About The Great Island Foundation
Our Story
Great Island sits at the mouth of the Connecticut River, where the largest river in New England meets Long Island Sound. It is a sandy, windswept, tidal island — part of a delta system that has been recognized internationally for its ecological importance. The marshes, mudflats, and shallow waters surrounding the island support hundreds of species of birds, fish, and invertebrates. The Connecticut River estuary was designated a Wetland of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention and, in 2022, became the Connecticut National Estuarine Research Reserve.
The Great Island Foundation was incorporated in 2022 by a group of Old Lyme natives who share a deep, lifelong connection to this landscape. We grew up fishing these creeks, sailing these channels, and walking these marshes. We have all seen islands disappear, shorelines recede, and populations fall. We started the Foundation because we need to preserve this land that has shaped us so much.
We started the Foundation because we need to preserve this land that has shaped us so much.
We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with no paid staff. Our board and team members bring backgrounds in engineering, law, medicine, ecology, business, diplomacy, education, and journalism — but what connects us is that we all call the mouth of the Connecticut River home.
What We Do
Shellfish Habitat Restoration
Healthy shellfish populations are the backbone of estuarine water quality. We work to restore native oyster and mussel populations through seeding programs, reef construction, and bioextraction systems that harness the natural filtering power of bivalves. Our work draws on research conducted by NOAA, UConn, and the Long Island Sound nutrient bioextraction initiative.
Eelgrass & Marsh Conservation
Eelgrass beds and salt marshes are critical buffers against erosion, nurseries for marine life, and powerful carbon sinks. We support eelgrass restoration in the Connecticut River delta through transplantation efforts, scientific monitoring, and funding for emerging researchers. We also partner with conservation organizations to stabilize eroding shorelines using natural infrastructure.
Water Quality & Nutrient Reduction
Excess nitrogen from upstream runoff is one of the most persistent threats to Long Island Sound and the Connecticut River estuary. We deploy native filter-feeding organisms — including ribbed mussels and oysters — to extract hundreds of pounds of nitrogen from the water column each year. This approach, called nutrient bioextraction, complements land-based pollution controls with the estuary’s own biology.
Science & Education
We fund fellowships for graduate students in marine ecology, participate in community science programs, and work with local schools to cultivate the next generation of environmental stewards. We believe that lasting conservation requires not just action, but understanding.
Our Vision
A Connecticut River and Long Island Sound that are vibrant, resilient ecosystems — where clean water supports thriving shellfish beds, eelgrass meadows, and diverse marine life for generations to come.
Board of Directors
Nick Richardson
Co-Founder
Nick grew up on the Old Lyme shoreline, spending countless hours exploring the estuaries of the Connecticut River delta. He holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering and Physical Computing from Carnegie Mellon University and works as a robotics engineer.
Sam Schavoir
Co-Founder
Sam grew up on the Connecticut shoreline with a background in business management and sustainable governance. He holds a B.A. in Political Science from Colorado College and an M.A. in Law and Diplomacy from Tufts University.
Peter McKillop
Board Member
Peter has been living and coming to the mouth of the Connecticut River for more than 65 years. A lifelong ecologist, journalist, writer, and nature enthusiast, he is a graduate of Wesleyan University.
Fred Fenton
Board Member
Fred lives on the edge of a tidal marsh in Old Lyme. Recently retired from a 25-year career in Emergency Medicine, he currently serves on the Shellfish Commission of Old Lyme and is a past board member of the Old Lyme Land Trust.
Liddy Karter
Board Member
Liddy grew up in Old Lyme and lives on the mouth of the Connecticut River. An entrepreneur and ecologist, she serves on the nonprofit board of the Center for Business and the Environment at Yale. She holds an MBA from Yale and a B.A. from Columbia.
Team Members
Alec Goodrich
Development Chair
Alec grew up on the Connecticut River in Essex. A lifelong sailor and outdoors enthusiast, he is passionate about conserving the waterways he explored since childhood. He holds a B.A. from Tufts University and a J.D. from the George Washington University Law School.
Liam Tresnan
Secretary
Liam is a longtime resident of the area and teaches history and languages at the Williams School in New London. He is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University.
Our Partners
We work alongside these organizations to apply science-driven conservation methods across the Connecticut River estuary.
- Connecticut Audubon Society
- Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center
- Connecticut National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR)
- The Nature Conservancy
- UConn Department of Marine Sciences
- Old Lyme Shellfish Commission