2020 WINTER NEWS Eelgrass Research Expands to Madaket Harbor—pg. 2 Oyster Farm Harbor Tour Tickets—pg. 4 NEW! Kayak Tours—pg. 7 Coastal Plastics and Pollution Education—pg. 7 Dates to Remember—pg. 8
Nantucket Land Council PLANNING
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PROTECTING
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PRESERVING
Nantucket Land Council PO Box 502, 6 Ash Lane Nantucket, MA 02554 508.228.2818 www.nantucketlandcouncil.org BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Lucy S. Dillon, President Paul A. Bennett, Vice President William Willet, Vice President Neil Marttila, Treasurer Susan E. Robinson, Clerk Matt Anderson Susan Baer Mary-Randolph Ballinger Larry Breakiron William S. Brenizer Karen K. Clark Christine Donelan Joshua Eldridge Thomas V. Farrell Robert Friedman Nancy Gillespie Nathanael Greene Charles A. Kilvert III Laurel Ried Langworthy Lucy Leske Matthew B. Liddle Peter McCausland Keltie McDonald Eileen P. McGrath Carl H. Sjolund H. Brooks Smith Lars Soderberg David Troast Peter Watrous
HONORARY DIRECTORS William M. Crozier, Jr. Howard N. Blitman
SCIENTIFIC ADVISOR
James W. Sutherland, Ph.D.
STAFF
Emily Molden, Executive Director emily@nantucketlandcouncil.org RJ Turcotte, Resource Ecologist rj@nantucketlandcouncil.org Meg McNeely Browers Development Director meg@nantucketlandcouncil.org Shari Santos, Bookkeeper
OF COUNSEL
Peter R. Fenn & Associates Design by: Gioiosa Design Harvard, MA, www.gioiosadesign.com
RESEARCH NEWS
NLC Expands Eelgrass Research to Madaket Harbor The Nantucket Land Council and Boston University researcher Dr. Alyssa Novak will be expanding our eelgrass research to Madaket Harbor in 2020. In the spring, samples will be collected from five different locations in Madaket Harbor to assess eelgrass health. We hope to answer the following questions: 1) What is the overall health of eelgrass located at the five sites in Madaket Harbor? 2) How does groundwater and/or runoff influence nutrient processes in eelgrass beds located in Madaket Harbor? 3) In comparison to eelgrass located in Nantucket Harbor and Tuckernuck, what is the local context for nutrient patterns observed in Madaket Harbor? Eelgrass beds will be analyzed for number of leaves, shoot density, leaf width, above/below ground weight, internode length, and nutrient content in leaf tissue. Sediment samples will be collected and measured for grain size, density, age, and nutrient composition. Lastly, environmental conditions will be recorded at each site—during peak growing season light and temperature will be monitored by remote data loggers. Our eelgrass restoration efforts will be continuing in Nantucket Harbor this spring as well. If you'd like to volunteer in our eelgrass restoration efforts, please email rj@nantucketlandcouncil.org. We're always looking for volunteers!
Printed On Recycled Paper
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RESEARCH NEWS
Island Pond Water Quality Testing and Harmful Algal Blooms In 2019, the NLC collected water quality data and water samples were sent to off-island labs for further processing. Four ponds were sampled on rotation every two weeks—Capaum, Gibbs, Miacomet, and Head of Hummock Ponds. These ponds were also monitored for Harmful Algae Blooms (HABs) and for harmful toxins that they can produce. Clark Cove, or West Hummock, was sampled twice in 2019 for the purpose of collecting baseline data. The ponds were tested for standard water quality parameters including temperature, turbidity, pH and dissolved oxygen. Water samples were simultaneously collected to identify the nutrient content and phytoplankton community by off-island researchers. Over the course of 2019, the NLC was able to collect important data on these island ponds. Head of Hummock and Miacomet Ponds each suffered from one heavy algal bloom. Both Gibbs and Capaum Pond had multiple toxin-producing events over the 2019 season. Capaum Pond actually made island headlines at one point due to high levels of anatoxin-a, one of the more dangerous toxins produced by harmful algal blooms. The Nantucket Land Council is using it's research to help pond managers better understand and address the environmental factors leading to harmful algal blooms on Nantucket. It is important to remember that not all algal blooms are harmful, and even the toxin producing blue-green algae are native species and belong in our ecosystems. However, environmental factors in the surrounding watershed, like high nutrient levels from septic systems and overuse of fertilizers, can create conditions allowing species to thrive and bloom. We are looking forward to 2020 to continue our research and advocate for changes to reduce harmful algal blooms and restore these beautiful ponds.
River Herring Research The Nantucket Land Council hosted UMass herring researcher Pete Norwood to complete our winter herring count here on Hummock Pond. Sam Herrick graciously loaned the NLC his boat, and at sunset on December 20th, 2019, Pete Norwood, Matt Anderson,and RJ Turcotte edged across Hummock Pond. RJ and Pete cleared away ice forming on the pond with paddles as Matt steered for open water. Although no herring were caught, all data is good data, and it was a special afternoon for the research team. This was the first time ever that herring were sampled for in the winter months. Nantucket provided a unique opportunity- our ponds typically don’t freeze up as much or as often as many mainland locations do. Only time and more observation will tell us what our local herring are up to, so we are looking forward to the spring sampling before the pond is next opened.
