The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management has preserved 70 acres of coastal habitat at Gull Cove in Portsmouth, using $880,000 from the Bouchard B-120 oil spill settlement to secure the property.
The newly conserved land includes salt marsh and coastal uplands along the northwestern shoreline of Gull Cove, an intertidal estuary next to the Sakonnet River. With the acquisition, DEM now oversees the entire north shore of the cove, including a 16.75-acre parcel recently transferred from the Rhode Island Department of Transportation.
Officials say protecting the shoreline will safeguard wetlands and create a buffer that allows marshes to migrate inland as sea levels rise. The area provides foraging, roosting and breeding grounds for salt-marsh dependent birds and supports recreational activities such as shellfishing, paddling and birdwatching.
“Gull Cove is a true state treasure; a thriving coastal ecosystem that provides critical bird habitat while offering opportunities for shellfishing, paddling, and birdwatching,” DEM Director Terry Gray said in a statement. He called the purchase a significant conservation milestone and said using Bouchard B-120 settlement funds ensures a lasting benefit for Rhode Island residents.
The funding stems from a 2003 spill in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts, when the Bouchard B-120 oil tank barge released nearly 98,000 gallons of fuel oil. The spill affected roughly 100 miles of shoreline in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, damaging wildlife, shellfish beds and coastal habitat.
State and federal natural resource agencies secured a settlement to restore wildlife and compensate for lost recreational uses. DEM worked alongside the Massachusetts Executive Office of Environmental Affairs, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on the Natural Resource Trustee Council to administer the funds.
DEM officials say the acquisition will help jumpstart marsh restoration efforts in the cove. Design work is already underway, supported by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. The property will be managed by DEM’s Division of Fish & Wildlife for habitat conservation and public access.
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