Every year on Sipson Island is eventful, and 2025 more so than most. Rewilding activity proceeded apace—see details below—and most exciting, we’ve been able to expand opportunities for visitors young and older to experience and learn about the island’s ecology and cultural history. Throughout this beautiful autumn, those in the know took advantage of Sipson’s reopened trails, spectacular views, and delightful air to enjoy peaceful walks.

As spring turns toward summer, Sipson Island is a green and magical place. We’ve been watching the meadows and woods grow a lush carpet of grasses, and the myriad native plants and shrubs we installed last year are doing fine. New vistas have appeared with the clearing of invasives in the northeast. Now we eagerly look ahead to a summer of activities that will advance key parts of our mission—"to protect and rewild Sipson Island, foster research and outdoor education, serve our community, and honor Indigenous wisdom.” All this can happen only with your support, and we hope our gratitude warms you like the summer sun!

A few days before Thanksgiving, we sat in our cozy homes and smiled while the wind howled and rain poured down. The late 2024 drought has broken, we hope, and our new plantings on Sipson Island will get the water they need to take hold this winter and thrive — without being hand-watered by SIT volunteers! Late fall tasks are wrapping up: the dock was hauled on December 1, well pumps winterized, and our electric-powered skiff is in dry dock. An arborist came over to trim deadwood, and volunteers hauled brushy invasives into piles for early spring burning. Now we can look back and celebrate an incredible year on the island — thanks to you, our supporters. So much has happened since we began to demolish three abandoned houses a year ago….

Walking around Sipson this spring, you can almost hear the ground underfoot breathe a sigh of relief. Our beautiful island is hundreds of tons lighter in the absence of 3 houses, along with their foundations and septic infrastructure, deconstructed last November and barged off to the mainland as 133 container-loads of debris. Read more here about this shrinking human footprint and what comes next in rewilding Sipson Island. The Trust—and the natural systems that are reasserting themselves—thank you for your part in this landmark effort. We hope to see you and your small footprint on the island soon! 

In the gray early morning of November 7, a 140-foot barge made its stately way from Chatham Inlet into Pleasant Bay, maneuvered through the Narrows, and rounded the north end of Sipson Island to an anchorage on the east side — a site chosen months ago for good access to the upland and clear of the eelgrass beds that surround the island. Less than a week later, equipment from that barge began chewing up the first of three abandoned dwellings slated for demolition — the climax of nearly two years of planning and a huge step toward the rewilding of Sipson Island. 

Nonprofit is restoring Pleasant Bay island

ORLEANS — On Friday the Trust, which bought the land in 2020, began demolishing abandoned buildings as part of a restoration to reflect how the marine habitat existed 300 years ago, SIT president Mon Cochran told Morning Edition host Patrick Flanary. …

The long-awaited "undevelopment" phase of rewilding Sipson Island is underway! The three buildings being removed have been emptied and prepped. Demolition will begin on November 1. For the safety of all, the island is closed to visitors until this work is completed. …

There’s so much news to share about the Trust’s work to restore the island’s ecological integrity and make it a place for our community to gather and learn. But first and foremost: We’re counting on your continued support to complete our “Removal & Renewal” capital campaign, launched early this year. We’ve made great progress so far …