Cupsogue County Park will see new life breathed into its fragile wetlands thanks to $275,000 in state funding aimed at strengthening Long Island’s South Shore Estuary.
The grant, part of a $2.4 million package announced this week by the Department of State, will support Suffolk County’s plan to restore tidal marshes at the popular Westhampton park. Legislator Jim Mazzarella, who represents the area, called the project “a critical investment” in the island’s natural defenses.
“These wetlands are the kidneys of our marine environment,” Mazzarella said. “They filter pollutants, provide habitat for fish and birds, and protect our shoreline from the full force of storms. If we lose them, we lose the health of the bay.”
Stretching along the Atlantic Ocean and Moriches Bay, Cupsogue is prized by boaters, campers, birdwatchers, and anglers alike. But decades of erosion have degraded the park’s wetlands, leaving the ecosystem vulnerable. “Salt marshes don’t just serve wildlife,” Mazzarella said. “They serve people, too. When hurricanes hit, it’s these wetlands that absorb the energy and help protect our homes and businesses.”
Located at the eastern end of Dune Road, Cupsogue is the gateway to Moriches Inlet, one of only a few channels along the island’s coast that connect inland waters to the ocean.
The restoration effort comes as visitors are enjoying a new beach nearby built through the federal Fire Island to Montauk Point project. Nearly 400,000 cubic yards of sand were pumped east of Moriches Inlet to rebuild shoreline lost to erosion. “Residents are enjoying a dramatically improved beach,” Mazzarella said, thanking Congressman Nick LaLota and the Army Corps of Engineers for their partnership.
Other state-funded projects include eelgrass research by Stony Brook University, fish habitat restoration in Southampton, and a marine debris reduction campaign led by Citizens Campaign for the Environment. Together, these initiatives aim to protect Long Island’s waterways, bolster wildlife habitat, and ensure the estuary continues to serve as both an ecological and recreational treasure for the region.