Pawcatuck River Wildlife Preserve This unimproved coastal access area adjacent to the Pawcatuck River provides unique shore-based fishing for tomcod in a former on-site boat basin, while near-shore deep water provides striped bass angling opportunities.
Large boulders adjacent to the shore provide casting platforms for anglers. It is imperative that anglers be careful when accessing the rocks, as when wet, they are extremely slippery. One main trail extends from the parking lot to the river, although a second access point extends from the lot to the river as well, consisting of an informal and undefined pathway. Both walkways provide birding opportunities and general passive enjoyment of the river. The park closes at sunset, except for visitors engaging in fishing activities. Hunting is not permitted at this park. The Pawcatuck River
The Pawcatuck River narrows considerably as it approaches the business district of Westerly. The river actually separates the two states of Rhode Island and Connecticut. As the Pawcatuck River flows through the business district of Westerly, there are revival efforts taking place along a little walkway. You can park off the main street for free, and walk along the river to get to shops and restaurants. The building on the RI side is being renovated with hopes for shops to increase the tourist trade. Summertime brings out the flower boxes and with leaves on the trees, it is a shady respite off the beaten path. The river was specificied as the western boundary of the Rhode Island Colony in its original charter in 1636. The river was formerly called Charles River between its source and the mouth of Wood River near Bradford, Rhode Island.
Spanning two states, the 200-square mile Pawcatuck Borderlands are home to one of the last remaining central-hardwood forests in New England. They comprise the southern end of a corridor of relatively undeveloped, rural lands that connect with "The Quiet Corner" of
northeast Connecticut and the "Foster/Gloucester" area of northwest Rhode Island. A satellite view of the Pawcatuck Borderlands at night offers a rare sight—this area is the only strip of darkness between
Washington D.C. and Boston, Massachusetts. An astonishing 80 percent is blanketed in oak, hickory, hemlock and pine forest, home to pileated woodpecker and Louisiana waterthrush, species that demand dense cover. Uncommonly large pitch-pine woodlands thrive on dry, sandy soils. Native brook trout, alewive and herring ply their waters. Wetlands harboring imperiled Atlantic white cedar and giant rhododendron dot the landscape. These clear rivers, streams and ground waters provide much of Rhode Island’s and Connecticut’s water supply. The area is only a 45-minute drive from Providence and Hartford, and is home to several world-class tourist attractions. There is increasing demand for housing and development, such as roads and shopping centers. Traffic is escalating on local roads and highways, preventing wildlife from migrating between habitats. Finite water resources
are being denuded, impacting both the quality and quantity of local watersheds. The Conservancy is also safeguarding working landscapes that benefit both nature and people by fostering economic opportunities and traditions that rely on the health of this natural area.
|
