Wildlife Conservation
About our Wildlife Conservation Work
Seatuck works across Long Island on a variety of wildlife issues, employing a multi-pronged approach to advancing conservation. We advocate for wildlife, advance restoration projects, conduct surveys, educate public officials, host workshops, lead coalitions and pursue a host of other approaches to promote wildlife conservation and habitat restoration.
Current Projects & Initiatives
Seatuck’s current wildlife conservation work includes the following:
River Revival
The River Revival Project seeks to restore the connectivity and ecological health of Long Island's rivers and streams.
Penataquit Creek
One of the River Revival Project's flagship initiatives is the restoration of Penataquit Creek, which flows through the heart of Bay Shore.
Bellmore Creek
Seatuck is working with a host of partners to restore connectivity and rebuild Alewife populations in Bellmore Creek.
Vernal Pools
Seatuck recently launched an island-wide effort to identify, survey and protect these ecologically valuable habitats.
Half Shells for Habitat
Through the "Half Shells" project, a broad coalition is working together to recover oyster shells and get them back into our bays.
Water Reuse
Seatuck is pushing for greater implementation of water reuse as a strategy to help address water quality and quantity issues on Long Island.
GSB Hydrology
Breaches and over-washes are an important natural process for both water quality in the Great South Bay and the long-term sustainability of our barrier islands.
Protecting Birds
Window strikes are the second leading cause of bird mortality, resulting in at least a million bird deaths daily across the country. Seatuck is working to reduce this number on Long Island.
Keystone Species
Diadromous Fish
River herring, American Eel and Brook Trout are a vitally important part of our coastal ecosystem.
Diamondback Terrapins
Seatuck has been working for years to protect and restore populations of this iconic brackish-water turtle.
Bats
Long Island host numerous bat speicies - join us in helping to learn more about their status and distribution.
River Otters
River otters are making a comeback on Long Island. Seatuck's Mike Bottini has been at the forefront of efforts to monitor their progress.
Horseshoe Crabs
This ancient species is a keystone of our coastal ecosystem - Seatuck is working to safeguard their population across Long Island.
Keystone Trees
Efforts are underway to restore two iconic Long Island trees to our region: American Chestnut and Atlantic White Cedar.
Coyotes
The Eastern Coyote is in the process of colonizing Long Island. Seatuck and its partners are tracking their progress and readying Long Islanders for life with these top carnivores.
Frogs & Salamanders
Through its Vernal Pool Project, Seatuck is working to safeguard habitat for a host of frog and salamander species.
Spotted Turtles
These small semi-aquatic turtles were once common on Long Island, but development has greatly reduced their numbers. Seatuck is working to protect remaining populations.