Do you know what lives in our coastal marshes?
Explore Barn Island’s Salt Marsh on Sunday, September 16, 2018, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. with Avalonia Land Conservancy and scientists from UConn’s Department of Marine Sciences.
Join us to learn more about how our coastal marshes provide habitats for a variety of residents. There will be three stations for you to explore, located along a 0.25-mile stretch of the access road that runs through the marsh. A quick trip through the stations will take about an hour; to see everything, plan on two hours. Stations include:
• a welcome area with a touch tank of local intertidal organisms and marsh plants and a chance to examine some seaweed and take some home (as a pressing);
• a stream area where we are trapping fish and other aquatic animals, including hunting for coffee bean snails and scanning the sky for birds;
• a marsh pool and plant area where we will look at the plants and bacterial mats (imagine thin layers of rainbow Jell-O…), and look for insects.
At each station, you’ll also learn a bit about Avalonia Land Conservancy and the interesting history of Barn Island and marshes in general – as important habitats worldwide, and local farming and hunting practices.
Meet at the educational kiosks on the left just before the Barn Island CT state boat launch parking lot located at 249 Palmer Neck Road in Stonington. Turn southeast off Route 1 at Greenhaven Road then south on Palmer Neck Road and follow approximately 1.5 miles almost to the end (0.1 miles before the boat ramp). The access road is a dirt road but is handicapped accessible (and stroller accessible). No sanitation facilities are available at the event, though Porta Potties are available at the boat ramp, 0.2 miles from the welcome station.
Come prepared to get your feet wet!
This event is FREE and open to all – no registration is necessary.