Sag Harbor

Stewardship Site

Upcoming events +
Stewardship Sessions

Recent Blog Posts

On the Water + In the Field Blog
Building On Our Sag Harbor Oyster Reef
Building On Our Sag Harbor Oyster Reef
Brew for the Bays at Kidd Squid: A Recap
Brew for the Bays at Kidd Squid: A Recap
Back to the Bays Marks a Milestone
Back to the Bays Marks a Milestone

Current Work Underway

  • Oyster Reef

    Oysters, considered a “keystone species,” filter water and form reefs that buffer storm surges, and create a complex 3D structure that offers critical habitat for many important species.

    The shoreline off of John Steinbeck Waterfront Park was selected for the pilot planting of a new spat-on-shell oyster reef. In August 2024, approximately 50,000 oyster spat on 360L (95 gallons) of recycled shell were deployed by community volunteers + Back to the Bays staff at the new reef site, with planned expansion in 2025.

    These reefs, not intended for harvested, will continue to grow, improving water quality, restoring habitat, and enhancing the wild oyster population. 

    Learn more about oyster reefs.

  • Eelgrass Meadows

    Eelgrass plants prevent erosion, mitigate climate change by storing carbon, produce oxygen, and provide essential habitat for many economically important fish and shellfish.

    The Sag Harbor Shoal eelgrass meadow site was initiated in 2016, but lacked consistent funding to enable annual plantings. This project’s fundraising campaign allowed for 1,750 eelgrass shoots (woven into 175 burlap discs) to be planted by our divers in November 2024.

    Learn more about habitat restoration.

Learn more

View Slide Deck

View or Download PDF Report

Donate

3% Cover the Fee

Contributions at all levels will be directed toward restoration and education at our Sag Harbor Stewardship Site. Back to the Bays is an Initiative of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County, a registered 501(c)(3). Our EIN is 11-6081424 and contributions are tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law.

Thank you to our Sag Harbor Stewardship Site Collaborations

Kidd Squid’s
“Brew for the Bays”

In the News

In the News
Long Island Marine and Coastal Field Guide: A Trusty Companion on Land and at Sea- The Southampton Press
Long Island Marine and Coastal Field Guide: A Trusty Companion on Land and at Sea- The Southampton Press

The Long Island Marine and Coastal Field Guide was created by Back to the Bays staff Carolyn Munaco and Hazel Wodehouse. Carolyn painted over 250 species for the field guide and Hazel classified each organism and wrote all of the information about each species, as well as detailed descriptions of Long Island's diverse marine habitats.

Full Article

Back to the Bays Plants Scallops; Hopes To Harvest Donations With May 30 Fundraiser - The Southampton Press
Back to the Bays Plants Scallops; Hopes To Harvest Donations With May 30 Fundraiser - The Southampton Press

Back to the Bays plants Scallops to collect donations for our 2nd annual Brew for the Bay, brought to you by the Back to the Bays Team and Kidd Squid Brewing Co. Proceeds from beer sales will directly support the shellfish and habitat restoration work being conducted in the waters off of Sag Harbor through Cornell Cooperative Extension Marine Program's Back to the Bays Initiative.

Full Article

Community, conservationists establish small oyster reef in Sag Harbor - Newsday
Community, conservationists establish small oyster reef in Sag Harbor - Newsday

Kate-Rossi Snook led a large gathering of volunteers and supports in the deployment of our Sag Harbor Oyster Reef!

Full Article

Toward a New Oyster Reef in Sag Harbor - The East Hampton Star
Toward a New Oyster Reef in Sag Harbor - The East Hampton Star

“We have to be proactive, we have to remain proactive,” said Sag Harbor Village Mayor Thomas Gardella at an Aug. 21 event on the beach near John Steinbeck Waterfront Park, hosted by the nonprofit Back to the Bays.

Full Article

Sag Harbor Cinema Celebrates Earth Day With Films - 27 East
Sag Harbor Cinema Celebrates Earth Day With Films - 27 East

Sag Harbor Cinema will screen Anne Belle’s 1976 film short film “Baymen — Our Waters are Dying,” recently restored by the New York Public Library, together with Greek filmmaker Leon Loisios’ “Fishermen and Fishing” (1961). The screenings will take place on Sunday, April 21, at 1:30 p.m. and will be followed by a presentation by the Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Back to the Bays initiative, with a special focus on the Sag Harbor Stewardship Site.

Full Article

Earth Day event across the moat: Shelter Islander presents on keeping bays healthy - Shelter Island Reporter
Earth Day event across the moat: Shelter Islander presents on keeping bays healthy - Shelter Island Reporter

On Sunday, April 21, a special Earth Day film screening event will be held at 1:30 p.m. at the Sag Harbor Cinema in collaboration with Back to the Bays, an initiative of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County’s Marine Program.

Full Article

North Fork Polar Bears ‘Splash for CAST’ plunge returns Jan. 28 - The Suffolk Times
North Fork Polar Bears ‘Splash for CAST’ plunge returns Jan. 28 - The Suffolk Times

The North Fork Polar Bears, a winter swimming group with more than 130 members, will host its second annual Splash for CAST on Sunday, Jan 28. The event benefits the nonprofit Center for Advocacy, Support and Transformation in Southold, CAST, as well as CCE Marine Program’s Back to the Bays Initiative.

