NAFSE Field Trip – Ninigret National Wildlife Refuge, Charlestown, Rhode Island

“Established in 1970, Ninigret National Wildlife Refuge consists of 858 acres of diverse upland and wetland habitats including grasslands, shrub lands, wooded swamps and freshwater ponds.” - Ninigret Website

DAVE WALKER, FIRE MANAGAMENT OFFICER, MONITORS THE BURN. TAKEN ON MARCH 31, 2012 AT NINIGRET NWR. PHOTO CREDIT: JUANCARLOS GIESE, USFWS

Working Agenda, Wednesday Mrch 20, 2019

8:30 Optional group breakfast. Hungry Haven Restaurant (pay as you go) 9:30 Registration, meet & greet, check out exhibits 10:00 Welcome, introductions 10:10 Presentations

• Overview of Refuge system

• USFWS Forest Inventory program

• Regional perspective on science-based fire management for Region 5

• Fire history in Rhode Island

• State lands management

• Overview of pitch pine forest & shrubland management at Ninigret

• Site overview - field trip stops

• Q&A, discussion

11:45 Bag lunch time (BYO, or optional pizza order) 12:30 Head to field 12:45 Lewis Tract - pitch pine forest

• Stop 1: Unmanaged site (no treatment)

• Stop 2: WUI/neighbors

• Stop 3: Spring 2018 burn - 19 ac (thin & burn)

• Stop 4: Managed site (thinning)

2:15 Trip to Salt Pond Unit via Kettle Pond Visitor Center for vehicle pickup 2:30 Salt Pond Unit

• Walk to junction of Grassy Point & Cross Refuge Trail

• Rare plant site, 0.5 ac burned every 3 yrs.

• Shrubland habitat burned to promote regeneration

• Invasive controls

3:45 Wrap-up (in-field) 4:00 End, or optional visit to New England cottontail Pen -> 4:45