List of National Natural Landmarks in Rhode Island facts for kids
From List of National Natural Landmarks, these are the National Natural Landmarks in Rhode Island.
A National Natural Landmark (NNL) is a special place in the United States that has unique natural features. These places are chosen because they show important parts of the country's natural history. They might have amazing plants, animals, rocks, or landforms. The goal is to protect these places for everyone to enjoy and learn from.
In Rhode Island, there is one such amazing spot called Ell Pond.
Ell Pond: A Unique Natural Wonder
Ell Pond was named a National Natural Landmark in May 1974. It is located in Rockville, Rhode Island. This special area is a type of lake called a kettle hole. A kettle hole forms when a large chunk of ice from a melting glacier gets buried in the ground. When the ice melts, it leaves a deep hole that fills with water.
What Makes Ell Pond Special?
Ell Pond is surrounded by a swampy area filled with red maple trees and Atlantic white cypress trees. Around the swamp, you'll find steep, rocky hills called monadnocks. These hills are made of granite.
One of the most interesting things about Ell Pond is its plants. It has a rare mix of two very different types of plants:
- Hydrophytic plants are plants that love water and grow in wet places, like swamps.
- Xeric plants are plants that can survive in very dry conditions.
It's unusual to find both types of plants growing so close together! This makes Ell Pond a very important place for scientists to study how different plants adapt to their environment. The land around Ell Pond is privately owned, but its natural beauty is recognized and protected as a National Natural Landmark.
