Island Science

Common Milkweed by Sarah T. Bois
Island Science

Take the 2021 BioBlitz Challenge

July is peak season for many things on Nantucket. It can be the most difficult time to get an ice cream cone or a parking space, as many of us know, but it’s also peak growing season – when the highest biodiversity is visible on island. Blooming flowers, ripening berries, budding fall asters, and fledgling birds abound. There is so much to see in every habitat across the island. What’s the best way to see and enjoy this multitude of species? Join in on the Nantucket Land Council and the Linda Loring Nature Foundation’s July Bioblitz Challenge!

Photo By Tom Griswold
Island Science

Magic of Dark Skies

My first summer on Nantucket, in 1998 as a Maria Mitchell Association intern, was a magical experience for many reasons. Not the least of which was my first time to the beach at night. I will never forget the excitement of riding my bike in the dark with the other interns to catch a glimpse of the Perseid Meteor Shower one August summer night. Before I even saw one shooting star, I remember the awe-inspiring moment of looking up and seeing a sky full of bright twinkly stars. In a place like Nantucket, on this tiny island in the sea, the sky seems to go on forever into the ocean. Forget the sunsets that people “oooh and awe” about. The night sky of Nantucket is where the real show is!

Living with Water
Island Science

Living with Water

Nantucketers have always been a people who live with water. We travel by water and recreate there. Many of our commercial endeavors depend on the ocean, and we rely on the ocean’s bounty. And now, with climate change impacts, we are going to have to learn to live with water in new ways.

Island Science

Stop the Spread… Invasive Scotch Broom

It’s that time of year again when a swath of bright yellow blooms can be seen across the island on bike paths, road edges, and conservation land trails. The non-native invasive Scotch Broom is loved by many, but is a nuisance to others. We are now finding it is becoming more invasive over time, particularly with climate change.

Protecting the Island’s Pollinators
Island Science

Protecting the Island’s Pollinators

April showers bring May flowers and hopefully those flowers are bringing in the pollinators! As the weather warms and the skies clear, Nantucketers are feeling like spring is truly in the air (finally!). Many of us are cleaning up our gardens planning and planting for the season ahead.

Exploring Nantucket, Insider Tips, Island Science

Winter Staycations

by Dr. Sarah Treanor BoisDirector of Research & Education at the Linda Loring Nature Foundation After a rather mild fall, Nantucketers have been spoiled with the unseasonably warm weather. As winter looms and truly sets in, many of us may be in the mood to hibernate. During typical winters, many […]

The Season of Change | Nantucket, MA
Island Science

The Season of Change

Fall on Nantucket usually heralds the slowing down of life on-island. Businesses change their hours, restaurants close for a few days every week, and the ferries have reduced schedules. During a typical fall, the rhythm of the island shifts from the manic excitement of summer to school schedules, Friday night football games, and making plans for winter travel.

Flooding on Nantucket
Island Science

Climate Change on a Local Level

In early September, the Coastal Resiliency Advisory Committee for Nantucket adopted September as Climate Change Awareness month, followed swiftly by a proclamation by Nantucket Select Board. What does that mean? As part of the proclamation, the Select Board “…encourages all residents to learn more about the threats of climate change and sea level rise and the planning efforts underway to increase community resilience.”