Preserving the Isle’s Open Space
by Andrew Spencer
Riding in the back of Gary Gifford’s ancient pick-up truck out to Hummock Pond was an experience not recommended for the faint of heart. Or for denture wearers. Back in those days, when the motley band that composed Camp Brant Point (most of whom were former refugees from Huey Haffenreffer’s Camp Sea-Turn) made daily jaunts to the beach with Garret and Mimi, the roads leading to many of the island’s sandy destinations weren’t paved. Instead, they more closely resembled a trip down Dukes Road on a bad day, and we loved every minute of the bouncing and bone-jarring in the back of that truck.
Back in those days, when you finally got to the beach, there was absolutely no question that you’d earned the right to plop your body down on the sand and relax. But alas, times have changed. They call it progress, this whole installation of blacktop roads, and I can assure you that the trip to Surfside is now a dreamy ride compared to the “good old days.” But there’s still a part of me that misses the experience of getting battered and bruised all in the name of going to the beach. And I especially miss the flipped-over Volkswagen Bug that used to adorn the side of the Surfside Road.
The thing about Nantucket, though, is that it’s a constantly changing place. And while people will argue until they’re blue in the face about the pros and cons of the changes, I think we can all agree that change is inevitable. It might come in the form of new shops along Main Street or it might come in the form of paved roads, but it will come. In the midst of all this changing environment, there are some of us out here on Nantucket who cling to the past, longing for those days of burned-out Volkswagens on the side of unpaved roads. And for us, there is a group who serves as our guiding light, helping to keep parts of Nantucket exactly the way we remember them. That assemblage is the Nantucket Conservation Foundation.
Founded in 1963 by a group of dedicated conservation-minded individuals, the NCF has worked tirelessly to purchase and preserve open natural space for the benefit of Nantucket residents and visitors. The primary method of carrying out this goal is through the purchase of large tracts of land—the 107-acre Squam Farm is a recent notable example—and the subsequent maintenance of that land in order to keep it open and accessible to the public. The NCF is the island’s largest landowner; currently it owns approximately 8900 acres of land—roughly 30% of the island—including the Windswept Cranberry Bogs, Sanford Farm, Tupancy Links and the Middle Moors. And all of that property ranks the NCF as the island’s largest single property owner.
One NCF project currently underway is the flock of sheep you might encounter if you’re out hiking around Squam Swamp. Gage Dobbins, Director of Development for the NCF, told me that the sheep were something of a trial run by the Foundation: “We brought the sheep in as part of a grazing program experiment,” she explained. “We’re hoping that the sheep will eat the scrub oak—we allow them to graze in controlled areas only—and thereby give the native plant species more space to grow.” This is the third year of the program, which, according to Gage, is the year when it will finally be determined if the sheep are, in fact, eating the target plants. And given that this spring saw the birth of the first batch of lambs from this flock, all fingers are crossed that this experiment pans out and that the burgeoning sheep population will continue its important work.
Most of the NCF properties are open to the public, though some are not due to the fragile nature of some of the environments. So it’s always best to check with the office and get a map before heading out on your own. But once you’re on one of the many miles of NCF-provided trails, your options are wide-open. Walk with your dog, walk with your spouse, walk with your kids, or leave the whole world behind and walk by yourself, basking in the peace and serenity that only a solo hike around unspoiled natural surroundings. But whatever your fancy, the NCF has a property that will fit the bill. Dog lovers will find a bevy of like-minded individuals at Tupancy Links, for example. And for the kids amongst us, there are special “Field Days” in July and August, while those who are around during cranberry season in October can take part in the NCF-sponsored annual Cranberry Festival at the Windswept Bog off Milestone Road.
One of the NCF properties that seems to get the least attention is the University of Massachusetts Field Station on the Polpis Road. Despite spending summers on Nantucket for thirty years before moving here year-round five years ago, I’d never been out to the Field Station until, ironically enough, I was asked to do an article on it for Yesterday’s Island. It’s an unfortunate fact that so few of us get out there to appreciate all the educational opportunities afforded by the NCF, which bought the Field Station in 2003. At the Field Station, visitors can view an example of each of the various ecosystems present on the island, as well as a wide variety of the flora and fauna associated with each ecosystem. And, in true NCF fashion, education is the principle aim, and there is a group of hard-core environmental educators on-site to answer any questions you might have.
And speaking of the UMass Field Station, that property is currently the focus of a twenty-two million dollar fund raising campaign earmarked for funding of the station. The NCF is halfway to its goal, and Gage said that the Board is optimistic that they’ll reach their goal within the next year or two. Other future plans for the NCF include working with other conservation groups on the island to determine the best course of action in acquiring and preserving the remaining “big parcels” of land—a demarcation that is defined as anything over 50 acres.
All this real estate doesn’t come cheap. Anybody who has even the most cursory understanding of Nantucket property values knows that when you start talking land values, you leave any concept of “real world” numbers behind on the mainland. Multi-million-dollar lots are the norm rather than the exception out here, so a non-profit like the Nantucket Conservation Foundation has to rely on the generosity of its members and others in order to fund its operations and acquisitions. Becoming a member of the Nantucket Conservation Fund—in addition to providing a tax-deduction—offers members a host of educational opportunities, including guided tours of NCF properties, as well as the Foundation’s informative newsletters. And you’ll get all that while helping to support a very worthwhile local cause.
The Nantucket Conservation Fund works for the benefit of all of us—locals and visitors alike—and we’re only doing ourselves a disservice by not availing ourselves of the Foundation’s offerings. So stop by the NCF office at 118 Cliff Road and pick up a trail map and get hiking. And, if you really want to get close to nature, pick up a copy of Walking Nantucket by local author and newspaperman Peter Brace and follow a few of the trails he suggests. Whichever way you choose to do it and whichever property you choose to investigate, remember to take only photographs and leave only footprints. Nantucket truly is a naturally beautiful place, and thanks to the efforts of the Nantucket Conservation Foundation, it’ll stay that way for all future generations to experience. Long after Chris Lowenstein and Dana Newel and Wynn Russell and Davy Glantz and the rest of us Brant Point Campers are distant memories, the NCF will still be working to keep Nantucket naturally beautiful. And for that fact we should all be eternally grateful.
For more information on the Nantucket Conservation Foundation, stop by the office at 118 Cliff Road, call 508-228-2884, or visit their website at www.nantucketconservation.com.
