Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge
Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge | |
---|---|
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area) | |
Map of Rhode Island | |
Location | Newport County, Rhode Island, United States |
Nearest city | Middletown, Rhode Island |
Coordinates | 41°28′47″N 71°14′28″W / 41.47982°N 71.24115°W[1] |
Area | 242 acres (0.98 km2) |
Established | 1970 |
Governing body | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service |
Website | Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge |
Occupying a peninsula between the Sakonnet River and Rhode Island Sound, the 242-acre (0.98 km2) Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge is a very popular site for the over 65,000 annual visitors each year. It is located in the southeasternmost part of the Town of Middletown.
The refuge sports a newly renovated visitor center, over 2.5 miles (4.0 km) of
Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge is renowned for its fantastic saltwater fishing, and the presence of the largest winter population of harlequin ducks on the East Coast.
Once a horse racing area, then a Naval communications site, and now a National Wildlife Refuge, the area is steeped in history.
From salt marsh and beach strand habitats to upland shrub dominated lands, the refuge supports over 200 bird species, with such notable occasional visitors such as the peregrine falcon, northern harrier, and the snowy owl.
Sachuest Point, along with the four other National Wildlife Refuges in the State, is administered by the Rhode Island National Wildlife Refuge Complex, headquartered in Charlestown, Rhode Island.
Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge was closed following
History
In 1970, a 70-acre donation from the
Sachuest Point was home to several military facilities in the 20th century. During the US participation in
See also
References
- ^ "Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Sachuest Point Road, refuge reopen after Sandy", Newport Daily News, 1 May 2013
- ^ Refuge profile, "About the Refuge"
- Chief of Ordnance, Entry 712
- ^ Sachuest Point at the Fish and Wildlife Service
- ^ Zecchino, Paul Vincent. "NAVCOMMSTA Newport". US Navy Communication Stations.
- This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.