Town Proposes Renewal Of Cooperation With Wildlife Refuge
On the agenda at the December 13, 2021 Town Council meeting is a renewal of the Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) between the Town of Charlestown and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Ninigret National Wildlife Refuge.
The purpose of the MOU is to maintain a framework of cooperation between the Town and USFWS, especially in regards to management of natural resources in the Town’s Ninigret Park in order to meet the intent that these lands be managed consistent with the Ninigret National Wildlife Refuge while facilitating the development of the Town’s Ninigret Park for the benefit of the public.
The Town and USFWS have had MOUs since September, 2012. From the time the land was transferred, cooperation has been generally good between the Town and USFWS. However, in the 2000s, there were several development proposals in the Town’s Ninigret Park that posed a significant threat to the migratory bird species that depend on the Ninigret National Wildlife Refuge during the spring and fall migrations and during the nesting season.
This letter from January, 2012, and before the MOU, explains the USFWS’s serious concerns about lighted football fields then proposed for Ninigret Park. Town staff had applied for a Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management Recreation Grant for the lighted fields without any consultation with USFWS. The grant had also been submitted without the knowledge of the majority of the then Town Council.
To avoid anything like the above happening again, the MOU and a process of communication was established between the Town and the Refuge. The MOU is “a recognition that management actions on Park lands can potentially create conflicts and detract from the overall purpose and objectives for which these lands are managed; a recognition that it is desirable for both parties to use their respective authorities and access to potential funding sources in furtherance of mutually benefiting goals; and a recognition that establishment of this MOU can improve communication and coordination to assure that management actions remain consistent, and to identify projects of mutual benefit.”
Ninigret Park is on land that was part of a WW II-era naval air training base. The base closed in the early 1970s, and by 1982 property had been transferred to USFWS and the Town of Charlestown. Approximately 380 acres became the USFWS’s Ninigret National Wildlife Refuge and the remaining 230 acres became Ninigret Park, owned by the town.
You can read a detailed history of the establishment of Ninigret Park and Ninigret National Wildlife Refuge. (4.25Mb)
The banner image is a photo of Sandpipers by Frances Topping.
December 12, 2021 @ 6:52 pm
Thanks again! Ninigret “ Wildlife REFUGE” should mean something.
December 12, 2021 @ 6:30 pm
All of what has been said above I support. What is important for residents to know is this is more than a renewal of the Memorandum of Understanding. It is a re-write. Within this document USFW presents a map showing the USFW western boundary moved into park land 150′-200′, needed to further buffer the Refuge. This area, comprising about 18 acres would be off limits to almost any activity. This is a major taking of the town park acreage. Importantly, the original documents granting Ninigret Park stipulated the parks 172 is in fact the buffer allowing passive recreational activities only. (Special exemption was made for fund-raising events Sea Food Festival, Rhythm and Roots)
Before the town agrees to this new MOU, citizens and town officials must have the time to review the MOU. Uses, activities and programs at the park should reviewed with the intent to make them USFW Refuge compatible as much as possible.
The MOU is not due to renewal until February 2022. There is time for deliberate review of the Memorandum.
December 13, 2021 @ 8:57 am
Buffers are common in zoning. Commercial developments are required to provide 25 foot vegetated buffers to residential, wetlands require undisturbed buffers of 50 to 200 feet, cluster subdivisions and multifamily housing have 100 foot buffers to other residential development. The buffer is always required of the more intense use. Yes the entire town park was meant to buffer the wildlife refuge from commercial and residential development on and off of Old Post Road, but even the day to day uses in the town park have now become more intense than most commercial development could ever be. It’s not realistic to expect that those current daily active recreation uses in the town park would stop. Noises from people, dogs, cars, etc. have condemned a large area of the wildlife refuge from use by the migratory birds it was created to protect. Maintaining the forest and vegetation along the border of the town park will not restore what has been lost, but continuing to clear into the buffer will extend the area that is not suitable for nesting for some of the species of greatest concern.
December 12, 2021 @ 11:47 am
The action by the former town administrator to not disclose, what was clearly a violation to our agreement with the NFWS , was the major reason that administrator was rightfully criticized. Thanks to the CCA we have a town council that is principled, competent and will not tolerate such behavior.
December 12, 2021 @ 10:18 am
Excellent. Along our north-east coastline there are few areas that provide migratory and other bird habitat. Charlestown is fortunate to be the steward of this one and we should take this responsibility seriously.