CHAPTER 2. The Narragansett Bay National Estuarine Reserve

CHAPTER 2.

The Narragansett Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve

Kenneth B. Raposa

Figure 2.1. Entrance sign to the NBNERR at the T-wharf in the South Prudence Unit. Photo from NBNERR photo library.

11 An Ecological Profile of the Narragansett Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve

Figure 2.2. Estuarine boundary and terrestrial units of the NBNERR. GIS data sources cour- tesy of the Rhode Island Geographic Information System (RIGIS; www.edc. uri.edu/rigis/).

1. Providence Point 2. North End Farm 3. Potter Cove 4. Weather Station 5. Old Oyster Farm 6. Indian Spring 7. Ferry Landing 8. Baker Farm/Old Inn/Orchard Figure 2.3. Aerial view of the T-wharf area on Figure 2.4. Entrance sign to 9. Sandy Point Lighthouse the Prudence Conservancy Unit 10. Town Dock the South Prudence Unit of the NBNERR. Photo 11. NBNERR Field Station from NBNERR photo library. of the NBNERR. The Prudence 12. T-wharf/Naturalist Building Conservancy owns the land 13. Farnham Farm 14. Prudence Island School in this unit and functions as 15. Old Stone Dock one of the Reserve’s primary 16. Division Rock 17. Pulpit Rock partners. Photo from NBNERR 18. Picnic Tree/Chase Way photo library. 19. Sandy Beach

Table 2.1. Selected characteristics of units in the NBNERR. Year acquired refl ects when the property was obtained, not necessarily the year it was incorporated into the Reserve.1 Additional, Figure 2.5. NBNERR facilities smaller parcels were acquired in later years and merged with the North and South Prudence units. and other local points of interest on Prudence Island. Unit Name Year Acquired Acres Owner (land only) Blount 1974 23 State Hope Island 1975 78 State North Prudence 19781 749 State South Prudence 19801 820 State Patience Island 1980 214 State Barre 1988 153 State Little 1991 56 State Heritage 1992 291 State Prudence Conservancy 1992 167 Prudence Conservancy 12 Dyer Island 2002 36 State CHAPTER 2. The Narragansett Bay National Estuarine Reserve