RESEARCH NEWS
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Oyster Farm Harbor Tour Trips this Summer— Join the NLC for a fun day on the water!
EVENT NEWS
2020 Oyster Farm & Harbor Tour Dates June 24, 25 July 6, 7, 22, 23 August 6, 7, 20, 21 September 21 Registration begins April 1, 2020 at EventBrite.com! Email meg@nantucketlandcouncil.org with questions or for information on scheduling a private tour.
The Nantucket Land Council continues its popular Oyster Farm & Harbor Tours again this summer—these sell out quick so pick your dates and register for the tours starting April 1. Join the NLC Executive Director Emily Molden, Resource Ecologist RJ Turcotte, Fifth Bend Oyster farmer Simon Edwardes, Captain Blair Perkins of Shearwater and special guest speakers for a fun, educational afternoon on the water. Learn how our unique Nantucket oyster farms work as Simon pulls oyster cages out of the water and explains how we grow these delicacies! Also learn how YOU can help protect and preserve our beautiful marine resources, shellfishery, and harbor water quality.
The Water Fund The Nantucket Land Council is Nantucket’s leading voice for the protection, investigation, and advocacy of our water resources—including our groundwater, freshwater ponds, wetlands, and harbors via a series of projects including a Nantucket and Madaket harbor eelgrass health analysis, stormwater infrastructure improvements, and a coastal plastics study, in addition to an island-wide herring research project in our great ponds.
THANK YOU TO OUR WATER FUND FOUNDERS
Water Fund
FOUNDERS Circle
Susan and Michael Baer William and Margaret Brenizer Robert and Barbara Freidman The Heinz Family Foundation The Herbert D. Condie Jr. Family Foundation Evan and Cindy Jones The McCausland Foundation Alan and Virginia Nathan 4
The Overbrook Foundation The Slayton Family Foundation Meredyth and Brooks Smith Lars and Jane Soderberg Visco Pumping, Inc. Anonymous Anonymous (2)
Friends Fête The Nantucket Land Council and Almanack Arts Colony are excited to announce the date for this year’s Friends Fête—Friday, July 10, 2020! Please join us for a fun night of live music and delicious food & drink for a great cause! This event is designed to connect NLC & AAC to the next generation of environmentalists, artists, and philanthropists who understand the pressing issues we must tackle on Nantucket to ensure a sustainable and vibrant future for our beautiful Island. For more information, or to join our 2020 Friends Fête Host Committee please email meg@nantucketlandcouncil.org and follow our instagram-@nantucketlandcouncil.
spring tip
ADVOCACY NEWS
EVENT NEWS
Tell your landscapers: “Don't Fertilize Before Daffy ...it's pointless.” Lawns and garden plants can't uptake nutrients when the ground temperature is below 55˚F because they aren't actively growing. Applying fertilizer too early in the season will result in surface runoff into wetlands or leaching into groundwater. Protect our waters...wait until May!
SBPF Over the course of 2019, SBPF missed multiple reporting requirements specified in their permit for their existing geotube project, and dumped sand suspected of contamination over the bluff and onto the beach below. These infractions led to an enforcement order from the Conservation Commission—all work on the project has been halted until the issues with fill are addressed and the project is back in compliance. In addition, after initially having their proposed 3,000+ foot geotube extension denied by the Nantucket Conservation Commission, SBPF appealed the decision under both state and local regulations. MassDEP handed down a permissive order of conditions overturning the original decision. The Town of Nantucket appealed MassDEP’s denial, continuing to argue the original position of the Conservation Commission. Ironically, SBPF also appealed the DEP decision because it did not grant them the full extension of the project. NLC staff and consultants opposed the extension as proposed, and are currently working closely with counsel to determine how best to support the Town in its appeal. SBPF also appealed the original Conservation Commission denial under the Nantucket Bylaw to Superior Court, although this case has not yet been heard. Subscribe to our e-newsletter and follow us on social media (@nantucketlandcouncil) for updates on this developing story. 5
Surfside Crossing—NLC Continues the Push for Greater Endangered Species Protection Last year the Nantucket Land Council was granted standing in its appeal of the Natural Heritage Endangered Species Program’s (NHESP) Determination regarding endangered species impacts from the proposed 156-unit Surfside Crossing 40b development. In December the NLC received the final decision from the MA Division of Fish and Wildlife, upholding the original NHESP Determination which failed to acknowledge any habitat or protections for the Northern Long Eared Bat (NLEB), a federally threatened and MA state endangered species. The NLEB has been decimated over the past decade declining by 90% across its Northeast range, in part due to the White Nose Syndrome, a disease that has not been found to impact bats living on Nantucket. The Land Council has responded to the decision by filing a complaint, an appeal under MGL c. 30A, which provides for review of state agency administrative decisions. We have worked closely with the Division of Fish and Wildlife in the past on protecting endangered species and hope to continue to do so in the future. In this instance, however, we think they have erred and we have no choice but to continue our work to protect this species by filing another appeal.
