WELCOME TO THE WEST ISLAND STATE RESERVATION

West Island State Reservation

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

The 338 acre reservation is owned by the state Department of Conservation and Recreation. An educational poster at the park entrance describes the reservation as a habitat for common and rare resident and migratory bird species. The land includes salt marshes, brackish ponds, mud flats, rocky headlands, wetlands, hardwood forests and sandy beaches. In 1996, five acres of the land was set aside for a state of the art tertiary leaching area for the treatment plant to address the island's waste water issues. The land was acquired in 1988, from Realty Transfer of New Jersey for $1.6 million.

East side of reservation looking west towards the causeway

The group Save West Island formed in 1987 was the leading force in obtaining the site for a preservation park.

ENTER FOR WEST ISLAND HISTORY, TRIVIA AND MORE!

TICK ADVISORY POSTED BY THE FAIRHAVEN BOARD OF HEALTH: CLICK HERE.

Southeastern Massachusetts Birds

Bird sightings by members of Nasketucket and Paskamansett Bird Clubs

THE BIRDS OF WEST ISLAND

(see some sunset views of West Island and its birds here)

Osprey	Least Tern	Double-creasted Cormorant	Grackle	Gray Catbird	Least Sandpiper
Mourning Dove	Great Black- backed Gull	Tree Swallow	Ruddy Turnstone	Ruddy Turnstone	American Goldfinch
American Oystercatcher	Sanderlings	Song Sparrow	Semipalmated Plover	Greater Yellowlegs	Willet
Least Sandpiper	Snowy Egret	Great Egret	Great Blue Heron	Mocking- bird	Dunlin
Lapland Longspur	Snow Bunting	Common Loon	Red Breasted Merganser	Cooper's Hawk	Common Eider
Bonaparte's Gull	Horned Lark	American Tree Sparrows	Brant	Deer	Coyotes

click on photos below to learn more about some of the West Island birds

TRAIL MAP

MAIN TRAILS DISPLAYED - MAP STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION

VISIT THE West Island PHOTO GALLERY

WEST ISLAND VIDEO LIBRARY

Save West Island

By M.L.Baron

With orange stake s placed in the ground and seeing low flying aircraft banking over obviously taking pictures, you know somebody’s up to something. That was the scenario I saw as I routinely walked along the West Island Town Beach back in 1986.

I immediately called my long time friend and Board of Public Works member David Szeliga. I told him that we have to find out what’s going on the east side of the island. Sure enough, developers where surveying over 338 acres of pristine land to build over 100 homes. Upon this confirmation, I told Dave who’s a naturalist as well, “How in the hell can we stop these guys from bulldozing half of the island into oblivion?”

East Cove looking northeast. A favorite spot for recreational fisherman.

This was a monumental uphill battle going against all odds. We organized along with others and formed a grass roots group given the simple name of Save West Island Inc.

The Fairhaven Town Beach by the reservation. (looking southwest towards Wilbur's Pt.)

The so called “Massachusetts Miracle “ that Presidential candidate Governor Michael Dukakis, heralded to the media, was quickly fleeting. The timing was disastrous for our endeavor. Without the state to back us up with funding to purchase the property from Realty Transfer of New Jersey, the destruction of more than half of the island to development was at a threshold.

The clock was indeed ticking against our favor. Negative elements said it couldn’t be done and that our group was pissing in the wind. We were laughed at as a bunch of tree hugging political fanatics. But our resolve never faltered, if anything, it became even stronger. Save West Island bumper stickers were seen as far away as Worcester. We couldn’t keep up with the demand for T-shirts and promotional videos.

After almost two years of lobbying, fund raising and hard work by our group, it became “politically correct” for those who hesitated to finally join in and support our cause. A long awaited urgent message was received.

In December of 1988 the Save West Island newsletter announced that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts has concluded an agreement for the purchase and acquisition of over 338 acres of pristine wetlands and forestry of West Island for 1.6 million dollars. It was one of the largest conservation land acquisitions in the region’s history since the days of the pilgrims. Tears of joy, disbelief, and relief befell the membership at the final meeting of Save West Island Inc. at the Fairhaven Town Hall.

Today the land is known as The West Island State Reservation dedicated to my late dear friend and compatriot David L. Szeliga. The island reservation is a habitat for common,rare, resident and migratory birds.