PROVIDENCE - The Department of Environmental Management announces that the East Beach/Ninigret Conservation Area Sand Trail was reopened to vehicular traffic beginning at 9 a.m. Thursday, July 23. The reopening of the trail provides access to the campground and back track trail.
Sections of the sand trail have been restricted to pedestrian traffic only since June 2 in order to provide protection for endangered piping plover chicks, which have been feeding and taking refuge along the sand trail. The piping plover is a small shorebird that is listed as threatened on both Federal and State endangered species lists.
At East Beach there are many over-wash areas that provide access for young birds such as the piping plover chicks. US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) staff and volunteers have been monitoring the plover nests and broods on a daily basis. Now that the young piping plover chicks are able to fly, the sand trail is being reopened and the protective roping is being removed.