Charles Island Reforestation Group Aims For 1000 Planted Trees

MILFORD, CT — Tree-by-tree, Charles Island is being reforested, thanks to a local non-profit and guidance from state officials. About 300 trees have been planted on the island over the past few years, and at least another 700 are planned in the coming years.

Charles Island Reforestation started after Bill Purcell and his brother, Ken, looked out at the island from their East Broadway cottage and noticed that there were far fewer trees. It wasn’t just their imagination; the island got battered by Superstorm Sandy in 2012, and species of fungus and weeds have strained and killed many trees in recent years.

“What has happened is invasive species of trees could not handle this fungal disease,” Purcell said.

Non-native tree seeds are dropped by birds on the island. It’s a tough environment due to its proximity to Long Island Sound.

Purcell worked with officials at the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and UConn Forestry to choose tree species.

“I’m not a horticulturalist, but the trees have to get used to the salt and sea,” Purcell said.

Most planted trees are a few feet tall, but this past year the group planted eight trees that are between 15 and 20-feet-tall on the eastern part of the island.

At first, the forestation was a family project, but it’s now expanded to a nonprofit organization with several volunteers. Typically, six to eight volunteers and three to five DEEP officials take part in planting.

Sourcing the trees is the easy part, Purcell said. The hard part is the logistics of getting trees, backhoes and other equipment onto the island. It requires planning around the tides so that equipment can be moved from Silver Sands State Park to the island via the tombola, also locally known as the sandbar.

“The tombola doesn’t always open up,” Purcell said. “Two out of four or five times we go out there, and the thing never opens up.”

Planting happens in the spring and fall.

Purcell said the support from the community has been humbling. The group accepts donations via Venmo @CharlesIsland-Reforestation, PayPal at charlesislandreforestation@gmail.coml and by check. Checks can be made out to Charles Island Reforestation LLC and mailed to care of Dolores Hannon at 110 Beach Avenue, Milford, CT 06460. Anyone who wants to volunteer can contact the group at Charlesislandreforestation@gmail.com.