Greetings from Sherwood Island,

A lot has gone on at the oldest State park in the past year.

The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) has embarked on a major paving
project throughout the park’s parking facilities and roadways. DEEP has also closed access to the Pavilion
for the remainder of the year due to unsafe conditions caused by deterioration of the roof and ceiling.
Engineers are currently looking for a solution, but it won’t be in time for this year’s Shorefest fundraiser.
A new mowing protocol is in effect around the park aimed at discouraging the Canada Geese from
nesting and residing here.

Michele Sorensen, the Friends’ Garden team Captain, and her team of local and Master Gardener intern
volunteers are caring for about 150 native trees and shrubs throughout the East Beach picnic and parking
areas. The Teams’ work helps support pollinators and wildlife at the park and on their seasonal
migrations. The team also maintains the Three Sisters Garden and the Pollinator Garden outside the
Nature Center. This summer, the garden team includes our first Garden Team Intern, Gabrielle Hebert.
In April, the Garden Team, along with Volunteers from Sacred Heart University Physician’s Assistant
Program planted 3,600 more dune grass plants. This brings the total to over 24,000 plants, re-establishing
the dunes across East Beach with the hopes of increasing shoreline resilience to storm damage and
providing nesting areas for shore birds like the Piping Plover and Killdeer.

The Tree Committee has worked with Park staff to plant nine White Spruce trees this Spring to re-start
the Owl Habitat project. The project was paused due to the long summer droughts over the past few
years, but Caitlin Munson, our Park Supervisor, has committed to having staff irrigate the new plantings
throughout the Summer to ensure their survival.

The Purple Martin Colony has returned this Spring and is under the careful monitoring of Tina Green
and David Anastasia. As in years past, there will be a bird banding activity in July by the Purple Martin
Society, the date to be determined by the Martin’s schedule.

We can’t do this without your Membership dollars and financial support. We hope you will join us at our
annual Meeting and take this opportunity to renew your FOSI membership.

Best,
Jamie Van Acker