"Picturesque, peaceful, yet thriving with wildlife." That's how many of the more than 50,000 annual visitors describe the Trustom Pond National Wildlife Refuge.

Spanning 800 acres on the Southern Coast of Rhode Island, the refuge protects the state's only undeveloped salt pond. From upland forests to a 1.5-mile barrier beach,the varied habitats in Trustom Pond support more than 300 bird, 40 mammal,and 20 reptile and amphibian species.

A stronghold for the threatened piping plover, the refuge is home to several other rare species including osprey, least terns, and the state's only population of Fowler's toad.

This refuge, along with the four other National Wildlife Refuges in the state, are administered by the Rhode Island National Wildlife Refuge Complex, headquartered in Charlestown, R.I.

The new Kettle Pond Visitor Center and headquarters located in Charlestown, RI, celebrates the Trustom Pond Refuge and all of the other refuges in Rhode Island. This facility contains interactive exhibits, displays, a sales area, classrooms for special events, and knowledgeable people where visitors can come and explore the refuges and learn about the wildlife resources and coastal environments of each refuge.