Gardens to Help Our Community Thrive

by EleniSinnis

Nantucket is known for its love ofhor culture and lush gardens lining the cobblestone walks oftown and the jagged coastline ofSiasconset and Madaket.Gardens beau fy your home,while also helping the environment,butonly ifmaintained naturally.A rain garden isan environmentally beneficial, func onally landscaped garden designed to capture and filter stormwater,allowing you to sustain a beau fulgarden without fer lizersoroverwatering.They are idealforthe landscape of Nantucket since they are able to thrive adjacent to a beach, dune,coastalbank,waterbody,or within an area prone to flooding.

Stormwaterpicks up pollutants while traveling along:oil from roadways;siltand sand from exposed soil;nutrientsfrom fer lizers;bacteria from petwaste;and pes cidesfrom lawns.

In many Massachuse s towns, including Nantucket, stormwaterrunoff doesnotgo to a treatmentplant.Pollutants flow through a storm drain and are delivered into the nearest body ofwaterresul ng in stormwaterpollu on thatcontaminatesshellfish bedsand swimming areas.Rain gardenstransform stormwaterfrom a destruc ve carrierofpollu on into a source ofsustenance forplantand wildlife habitats:the plants thrive on nitrogen and phosphorus that is picked up,while their stems trap sediment.Through this process,plants are able to thrive withoutthe need forfer lizerorexcess watering.Rain gardens collect rainwater from a roof,driveway,or street,capturing it in shallow depressions and allowing it to soak into the ground.Rain gardens also help recharge stores ofgroundwater in aquifers.The plants and grasses filter out pollutantsand ideally encourage na ve biodiversity.They are a cost­effec ve and beau fulway to reduce runoff.

Clean water is a topic on the minds ofmany Nantucket residents,especially when it involves gardening. The desire fora beau ful,colorfulgarden can lead people to using harmfulfer lizers,pes cides,and even overwatering. Asresidents ofan island,we mustbe mindfulofwhatwe are pu ng into our water sources. Water is an invaluable resource on Nantucketbecause ourwaterisdrawn from a single­source glacial aquifer. Plunging hundredsoffeetbelow sea level,ouraquifer isa bowl­shaped store offresh watercaptured beneath the island in the sand,which serves as an excellent naturalfilter. The lens, or the water within the dense clay walls of the "bowl," is replenished by rainfall.

The Clean WaterCoali on wasformed on the island in the spring of2023 by the NantucketLand Councilpartnered with the NantucketShellfish Associa on,the Maria MitchellAssocia on,and 14 otherorganiza onsand en es. The Coali on wasformed in response to the ar cle passed by the town banning the use offer lizer. The organiza on isworking with the town to ensure clean waterisa priority,they are trying to educate residentsaboutthe dangeroftaking ourbodiesofwater for granted. There are three major pollutants on the island: fer lizers,stormwater,and wastewater. A erthe ban on fer­ continued on page 12...