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Project Title: Barrier Beach Restoration on Long Beach West (FFS #R5FA); project oversight by Southern New England - New York Bight Coastal Program
State: Connecticut
Project Description: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) received $909,000 under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act) to remove abandoned cottages and restore beach and dune habitat on 35 acres of municipal property on Long Beach West in Stratford, CT. The 41 unoccupied, deteriorating cottages on Long Beach West are the remnants of a former summer community.
The area along the Connecticut coast is recognized as one of 17 Inaugural Long Island Sound Stewardship sites in Connecticut in the 2006 Stewardship Atlas. In addition, it is listed as an Audubon Important Bird Area, part of a global network of places essential to the survival of priority bird species. Long Beach West is one of the most important remaining beach-nesting areas for the federally threatened piping plover. Restoring natural conditions will benefit a wide variety of migratory birds, including species of concern such as the least tern, American oystercatcher, clapper rail and black duck. This site also supports five species of state-listed rare plants and nesting diamondback terrapins.
Long Beach West is located within the approved acquisition boundary for the Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge. Stratford residents last year voted in favor of negotiating the sale of the property to the Service, providing that funding becomes available for the acquisition and the area remains available for public access. If acquired, the Service would manage the land as part of the refuge, which currently includes 11 coastal and island units along the Connecticut coast and within the Long Island Sound.
Long Beach Restoration Project partners include the Town of Stratford and the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, along with Audubon Connecticut, the Trust for Public Land, SoundKeeper, Citizens Campaign for the Environment, Connecticut Audubon Society, Connecticut Ornithological Association, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Protect Your Environment, CFE/Save the Sound, the Stratford Conservation Commission, and The Nature Conservancy.
Originally posted 07/27/2009
Photos:
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 One of the abandoned cottages slated for demolition |
 The abandoned cottages are both unsightly and unsafe |
 The dilapidated buildings will be replaced by beach and dune habitat |
