View of the estuary from airplane.

Highest ranked image in the poll.

The Long Island South Shore Estuary Reserve stretches over 80 miles from the eastern edge of Kennedy Airport to Shinnecock Bay in Southampton. The extensive barrier beaches, dunes, tidal marshes and upland forests of the region remain surprisingly intact despite intensive development of portions of the shoreline. Concerned about identifying and preserving the scenic character of the region, the New York Coastal Management Program and the Long Island South Shore Estuary Reserve Office hired Dodson Associates to complete a comprehensive survey of the region’s visual landscapes. Using Geographic Information System technology, Dodson Associates defined visual zones within the reserve and ranked them based on the results of the visual preference poll conducted on the worldwide web. Interconnected greenway networks will provide corridors for wildlife, passive recreation and scenic viewing. Implementation of New York State’s Scenic Areas of Statewide Significance (SASS) program may be considered to provide a measure of protection to identified scenic resources.