5 minute read
In comparison to eelgrass located in Nantucket Harbor and Tuckernuck, what is the local context for nutrient patterns observed in Madaket Harbor?
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.
BOARD S P O T L I G H T
ADVOCACY N E W S
Photo credit: Neil Foley
MATT ANDERSON
EDUCATION N E W S
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 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.
EVENT N E W S
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
7 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.
COMMUNITY N E W S
PLANNING • PROTECTING • 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.
