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continued from page 7 lizer,rain gardens are a wonderfulway to sustain a garden. Rain gardensare effec ve in removing up to 90% ofnutrients and chemicals and up to 80% ofsediments from rainwater runoff. When people begin growing a garden fer lizerisa naturaltrain ofthought,itis a reliable resource in orderto culvate a successfulgarden,butfer lizerscontain an overload of nutrientswhich can cause significantdegrada on ofourbodies ofwater,referred to as nutrient pollu on. Rain gardens are a way thatNantucketci zenscan bypassfer lizersand be involved in the fightagainstclimate change on the island. Pollutantsthatare notabsorbed orremoved from waterwayswill create algalblooms.

Nantucket’sMiacometPond isa specialfeature ofthe island. For years,children would swim and play in the pond, butitnow hasa deep muck,fullofnitrogen and phosphorous that's been entering the pond from sep c systems and fer lizerrunoff fordecades. Harmfulalgalbloomsproducing toxins are occurring frequently in island ponds. The nutrientsentering the pond cause algalbloomsand invasive plantsthatdamage the shoreline rendering the pond unswimmable in the summer. Ourtreasured beaches,ponds,and harborare atrisk ifresidents does notdo theirpart.

The NantucketLand Bank hasbeen taking stepsforyears to address climate change on ourisland.Rain gardens collecvely produce substan alneighborhood and community environmentalbenefits.They reduce the poten alfor erosion and minimize the amount ofpollutants flowing from a yard into a storm drain,and ul mately into ourwaterways.

According to RachaelFreeman,the EnvironmentalCoordinator at Nantucket Land Bank,“The biggest benefit is one we can’tsee. Dirt,fer lizer,soaps,and oils are justa few of the pollutantsthatcan be filtered outofrunoff when itiscaptured in a rain garden and allowed to soak into the ground. Removing harmfulcompoundsbefore they enterourgroundwater or reach our harbor and ponds is a very important ecosystem service.” Rain gardens use the concept ofbioreten on,a waterquality prac ce in which plantsand soilsfilter pollutants from stormwater.

The Land Bank is beginning its very own rain garden. On the NLB property of 65 & 67 Easton Street, situated in a densely developed area ofdowntown,this smallpocket of green space has allowed the Land Bank to explore naturebased solu ons forstormwatermanagement.

On the NLB Instagram Guthrie Diamond discusses the Land Banks'excitementaboutthisnew space,“thisisjustone ofmany projects where the Land Bank is looking forways to balance climate resiliency with ourmission ofpublicaccessto open space.”

The ini alwork to create a rain garden atyourhome will culminate in a stunning feature foryourNantucketoasis. They are simple fixtures that encourage biodiversity and beau fy yourland. To begin,survey yourland to see where runoff naturally flows. Itisimportantto keep the garden atleasta dozen continued on page 16...

Printed above isa depic on ofa work in progressthatincludesa rain/storm garden componentthatthe NantucketLand Bank hopesto accomplish along Easton Street. Thisisthe plan thatwasincluded in the NLB’srecentConserva on Commission filing;theirteam isworking with Horsley Wi en to revise the plan based on commentsthe Conserva on Commission hasmade to date. Thisdoesnotrepresenta finalplan.

Estate setting with private access to Tom Nevers Pond and Low Beach. House, guest house and garage with studio. List price $9,500,00.00. Partially furnished and available for this summer occupancy. Call for details.

Land in Town. 7,112 square foot lot. List price $1,800,000. Call for details.