Photo credit: Neil Foley
MATT ANDERSON
BOARD
“Serving on the Board of Directors for the NLC means protecting and preserving our island resources for future generations.”
SPOTLIGHT
EDUCATION NEWS
ADVOCACY NEWS
Karen K. Borchert Educational Grants Program For the 26th consecutive year, the Nantucket Land Council proudly provided educational grants for a variety of science and environmental initiatives in Nantucket’s schools. In total, Karen K. Borchert Educational Grants were awarded to five projects: Nantucket Lighthouse School’s Horticulture Program: Rain Harbison, the Nantucket Lighthouse School’s Director of Horticulture, was awarded a grant to provide equipment and supplies for preschool through 8th grade students. Nantucket Intermediate School Reusable Bottles: The NLC teamed up with NIS Health and Physical Education Teacher Galen Gardner to 6
provide each NIS student with a reusable, stainless steel Klean Kanteen water bottle. Nantucket Lighthouse School’s STEM Math Tools: Erin Dancik, Primary Mathematics Teacher, was awarded a grant to purchase hands-on wooden multiplication tools. Nantucket High School Field Trip to Boston Museum of Science: Grade 10-12 AP biology and honors anatomy students traveled to Boston’s Museum of Science Body World exhibit. Nantucket Lighthouse School Ecosystems in a Bottle/Nantucket Lighthouse School’s Nantucket Land Council Science Library: Joni Amaral, Upper Primary Teacher, used her grant money to bring a classic lesson in basic ecology to the Lighthouse School.
Explore Nantucket's Great Ponds by Kayak this Summer
EVENT NEWS
Join the Nantucket Land Council this season for a tour of Nantucket's best kept secrets—the Great Ponds! Participants will be led on a two-hour kayak tour of the north head of Long Pond, Hummock Pond, or Sesachacha with NLC Resource Ecologist RJ Turcotte as our guide, along with a guest speaker from either Linda Loring Nature Foundation (Long Pond) or Nantucket Conservation Foundation (Hummock and Sesachacha Ponds). Advance registration required and very limited tickets available at EventBrite.com starting April 1. Ages 18 and up; waiver required.
State of the Harbor Forum The Nantucket Land Council continues its successful headline educational event this summer with our 4th State of the Harbor Forum. The focus of this year’s presentation is climate change and its effects on our coastal community. We will hear about how local research is monitoring impacts on harbor resources, and get updates on Town planning and local initiatives to address climate change impacts around our harbor interface. The presentation will be followed by a question and answer session. Save the Date for this special event—July 21, 2020. The State of the Harbor Forum is FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, and is followed by a cocktail hour with YoHo Raw Bar. For more information, subscribe to our e-newsletter at www.nantucketlandcouncil.org.
Plastics Education and Town of Nantucket Plastics Ban Effective June 1, 2020 single-use plastic straws, stirrers, six pack flexible can and bottle yokes, cups, lids, plates, utensils, non-recyclable coffee pods, and any plain water bottles under 1 liter will no longer be available for sale on Nantucket. The NLC is participating in a Town workgroup to prepare and educate the community about the ban and encourage the use of friendly alternatives. We’ve also teamed up with Nantucket DPW, Sustainable Nantucket, and Nantucket Intermediate School staff to educate NIS students on how to move on from single-use plastics through reusable items. To research how the coastal plastics problem directly impacts Nantucket, NLC is assisting with a study by UMass Boston’s Nantucket Field Station and Nantucket DPW, funded by ReMain, to collect sand samples from our beaches and several feet offshore to analyze for plastic content. This coming April, NLC will also be conducting a plastics trawl of Nantucket Harbor in conjunction with Seaside Sustainability, and sending the samples to Endicott College for identification of microplastics in the water column as part of a broader study looking at harbors all across New England. 7
COMMUNITY NEWS
2020 WINTER NEWS
Nantucket Land Council PLANNING
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PROTECTING
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PRESERVING
Post Office Box 502 Nantucket, MA 02554 www.nantucketlandcouncil.org
SAVE THE DATES
Science Pub! Eelgrass Health & Restoration with Dr. Alyssa Novak & NLC
Monday, March 16, 2020, 6-8PM at the Saltbox Tavern
Nantucket Annual Town Meeting
Saturday, April 4, 2020 9AM at Nantucket High School
Friends Fête
Friday, July 10, 2020 at Almanack Arts Colony
State of the Harbor Forum
Tuesday, July 21, 2020
Oyster Farm & Harbor Tours
Various dates June through September Tickets at EventBrite.com! (See page 4 for details)
Established in 1974, the Nantucket Land Council is the only environmental watchdog group on Nantucket Island. The NLC works to protect Nantucket’s natural resources in three major areas— planning, protecting, preserving. PLANNING: The NLC monitors development proposals, offers educational programs, grants and scholarships, and makes recommendations to voters on issues which affect the environment. PROTECTING: The NLC conducts scientific research to support the protection of our natural resources such as native species, wildlife habitat, and water quality. PRESERVING: The NLC specializes in holding conservation restrictions. CRs allow the property to remain in the owner’s hands, while ensuring that the land remains preserved.
