Outdoors RI: Hiking to be improved at Black Point at Narragansett overlook

Photo: See Narragansett

The Department of Environmental Management (DEM) and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) are announcing a project to improve much-used coastal access trails at Black Point, overlooking the bay in Narragansett, is set to start in March, weather permitting. Costing around $90,000, the work aims to limit erosion on parts of the rutted, packed-dirt paths and improve access with the installation of timber steps at a heavily trafficked fishing and sightseeing area, while minimizing impacts to the sensitive shoreline habitat surrounding the trails. DEM and TNC are sequencing the work so that the existing trail area will remain largely open to the public for use while a new trail footprint is set in an area about 800 feet southeast from the parking area, located at the trailhead at 655 Ocean Rd.

Located a mile north of Scarborough State Beach, Black Point is a free, DEM-managed, public fishing access area that is used by recreational anglers fishing for species such as striped bass, tautog, and scup. The walking trails offer clear views of Narragansett Bay and are frequented by walkers, hikers, runners, fishers, birdwatchers, and photographers. DEM bought the 40-acre Black Point tract in 1989. The funding for the project originates from a $6 million settlement through the Bouchard Barge 120 Buzzards Bay Trustee Council, following the grounding of an oil barge in Buzzards Bay and Narragansett Bay in 2003. It resulted in the spill of nearly 100,000 gallons of oil, damaging 98 miles of shoreline in Massachusetts and Rhode Island including the Black Point area. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration awarded the trustee funds to TNC and is providing technical assistance on behalf of the trustee council.

“Black Point is one of the most picturesque public recreation and fishing areas in Rhode Island – and one of the most heavily used,” said DEM Deputy Director for Natural Resources Jason McNamee. “As in many places, the trails at Black Point are integral to preserving open space and providing public access to our state’s precious and unique natural shore environments. DEM appreciates our partnership with The Nature Conservancy in improving these trails for enhanced passive recreational use and public access to this important shore fishing area, and we’re glad to acknowledge the important roles played by the Friends of Black Point and Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association in ensuring public access to this special place.”

“Black Point is such a beautiful area, but some sections of the trail can be tricky, especially for folks with mobility challenges,” said Jillian Thompson, Conservation Engineer for The Nature Conservancy. “This project will fix some of those rough spots and make it a little easier to get to the shoreline.”

DEM has received the appropriate permissions from the Coastal Resources Management Council to begin the work. Access for construction will be at the southern end of the parking area. DEM expects a small excavator, dump truck, and hand tools to be used. A small section of the parking lot may be used for temporary material storage and will be cordoned off with temporary fencing. DEM anticipates that the project will take from two to three months, weather permitting. Narragansett Dock Works Inc. is the contractor.

For more information about DEM divisions and programs, visit www.dem.ri.gov or follow us on Facebook, Twitter (@RhodeIslandDEM), or Instagram (@rhodeisland.dem) for timely updates.

___

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Joyce Tsang of Stone & Star on Self-Care and Setting Intentions for the New Year

Image
Joyce Tsang, the founder of Stone & Star, shares her self-care routine and tells Prestige why 2024 is the year of ceremony, celebration and new rituals. This year is an eight-year in astrology, which is all about abundance and expansion. There’s a shift happening this year that will never happen again in this lifetime and it’s Pluto moving into Aquarius. And if you subscribe to feng shui, all the masters will tell you we’re entering a new 20-year cycle. Either way, it’s almost like a rebirth for everyone. It also fits nicely with the Year of the Wood Dragon too, which is all about building a foundation and growth. This is the Year of Ceremony for me. There’s so much around this word, it could mean a public ceremony, like a marriage, or it could mean an inner ceremony and setting new rituals. The most important thing to remember this year is to treat life as sacred and to celebrate life and to embrace all the joys and magnificent experiences tha...
Read more

'Parrot fever' outbreak in 5 European countries kills 5 people

Image
An outbreak of a respiratory infection that most often affects birds has killed five people in Europe, the World Health Organization (WHO) warns. During 2023 and the start of 2024, Austria, Denmark, Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands have reported an "unusual and unexpected increase" in cases of so-called parrot fever, beyond what's been seen in previous years, the WHO said in a statement Tuesday (March 5). In all, the illness has affected almost 90 people, with five deaths reported among them.  Parrot fever, or psittacosis , is caused by a species of bacteria called Chlamydia psittaci (also spelled Chlamydophila psittaci ) . The bacteria can infect many mammals — including dogs, cats and horses — but most often infects birds.  Humans can catch psittacosis by inhaling airborne particles containing C. psittaci , but human-to-human transmission of the disease is very rare , with only a handful of cases ever reported. Instead, most people develop psittacosi...
Read more

Untrained bystanders can administer drone-delivered naloxone, potentially saving lives of opioid overdose victims

An onlooker – even one without prior training – can successfully administer naloxone to an overdose victim within about a minute of a drone delivering the lifesaving opioid reversal agent. That’s the key finding of my team’s newly published study. Naloxone is also known by the name brand Narcan. The study involved 17 participants responding to a simulated overdose . Each simulation included an un trained participant who portrayed a bystander , a box of naloxone deliver ed by drone , a mannequin as the overdose victim , and a panicked observer. The latter added a sense of urgency by continually shouting at the bystander throughout the simulation. Via a video playing on a screen carried by the drone, the bystander received instructions on how to use the naloxone, which is administered as a nasal spray. We timed each participant on how long it took them to correctly give the medication during this crisis moment. Our trial revealed that the average time for someon...
Read more