Author Archives: Karen C. Beattie

Good Firebreaks Make Good Neighbors

Posted on February 20, 2019 by Karen C. Beattie

One of the frequent calls we get at the Foundation’s office during the fall, winter and early spring involves questions about the firebreak management work we are doing on our properties. Why are we cutting down the shrubs? Where will … Continue reading →

Posted in Habitat Management, Restoration, Sandplain Grasslands, Scrub Oak Barrens, Wildfire Risk Reduction | Leave a comment

Pest House Pond Water Quality Management is Underway

Posted on November 8, 2018 by Karen C. Beattie

Pest House Pond is small, brackish wetland approximately ¾ acre in size located along the shoreline of Nantucket Harbor between Monomoy and Shimmo. The pond and surrounding property totaling 3.6 acres was donated to the Foundation in 1973 by the … Continue reading →

Posted in Habitat Management, Invasive Species, Restoration, Water Quality, Wetlands | Leave a comment

What’s going on with all the brushcutting in the Tom Nevers Area? Wildfire Risk Reduction and Restoring Habitat for Rare Plants and Animals

Posted on May 3, 2018 by Karen C. Beattie

Take a walk or bike ride along the Milestone Bike Path near the Tom Nevers Road intersection or in the South Pastures area of the island (between the airport and Tom Nevers) and you will notice some dramatic clearing of … Continue reading →

Posted in Habitat Management, Land Use History, Native Plants, Restoration, Sandplain Grasslands, Scrub Oak Barrens | 1 Comment

Nantucket’s Special “Some Bunny”

Posted on September 22, 2017 by Karen C. Beattie

Nantucket’s fauna is very unique – maybe more so for what is not here than for what we have. Numerous species that are common elsewhere in New England are missing from our assemblage of terrestrial wildlife, including chipmunks, possums, raccoons, … Continue reading →

Posted in Field Season, Land Use History, Nantucket Wildlife, Rare Species | Leave a comment

Shorebirds- Migration in Motion

Posted on August 18, 2017 by Karen C. Beattie

by Elizabeth C. Buck It may seem like August has just arrived, and there is still plenty of summertime to be enjoyed by all, but our shorebirds are already thinking about fall migration. Nantucket is home to many nesting shorebirds … Continue reading →

Posted in Field Season, Nantucket Wildlife, Natural History, Public Use Management, Shorebirds | 1 Comment

It’s Blueberry Season!

Posted on August 11, 2017 by Karen C. Beattie

By Karen C. Beattie Summer is in full swing here on Nantucket – the beaches are packed, the restaurants and shops in town are at their busiest and the bike paths are congested. If you are looking for an alternative … Continue reading →

Posted in Blueberries, Botany, Fruits and Berries, Native Plants | Leave a comment

Meet Our 2017 Seasonal Botany and Ecology Field Assistants!

Posted on June 30, 2017 by Karen C. Beattie

Each summer, the Nantucket Conservation Foundation’s Science and Stewardship Department hires two seasonal Botany and Ecology Field Assistants to help us collect data on a variety of projects throughout the field season. This year, we are very lucky to have … Continue reading →

Posted in Botany, Field Season, Habitat Management, Invasive Species, Native Plants, Restoration, Sandplain Grasslands | Leave a comment

Let the Field Season Begin……

Posted on May 11, 2017 by Karen C. Beattie

Spring is the time of year when there just doesn’t seem to be enough hours in the work day for our Science and Stewardship Department’s full-time staff. There are winter writing projects that need to be wrapped up, early season … Continue reading →

Posted in Field Season, Habitat Management, Invasive Species, Nantucket Biodiversity Initiative, Restoration, Sandplain Grasslands, Shorebirds, Springtime | Leave a comment

The balance between public access and rare resource protection – here’s how we’re doing it at Head of the Plains

Posted on June 7, 2016 by Karen C. Beattie

The Foundation has always strived to manage its properties to provide for public access and protect rare ecological resources. These goals can often be at cross purposes, so succeeding at both requires a great deal of strategic planning. Developing property … Continue reading →

Posted in Public Use Management, Sandplain Grasslands, Shorebirds, Strategic planning | Leave a comment

MassWildlife Habitat Management Grant Funding Approved!

Posted on January 25, 2016 by Karen C. Beattie

The Nantucket Conservation Foundation recently received the news that we have been awarded a $20,357 grant to undertake a sandplain heathland management project on our Head of the Plains properties in the southwest portion of the island. This funding comes … Continue reading →

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