Volunteer Opportunity for Estuarine Resiliency Pilot Study
The Long Island Sound (LIS) Estuarine Resiliency Project
Coastal resilience projects are designed to help strengthen and repair ecosystems that have been exposed to hazardous, degrading events. These areas often face:
- Extreme weather events
- Flooding and rising waters
- Accelerated shoreline erosion
- Loss of critical habitats
- Decline of native species
- Spread of invasive species
Estuaries, where rivers meet the ocean, are especially dynamic and vital coastal areas that support diverse habitats and communities. They are vulnerable to habitat loss, coastal erosion, and declining water quality. The LIS Estuarine Resiliency Project aims to address these challenges through the installation of reef balls and kelp mats, along with the restoration of eelgrass to strengthen habitats and protect shorelines.
We aim to recruit a dedicated group of 25-50 volunteers to assist with constructing reef balls and kelp mats, as well as to support the installation of these living shoreline elements at Griswold Point in Old Lyme, Connecticut. Volunteers would be trained to construct concrete reef balls at a nearby site and may also assist with weaving restoration mats from LIS kelp. Additional opportunities include assisting with collecting water quality and sediment data, as well as documenting the project through photography and video.
We are looking to recruit high school students, college students, and adults to assist with this resiliency work. Project volunteers should be comfortable around water and prepared to work outdoors in varied weather conditions. They should also be able to navigate uneven and sandy terrains, as well as able to lift 50 pounds.
Those who have expressed an interest in volunteering will be contacted via email to discuss their role as a volunteer and next steps. The project runs from March 1, 2026 – December 31, 2026.
Please fill out the following Microsoft form if you are interested in signing up: https://forms.office.com/r/R5kp14bV1x
Feel free to contact Emily Watling, Conservation Science Coordinator, at csc@ctaudubon.org or (860) 598-4218 with questions or to express interest in volunteering.
