Preserving the Island for Everyone

Preserving Nantucket’s character by permanently conserving, maintaining, and
managing natural areas and habitats.

What's Happening

The Science of Pond Management

By Karen C. Beattie | July 19, 2021

It’s mid-July on Nantucket, and a number of harmful algae blooms (or HABs) have already been documented within the island’s freshwater ponds. In past years, this phenomenon has occurred later...

Piping Plover Chicks Eel Point 2017 By ECB

A Safe & Fun 4th of July on Coatue

By Neil Foley | July 1, 2021

Here's your friendly annual reminder before the 4th of July this weekend. The weather doesn't look superb, but our threatened shorebirds on Coatue are still in need of protection, space,...

Nantucket Grasses in the Limelight

By Kelly A. Omand | June 24, 2021

With wildflowers distracting the eye with bursts of bright color, it’s often easy to overlook some of the island’s most common plants, grasses, many of which are blooming right now....

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Yellow (CCH) is the last banded American Oystercatcher chick for the 2021 season. Every year we help out the American Oystercatcher Working Group by banding and re-sighting our Oystercatchers on Nantucket. We were able to band a total of 26 chicks! If you are ever on the beach and see one of these birds with bands please report your sighting to the amoywg.org. Reported sightings are crucial for this study, as we are still learning how far they migrate and their population status just from resights alone. Some of our Nantucket birds have traveled as far as Nicaragua and Ecuador!

Your weekly Harmful Algal Bloom update for 7/22. There is a current HAB occuring in the at Gibbs Pond, and Clark’s Cove has an algae beginning to bloom all along the pond. Keep all people and dogs out of this pond to prevent poisoning from algae-produced toxins.
Watch out for small shallow ponds in the Middle Moors as blooms are seen occasionally in ponds people can’t reach but dogs can.
Photo #3 is an example of a small pond in the Middle Moors – be sure to look out for these when letting dogs roam free. Because they are shallow and isolated, they can suddenly have blooms, so be alert.
For more information and ways to report a bloom, visit the Town of Nantuckets Harmful Algal Bloom webpage, our science blog, as well as our partners in algae monitoring @nantucketlandcouncil & @nantucketlandbank

Out now! Part one of the @americaadapts podcast episodes about the Coskata-Coatue wildlife refuge and the threats it faces from climate change.

This episode features great interviews with NCFs own Cormac Collier and Neil Foley along with other experts, locals, and historians (@natphilbrick and members of @thetrustees )to tell the story of this amazing piece of Nantucket.

Find it through the link in our bio or search for America Adapts on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen!

📸: @abovesummit

New Science Blog! Karen Beattie covers some specifics about treating ponds to combat Harmful Algal Blooms. She runs down the pros and cons of several options to chemically or physically prevent HABs as well as the work currently in store for some of Nantuckets problem ponds.

Read more through the link in our bio!

We are excited to announce that the Coast to Coast Trail across the entire island is now live on the ACKTrails app!

This 24.7 mile trail takes you from Hoicks Hollow in Sankaty to Settlers Landing in Madaket using the many incredible trails maintained by NCF, @nantucketlandbank and @massaudubonnantucket with posts and logos like this marking the trail from East to West. Whether you break it up or through-hike in one day, its an excellent way to see so much of this beautiful island.

A lot of hard work and thought went into this project and we are all excited to officially open it! Download the route on ACKTrails and stay tuned for the upcoming paper map version coming soon.

When live trapping small mammals for population studies, it helps to use a safe bait like Peanut butter and oats that will draw in multiple species (even dogs 🤣🐕 or humans 👀).

Once caught in our Sherman Live Traps, each vole or mouse has some free food as a reward and a ball of cotton to keep it warm through foggy nights. First thing in the morning they are marked, measured, and released! The markings help us if we catch them again to know when and where we first encountered them.

Science field work doesnt always smell like tasty peanut butter, but it does help to have these days of preparation for the ecology adventures ahead!

#nantucket #conservation #ecology #openspace #science #smallmammals #scientist #habitat #habitatmanagement

Libby had a great Shorebird Ecology Walk at Eel Point yesterday. 37 species in total and some great looks at breeding Terns, Oystercatchers, and Plovers!

Visit the Events calendar on our website (through the 🔗 link in our bio) to join one of our many upcoming walks and excursions!

📸: @carolynnewell

🏃‍♀️This Saturday morning!🏃‍♂️
Whether you walk for the 2 Mile course or plan to lead the pack through the 5k or 10k route, come join our Race for Open Space out at Milestone Cranberry Bog at 8am. Pre-register now or register the day of when you show up. Come support open space conservation as you join the first race on Nantucket since the Covid restrictions were lifted!

📸: @eleanorhallewellphotography

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Preserving the Island for Everyone

What's Happening

The Science of Pond Management

A Safe & Fun 4th of July on Coatue

Nantucket Grasses in the Limelight

What We Do:

Conservation & Stewardship

Scientific Research & Education

Property Experiences

Public Service to the Community

Explore our Properties

Stay Connected

Nantucket Conservation Foundation

Preserving the Island for Everyone

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