Conservation in Setauket on Little Bay and Conscience Bay

Thanks to you and the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, natural resources in the community of Setauket are being protected. In late September, the Peconic Land Trust and the Stell family protected 3.3 acres along Little Bay and Conscience Bay.

This is the latest acquisition along Dyke Road. In 2014, the Trust acquired a 1.12-acre parcel. This property was the first upland area added to an existing 52-acre Conscience Bay-Little Bay State Tidal Wetland. The Trust sold the property to New York State in 2015. More recently, in December 2019, the Trust acquired a .72-acre parcel from the Tyree family, which includes a single family residence. Plans for the site are still pending.

The goals of conservation efforts in the area are to protect against sea level rise and coastal erosion, aid in safeguarding the water quality of the local bays, and preservation of the area’s rich history as part of the American Revolution. The area is where the Culper Spy Ring originated and operated.

“Every piece of property we can protect in these coastal communities can help combat the impacts of climate change while also preserving the rural characteristics and history of Long Island.”

John v.H. Halsey, President, Peconic Land Trust

To learn more about this project contact Melanie Cirillo, Director of Conservation Planning.