Discover PIC-WIL Nature Preserve

BARRINGTON, RI – This March, the Barrington Land Conservation Trust invites you to join a free guided walk at PIC-WIL Nature Preserve, a 17-acre expanse of forest, field, salt marsh and coastal dunes on the east shore of the Providence River in Barrington, RI.

The walks, scheduled around low tide, will be held on Thursday, March 23 at 3 p.m.; Saturday, March 25, at 4 p.m.; and Sunday, March 26, at 5:30 p.m. To register for a walk, go to www.blct.org/events.

All ages are welcome. The terrain is gentle but wet in places, with some areas that require crossing narrow foot bridges. Dress for the weather and wear sturdy, waterproof footwear. You may wish to bring a walking stick or poles to assist you when crossing wet areas.

Once home to a bottling facility owned by Deep Water Rock Company, the property was donated to the Nature Conservancy by Catherine Picerelli in December of 1986 and deeded to the Barrington Land Conservation Trust in 1987, to be preserved in perpetuity as a nature preserve. The donation was made in memory of the families of Peter J. Picerelli and Clifford M. Wilson: thus the name “PIC-WIL.” Although the property is generally closed to the public due to its status as a nature preserve, the Land Trust opens PIC-WIL periodically for guided walks.

The forest includes a wide variety of deciduous trees. The property is home to deer, coyote, fox, weasels, squirrels, chipmunks and rabbits.

Purple Martins nest here in late spring and summer. Common birds of the marsh and tidal creeks include Mallards, American Black Ducks, Snowy and Great Egrets, Green-backed Herons, Great Blue Herons, and Osprey. Sharp-tailed Sparrows, Belted Kingfishers and various shorebirds are other likely visitors of the wetland. Nesting birds of the forest and its shrub border include Song Sparrow, Carolina Wren, Blue Jay, Flicker, Cardinal, Goldfinch, Robin, Red-eyed Vireo, Mockingbird, Catbird, Brown Thrasher and others.

Three plants at PIC-WIL have “special interest” status in the state of Rhode Island: Creeping Spikerush (Eleocharis rostellata), Maritime Seablite (Suaeda maritima) and Robust Bulrush (Scirpus robustus).

The Barrington Land Conservation Trust has preserved nearly 300 acres of open space in perpetuity for the benefit of the public. For more information on the Land Trust and its properties, visit www.blct.org or email cindyelder@blct.org.