BARN ISLAND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA STONINGTON CT BARN ISLAND

CONTACTS RHODE ISLAND HEALTH LABORATORIES 2225593 2226985
LONG ISLAND BHM CONCURRENT CLINICAL PLEASE COMPLETE
1 the Galapagos Islands can Still Teach the Rest

49 PHENOTYPIC VARIATION AMONG ISLAND POPULATIONS OF A DAY
53 PARLIAMENT OF SOLOMON ISLANDS DAILY HANSARD THURSDAY 10TH
9 AFTALE MELLEM ISLANDS REGERING PÅ DEN ENE SIDE

Barn Island Wildlife Management Area is an 800+-acre state-owned property located in the Town of Stonington bordering Little Narragansett Bay

BARN ISLAND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA

Stonington, CT


Barn Island Wildlife Management Area is a state-owned property located on the coast of Connecticut in the Town of Stonington. The property was established in 1944. Since that time, over twenty property transactions have occurred, resulting in the protection of just under 1,000 acres of habitat, including saltwater and freshwater wetlands, mixed hardwood forest, old fields and grasslands. A significant portion of the property was purchased with funds derived from an excise tax on sporting arms, ammunition and archery equipment through the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Program (Pittman-Robertson Act). The Program provides funding to the states for wildlife management and research, habitat acquisition, wildlife management area development, and hunter education. The addition of a 144-acre parcel, acquired in 2004 through a federal, state, municipal and private partnership, made Barn Island the largest coastal wildlife management area in Connecticut. The most recent addition of the 47-acre Crowley property, acquired with EPA Long Island Sound Study Stewardship Program funds, brings the total acreage protected to approximately 995 acres.


A Wildlife Management Area (WMA) is an area of land and water having unique or outstanding wildlife qualities that is managed primarily for the conservation and enhancement of fish and wildlife habitat and to provide opportunities for fish and wildlife-based recreation. The principal function of Barn Island WMA is to provide healthy, undisturbed habitat for resident and migratory fish and wildlife. The property contains an outstanding marsh complex and one of Connecticut's last and largest un-fragmented coastal forests. These habitats provide critical resting and feeding habitat for migratory waterfowl, shorebirds, wading birds, songbirds and raptors. The tidal marshes are home to various species of finfish and shellfish, many of which are food for migrating birds and sport-fish such as striped bass and bluefish.


Over the years, various habitat management projects have been conducted at Barn Island to restore and enhance habitat for fish and wildlife. The Barn Island marshes historically hosted large concentrations of resident and migrating ducks and geese. However, waterfowl use declined in the 1940s when ditches that were dug to control the breeding of saltmarsh mosquitoes had the unfortunate side-effect of draining the wetland ponds in which the birds fed. To reverse this trend, low earthen dikes were constructed to flood, or impound five upstream marshes and create new habitat. The flooding was initially successful, but plants such as narrow-leaved cattail and the invasive common reed eventually displaced the open water, and waterfowl use again declined. In 1978, the DEP restored tidal exchange to the two westernmost impounded marshes by installing large culverts in the impoundment dike to reconnect Fishers Island Sound to the marshes. The cattail and reed were gradually replaced by salt-tolerant plants that were native to the marsh.


Today, both tidal exchange and native plants have returned to all five impounded marshes, demonstrating that wetland restoration can occur naturally without the need for expensive and often ineffective planting programs. With the reestablishment of native vegetation, typical marsh invertebrates and fish have re-colonized the area. The re-creation of historic marsh channels and shallow ponds has further restored the habitat value of this once degraded marsh system. The healthy marsh attracts small mosquito-feeding fish as well as large numbers of shorebirds and wading birds. Shrubland and grassland habitats on the property also have been maintained through brushmowing, prescribed fires and the application of herbicides to control non-native, invasive plants with Pittman-Robertson funds and a grant from the USDA, Natural Resources Conservation Service’s Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program.


Barn Island WMA offers a variety of recreational opportunities that encourage outdoor use with an absolute minimum of development. Hunting is the primary recreational use allowed on the property. Regulated seasons allow for the taking of pheasant, turkey, waterfowl, small game and deer. Information on hunting seasons and license requirements may be found in the CT Guide to Hunting and Trapping, available annually at town halls or on the DEP's website (www.dep.state.ct.us). Most hunters are required to wear fluorescent orange; other visitors to Barn Island are encouraged to do the same during hunting season. The waters of Little Narragansett Bay and Long Island Sound may be used by the public for waterfowl hunting, fishing and recreational boating. Both trailered and car-top boats can be launched at the Barn Island State Boat Launch located at the end of Palmer Neck Road.


More than four miles of trails wind through the WMA. The trails may be used for walking, cross-country skiing and wildlife observation. Barn Island is a featured site on the Connecticut Coastal Birding Trail and has been designated an Important Bird Area by the National Audubon Society. Watch the many birds that visit this unique ecosystem to raise their young, spend the winter, or rest and feed during spring and fall migration. Interpretive signs have been installed along the trail and an observation area has been constructed near the entrance gate off of Palmer Neck Road to provide the public the opportunity to learn about Barn Island's ecology. Dogs must be leashed at all times, except when being used by licensed hunters while hunting small game and waterfowl.


Important research and education activities also take place throughout the management area. Some studies are looking at the effects of tidal flow restoration on the ecology of the impounded marshes. Others are examining the effects of sea level rise on wetland habitat. Before undertaking any research activities in the management area, investigators must contact the DEP to obtain approval and any necessary permits.


For more information, contact the CT DEP's Wildlife Division at 860-295-9523 (Eastern District Headquarters in Marlborough).


BARN ISLAND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA STONINGTON CT BARN ISLAND



November 2010



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Tags: island wildlife, barn island, island, wildlife, stonington, management