On Rhode Island’s southern coast along the Narrow River, this national wildlife refuge protects part of the Pettaquamscutt Cove landscape, an Important Bird Area valued for coastal birds and wetlands. Established in 1988 and renamed in 1999 for Senator John H. Chafee, it was created in part to conserve the state’s largest population of migratory American black ducks. Its forests, wetlands, and tidal salt marsh support diverse birdlife, while the river also sustains rich fish habitat, including the state’s largest alewife run. By 2009 the refuge had grown to 544 acres and remained a lightly visited place for wildlife observation and limited recreation.

Jamestown, Rhode Island · USA