A Captivating Story of Hope: Saving Plum Island
In terms of open space acquisition, the island is mostly pristine, vulnerable to development, and its park stewardship is complex.
Updated August, 2026, original post July 2020
Coalitions are used to organize, rally, and advocate for a special cause and can include a varied group of nonprofits, recreational groups, civics, etc. When the federal government said it would sell Plum Island to the highest bidder [1], the Preserve Plum Island Coalition formed to protect the island's uniqueness of natural habitats and history. The Coalition includes approximately 130 plus members, consisting primarily NGOs (non governmental organizations) [2].
Plum Island was named for its plentiful beach plum. Plum Gut, between the historic lighthouse and Plum Island, is one of the premier fishing grounds on the East Coast [3]. To reach the island you need to reckon with Plum Gut's treacherous currents. So paddle boarding over to it isn't a great idea. But there's a transport ferry between Orient and Plum Island, except it's not currently open to the public. However, Plum Island can be seen by land and by the Cross Island Ferry.
Plum Island view from Orient Point County Park. Google map provides details. Plum Island viewed from ferry.
In terms of open space acquisition, the island is mostly pristine, vulnerable to development, and park stewardship is complex. Quality Parks defines a park to be any protected area from a small pocket park to large regional open spaces. A park stewards can range from a single nonprofit to a large array of organizations, nonprofits, etc. Complexity may have been one of the reasons why the Preserve Plum Island Coalition began an envisioning process in 2018, so as to build consensus and involvement. Participants considered future planning to protect the island's natural and cultural features.
Quality Parks Board Member, Phil Benvin, responsible for organizational outreach, pulled me into the fray. The meeting I attended was part of the envisioning process that also included governmental agencies. The 2020 report and the more recently updated (2026), sixteen page brochure, is available online [4]. Quality Parks concern is for ensuring sustainable public access to the island's natural, cultural, and recreational features.
In July 2026, Suffolk County suddenly announced it was seeking to purchase Plum Island and "to partner with the state to fund a study to preserve 840-acre Plum Island as a 'publicly owned center' for scientific research, environmental conservation and education [5]." Another newspaper reported, "County Executive Ed Romaine announced last week that Suffolk is exploring a possible takeover of Plum Island and seeking state support for a study of how the island could be publicly owned and operated after the federal government ends its animal disease research mission there ." Southold Town Supervisor noted: "Because Plum Island had been owned by the federal government or the military for roughly a century, it previously had no underlying town zoning, Mr. Krupski said. The town’s regulations permit research uses, limited residential development connected to those uses and renewable-energy production while protecting much of the island from intensive development." [6].
The next time you take a trip towards Connecticut take a moment to catch a glance of Plum Island. Just off of Orient Point, at the tip of Long Island’s North Fork, lies a captivating, hidden island full of life and adventure. Plum Island, not just as a place for research scientists and ecologists, it's a place for us too. In its wonder, in its history and biological diversity, it's one of those places really worth protecting.
References
[2] - https://www.preserveplumisland.org/partners
[3] - https://onthewater.com/long-islands-legendary-plum-gut
[4] - https://www.preserveplumisland.org/envision-report
[5] - https://www.newsday.com/long-island/politics/suffolk-plum-island-kb2o47l5
