The Narragansett Bay Research Reserve is located in the heart of Narragansett Bay on four islands: Prudence, Patience, Hope and Dyer.
The Narragansett Bay Research Reserve protects approximately 4400 acres of land and water.
We are located in the Narragansett Bay Watershed which is comprised of 1,657 square miles. Sixty-one percent of the watershed is in Massachusetts and thirty-nine percent is in Rhode Island.
What is the Reserve?
The Narragansett Bay Research Reserve is one of 27 Reserves in the National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS). Currently, the NERRS protects over 1 million acres of estuarine waters and adjacent upland habitats.
Reserve Purpose Statement:
"To protect, enhance and learn about the Narragansett Bay estuary and its watershed and to provide opportunities for long-term estuarine research, education, and stewardship."
Volunteers help clean the shoreline of Prudence Island
Reserve History
Our Reserve was designated in 1980 through a partnership between NOAA and the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM). Over the years we have also become close partners with the Audubon Society of Rhode Island.
Click here for more information on the history of Prudence Island
Click here for more information on the history of Patience Island
Click here for more information on the history of Hope Island
Click here for more information on the history of Dyer Island
How the Reserve Works
The Narragansett Bay Research Reserve is funded each year through a grant from the National Oceanographic Atmospheric Association (NOAA). These funds are matched and administered by the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM).
