With locations spread over 70 miles, Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge protects some of the last remaining undeveloped coastal habitats in Connecticut. These places are crucially important to wildlife, especially at-risk species that need space to feed, rest, establish a home and raise their young. We balance the needs of wildlife with those of people, encouraging many recreational opportunities - like hiking, birdwatching, kayaking, and hunting - that visitors can do on their own. We also offer ranger-led tours and programs throughout the year.
Upcoming Habitat Enhancement at Great Meadows Unit of the Stewart B. McKinney NWR

Later this month, United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) staff will be conducting habitat enhancement at the Great Meadows Unit of the Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge located on Long Beach Blvd. in Stratford. 

The work includes connecting the saline pond that is viewable from the pond trail to a tidal channel located ~150ft to the south, placing excavated fill in the areas of degraded marsh along the northern edge of the marsh trail, and replanting and reseeding disturbed areas with native vegetation. The work will result in improved tidal flow and water quality, reducing the risk of diseases that impact waterfowl (die offs occurred in 2021 and 2024). Daily flushing will also inhibit the spread of the invasive reed, Phragmites australis. 

As many will recall, 44 acres of the Great Meadows unit were the focus of a large restoration project that broke ground in 2021. Project partners include USFWS, NOAA, the State of Connecticut, and the National Audubon Society. While the work planned for this fall to connect the pond to a tidal channel was an option mentioned in the plan on which the public had an opportunity to comment, that option was not pursued due to the interest in retaining a freshwater pond habitat at the site. However, with the removal of a berm that surrounded the restoration site, which was done to allow the marsh to migrate landward in response to sea level rise and to give estuarine turtles access to nesting habitat, flooding during storms events has resulted in elevated salinity levels in the pond.  Salinity levels were tested, both in the field and laboratory testing, during the summer of 2023 and varied from 2.5 ppt (1-3 ppt is considered slightly saline by the USGS) to 32.5 ppt (10-35 ppt is considered highly saline, 35 ppt is sea water). The salinity varies depending on the time of the last over wash and recent rainfall events. 

In keeping with best practices of adaptive management, now that a freshwater pond habitat is not an option, all partners are now supportive of connecting the pond to the nearby creek to address invasive reeds and waterfowl diseases. Permits from CT Dept of Energy and Environmental Protection and Army Corps of Engineers are already in place. 

This work will commence on Monday Sept. 29th and conclude on Thursday Oct. 2nd. During this period, the parking lot on Long Beach Blvd will remain open. The trails will close temporarily when USFWS staff are moving equipment. It is expected that when one trail is closed, the other will be open. 

Following these activities, the pond will be about 1/3 the size at low tide but fill to current levels at high tide. Disturbance along the south side of the pond will be temporary, with newly planted and seeded areas filling in over the course of the next year or two.

The Great Meadows Marsh project has restored the area to as natural a system as possible, reducing the abundance of mosquitoes and vector borne diseases, improving visibility for birding and other recreational opportunities, and providing valuable habitat for Saltmarsh Sparrow (which has declined by 87% since 1998 according to the Atlantic Coast Joint Venture Saltmarsh Sparrow Conservation Plan) and other salt marsh salt marsh
Salt marshes are found in tidal areas near the coast, where freshwater mixes with saltwater.

Learn more about salt marsh obligates. We appreciate the interest the public has taken in the work planned for this fall and the comments that we have received. However, the partners feel that increasing tidal flow in and out of the pond is best for the area long term.

Visit Us

Kayakers are greeted by USFWS volunteers as they land by the education pavilion at the Outer Island Unit, Branford
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Birds, mammals, sea creatures, colorful trees, rare plants, historic buildings and cultural features - all of these interesting things are found at the refuge. Many refuge units have nature trails, wildlife observation platforms and other visitor facilities. 

See our LOCATIONS section to find out how to get to us.

Know before you go:

Visitors to the refuge should dress appropriately for the weather and wear sturdy walking shoes. Long pants can help defend against ticks, which are found at some refuge units. Areas with marsh and wetlands have mosquitoes in summer 鈥� so insect repellent is advisable. 

Visitors must remain on established trails, at viewing platforms and in other areas open to the public. Going off trail into forest, marsh or other habitats is prohibited. 

Ranger and volunteer-led tours and programs are available, especially in summer and early fall, to enhance the visitor experience.

Dogs, cats, horses or other domestic animals are not allowed anywhere on the refuge. However, service dogs are always allowed.

Permits for hunting are easy to download from this website.

