Back to the Bays is an Initiative of Cornell Cooperative Extension's Marine Program.

Volunteer opportunities with our Marine Meadows program.

Image by Marie Cancro

Unique youth and adult educational programming.

Volunteer opportunities to monitor horseshoe crabs.

Back to the Bays

We have an entire website specializing in our Back to the Bays Initiative. Learn more About Us; What We Do; Where We Work; and Ways to Get Involved and Give! We have an extensive Shop where you can find uniquely crafted designs to keep or give!

Visit us HERE

Through our Back to the Bays Initiative you will have up-close and hands-on opportunities to see what CCE's scientists and educators are doing year round to give Back to the Bays. If you'd like to provide support for our efforts, giving opportunities will allow you to contribute to this important work and help us ensure the marine environment that we all value and depend on as part of our lives here in Suffolk County is able to be enjoyed by future generations.

Back to the Bays 2023 Achievements
A Year in Review

We extend a most sincere thank you to all of the people and organizations that made this year a success — volunteers and interns, donors + sponsors, program participants, and business collaborators. With your help we continue to achieve our missions to engage local communities in vital efforts to improve water quality, habitat, and shellfish populations on Long Island through involvement and giving opportunities.

A full list of acknowledgements and achievements can be found in our 2023 impact report.

Feel free to reach us with any questions regarding our ongoing work, upcoming events, and how you can get involved by contacting Kimberly Barbour at kp237@cornell.edu or 631-461-5294.

BACK TO THE BAYS BLOG

We have officially launched the On the Water + In the Field Blog! This is where we'll be showcasing the many projects and initiatives of the CCE Marine Team, and providing the most recent updates on our applied research, restoration, and education activities.

CCE’s Marine Program has been giving Back to the Bays since 1985, and we are committed to offering communities, individuals, and businesses opportunities to help us expand our efforts! Our goal is to increase stakeholder engagement in our: Water Quality Protection Initiatives; Habitat Improvement Projects; Shellfish and Fin Fish Research and Restoration; and Youth and Community Education Experiences.

Whether you are an aspiring citizen scientist, or a business owner looking for an opportunity to support our local maritime heritage, we will be able to effectively link you to an appropriate project, sponsorship opportunity, or volunteer effort! By providing time, energy, and monetary support, local communities and individuals alike can play a significant part in the success and expansion of the many important initiatives of CCE’s Marine Program. One of the best ways that you can support these initiatives is by becoming an official Back to the Bays member!