Full Article

Brewed for the Bay: Kidd Squid’s latest beer is set to give back in a big way - Southforker
Brewed for the Bay: Kidd Squid’s latest beer is set to give back in a big way - Southforker

“This Brew for the Bay is going to help us meet our fundraising goal for establishment of a Back to the Bays Stewardship Site in Sag Harbor,” Kimberly Barbour.

Full Article

Kidd Squid Joins With Cornell Cooperative Extension To Support Eelgrass Restoration - 27 East Sag Harbor Express
Kidd Squid Joins With Cornell Cooperative Extension To Support Eelgrass Restoration - 27 East Sag Harbor Express

A brand new brew from Kidd Squid will raise funds for reseeding oysters and planting eelgrass in Sag Harbor, keeping the waterways clean in a village built on the bay....

Full Article

Giving Back to the Bay with a Limited IPA from Kidd Squid in Sag Harbor - Dan’s Papers
Giving Back to the Bay with a Limited IPA from Kidd Squid in Sag Harbor - Dan’s Papers

Kidd Squid Brewing Co. is teaming up with Cornell Cooperative Extension to launch a limited run of Brew for the Bay Sag Harbor. “This is direct giving with a happy limited edition liquid gift from Kidd Squid in return,” said Rory McEvoy, owner, brand guru and brewmaster of Kidd Squid Brewing Co. “Every penny after tangible costs goes to fund eelgrass and oysters in Sag Harbor.”

Full Article

Biologists express renewed optimism for Peconic Bay scallops - WSHU Public Radio
Biologists express renewed optimism for Peconic Bay scallops - WSHU Public Radio

After multiple consecutive years of seasonal dieoffs among the bay scallop populations, a small subset expressing strong survivability has been documented. The CCE Marine researchers and hatchery team will be working to assess those genetics and is embarking on a series of spawns using those adults as broodstock.

Full Article

Cornell Cooperative Extension To Host Marine Meadows Workshop at Havens Beach - 27 East, The Sag Harbor Press
Cornell Cooperative Extension To Host Marine Meadows Workshop at Havens Beach - 27 East, The Sag Harbor Press

With funding support from the community, CCE Marine will host a Marine Meadows Workshop on October 21, at Havens Beach, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Eelgrass serves as a habitat for oysters. Oysters help filter and keep our waterways clean.

Full Article

Scientists Scramble to Help Bay Scallops Survive Climate Change - Civil Eats
Scientists Scramble to Help Bay Scallops Survive Climate Change - Civil Eats

Researchers at Stony Brook University and CCE have joined forces and begun to selectively breed Peconic Bay scallops in an effort to help them resist the effects of climate change and restore their populations.

Full Article

New effort by Cornell Cooperative Extension fights for bay scallops’ survival - The Suffolk Times
New effort by Cornell Cooperative Extension fights for bay scallops’ survival - The Suffolk Times

A new project has been launched to ensure the long-term survival of the Peconic Bay scallop by shifting spawning from summer to fall at Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Southold hatchery.

Full Article

Blog Archive

On the Water + In the Field Blog
Building On Our Sag Harbor Oyster Reef
Building On Our Sag Harbor Oyster Reef

Checking on last year’s Sag Harbor oyster reef planting off Steinbeck Park, and bolstering the reef with another 100K spat-on-shell oysters!

Read More →
Brew for the Bays at Kidd Squid: A Recap
Brew for the Bays at Kidd Squid: A Recap
Read More →
Back to the Bays Marks a Milestone
Back to the Bays Marks a Milestone

2025 marks the 10-Year Anniversary of Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Back to the Bays Initiative!

Read More →
2024 Impact Report
2024 Impact Report

Read our 2024 Back to the Bays Impact Report for a full review of the our 2024 projects and progress.

Read More →
Back to the Bays Midsummer Update 
Back to the Bays Midsummer Update 

Our Back to the Bays Team has been busy to say the least this summer! The majority of our fieldwork, and plant and animal care in our shellfish and coastal plant nurseries takes place during these warm weather months. And it takes a lot of hard work to keep everything thriving and growing.

Read More →
Celebrating Seaweed: Our Art and Awareness Event
Celebrating Seaweed: Our Art and Awareness Event

Back to the Bays is thrilled to share the success of our recent art and awareness event, This is Seaweed, hosted at Ashawagh Hall in East Hampton. The opening reception on July 19th was a remarkable evening, with a tremendous turnout and an incredible show of support for our Back to the Bays Seaweed Initiative.

Read More →
Kidd Squid’s Brew for the Bay Helps Us Finish Off 2023 On A High Note!
Kidd Squid’s Brew for the Bay Helps Us Finish Off 2023 On A High Note!

Last Friday, December 15th we celebrated the release of our special beer collaboration with Kidd Squid Brewing Co. at their brewery in Sag Harbor. Before the event was even over, every last case, can, and keg was gone! We are so grateful for the overwhelming support of the Sag Harbor community and everyone who purchased the special Hazy IPA (produced with all NY sourced grain!), dubbed the “Brew for the Bay Sag Harbor”.

Read More →
Sag Harbor Village Presentation
Sag Harbor Village Presentation
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Marine Meadows Workshop at Havens Beach, Sag Harbor
Marine Meadows Workshop at Havens Beach, Sag Harbor

Learn what it’s like to attend a Marine Meadows eelgrass workshop and how the work of our marine stewards contributes to the restoration of this important habitat.

Read More →
POV: You’re a Back to the Bays Intern
POV: You’re a Back to the Bays Intern

Our summer 2023 College Interns reflect on their summer of learning and stewardship with Back to the Bays.

Read More →