Mashomack Nature Conservancy

Edged in white by 11 miles of coastline, Mashomack on Shelter Island is considered one of the richest habitats in the Northeast. Just 90 miles from New York City, the preserve covers over 2,350 acres of interlacing tidal creeks, mature oak woodlands, fields, freshwater marshes and underwater lands.

Mashomack has a rich mix of human and natural history. This ancestral land of the Manhanset peoples has housed generations of farmers, fishers and those seeking refuge from the constant bustle of life. Few know that the preserve was once a hunt and game club, and even fewer know that it was nearly transformed into housing developments more than once. Thankfully, The Nature Conservancy, together with the residents of Shelter Island and Long Island, was able to pull together a last-minute effort to save this “Jewel of the Peconic.”