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
Photo by Anna White
Spring Migratory Bird Count 2025
When: Sunday, May 11th at 8:00 am
Where: Meet outside of the Community Center
We invite you to join us for our annual Spring Migratory Bird Count on Sunday, May 11th. This seasonal tradition offers a great opportunity to observe birds returning to their northern breeding grounds while exploring a variety of habitats across the island.
The morning will begin outside the Fishers Island Community Center at 8 am, where we will gather before setting out in groups. Guided by Dr. Adam Mitchell of Tarleton State University, along with birding experts Emily Baisden and Will Almeida, the group will visit 15 designated stops from the West End to the East End of the island. Each stop lasts five minutes, following established Audubon count methods, as we identify and record bird species seen and heard along the way.
All are welcome to attend. No prior birding experience is needed. If you have binoculars, we encourage you to bring them. A limited number will also be available to borrow. Please wear comfortable walking shoes and dress for the weather.
This annual count supports the Conservancy’s long-term efforts to monitor bird populations and contributes valuable information to regional conservation work.
