Connecticut State Office

185 East Flat Hill Road

Southbury, CT 06488

(203) 264-5098

Printable PDF of this letter and survey>>

May 4, 2006

 

Dear Lighthouse Point Park Stakeholder,

 

In November of 2001, the City of New Haven’s Lighthouse Point Park was recognized by Audubon Connecticut as one of Connecticut's 26 Important Bird Areas (IBA) for its exceptional concentrations of migrating raptors and landbirds in the fall.  The IBA program is a global effort to identify the sites that are most important to birds.  A key component of the program is to work with landowners and other partners to conserve the sites, focusing on the factors that make each one important. 

 

Audubon Connecticut has recently received funding to work with the City of New Haven and other stakeholders to develop conservation strategies for Lighthouse Point Park from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Long Island Sound Futures Fund. These strategies will be summarized in an IBA conservation plan that is currently being developed for the park. An important part of the conservation planning process is to engage stakeholders in the development of the plan.  We have identified you or your organization as a potential stakeholder. 

 

We have attached a survey and information regarding an upcoming meeting to discuss the conservation plan and to address any questions, concerns, or suggestions you may have. We hope you will be able to join us, but if you cannot attend, we would appreciate your written comments. 

 

Thank you very much for your participation in this exciting project.  We look forward to working with you on the development and implementation of this plan.

 

 

Sincerely,

 

Patrick Comins, Director of Bird Conservation

 

             

Attachment 1:  Stakeholder Survey

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 Information Survey for the Lighthouse Point Park Conservation Plan

 

Lighthouse Point Park is an 84-acre recreational park owned and operated by the City of New Haven and located on the east shore of New Haven Harbor. Lighthouse Point was recognized as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by Audubon Connecticut in 2001 for its exceptional concentrations of migrating raptors and landbirds. Recognition of the park as an IBA makes it part of a global network of sites that have been recognized for their importance to birds.

 

A Conservation Plan is currently being developed for Lighthouse Point as part of the IBA program. The Conservation Plan will document the park’s natural and recreational resources, identify threats to these resources, and identify opportunities for management, research, and education to conserve and enhance the park as an important area for birds, as well as a enjoyable place for people for years to come. 

 

We would greatly appreciate input from anyone who has an interest in, or knowledge of, the park. Please respond only to the questions you feel comfortable answering by e-mail to Christopher.Field@huskymail.uconn.edu, fax (203)264-6332, or regular mail:

Christopher Field

Audubon Connecticut

185 East Flat Hill Road

Southbury, CT 06488

Please include your name and contact information, and the name of any organization(s) you represent.

 

We also invite you to a meeting to learn more about Lighthouse Point Park, the IBA Program and how you can become involved in the conservation planning process. 

 

If you are unable to get us your comments beforehand, please just bring them to the meeting.

 

Lighthouse Point Park Conservation Plan Meeting

When: Thursday, June 8th, 2006. 7:30 PM

Where: Jones Auditorium at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station

123 Huntington Street, New Haven

 

Directions can be found here:

http://www.caes.state.ct.us/Directions/directions.htm

or by calling Patrick Comins at (203)264-5098

 

What is your or your organization’s interest in Lighthouse Point Park?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In your view, what recreational or educational resources of importance exist at the park?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Which of these resources are most important to bird conservation, general conservation, or nature-related educational or recreational opportunities at the park?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do you know of any current or potential threats to these resources?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What key issues, improvements, or management strategies would you like to see included/addressed in the plan?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What additional educational and/or research activities would you like to see take place at the park?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Would you or your organization be interested in assisting with some aspect of the conservation planning process?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Would you or your organization be interested in participating in either current or future monitoring efforts at the park?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Is there any other role that you or your organization would like to play in implementing conservation or education projects at the park?

Aside from the groups listed in the attached distribution list, do you know of other local groups (Birding, Butterfly, Land Trust, etc.) that would be interested in the conservation activities at the park? Are there any other stakeholders that we should contact?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do you have any other comments/questions regarding the plan or planning process?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You may attach additional sheets as necessary.

 

Attachment 2:  IBA Information Sheet for Lighthouse Point Park

 

Lighthouse Point Park                                                                       84 Acres         72° 53’ W

                                                41° 15’ N

New Haven, New Haven County

Status: Recognized IBA.                                                                                

Ownership:  City of New Haven

Habitats:  Primary – Lawn. Secondary – Deciduous forest, marine, coastal dredging spoils field.   

Land Use:  Primary – Other recreation and tourism.  Secondary – research. 

Threats:  Serious - Feral cats threat to migrating songbirds.   Potential - Development of surrounding landscape could affect flyways

Site Description:  The park features a swimming beach and bath house, a boat launch ramp, a large lawn (200 Yd X 200 Yd) and shady picnic groves, all on about half of the total park area.

The other half is equally divided between oak woods and a dredging spoils field that is part

Phragmites and part a rich tangle of berry bearing bushes and vines.  The woods and spoils area are designated as bird sanctuaries on some park maps, but it is believed that this is an unofficial designation.  

IBA Criteria:  5000+ raptors, Exceptional concentrations of migratory landbirds.  

Birds:  Counts of fall migrating raptors are, on average, higher than at any reporting site northeast of Cape May.  Merlin counts are exceeded only by Fire Island.  The count has been continuous since 1974.  Thousands of Bobolinks, Cedar Waxwings, Blue Jays, American Robins, Tree Swallows, and icterids, and large numbers of many other species pass Lighthouse Point each fall.  Great numbers stop for rest, protection and foraging.    

Existing Conservation Measures: Managers balance use of the park to accommodate as many as possible activities without compromising safety or their governing plan. An annual hawk festival is held each year to raise awareness of this resource in the local community. 

Nominator:  Ron Bell  

 

State-listed Species:

Species

Breeding

Winter

Migration

Dates

Northern Harrier, E

 

 

      X

 

Sharp-shinned Hawk, E

 

 

      X

 

Bald Eagle, E

 

 

      X

 

Peregrine Falcon, E

 

 

      X

 

American Kestrel, T

 

 

      X

 

Red-headed Woodpecker, E

 

 

      X

 

 

Attachment 3: Organizational Distribution List

 

  1. Albertus Magnus College
  2. The City of New Haven
  3. The City of East Haven
  4. Connecticut Audubon Society
  5. Connecticut Butterfly Association
  6. Connecticut DEP
  7. Connecticut Ornithological Association
  8. Goodwill Industries/Festival of Lights
  9. Hartford Audubon Society
  10. New Haven Bird Club 
  11. New Haven Land Trust
  12. Menunkatuck Audubon Society
  13. Northeast Hawkwatch
  14. Peabody Museum 
  15. The Sound School
  16. Southern CT State University
  17. The University of New Haven
  18. Yale University, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology,
  19. Yale Urban Resources Initiative
  20. Yale School of Forestry.