McIntosh Wildlife Refuge

McIntosh Wildlife Refuge

Audubon Society of Rhode Island Bristol, Rhode Island 02809

Official Website
McIntosh Wildlife Refuge map

Tips for Birding

The trails at Mcintosh Wildlife Refuge are wheelchair friendly, and the boardwalk with a vista of the Narragansett Bay is ADA compliant. 

About this Location

The 25 acres of land that is now the Claire D. McIntosh Wildlife Refuge once belonged to the DesLauriers family, who were well known in Bristol in the early 1900s. At that time, most of the property was a family farm where corn and other crops were grown. Claire was the second of two children, born in 1915. She grew up in the family home at 1389 Hope Street and also spent most of her adult life there (the house is still in its original location, but does not belong to the Audubon Society of Rhode Island). Claire’s husband died long before she did and they had no children. A licensed practical nurse and a private duty nurse, Claire had a very strong love of animals and nature and at her death in 1992 left the 25 acres of family land to ASRI, hoping that others would enjoy its wildlife and natural beauty as much as she did during her lifetime. Her will also created the Norman A. DesLauriers memorial fund to endow the property. Norman, her only brother, was killed in action in WWII.

The property now is home to the award-winning Environmental Education Center, where educational and refuge programs are offered year-round. The fields, woods, wetlands, and the boardwalk to the shore of Narragansett Bay present the visitor with a wide variety of habitats for nature study and observation.

Features

  • Wheelchair accessible trail

  • Roadside viewing

Content from Official Website

Last updated June 10, 2023

Audubon Society of Rhode Island