Fish and Wildlife Director Highlights Importance of Rhode Island’s Coastal Refuges

The state’s coastal ponds and wildlife refuges don’t get top billing,
but they are fundamentally important to the health of the local ecosystem

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Martha Williams visited the Trustom Pond National Wildlife Refuge in South Kingstown.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Martha Williams visited the Trustom Pond National Wildlife Refuge in South Kingstown.
Alex Nunes/The Public’s Radio
Share
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Martha Williams visited the Trustom Pond National Wildlife Refuge in South Kingstown.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Martha Williams visited the Trustom Pond National Wildlife Refuge in South Kingstown.
Alex Nunes/The Public’s Radio
Fish and Wildlife Director Highlights Importance of Rhode Island’s Coastal Refuges
Copy

Martha Williams, the head of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, was in Rhode Island in mid-October to mark the annual National Wildlife Refuge Week.

Williams met up with The Public’s Radio reporter for a morning of birding at the Trustom Pond refuge in South Kingstown, and to talk about the importance of Rhode Island’s coastal ponds and efforts to protect them.

The Trustom Pond National Wildlife Refuge is more than 780 acres of protected land, nearly half of that donated in the mid-1970s. Williams was there to highlight the agency’s work on salt marsh restoration.

This interview was conducted by The Public’s Radio. You can read the entire story here.

New Rhode Island laws will require AEDs on golf courses, expand Narcan training to lifeguards and park rangers, extend the state’s safe injection site, and formalize a 30-day wait before adult road tests
$14.3B spending plan nixes new capital projects in favor of extra money for Washington Bridge rebuild
Coyne is the first challenger to officially enter the ring against Matos, who was elected for a full term in 2022
Stoke says he wants to enhance civics education
Democratic governors walk a fine line by criticizing Trump while also ensuring federal dollars flow. The Public’s Radio political reporter Ian Donnis spoke with Gov. Dan McKee about that yesterday, along with a few other issues