Sunday, July 20, 2025 | 4:00 PM
Henry L. Ferguson Museum & via Zoom

The Fishers Island Conservancy is proud to co-host a special presentation by Dr. Doug Tallamy, leading entomologist, conservationist, and co-founder of the transformative Homegrown National Park initiative.

Join us on Sunday, July 20 at 4:00 p.m. for an illustrated talk at the Henry L. Ferguson Museum (also available via Zoom), where Dr. Tallamy will share his compelling vision for restoring biodiversity, starting in our own backyards.

With a national goal to convert 20 million acres of turfgrass into native plant habitat, Homegrown National Park challenges individuals and communities to rethink their landscapes and take action. Tallamy’s message is simple but powerful: we can no longer rely solely on protected wildlands to sustain native species! Real conservation must also happen where people live! On private property, in public spaces, and across working lands.

Drawing on decades of research and outreach, Dr. Tallamy will highlight how native plants support insects, which in turn support birds and the broader web of life. Through engaging visuals and practical advice, he’ll demonstrate how replacing lawn with native species not only helps wildlife thrive, but also reconnects us with the ecosystems we depend on.

A longtime advisor to the Fishers Island Conservancy, Dr. Tallamy’s ecological expertise helped guide the restoration of the Parade Grounds… a living model of habitat renewal that continues to inspire conservation efforts across the island.

Whether you’re a seasoned gardener, a curious newcomer, or someone looking to make a difference at home, this talk will leave you with the tools and motivation to take part in one of the most hopeful grassroots movements in conservation today!

Learn more about Homegrown National Park

Eastern Carpenter Bee by Kristen Peterson (iNaturalist)

Eastern Carpenter Bee by Kristen Peterson (iNaturalist)

The Fishers Island Conservancy is helping Fishers Island Waste Management District get people buzzing about why bees are so important to the ecosystem and what are the non-lethal ways to reduce bees being drawn to our waste areas.

If you have an allergy or are otherwise concerned, please ask our attendants to dispose of your household trash and recycling for you. Your safety is our priority.

Why Bees Sting (and Why It’s Rare)

Please note that typically, the act of a bee stinging someone is far more dangerous to the bee itself than the person they are attempting to sting. This is because the stinger is often barbed and difficult to remove from the skin of a vertebrate—in some cases, the stinger itself remains embedded and the insect disembowels itself in the process of trying to get free.

Honeybee workers, which can have up to thousands in the hive, are expendable and their hive can afford the workers to sacrifice themselves like this.

Our native bees rarely sting as they are mostly solitary; however, both solitary and honeybees would likely be attracted to the same kind of lethal trap or poison that might be considered an option.

Why Bee Traps Don’t Work

Western Honey Bee by Murray Fisher (iNaturalist)

Western Honey Bee by Murray Fisher (iNaturalist)

Bee traps are ineffective in reducing the numbers of bees, and are even potentially counterproductive because they are baited to attract bees.

Sugary residues, food waste, and certain scents naturally attract them, especially when alternative foraging options are limited.

What You Can Do

While there will likely be no foolproof way to keep the bees from being attracted to any sweet-smelling waste, there are ways to mitigate the situation.

Pick up your complementary green 7-gallon bucket from the Compost Station and start separating your food scraps from your household trash. This diverts heavy wet materials from being a waste that is shipped off island into a resource that turns into beautiful free compost for your garden.

This also means less sweet-smelling household trash at the transfer station which will in turn attract fewer bees.

Rinse your recycling—this will also lessen the attractiveness to bees.

And, again, please know that our attendants are there to help you and can dispose of your trash and recycling on your behalf.

A Healthy Bee Population is a Good Sign

Seeing bees around the island is actually a good sign! It reflects the health and resilience of our local ecosystems and shows that our island continues to support a strong pollinator population.

Pollinator gardens provide high-quality food sources away from human areas, helping reduce direct bee-human encounters.

Traps, on the other hand, are largely ineffective because they kill indiscriminately, often harming beneficial or harmless species, and they don’t address the real attractants like unwashed recycling or food waste.