The Narragansett Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve

The Narragansett Bay National Estuarine Re- soundsound coastalcoastal sstewardship.tewardship. FFinally,inally, tthehe ggoalsoals ooff tthehe search Reserve (NBNERR or Reserve) is composed of Reserve are to: 10 property units on four islands that are located roughly • StrengthenStrengthen tthehe pprotectionrotection aandnd mmanagementanagement ooff in the center of Narragansett Bay, R.I. (Figs. 2.1, 2.2). representativerepresentative eestuarinestuarine eecosystemscosystems wwithinithin NNarragan-arragan- Seven units are located on Prudence Island, including settsett BBayay ttoo aadvancedvance eestuarinestuarine cconservation,onservation, rresearch,esearch, the South Prudence (Fig. 2.3) and North Prudence units, and education which are the two largest units in the Reserve. The full • Increase the use of Reserve science and sites to extent of the three other smaller islands, Patience Island, address priority coastal management issues within Hope Island, and Dyer Island, comprise the remaining Narragansett Bay and its watershed three units (with the exception of one private inholding • Enhance the ability and willingness for people to remaining on Patience Island) (Table 2.1). The NBNERR make informed decisions and take responsible actions also bounds all estuarine waters surrounding coastal that affect coastal communities and ecosystems units out to a depth of 5.4 meters (18 feet), except for waters adjacent to the Blount Unit on central Prudence The NBNERR relies heavily on partnerships Island (Fig. 2.2). As of 2008, the NBNERR contained with other organizations to fulfi ll its mission and 2,586 acres of land and 1,809 acres of surrounding estua- goals. As the Reserve’s state partner, RIDEM provides rine water, for a total of 4,395 jurisdictional acres. support that is essential to the proper functioning of The NBNERR was incorporated in 1980, be- the NBNERR, including enforcement, administration, coming the seventh unit in the NERR System. At the and maintenance of grounds, facilities, and vehicles. time, the NBNERR was called the Narragansett Bay RIDEM enforcement in the Reserve is limited, as of- National Estuarine Sanctuary and was composed of only fi cers are not stationed on Prudence Island. However, the North Prudence, Patience Island, and Hope Island when violations are reported, RIDEM Enforcement units. Other units were incorporated into the Reserve as has the capability of reaching the Reserve via a small they were acquired in later years (Table 2.1). The most fl eet of boats. Additional assistance comes from other recent acquisition was Dyer Island, which was purchased partners, including the town of Portsmouth, R.I., in in 2002 and will be incorporated into the Reserve after which the Reserve lies, the Prudence Conservancy completion of its updated management plan. The R.I. (Fig. 2.4), the Audubon Society of Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM) (ASRI), and the University of Rhode Island (URI). owns most of the units, except for the Prudence Conser- Portsmouth employs a police offi cer on Prudence vancy Unit, which is owned by the Prudence Conservan- Island who can assist with law enforcement in the cy (a local land trust). Reserve. URI and ASRI have cooperative agreements All areas in the NBNERR are designated as with the NBNERR. URI handles and processes all of either ‘core’ or ‘buffer’ area, and permitted uses in a the NBNERR nutrient and chlorophyll samples col- given area are dependent on this designation. The NB- lected as part of its SWMP. ASRI assists with staffi ng, NERR defi nes core areas as those “that are essential and equipment, transportation, and other necessary infra- representative of natural habitats in the biogeographic structure. region in which the reserve is located. Recreation, habitat As with all NERRs, the NBNERR is staffed manipulation, and other disruptive uses are restricted in by three core positions: a reserve manager, research core areas”; likewise buffer areas are defi ned as “those coordinator, and education coordinator. Additional areas that are set aside to further protect core areas. Low- full-time staff include a coastal training program impact recreation, habitat manipulation, and research are coordinator, a natural resources/geographic informa- permitted in buffer areas” (Beck and Beck, 1998). Cur- tion systems (GIS) specialist, and a marine research rent core and buffer designations for Reserve areas can specialist. The Reserve is also able to augment its staff be found on the Reserve’s website at: www.nbnerr.org. with part-time and seasonal summer employees hired The NBNERR operates under a hierarchal frame- through RIDEM or ASRI and with student interns work that includes an overall vision, mission, and a set of from URI, Roger Williams University (RWU), or oth- goals. The overarching vision of the NBNERR is to be a er local universities. All staff members are dedicated valued leader, partner, and resource in the long-term col- to carrying out the three main NERR functions of re- lection, synthesis, and dissemination of monitoring and search and monitoring, education, and stewardship. research data for enhanced coastal management within The NBNERR research and monitoring Narragansett Bay and its watershed. Similarly, its mis- program emphasizes research conducted both by sion is to preserve and protect representative estuarine Reserve staff and by visiting scientists and students, habitats within Narragansett Bay and provide opportuni- and includes studies conducted in coastal upland and ties for long-term research, education, and training for estuarine habitats. Currently, the NBNERR research priorities are: 13 An Ecological Profile of the Narragansett Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve

• Species interactions and relationships to physical, begin Teachers on the Estuary (TOTE) workshops in chemical, economic, and social processes Rhode Island in 2009. The NBNERR CTP focuses on • Changes in species and guild composition, including providing coastal decision-makers with scientifi c tools invasives, and interactions among species and the physi- that are necessary for making informed management cal and chemical environment decisions. The primary target audiences of the CTP are • Habitat conservation, restoration, and biota use municipal staff (including town planners and manag- • Data synthesis, hindcasting, and forecasting ers), municipal volunteers, designers and developers, • Monitoring, modeling, and prediction of coastal habi- landscape architects, engineers, and attorneys. The tat and ecosystem processes focus of the NBNERR Stewardship Program is on • Quantitatively examine and model the primary fac- effectively managing the Reserve’s land and water tors that affect fi sheries, productivity, and water quality resources. Specifi c management issues include the • Coupling of Reserve ecosystem dynamics to estua- protection of rare species and representative habitats, rine and regional dynamics including responses to the management of invasive species, and restoration of effects of climate change specifi c habitats. To carry out each of these functions, the NBNERR emphasizes integration and cooperation In addition, the current objectives of the NB- among staff members and collaborations with other NERR research program are to: organizations and partners. • Conduct and provide opportunities for original basic To support its main functions, the NBNERR and applied research regarding coastal and estuarine provides its staff and professional visitors with various systems facilities that include laboratory space and supplies, • Contribute to status and trends assessments and fore- a library and conference room, a multi-parameter casting of environmental quality by tracking short-term meteorological station, limited docking facilities, and variability and long-term changes in biotic and abiotipa- free overnight housing (Figs. 2.5, 2.6). The Reserve’s rameters at the Reserve and within the Narragansett Bay education center is located within the Reserve’s estuary headquarters, as are the staff offi ces. A small educa- • Work to protect the ecological integrity of Narragan- tional kiosk also operates at the T-wharf in the South sett Bay by encouraging and assisting in a multiagency Prudence Unit during the summer season. Patience, approach to research, monitoring, and science-based Hope, and Dyer islands are undeveloped and do not ecosystem management have any support facilities. • Provide coastal resource managers, the scientifi c The Reserve’s setting is predominantly natural community, and general education practitioners with ap- or rural, in contrast to much of coastal mainland Figure 2.6. The overnight cottage propriate scientifi c and technical information that fosters Rhode Island, which is generally heavily developed. can be used by visiting scientists and research, education, stewardship, and informed decision Patience, Hope, and Dyer islands are completely anyone else who is working for or at the Reserve. Photo from NBNERR making uninhabited. Prudence remains mostly undeveloped, photo library. but supports small clusters of residential housing and The NBNERR research program relies heav- other limited development. The year-round human ily on collaborations with other local research partners population on Prudence Island is approximately 150 to achieve its goals and objectives. For example, the people, although this peaks to nearly 2,000 people Reserve collaborates with Save The Bay to conduct re- at times during the summer. Prudence Island lacks search on the ecological responses to salt marsh restora- many amenities, although one small year-round and tions in Narragansett Bay, and with the Atlantic Ecology one summer general store are available, as is an is- Division of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency land post offi ce. Transportation to the NBNERR is (EPA) to study aspects of the ecology of wading birds by private boat or by the Prudence Island auto and in the Bay, including quantifying the effects of human passenger ferry (Fig. 2.7), which makes multiple daily Figure 2.7. The Prudence Island Ferry disturbance on wading-bird foraging. Other research round-trips between Bristol, R.I., and Homestead on transports people and vehicles between partners include RIDEM, RWU, the Narragansett Bay Prudence Island. All visitors to the Reserve are en- Prudence Island and Bristol, R.I. Photo Estuary Program, and URI, among others. For more couraged to provide their own ground transportation from NBNERR photo library. information on the NBNERR research program, visit while on Prudence Island. For more information about www.nbnerr.org/research.htm. any aspect of the Reserve, visit the NBNERR website Additional core programs at the NBNERR at www.nbnerr.org. include the education, coastal training, and stewardship programs. The Reserve education program currently Literature Cited strives to cultivate an awareness and knowledge of the area’s natural resources, on-going research projects, land Beck, A. and M. Beck. 1998. Narragansett Bay stewardship practices, and the resources available to National Estuarine Research Reserve Revised the public through recreation, education, and volun- Management Plan 1998. Prepared by RIDEM teer programs at the Reserve. The education program Narragansett Bay National Estuarine Research is also invested in developing and implementing the Reserve Program and NOAA Sanctuary and 14 system-wide K–12 Estuary Education Program, and will Reserves Division. Rhode Island Sea Grant, Narragansett, R.I. 145pp.