Neighbors to Adopt Babe’s

    Residents of a Springs neighborhood near Three Mile Harbor who are members of the Duck Creek Farm Association are poised to begin caring for a town nature preserve along Babe’s Lane, fronting on the harbor, as soon as a officials approve a management plan.

    The association is the first to “adopt” a preserve under a program established by the town, and will work to remove invasive species from the two-acre waterfront area under a restoration plan.

    Ira Barocas, the president of the association, said at a hearing on the preserve management plan at Town Hall last Thursday that the process had been a long one, spanning four years.

    The area was neglected and became overgrown after the town purchased it for preservation in 2003, at a cost of $750,000.

    It was once a part of the 200-acre Duck Creek farm, owned by the Edwards family, Mr. Barocas said. The restoration process will restore water views for nearby residents as well as other members of the public who have enjoyed walking along the lane by the harbor, according to one resident.