Conservation Partners
There are several different organizations and agencies that share a common interest in the protection and preservation of Nantucket's natural resources. All have similar aims; many have similar names.
Each group is beneficial to all of us who care about our special Island. However, the similarities between these different groups are often the source of great confusion. It is all too easy to believe that you have contributed to and participated in a program of specific importance to you, only to find that your support has been used for a different purpose.
The following is a listing of the various other organizations and agencies who share with the Foundation the common goal of preserving the Nantucket of today for future generations.
Maria Mitchell Association
Two Vestal Street, Nantucket, MA 02554
(508) 228-9198
http://www.mmo.org/
This membership-supported, nonprofit organization maintains an excellent science library, a natural science museum, a small aquarium, and two astronomical observatories. Also, it sponsors research and interpretive programs, which include nature walks, children's programs, and lectures.
Massachusetts Audubon Society
Headquarters located at:
South Great Road, Lincoln, MA 01773
(617) 259-9500
http://www.massaudubon.org/
Not to be confused with the National Audubon Society, this state-wide group is one of the nation's oldest and most respected conservation organizations. On Nantucket, it owns sanctuaries on Hummock Pond and Sesachacha Pond, and conducts various research projects involving Nantucket's bird, plant, and animal populations. It is a nonprofit organization supported by membership dues and donations.
Nantucket Heathlands Partnership
This informal coalition of conservation interests was organized in 1993 when the Nantucket Civic League initiated a fund raising and educational campaign to promote public support for coastal heathland and sandplain grassland management efforts. The Partnership's largely volunteer crew conducts prescribed burns in Nantucket's conservation lands to control the encroachment of trees and shrubs, thus perpetuating habitat for many rare species of plants and animals.
Nantucket Islands Land Bank Commission
22 Broad Street, Nantucket, MA 02554
(508) 228-7240
http://town.nantucket.ma.us/departments/landbank.html
Formed by an act of the state legislature in 1984, this town agency is charged with the responsibility of administering funds derived from a 2% tax on all real estate transactions. The Land Bank works independently and in conjunction with other organizations to acquire and preserve open space and recreational lands for public use. To-date, it has acquired more than 2,134 acres.
Nantucket Land Council, Inc.
6 Ash Lane
Post Office Box 502, Nantucket, MA 02554
(508) 228-2818
http://www.nantucketlandcouncil.org/
This nonprofit, membership-supported environmental interest group sponsors research on water quality, rare species, long-range planning designed to minimize the potentially deleterious effects of projected island population growth, and other projects of a similar nature.
The Nature Conservancy
Massachusetts Chapter headquarters located at:
79 Milk Street, Suite 300
Boston, MA 02109
(617) 423-2545
http://nature.org/
An international membership-supported organization, The Nature Conservancy's mission is "to preserve plants, animals, and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive." The Conservancy has designated Nantucket as one of forty "Last Great Places," and is involved in establishing and maintaining a Geographic Information System database of the island's natural resources for use by conservation organizations and government agencies.
The Sconset Trust, Inc.
PO Box 821, Siasconset, MA 02564
(508) 228-9917
www.sconsettrust.org
This membership-supported, nonprofit organization seeks to safeguard ‘Sconset's unique character through conservation and preservation of areas of open land and its structures of historic significance.
The Trustees of Reservations
Headquarters located at:
572 Essex Street, Beverly, MA 01915
(508) 921-1944
http://www.thetrustees.org/
A membership-supported, nonprofit organization, the Trustees' interests are state-wide. It was established in 1891 by the state legislature. On Nantucket, The Trustees is supported through the efforts of the Friends of Coskata-Coatue Wildlife Refuge, its local fund-raising unit. The Trustees own properties at Great Point, Coskata, and Coatue. Also, they manage and conduct research regarding endangered shorebirds that nest on Nantucket's beaches.
University of Massachusetts Boston
180 Polpis Road, Nantucket, MA 02554
(508) 228-5268
This research and educational facility, located on the Foundation's Nantucket Field Station property, offers undergraduate courses utilizing the Island as a natural science laboratory. The Field Station also provides facilities and technical support for research projects conducted by other universities and conservation groups. The Station's permanent staff is always interested in meeting with visitors whose interests include marine biology, coastal plant communities, coastal geology, and other topics regarding the Island's natural history.