Protecting & Restoring Long Island's Peconic Bays

Announcing a new name! Peconic Estuary Program is now Peconic Estuary Partnership

2020 brings exciting news for the Peconic Estuary Program – a new name that better reflects the program and a soon-to-be launched revised Comprehensive Conservation Management Plan that includes fresh goals and actions for the next decade.

As a National Estuary Program, the PEP brings together all members of the community – Federal, State and local governments, non-profit organizations, businesses, academia and interested members of the public to improve the Peconics through collaboration and the pooling of resources and expertise. Our new name, the Peconic Estuary Partnership, captures the strong partnership that has always been dedicated to restoring clean water, protecting and enhancing vibrant ecosystems, and communicating sound science for nature-based coastal planning in the Peconic Estuary and its watershed.

“With the new decade comes many new changes for the Peconic National Estuary Program. Over the last two years, we have reached out to existing and new partners to rebuild an effective organization that can achieve our water quality, healthy habitats, and community based goals. As we finalize our new Comprehensive Conservation Management Plan, the guiding document that will bring us into the next ten years of watershed management in the Peconic Bay Region of Long Island, we are also changing our name to best reflect one of our most important features: partnership. We act together to improve the quality of our waters and the value of our habitats, moving forward as one Peconic community to protect and restore the Peconic Estuary. We are partners in this endeavor. Come, partner with us, and see what we can achieve together over the next 10 years and beyond.” – Joyce Novak, PhD, Director of the Peconic Estuary Partnership

The partnership is looking forward to a new decade of protecting and restoring the Peconics for the health of our water, wildlife and economy on the East End.

Visit our website peconicestuary.org to learn how you can be involved with the partnership and keep an eye out for the launch of the revised management plan.

Suffolk County Septic Improvement Program Workshop

Suffolk County presents a workshop on the Septic Improvement Program at PEP’s August 2020 Citizens’ Advisory Committee Meeting. Learn what the program entails, how to apply, and feel equipped to take the next steps in upgrading your cesspool or septic system for cleaner water quality.

Workgroup for Inclusion and Environmental Justice

We at the Peconic Estuary Partnership (PEP) have taken time over the past few months to reflect on how we, as a partnership of scientists, educators, public and private institutions, can act to change the racial disparity in our own small corner of the world and contribute to this change in the wider world. As... Continue reading

diamondback terrapin

Long Island Diamondback Terrapin Monitoring Workshop

The Peconic Estuary Partnership, Seatuck Environmental Association, and Dr. Russell Burke of the Jamaica Bay Terrapin Project of Hofstra University hosted a virtual terrapin monitoring workshop where attendees learned about the importance of monitoring and how to identify terrapins and evidence of their activity. The workshop concluded with the unveiling of Seatuck’s Diamondback Terrapin Watch, which is an online survey... Continue reading

Native Plant Gardening For Better Water Quality

Watch our May 2020 Citizens’ Advisory Committee Meeting co-hosted with Group for the East End, with guest speaker Rusty Schmidt, President of Long Island Native Plant Initiative (LINPI). Learn all about native plant species, where you can buy native plants, and how to get started on your garden. Native plants do not require fertilizer or... Continue reading

PEP Offices Closed & In-Person Activities Postponed

Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, the PEP offices are closed and all in-person meetings, events and activities are postponed until further notice to help reduce the spread of COVID-19. PEP staff are working remotely and can be contacted via email. As always, we will continue to share information about the Peconic Estuary through our... Continue reading

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