Greenwich Conservation Commission

08/28/2026

Join the Conservation Commission and staff for a coastal clean-up on Great Captain Island in celebration of International Coastal Clean-Up Month! Every piece of trash we remove is one less piece of pollution threatening our waterways and marine life. Together, small actions can make a big impact.

Volunteers will meet at the Grass Island boat dock and travel to Great Captain Island aboard one of the Parks and Recreation Marine Facilities boats. Boat space is limited, and registration is required.

Two trips to Great Captain Island will depart from the Grass Island boat dock in the morning at approximately 8:30 AM and 9:00 AM. Return trips from Great Captain Island will depart at approximately 12:00 PM and 12:30 PM, arriving back at the Grass Island boat dock at approximately 12:30 PM and 1:00 PM, respectively.

Important Notes:

Departure from Grass Island Dock: First boat leaves at 8:30 AM; overflow boat leaves at 9:00 AM.
Departure from Great Captain Island: First boat leaves at 12:00 PM; overflow boat leaves at 12:30 PM.
Boat capacity: Each boat can accommodate approximately 12–14 people per trip.
Registration Required: Max 25 participants.
Rain date: Sunday, September 27, at the same times.
What to Bring:

Long pants
Closed-toe shoes
Sunscreen
Reusable water bottle
A willingness to get a little dirty!
Come join us, get on the water, and be part of the cleanup!

08/19/2026

Staff members were out in the field earlier this week, diligently monitoring bird populations, including the majestic Osprey! If you’re interested in joining this exciting endeavor, please visit Osprey Nation. They depend heavily on Citizen Science programs to effectively monitor Osprey populations.

Citizen science is a powerful tool that plays a crucial role in our understanding of the natural world. It involves ordinary citizens contributing their observations and data to scientific research, enabling researchers to gain valuable insights and make informed decisions.

08/10/2026

We have extra high tides on the rise this week. If you are interested in high tide notifications and assisting in photo documentation and tracking of tides please check out this program:

Email from Connecticut National Estuarine Research Reserve   Snap. Report. Inform.   View as Webpage Extreme High Tides This Month Groton, CT | Photo Credit: Judy Benson August 3, 2026 Groton, CT | Ph

07/17/2026

The 24/7 compost bins are now open and operating!

07/15/2026

Join the Friends of Greenwich Point this Thursday, July 16th from 8AM-10AM for meadow work at Greenwich Point.

07/13/2026

Byram Branch is a community-driven urban forestry initiative that will plant native trees on public and private properties in Byram’s most heat- and flood-vulnerable areas. The project is led by the Town of Greenwich Conservation Commissions, with partnerships from Parks & Recreation, Greenwich Tree Conservancy, and Byram Neighborhood Association. To learn more use the link below!

https://www.greenwichct.gov/3013/Byram-Branches

07/13/2026

As the July new moon approaches, horseshoe crabs are making one of their final spawning runs of the season.

On the highest tides surrounding the new moon, these ancient animals emerge onto sandy beaches to lay thousands of eggs before returning to the sea. While most spawning occurs from late spring through early summer, this mid-July event marks the end of another remarkable breeding season.

For more than 400 million years, horseshoe crabs have followed the rhythm of the tides and the moon, long before the dinosaurs ever walked the Earth. Their annual spawning not only ensures the survival of the next generation but also supports entire coastal ecosystems. Their nutrient-rich eggs provide an important food source for migrating shorebirds and countless other marine animals.

If you're lucky enough to witness this incredible natural event, remember to observe from a respectful distance. Avoid disturbing mating pairs, watch your step to protect buried eggs, and leave the beach just as you found it.

Every spawning season is a reminder that some of nature's oldest traditions are still unfolding right along our shores—and they deserve our protection.

07/09/2026

Food scrap recycling smart bins are here and launching today! If you would like training there are upcoming drop in sessions today, Friday, Saturday, and Tuesday. Check out photo 3 for times!

07/09/2026

Spotted lanternflies don't start out with wings. These are spotted lanternfly nymphs—the juvenile stage of an invasive insect that goes through several molts before becoming the familiar winged adult.

Early nymphs are black with bright white spots, while older nymphs develop vivid red patches with black and white markings. Throughout each stage, they feed by piercing plants and drinking sap from a wide variety of trees and vines.

Learning to recognize every life stage is an important part of protecting our forests and native ecosystems. The sooner invasive species are identified, the easier it is to monitor their spread and reduce their impact on the plants and wildlife that depend on healthy habitats.

Every observation is an opportunity to learn more about the world around us—and to help conserve it.

07/06/2026

Food scrap recycling is getting even easier in Greenwich!

Starting July 9, the Town of Greenwich is expanding its Scraps to Soil program with new smart food scrap collection bins at Binney Park and Cos Cob Park. Registered residents can access the secure bins 24 hours a day, 7 days a week using a mobile app, making it more convenient than ever to recycle food scraps and keep them out of the trash.

Food scraps make up more than 22% of Greenwich's waste stream. By participating in this free, voluntary program, residents can help reduce waste, prevent pollution, and turn food scraps into nutrient-rich compost.

Funding for the smart bins was provided by the Materials Management Infrastructure Grant program administered by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP).

Since launching in 2020, the Scraps to Soil program has diverted more than 780,000 pounds of organic material from the waste stream, helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support a more sustainable community.

Visit WasteFreeGreenwich.org/compost to register, learn more about the program, and find out when staff will be onsite to demonstrate the new smart bins.