Whenever land is preserved for conservation in RI, that's big news and great news -- as they say, they are not making any more of it (land, that is!), so any acres that we can save are a precious gift to the future of the state.

Today, the Audubon Society of Rhode Island announced that 73 acres have been added to the beautiful Fisherville Brook Wildlife Refuge in Exeter. The acreage will protect the headwaters of the Queen River, one of the most pristine streams in the state. Native trout, rare freshwater mussels and rare dragonfly and damselfly species thrive here, thanks to clean, cool waters and landscape-wide watershed protection.

To read the full news release from Audubon, click on "More...".

Audubon Society of Rhode Island

Acquires Property Containing Headwater of the Queen River 

Large parcel of forest added to Audubon Fisherville Brook Wildlife Refuge in Exeter 
 

(August 28, 2008) – On August 14, 2008, 73.6 acres of forest were added to the Audubon Society of Rhode Island’s Fisherville Brook Wildlife Refuge in Exeter. This addition brings the total refuge acreage to 1011, making Fisherville the second-largest refuge (behind the nearby 1053-acre Marion Eppley Wildlife Sanctuary) in the Audubon statewide system of protected natural spaces.  

This strategic acquisition from Audubon’s conservation-minded neighbor Marion Joslin of Exeter was made possible through collaboration with The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and financial support from The Champlin Foundations and an Open Space Grant from the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM). The property was acquired by TNC and transferred to Audubon, with the RIDEM purchasing a conservation easement, a true partnership effort. 

“This is the third time that the Audubon Society of Rhode Island has acquired conservation land from Mrs. Joslin and the second time that it was done with the support of TNC and the RIDEM,” said Lawrence Taft, Audubon’s Executive Director.  “This is an example of a long-standing and strategic partnership between TNC, RIDEM, Audubon and the Joslin family that dates back to the early 1990s. Without such a partnership, this area of the state would be much different today. These forests and streams would likely be lost forever.”  

“The Nature Conservancy is delighted to be part of ensuring the long-term protection of this ecologically-rich property, and the collaborative effort with Audubon, Champlin and RIDEM made this possible,” stated Janet Coit, State Director of The Nature Conservancy.  “Adding this land to the Fisherville Brook Refuge makes great sense, as the Audubon Society folks are excellent stewards and valued partners.” 

“The Department of Environmental Management is pleased to continue its partnership with the Audubon Society of Rhode Island and The Nature Conservancy and proud of our collective success in preserving and expanding protection in a critical resource area,” said DEM Director W. Michael Sullivan, PhD.  “The exceptional water quality, wildlife habitat and fishery resources in the region are well served by this conservation easement and I applaud the Joslin family and all participants for their dedicated efforts to preserve this valuable property in the Queens River corridor.”    

The headwaters of the Queen River are located within this new acquisition.  This river, within the Pawcatuck watershed, is one of the highest quality streams in Rhode Island.  Survival of native trout, rare freshwater mussels and rare dragonfly and damselfly species in this watershed continues because of clean, cool waters and landscape-wide watershed protection. Salamanders and wood frogs are common in the lower elevation portions of the property as well. 

Much of the upland habitat is typical pine forest with mature white pines dominating the canopy. White pine regeneration is visible in an understory mixed with black huckleberries and hardwood saplings. Stately hemlocks, larch and planted red pines flourish here. Elsewhere are patches of oak-hickory forest with black oak, scarlet oak and red oak and smaller groves of American beech.  

The un-fragmented forest complex in concert with adjacent protected land provides excellent breeding habitat for neo-tropical songbirds. Through land protection, further landscape fragmentation is prevented. Fragmentation would discourage nesting of woodland species.