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Line 21: == Sandy Point Nature Preserve == Following the Avalonia Land ~~Conservancy’s~~Conservancy's acquisition of the island in 1982, Sandy Point has served an important ecological role for wildlife in the region. It mainly serves as a place of refuge and a breeding ground for shoreline birds such as the [[piping plover]], [[American oystercatcher]], [[least tern]], and several species of gulls. A large number of [[horseshoe crabs]] also come to the island to breed. The Avalonia Land Conservancy sought assistance from the [[U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service]] in 2009 to more effectively manage the preserve for the endangered shorebirds which nest there. In 2015, the Fish and Wildlife Service began its partnership with the Avalonia Land Conservancy in earnest, with the intention of incorporating Sandy Point into the refuge boundary of the [[Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge]].<ref>http://www.theday.com/article/20150212/nws01/150219907</ref> The property is currently managed by the [[Rhode Island National Wildlife Refuge Complex]] through the [[Partners for Fish and Wildlife]] program, which allows the Avalonia Land Conservancy to maintain ownership of the island and benefit from the management expertise of the USFWS.<ref>http://avalonialandconservancy.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/SandyPointPreservePropertyManagementPlanFinal.doc.pdf</ref> Line 29: Sandy Point Island has been a popular recreation site for boaters and beachgoers who enjoy its soft sand and shallow waters. Striking a balance between conservation and public use of the property has been a primary focus of the Avalonia Land Conservancy and the USFWS over the last several years. Currently, the public is permitted to access those portions of the island on which birds are not nesting. Each year, once the birds have chosen sites for their nests, nesting areas are roped off during the breeding season (typically the northern and southern tips of the island, as well as a portion of the sandy middle). The remainder of the island is left open to the public, with the purchase of a permit to visit the site required from Memorial Day to Labor Day.<ref>http://www.theday.com/article/20150212/nws01/150219907</ref> Despite some initial opposition,<ref>http://www.theday.com/article/20100213/INTERACT010102/100219859</ref> increased educational outreach has led most Sandy Point visitors to accept the ~~island’s~~island's dual-purpose vocation and respect the boundaries established each year for nesting shorebirds. The Fish & Wildlife Service has installed informational kiosks on the northern and southern ends of the island, and rangers often walk the island to monitor the wildlife and engage the public.<ref>http://wnpr.org/post/when-biologists-protect-one-bird-another</ref> As an island with no dock, Sandy Point can be somewhat difficult to access. The island is most easily reached by kayak or by a boat with a shallow draft. Larger boats can also be taken to the island, but boaters must drop anchor offshore and then row or swim to the beach.

Sandy Point Island: Difference between revisions