnortheast/sets/72157622751363943/

Additional photos from our refuges can be found at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Digital Library, http://www.fws.gov/digitalmedia

Map of Rhode Island with the five refuge locations and boundaries.


Last updated: May 4, 2012