April 1, 2020
Presented By Juliana Barrett, Coastal Resources Extension Educator, CT Sea Grant
Avalonia Land Conservancy (ALC) received a land parcel donation to add to their waterfront Dodge Paddock Beal Preserve in Stonington Borough, CT in 2018. The parcel included a large, cultivated garden bordering a marsh. With funding from the Long Island Sound Study Futures Fund, Juliana Barrett (CT Sea Grant/Extension) and Beth Sullivan (ALC) led the effort to naturalize this area with a goal of creating a marsh migration buffer. With rising sea levels, tidal wetlands are migrating landward and upland border areas are getting wetter. This site presented the opportunity to plant native, salt tolerant species and with labels, provide an educational experience for visitors to learn about native plants.