MIDDLETOWN – The nonprofit Norman Bird Sanctuary on Monday announced the hiring of Providence-based environmental consulting firm Horsley Witten Group to begin the first phase of its proposed Coastal Trail Master Plan and Design.
The proposed master plan is
part of a multiyear project to restore a pollination field and create a trail within the 300-acre property to improve an existing pathway between the sanctuary’s main campus and Coastal Education Center.
Kaity Ryan, executive director of the Norman Bird Sanctuary, said the organization is working to secure additional grant and donor funding for the subsequent design and construction phases. The study conducted by Horsley Witten should be completed within one year while the total project will likely take up to three years to complete, she said.
The major challenge will be mitigating an invasive plant intrusion that when complete will transform the field – which abuts the intersection of Third Beach and Hanging Rock roads and Indian Avenue – into the largest pollinator meadow habitats in Rhode Island.
But the restoration project is time consuming because it takes several growing cycles for invasive plants to be effectively removed.
"And from there we have to plant the seeds. Which then need to be pollinated and need time to grow and establish," said Ryan. "This is labor-intensive work."
The total cost for the project is yet to be determined, said Ryan, who estimated the final price tag will likely run about $300,000.
"We really don't know until will do the design and planning.
This study will help us to better understand the field we are restoring to help the local ecosystem," she said. "Removing invasive plants is really the first step in this process. Because that is definitely an issue that is increasingly important to us."
The nonprofit previously used Horsley Witten on its comprehensive management plan. Principal Brian Kuchar in a statement said the firm is “aligned with the Sanctuary’s intent to preserve the natural environment while improving accessibility between the two areas.”
Horsley Witten will partner with Vanasse & Associates Inc. on site analysis to assess existing infrastructure and pedestrian safety conditions while examining additional "design opportunities and challenges," according to the announcement.
Known for its habitat encompassing a diverse population of birds and wildlife, the Norman Bird Sanctuary includes seven miles of hiking trails and hosts more than 150 educational programs annually.
Ryan said the project is a good opportunity to showcase the organization's conservation efforts at such a prominent location.
"It is a very visible corner," she said. "It is highly trafficked in the summertime particularly with beach visitors. So, it's a really exciting opportunity for us to demonstrate best practice."
(UPDATE: Corrects name of Horsley Witten Principal to Brian Kuchar in 9th paragraph.)
Christopher Allen is a PBN staff writer. You may contact him at Allen@PBN.com.
