Brookhaven Preserves 5.5 Acres at Carmans River Headwaters

The Town of Brookhaven has permanently preserved another environmentally sensitive property along the Carmans River, acquiring 5.5 acres in Middle Island that officials say will protect one of Long Island's most important waterways while advancing a years-long conservation strategy.

The parcel, located on Yaphank-Middle Island Road, lies along the headwaters of the Carmans River and adjoins more than 450 acres of existing preserved open space, including Cathedral Pines County Park. Town officials said the acquisition implements goals outlined in the Town's 2013 Carmans River Conservation and Management Plan, which prioritizes protecting undeveloped land surrounding the river.

Announcing the purchase, Supervisor Dan Panico said, "The Town of Brookhaven closed on this 5.5 acres of land along the headwaters of the Carmans River for open space purposes, marking another victory for the river and continuing the Town's efforts of furthering the goals of the 2013 Carmans River Conservation and Management Plan."

Panico added, "This land will be allowed to revert back to natural vegetation and will complement the 450+ acres of existing preserved land including Cathedral Pines County Park."

The western boundary of the property is the Carmans River itself, making the acquisition especially significant because protecting land near a river's source helps safeguard water quality downstream.

Town officials said the vacant residence and septic system on the property will be removed in the coming months, eliminating a potential source of groundwater contamination before the site is restored to its natural state.

The approximately 10-mile Carmans River is one of Long Island's few federally designated Wild, Scenic and Recreational Rivers and flows from Middle Island south to Bellport Bay. The groundwater-fed river supports wetlands, fish and wildlife habitat, while also helping protect Long Island's sole-source aquifer.

The newly preserved parcel also resolves years of uncertainty surrounding the property, which had previously been the subject of a land-clearing dispute and proposed development.

Town officials say its permanent preservation strengthens a continuous corridor of protected open space surrounding one of Suffolk County's most ecologically important river systems.