Mattituck-Laurel Civic names Jen Murray 2025 Citizen of the Year

Jennifer Murray, a staunch advocate for shorebird populations, was named Mattituck-Laurel Civic Association’s 2025 Citizen of the Year. 

About 50 community members attended the civic association’s ceremony at Veteran’s Beach Park March 12 to celebrate Ms. Murray’s contributions to the community.

Ms. Murray, a longtime resident of Mattituck, has monitored endangered shorebird populations at North Fork beaches for several years alongside more than a dozen volunteers. During the shorebird season, she often works 12 to 14 hour days — staying out late to repair shorebird fencing. Her commitment to conservation efforts leaves friends and colleagues wondering when she has time to sleep.

“We’re all getting texts from her about nature issues at 2:30 in the morning, 5 o’clock at night, [or] two in the afternoon,” said Lucy Cutler, trustee for Landcraft Garden Foundation. 

As a founding member of the Beach Nesting Bird Workgroup, Ms. Murray shares information for shorebird protection of the piping plover, least terns, common terns and American oystercatchers with other organizations across Long Island.

The Mattituck Park District has benefited from Ms. Murray’s advocacy and expertise, as she’s helped identify locations for new osprey platforms and gathered volunteers to help install them. She also helps facilitate the annual Return of the Osprey events every March. In the summer, Ms. Murray runs a nature camp to help educate local youth. 

Jane Goodall’s ideals that every individual can make a difference and emphasis that science does not belong only to professionals is something Ms. Murray exemplifies in her own work. 

“[Science] belongs to anyone who observes, asks questions and cares about the world around them,” Ms. Murray said. She thanked the North Fork community, reminding attendees that “without you all, I would not be standing here tonight.”

Bald eagle populations can call Ms. Murray a friend, as she monitors the species for the New York Department of Environmental Conservation and runs an annual Bald Eagle survey each January with more than 30 people across the North Fork. She also coordinates the annual Christmas Bird Count for the Mattituck, Laurel and Jamesport area. 

Shorebirds are just the start of Ms. Murray’s advocacy, as she has led dozens of volunteers in beach cleanups, grass plantings and dune restoration efforts, and helped rescue cold-stunned endangered sea turtles from Mattituck Inlet. 

“Basically, anything that crawls, walks or flies on the North Fork, Jen knows about it and is out there trying to protect it,” Southold Town Board of Trustees president Glenn Goldsmith said.

River otters, coyotes, horseshoe crabs, diamondback terrapin turtles and other species on the North Fork also benefit from Ms. Murray’s active monitoring alongside other scientists, community members and nonprofit organizations. 

“She is enthusiastic, generous, curious, and somehow managing to do about five meaningful things before most of us finish our first cup of coffee,” said Kristine Melvin, president of Turtleback Conservation Center. 

Town Clerk Denis Noncarrow sang Ms. Murray’s praises at the ceremony on behalf of Senator Anthony Palumbo’s office, touting her educational, environmental and managerial prowess. 

“When you look at her background, you couldn’t put together a better person for this … If you prayed for the perfect person, thank god she’s in Southold,” Mr. Noncarrow said. 

Beyond her environmental advocacy, she is a former national champion in fencing, teaches fencing in the Hamptons and has taught archery as well. 

Mr. Goldsmith commended Ms. Murray’s conservation efforts throughout the North Fork and stated that it’s not only public officials that make environmental preservation possible.

“It takes dedicated community members that care deeply about the place that we live and that they’re willing to roll up their sleeves and get to work to protect it,” he said. “And that is exactly what Jen Murray represents.”