Great Harbor Wildlife Management Area
🏆🏆🏆 Coastal Wetland — Tidal wetland habitat on Long Island Sound
Great Harbor Wildlife Management Area protects tidal wetland and coastal habitat along Long Island Sound. The salt marshes, mudflats, and shallow water areas support shorebirds, wading birds, and spawning fish. Connecticut’s Long Island Sound coastline stretches 96 miles and supports some of the most productive marine habitats in the Northeast.
Visitor Information
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Location | Long Island Sound, CT |
| Entry Fee | Free |
| Habitat | Tidal marsh, mudflats |
| Sound | 96 miles of CT coastline |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Long Island Sound?
Long Island Sound is a 110-mile-long estuary between Connecticut and Long Island, NY. It’s one of the most productive estuaries on the East Coast, supporting over 1,200 species.
About Great Harbor WMA
Great Harbor Wildlife Management Area in Guilford protects salt marsh and coastal habitat along Long Island Sound. The area’s tidal marshes provide critical nursery habitat for fish and shellfish, and feeding grounds for shorebirds, herons, and egrets. Osprey nest on platforms in the marsh.
Things to Do
Birdwatching (osprey, egrets, herons, shorebirds), saltwater fishing for striped bass and bluefish, crabbing, and kayaking through the tidal channels. One of the best coastal wildlife viewing spots in the Guilford area.
About Great Harbor
Great Harbor Wildlife Management Area on the Connecticut coast protects salt marsh and tidal wetland along Long Island Sound — one of the most urbanized coastlines in America. Connecticut’s remaining salt marshes filter water, buffer storms, and provide nursery habitat for bluefish, striped bass, and winter flounder. These marshes are threatened by rising seas — Connecticut has lost over 15% of its tidal wetlands since 1880.
Things to Do
Birdwatching for shorebirds, herons, and ospreys, saltwater fishing, kayaking the tidal creeks, waterfowl hunting (seasonal), and observing a coastal ecosystem under pressure from sea-level rise and development.
Park Location
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