Connecticut Woman's 1995 Island Donation Becomes Thriving Wildlife Refuge

Outer Island, formerly a private summer retreat, was donated to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 1995 by Connecticut resident Elizabeth Hird in memory of her husband. Hird's gift was motivated by a desire to protect the island's natural resources and support environmental education and research. The island has since been transformed from a personal getaway into a protected wildlife refuge. It now functions as a living laboratory, serving students and researchers studying conservation. The donation is considered a lasting legacy for wildlife preservation across future generations.