Middle Farms Brush burn in March. Photo by Tom Sargent

In the fall of 2018, a roughly three-acre parcel on the East End near Middle Farms was the touchdown point of the Island’s first F1 tornado. Bordered on the northeast by Cedar Ridge Road and on the southwest by East End Road, the parcel was covered with many broken locust trees and cedar trees as well as invasive plant species such as Chinese privet, buckthorn and bush honeysuckle. On January 1, 2020, the Fishers Island Conservancy, in partnership with FIDCO, began a small habitat restoration project.

The first step was to rid the plot of these plants.

During the months of February and March, the Conservancy removed all downed trees and most of the invasive species with the exception of a “curtain wall” of vegetation along the road for privacy – this preexisting vegetation will remain along East End Rd as the rest of the parcel grows in and then will be removed at a later date. Saw logs were removed for firewood and the remaining brush was piled high and burned early on a calm March morning. In addition, more than two tons of steel was recovered, removed and recycled.

Replanting.

The lot was dragged smooth and seeded with a combination of Fishers Island native grass mix and an annual rye grass to prevent any erosion.

Nature Restored.

When you get a chance, please stop by and take a look and see how Mother Nature, with the smallest of nudges, can really recover.
~ Tom Sargent
President, FI Conservancy