Last Saturday we held an open house at Stratford Point and the adjacent Coast Guard lighthouse. Visitors were able to enter both sites, the lighthouse usually being private restricted property, and chat with members of the Coast Guard and our staff about everything going on currently and the history of both historic properties. Information booths helped in this effort including one staffed by Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds technician Ewa Holland who gave out brochures on our efforts to help birds and humans share the shore successfully as well as information on Roger Tory Peterson and the Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History.
Hundreds of visitors, likely over a thousand, came through during the course of the morning and afternoon. NBC Connecticut was on hand as well as other media outlets. Connecticut’s coast has a rich history – including natural – which is why Roger spent much of his life living and working there on some of our most imperiled species and in some of our most threatened habitats. Cooperation with local stakeholders like our Coast Guard neighbors goes a long way in reaching a broader audience who may be very receptive to our conservation efforts and educational initiatives across the Northeast.
Scott Kruitbosch
Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
