Registration required — see link below.
Join the Barrington Land Conservation Trust for a walk to PIC-WIL Nature Preserve. This 17-acre preserve of forest, field, salt marsh and coastal dunes on the east shore of the Providence River in Barrington.
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 terrain is gentle but may be wet in places. Dress for the weather and wear sturdy footwear. You may wish to bring a walking stick or poles to assist you when crossing wet areas.
Park on the side of Tallwood Drive (off Washington Road) in Barrington, RI. The group will meet at the trailhead, which is directly across from Tallwood on Washington Road, Barrington, RI.
The walk will last about an hour and a half. All ages are welcome. No dogs.
If you have questions about a specific Land Trust Day activity, please contact the person and Land Trust listed with that event.
If you have questions about Rhode Island Land Trust Days, please contact:
Land Trust Days Coordinator: Virginia Streeter vstreeter@rilandtrusts.org