Thanks to your support, in 2023:

• The ongoing work on our restored grasslands at the Fort Wright Parade Grounds never looked better and attracted many visitors. The paths were well maintained and offered a wonderful respite from an increasingly hectic world. Please come down and explore the 175 acres of meadowlands. If you’re lucky, you might witness our resident northern harriers hunting over the grasslands.

• The new Ferry Park at the entrance to Silver Eel Cove was a true beneficiary of the rainy summer. The wildflower knoll was ablaze with color all season long. The 12,000 Virginia beach grass plugs planted there thrived, and quickly became a nesting ground for the saltmarsh sparrow. To protect the new habitat, FIConservancy worked with the Ferry District to install several hundred feet of natural material guardrail along the entire berm.

• Our Sentinel Program had its most successful year to date. Under the leadership of program director, Stephanie Hall, eleven student environmentalists, ranging in age from 14 to 21, in addition to our stellar University of New Mexico intern, Anna White, monitored 14 distinct island sites, took measurements and observations. This collected data will help us further understand our fragile environment.

• Our Marine Debris program, run by Michele Klimczak, continues to make headlines both on and off the Island. Michele’s work was the subject of artist Duke Riley’s film MICHELE in his exhibition DEATH TO THE LIVING, Long Live Trash at the Brooklyn Museum of Art. Approximately half the plastic used in the exhibition was collected by Michele on Fishers Island.

• We continue to work with the Ferguson Museum on the Fishers Island Seagrass Coalition to educate our community about the critical importance of protecting our marine environment from upland and water-borne threats. Seagrasses have declined in Long Island Sound by up to 97%. These ecosystems serve as a marine nursery for many species. The remaining 3% is mostly found around Fishers Island. We are committed to keeping this population healthy and growing.

• We honored Joe Henderson, a leader in habitat restoration, at our annual Sunset on the Beach event in July. It was Joe’s vision which prompted our work on the Parade Grounds and he continues to be a valuable asset to our community.

• Nature Days, chaired by our Executive Director, Kristen Peterson, was held in early August. Several stations in the Parade Grounds featured native plants and animals. This event is always a hit with children and adults alike.

• Plus much more!

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