The Coalition protected Wickets Island in 2016 as part of the developing Onset Bay Center, which will engage thousands of people each year in active on-the-water exploration.

The Coalition protected Wickets Island in 2016 as part of the developing Onset Bay Center, which will engage thousands of people each year in active on-the-water exploration. Although local boaters, paddlers, and quahoggers actively use the shoreline, other parts of the island are overgrown and unsafe for visitors.

Following a winter of applying for and receiving permits, the Coalition will begin working with contractors this spring to rehabilitate the island. This restoration will improve safety and public access, as well as the island’s natural habitats.

Restoration will begin at the top of Wickets Island’s 40-foot cliffs, where invasive vines are choking out the island’s native plants and large areas of poison ivy prevent people from being able to explore. The Coalition will remove these invasive species and poison ivy to create a picnic area where visitors can take in a one-of-a-kind view of Onset Bay. We’ll also remove the remains of a house that used to stand on the island. A new steel staircase and short loop trail will ultimately lead visitors to the picnic area and around the island’s center.

The Coalition will also begin work later next spring to rehabilitate the island’s crumbling stone pier. A new floating dock at the end of the pier will eventually allow boaters to safely tie up their vessels while they visit the island.

If you visit Wickets Island this year, please stay on the shoreline and keep away from any construction activity or closed-off areas. In the meantime, the island’s shoreline will remain open for kayak landing, picnicking, and quahogging.