Broader native habitat improvements, like invasive plant removal and native species planting, will go a long way toward creating sustainable solutions that benefit pollinators and the larger ecosystem.

Bee ID: Who’s Buzzing Around?

Common Eastern Bumble Bee by Steffen Kucsera

Common Eastern Bumble Bee by Steffen Kucsera

Not all bees are the same, and not all are likely to sting or even live in colonies. Here’s how to tell some of our most common bee visitors apart:

Honey Bees
These bees are small and golden-brown with fuzzy bodies. They live in large colonies and are social pollinators. Honey bees are the ones that produce honey and can sting, but usually only when threatened.

Bumble Bees
Bumble bees are larger and rounder, with very fuzzy black-and-yellow bodies. They’re also social but tend to be gentle. Bumble bees are excellent pollinators and rarely sting.

Carpenter Bees
Carpenter bees look similar in size to bumble bees but have shiny, hairless black abdomens. They’re often spotted near wooden structures, where they create small nesting holes. Males don’t sting, and females usually won’t unless directly handled.

Knowing which bee you’re seeing helps reduce fear and encourages appreciation for the vital role they play in our environment!

The Fishers Island Conservancy is pleased to announce that Professor Douglas Tallamy, the renowned entomologist and conservationist, will be visiting Fishers Island July 18-20. Professor Tallamy will be receiving the first Conservancy medal, honoring his contributions to our understanding of biodiversity, conservation, and sustainable gardening practices. While on the island, Professor Tallamy will be giving an illustrated talk on native planting best practices, offering tours of the Parade Grounds, and will be available for some very limited home site visits.  Dr. Tallamy has been a key advisor to the Fishers Island Conservancy in the transformation of the Parade Grounds, lending his ecological expertise and guiding the use of native plants to maximize insect and bird biodiversity. His contributions have helped shape the site into a living example of habitat restoration, and his involvement has inspired continued efforts to expand native planting across the island. The Parade Grounds and Demonstration Garden now serve not only as habitat but also as educational resources for visitors and residents alike.

Dr. Tallamy’s simple message that native plants support diverse insect populations, which help sustain birds and other wildlife, has resonated with home gardeners across the country. His seminal book, “Bringing Nature Home,” has garnered widespread acclaim and serves as a guide for homeowners, landscapers, and conservationists, encouraging the use of native plants in gardens and urban environments. His second book, Nature’s Best Hope, became a New York Times bestseller and further established his role as a national leader in ecological gardening and grassroots conservation.

In addition, Dr. Tallamy has authored numerous books and scientific articles that contribute to the body of knowledge regarding the interactions between plants and insects. His efforts to educate the public about the ecological consequences of landscaping choices have helped foster a national movement towards more sustainable gardening practices. He emphasizes the idea that individual actions, such as planting native species, can collectively have a substantial impact on local ecosystems.
As a passionate environmentalist, Tallamy has also been involved in various initiatives aimed at promoting conservation and sustainability. He has collaborated with organizations like the National Wildlife Federation to develop programs that encourage home gardeners to create habitats for wildlife. He is also the co-founder of the Homegrown National Park initiative,  a grassroots movement that encourages people to partially convert lawns into native plant gardens, reflecting his commitment to changing how we view and interact with our landscapes. His educational and environmental stewardship has inspired countless individuals to rethink their gardening practices and the ways they contribute to local ecosystems.

The Fishers Island Conservancy looks forward to welcoming and honoring Dr. Tallamy this summer and continues to be inspired by his ongoing commitment to environmental education and awareness.

During his visit, Dr. Tallamy will lead guided nature walks through the Parade Grounds on both Saturday, July 19 and Sunday, July 20 at 9:30 a.m., and deliver a public talk and book signing at the Henry L. Ferguson Museum on Sunday, July 20 at 4:00 p.m.

We hope you’ll join us for this special weekend of learning, inspiration, and celebration of the native landscapes that support life on Fishers Island and beyond.

