Fishers Island Museum Receives Grant for Land Trust Conservation Project

Since its establishment in 1980, the Henry L. Ferguson Museum has worked closely to protect the habitat and distinctive biodiversities on Fishers Island. The Land Trust will now undergo a project expansion thanks to a grant-funded mission.

On May 10, the Henry L. Ferguson Museum announced a job opening for a grant-funded contracted position as a project manager for the next 12 months. During the conservation project, the museum aims to develop a set of scientifically based and consensus-based management plans for each of its owned properties as well as conduct further evaluation and generate reports for the current conditions of conservation easements.

At the end of the 12-month grant-funded contract, the museum will have approximately 50 management plans developed for the 63 fee properties, a set of tested monitoring protocols, and a training program for volunteers on protocol and software tools for greater protection of its habitats.

The Land Trust Fund aims to achieve constant protection of the property in its natural state including items of prehistory, history, and natural history on Fishers Island. The Land Trust currently marks over 377 acres, which translates to more than 13% of the island.

As a part of the Town of Southold, the Henry L. Ferguson Museum intends to increase conservation for educational purposes and enjoyment for the Fisher’s Island community and visitors and to preserve the habitats of the island’s plant and animal species.

The museum offers annual exhibits, informational talks, children’s programs and walking trails, as they will open for summer hours beginning in June.