Additional questions regarding visitation may be directed to the Visitor Services Manager at 860-399-2513 ext 8134.

Location and Contact Information

      About Us

      Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge is comprised of 10 units stretched across 70 miles of Connecticut's coastline. It was established in 1972 and was originally called Salt Meadow National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge was renamed in 1987 to honor the late U.S. Congressman Stewart B. McKinney, who was instrumental in expanding it.

      Located in the Atlantic Flyway, the refuge provides important resting, feeding, and nesting habitat for many species of wading birds, shorebirds, songbirds and terns, including the endangered roseate tern. Adjacent waters serve as wintering habitat for brant, scoters, American black duck and other waterfowl. Overall, the refuge encompasses well over 1,000 acres of forest, barrier beach, tidal wetland and fragile island habitats.

      The Salt Meadow Unit in Westbrook, the Falkner Island Unit in Guilford, and the Great Meadows Unit in Stratford all have been designated as Important Bird Areas by the National Audubon Society. The Falkner Island Unit is home to over 40 pairs of nesting federally endangered roseate terns and over 2,000 nesting pairs of common terns. The Salt Meadow Unit is used by over 280 species of migrating neotropical birds during the spring and fall migrations.

      The refuge also contains unique historic buildings - such as the Falkner Island Lighthouse (Guilford) and the Lape-Read House and Enoch Murdock House at Salt Meadow. The Sheffield Island Unit has summer ferry service from South Norwalk and offers visitors a chance to see inside the 1868 lighthouse there. The Chimon Island Unit, also in Norwalk, contains a small memorial area for Congressman Stewart B. McKinney. These buildings, landscapes and other features evoke the stories of the people of the Connecticut coast and how they shaped the refuge.

      The refuge headquarters building at the Salt Meadow Unit, also know as the Lape-Read House, surrounded by trees and grass showing off their vibrant spring colors.
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      Tours

      A trail at the refuge's Salt Meadow Unit's marsh in late spring, Westbrook
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      Many of the refuge's units have self-guided trails and open areas you can explore at your own pace. However, guided interpretive tours and other programs are given throughout the year - especially spring through early fall. For information about upcoming events and other current information, . You may also call headquarters at 860-399-2513 and ask for the visitor services manager.

      What We Do

      Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge protects some of the last remain coastal habitats in Connecticut that are relatively undisturbed and undeveloped. These places are crucially important to wildlife, especially at-risk species that need space to feed, rest, establish a home and raise their young. We try to balance the needs of wildlife with the needs of people - allowing approved recreation such as trail walking, wildlife observation, interpretation, photography, environmental education, hunting and other activities whenever possible.

      Our Organization

      A bright blue sky obstructed by fluffy white clouds reflected off of a stream shot from inside a kayak
      The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service manages an unparalleled network of public lands and waters called the National Wildlife Refuge System. With more than 570 refuges spanning the country, this system protects iconic species and provides some of the best wildlife viewing opportunities on Earth.
      Program
      Washington,DC

      Our Species

      Projects and Research

      A USFWS intern holds a banded bird on the refuge's Falkner Island Unit, Guilford
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      1) Tern Monitoring Project - participate in a range-wide research project focused on the endangered roseate tern that encourages the collection of productivity, provisioning, and tern movement data.

      2) Salt Marsh Integrity Study - a region-wide program to asses the health of our salt marshes

      3) Shorebird Monitoring - annual surveys of nesting shorebirds on the refuge - species include piping plover, American oystercatcher, and least tern

      4) Invasive Plant Mapping - we are currently mapping all of our Units for priority invasive plant species so we have a better idea of the density, location, and management options for these populations

      5) Long-term Bee Monitoring - in partnership with the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, we are sampling the bees at the Salt Meadow Unit to contribute to baseline data on these populations for the state

      6) Stratford-Great Meadows Restoration 鈥� in partnership with NOAA, CTDEEP, Audubon Connecticut and several others 鈥� this project is restoring hundreds of acres of salt marsh salt marsh
      Salt marshes are found in tidal areas near the coast, where freshwater mixes with saltwater.

      Learn more about salt marsh       habitat so that at-risk species like salt marsh sparrows can survive and nuisance species like mosquitoes are reduced

      7) Kirtland Landing Improvement Project 鈥� in partnership with the Town of Westbrook, USDOT, CTDOT and others 鈥� this project recently provided major improvements so visitors can more easily access the Menunketesuck River and the water portion of the refuge鈥檚 Salt Meadow Unit for non-motorized watercraft and small boats.