* Youth Environmental Task Force Initiative
by Brielle Born
YETI, also known as the “Youth Environmental Task Initiative,” uses many different techniques, ideas, and plans to help observe, assess, and restore the environment around us. YETI is made up of many different students from Greenport, Southold, and Mattituck, which makes our discussions even more involved so we get all the different perspectives from town to town.
Pictured Above: Nolan Kaessinger, Sofia Leshko, Grayson Kaessinger and Phoebe Faint, members of the Southold YETI cleaned up Arshamomaque Preserve this spring. | photo courtesy Southold YETI
Our goal is to help save the environment where we can, and help restore and protect important species while also battling invasives. YETI is a big step in the right direction because it appeals to a younger generation — encouraging us to bring back healthy and less polluted ecosystems. As a team we discuss planning, projects and new ideas to help plan for the future!
We recently started up our trail restoration projects as well. While we’ve only had two trail restorations so far at the Arshamomaque preserve in Greenport, we have many more planned over the summer and are very excited to really start this project.
It’s so important to us to reach our goals and at the very least make some small changes to the environment around us. Though nothing will happen over night, we are willing to put forth the effort to slowly watch our environment change over time.
As mentioned before, we have recently started our trail restoration project, but it’s not the only thing we are focusing on. We still have many ideas and discussions on the table that keep us busy, there is always something to talk about. There are always new ideas or theories for conservation, and we work together to hopefully help make them a reality.
One idea we have been drafting is our Oyster Shell recycling program this summer! We want to be in cooperation with businesses and/or restaurants to collect their oyster shells that are usually discarded. Our idea is to help restore oyster reefs and oyster populations. As developing students and young thinkers, it’s good for us to have a fresh outlook on various situations and understand them for the future of our environment. In YETI, we strive to stop our ecosystems and environment from being destroyed through our discussions, ideas, and planning. It truly shows the depth we go to be there for our ecosystem.
You can follow the Southold Youth Environmental Task Force Initiative on Instagram, and read their monthly column in the East End Beacon, Advice from the Southold YETI, for more tips on being a steward of our local environment.
Brielle Born is going into her senior year at Southold High School. She’s interested in the environment and how we impact it, and is hoping to study conservation biology in college.
The Southold Youth Environmental Task Force was formed in 2025 by the chair and youth member of the Southold Town Conservation Advisory Council. The Task Force is working this year on cleaning up Southold Town trails and recycling oyster shells from local restaurants.
