Stewardship

the act of caring for our natural environment

Become a Steward or Donate!

Please support our work by becoming a Back to the Bays Steward, sponsoring a Stewardship Site, or making a custom donation today.

2025 Stewardship and Sponsorship

Direct contribution to

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.

Eelgrass Restoration Workshop, Sag Harbor October 2023

Back to the Bays was founded in 2015 to create a pathway towards engagement in the science-based work of Cornell Cooperative Extension Marine Program. Our Back to the Bays Stewardship Program (formerly, Membership) offers the same levels of giving, with an even greater emphasis on connecting our supporters with hands-on involvement opportunities.

Much of what we do through the Back to the Bays Initiative is centered around stewardship, defined in our case as the act of caring for of our coastal and marine environments. The work we accomplish annually at our Back to the Bays Stewardship Sites is having a meaningful impact on water quality improvement, marine and coastal habitat restoration, clam and bay scallop population enhancement, and expansion of oyster reefs in our bays.

We invite you to sign on as a Back to the Bays Steward and join this growing, community-based initiative. Your contributions will ensure the continuation and expansion of this important work we approach our 10 year anniversary!

Benefits of becoming a Back to the Bays Steward or Stewardship Site Sponsor:

  • Official Back to the Bays Decals

  • Digital subscription to monthly Back to the Bays newsletter

  • Opportunities throughout the year to participate in Stewardship Sessions, alongside CCE Marine’s habitat and shellfish restoration experts

  • 10% Discount on our Marketplace (Code will arrive in an email)

  • Additional discounted events, and special Steward-only educational and hands-on opportunities

  • Option to direct your funds to a particular Stewardship Site or project area (select from dropdown)

  • The knowledge that you are actively enhancing the health of our local marine environments!

Stewardship Levels

  • Individual Steward ($25)

  • Family Steward ($50)

  • Supporting Steward ($100)

Stewardship Site Sponsorships

  • All donors contributing over $250 will be considered Stewardship Site Sponsors.

  • Steward Benefits + Name or Business Name listed on list of Site Sponsors

Planned + Honorary Giving

  • Choose from One-Time Donation, Monthly, or Weekly

  • Give as a gift: In the donation form, include the name/email of honoree

Donate By Mail

  • If you prefer to donate by mail, please print completed Donation Form, with check made out to: Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County w/ Back to the Bays in the memo.

  • Mail to: SCMELC c/o Kimberly Barbour, 3690 Cedar Beach Rd, Southold, NY 11971

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. An official acknowledgement letter will be issued upon receiving your contribution.

Want to support restoration and education in a particular region or project area?

Read below to learn more about our Stewardship Sites and Key Species + Project Areas

Stewardship Sites

We established our Back to the Bays Stewardship Sites to serve as community supported, long-term receiving areas for shellfish seeding, spat-on-shell oyster reef deployments, and coastal and marine habitat restoration. Learn more about each site, by clicking on the tiles below.

Page coming soon!

Future Stewardship Sites

If you would like to support the creation of a new stewardship site, please contact

Back to the Bays Director, Kimberly Barbour, at kp237@cornell.edu.

Explore Key Species + Project Areas
Direct contribution to

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.