Stronger coast, stronger partners: Justin Elicker
Since the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and partners began to rebuild the Atlantic Coast after Hurricane Sandy, it’s been impossible for any one group to stand alone. Agencies partnered to bring relief to stricken areas, communities came together to share and pool resources, and many, many organizations dedicated themselves to repairing the coast — and preparing it for the future.
Over the last six years, using funding for Hurricane Sandy resilience projects, we’ve worked with dozens of partners across the Northeast to fortify the coast against future storms. Their expertise, community relationships, funding, and other support have taken these projects off the page and into the world.
In this miniseries, we recognize a few of those partners.
Justin Elicker, Executive Director, New Haven Land Trust | Pond Lily Dam Removal
When Pond Lily Dam nearly burst, New Haven’s conservationists knew it was time for a change. Storms like Hurricane Sandy had made it clear that flooding would remain a persistent problem without committing to taking the dam out.
So that’s exactly what they did. Led by Connecticut Fund for the Environment/Save the Sound, partners including the Service and the New Haven Land Trust removed Pond Lily Dam and freed the river.
Elicker recalls the excitement on site when a bulldozer breached the dam: community members gathered along the riverbanks broke out in applause as the concrete cracked and pond water drained downstream.
“What I found exciting and comforting was the number of people who came together to see this done, not only for the environment but for the people who live here,” said Elicker. “Without the funding, the expertise, the experience, congressional advocates, the dam would still be there.”
In addition to restoring the natural flow of the river and reconnecting migratory fish habitat, the dam’s removal drained the pond behind it. The result is a fertile nature preserve, full of trails and maintained by the land trust for the community to use.
And the community has already started using the space. A housing complex nearby brings in visitors who walk the trails daily, and the land trust has hosted field trips for a school down the street. The preserve’s trails also offer easy access to the river, and local universities have used the free-flowing waters for studies.
“I think people have been excited about the project… it brings a lot of activity,” said Elicker. “Our primary interest is sharing the opportunity to experience the environment.”
This year’s severe storms underscore the power of nature and the vulnerability of our coasts. While nature can destroy, it can also defend. Supported by federal funding for Hurricane Sandy recovery, we’re working with partners to restore and strengthen natural systems that provide not only habitat for wildlife, but also protection against rising seas and storm surge. This miniseries is part of a larger series of stories highlighting results of our ongoing efforts to build a stronger coast.