To address the increased population of feral cats that have taken up home at the FI Waste Management District (FIWMD) Transfer Station, we are pleased to announce a renewed collaborative effort with FIWMD.

You may remember the cat program from several years ago. The program works to trap the cats for spay and neutering in order to control the population and improve the overall health of the feral cats going forward. Feral cats can destroy songbird populations. The FIWMD is committed to supporting the amazing work done by the Conservancy with the Parade Grounds bird sanctuary.

In the 2000s, the feral cat population surged on Fishers Island, with numbers estimated to be in the hundreds.
Contributing factors were residents and visitors who allowed their unneutered cats to roam and breed or left them behind when departing the Island.
In response, the Fishers Island Conservancy developed a humane approach by instituting a volunteer-managed program of trap, neuter, and release on the Island’s West End.
After a few years of successful efforts, it is thought that coyotes provided a natural form of population control.

Photo by Kristen Peterson

In the last couple of years, we have started to see an uptick in the feral cat population, particularly at the Transfer Station. This has coincided with a decrease in the coyote population and an increase in human interaction with the cats. There has been an ad hoc feeding program started at the Transfer Station, and the FIWMD and FI Conservancy would like to formalize the cat feeding program to work towards the eventual capture and spay/neuter of the cat population.

FIWMD and FI Conservancy do not deny that the cats have a certain value to the station, potentially keeping the rodent population at bay. A lower rodent population will mean less residential poison being used, which is also better for the birds, so there is a delicate balance we want to maintain.

We want to ensure the public understands that feeding cats is a key component of the humane control of the cat population.
Feeding them makes it possible to trap them for the spay/neuter program.
They need to be somewhat comfortable with human interaction for the program to succeed.

FI Conservancy has looked into numerous avenues since the Jackie Williamson era, and unfortunately there are a lot of logistical and state issues with trying to get TAG vans to the island. So our best option is to take them to town to a vet hospital.

A volunteer will take the cats to the vet visit. We are exploring spay/neuter options with Stonington Vet Hospital and Nutmeg Spay/Neuter Clinic in Stratford (203 690 1550) / https://www.nutmegclinic.org. We are also looking for forever homes for any kittens we can.

Both FI Conservancy and FIWMD are committing funds to the program.

This will not be an overnight fix but rather a community effort, and we ask for your understanding, awareness, and patience as individuals are setting up and working on gathering information and resources to be able to execute this plan. We are starting with some identification procedures and data collection to understand some of the challenges and opportunities, since the feral cat population is variable and impacted by multiple factors like natural selection and an increase in residents adopting kittens over the last seven years. Thank you to all who have opened your doors!

We ask that people interested in supporting this important work contact the FI Conservancy for more information and make donations for the program through the FI Conservancy at https://www.ficonservancy.org/donate/.

Anyone interested in dropping off food for the program can bring bags of dry cat food to the Transfer Station.

We want to thank our dedicated volunteers for their support in launching this renewed effort.

Anyone interested in volunteering can contact the FI Conservancy at https://www.ficonservancy.org/get-involved/

Individual Tickets and Sponsorship Opportunities Available! Please join us July 19th to celebrate the work we are doing together to conserve and preserve Fishers Island.

Looking for a way to control mosquitoes without harming bees, butterflies, birds, or other local wildlife? We are excited to share the Mosquito Bucket Challenge, a simple, effective, and pollinator-friendly solution promoted by Homegrown National Park.

Instead of using fogging sprays, which kill far more than just mosquitoes, the Mosquito Bucket Challenge uses a bucket of standing water combined with a natural soil bacterium called Bti (found in mosquito dunks). This safely targets mosquito larvae before they hatch, protecting your yard and the island’s biodiversity.

It is safe for pollinators, safe for kids and pets, and it targets mosquito breeding at the source.

Want to take part? Visit Homegrown National Park to learn how to set up your own mosquito bucket and help protect both your family and our local ecosystem. Share your photos online using #MosquitoBucketChallenge and help spread the word.

Photos by Homegrown National Park