Off-Season Eco-Adventure
OFF-SEASON ADVENTURE FOR THE ECO-TRAVELER
Take Pleasure in Exploring
Take Pleasure in Exploring
Nantucket Island’s Rare Natural Habitats
Nantucket Island, with its 19th-century ambiance, fine shops, world-class restaurants, fascinating museums, and historic homes and sites, is a haven for the sophisticated traveler. But beyond the cobblestoned confines of the historic town, the island also boasts a pristine natural beauty that makes it an ideal destination for eco-travelers and outdoor enthusiasts. Those who take pleasure in exploring rare natural habitats and experiencing environmental integrity will marvel at the degree of environmental preservation that characterizes Nantucket’s outlying areas—preservation that rivals the preservation of living history evident in town. In addition, off-season mid-week visitors will enjoy the quiet-time values at most lodging establishments. These values are available through weekends in the late fall, winter and spring seasons, except holidays.
Over 40 percent of Nantucket is protected conservation land, most of which is open to the public for a variety of recreational and educational activities including walking, hiking, biking, birdwatching, and scenic viewing. Great efforts have been made to preserve the island’s rare habitats and endangered plant and animal populations. Over 8,000 acres of open grass and heath lands, forest, marshes, and bogs exist for enjoyment and exploration.
Perhaps the rarest habitats found on Nantucket are the island’s sand plain grasslands and coastal heath, delicate ecosystems that have been all but eradicated in the rest of the world. Indeed, the Massachusetts Audubon Society estimates that 90 percent of the earth’s remaining sand plain and heath are found on Nantucket Island. These fragile landscapes support hundreds of species of plants and animals, many of which are endangered. Habitats such as these, which once existed in abundance on the Eastern seaboard but now lie buried beneath parking lots and subdivisions, are testimony to Nantucket’s preservation efforts.
Sanford Farm/Ram’s Pasture, a sprawling series of hills and fields dotted with ponds and pine groves, offers hikers six miles of trails through heath and grasslands leading to the beach. The farm is home to a number of rare plant varieties, such as bushy rockrose, eastern silvery aster, and broom crowberry. During spring nesting season, bird enthusiasts might get a glimpse of a short-eared owl or a rare northern harrier, two endangered species that thrive on Nantucket’s open fields.
The autumn months also provide a great number of rare species to be sighted, including eagles, songbirds, warblers, and a wide variety of shorebirds. Perhaps the greatest treat for the amateur ornithologist, however, comes at year’s end, when birdwatchers flock to Nantucket for the Audubon Society’s annual census of migrating birds.
Twice a year—in spring and fall—several island ponds are breached to the ocean, an environmental management technique that allows for an exchange of fresh and salt water. The breaches are fascinating to watch, as white perch, herring, and striped bass return to the ponds to spawn and can be seen jumping through the channeling waters.
Washing up on miles of unspoiled beaches, Nantucket’s waters are among the cleanest in the nation and support hundreds of different animal species. Gray seals spend the winter frolicking off the Nantucket coast and can be seen in the Sound on the Jetties and in the surf around Tuckernuck and Muskeget (two small islands off the Western shore). Visitors in the early spring and late fall might enjoy a chilly boat ride to these sandy outposts. The ever-curious seals will come right up to the boat.
And it’s not unusual to see schools of whales passing through the island’s waters, particularly in the fall. While the leviathans can occasionally be spotted from South shore beaches, it’s best to head out by boat to their well-traveled migratory routes and watch them move in pods to their winter homes.
*When calling inns or hotels on Nantucket, be sure to ask about midweek values in the quiet season. Nantucket is accessible by airplane or ferry - one-hour high-speed ferry services are available. Visitors are encouraged to leave their cars behind, as all activities are accessible by walking, bicycle, seasonal shuttle, or taxi.
Copied in entirety from http://www.nantucketchamber.org
Fall 2005 Press Release
Over 40 percent of Nantucket is protected conservation land, most of which is open to the public for a variety of recreational and educational activities including walking, hiking, biking, birdwatching, and scenic viewing. Great efforts have been made to preserve the island’s rare habitats and endangered plant and animal populations. Over 8,000 acres of open grass and heath lands, forest, marshes, and bogs exist for enjoyment and exploration.
Perhaps the rarest habitats found on Nantucket are the island’s sand plain grasslands and coastal heath, delicate ecosystems that have been all but eradicated in the rest of the world. Indeed, the Massachusetts Audubon Society estimates that 90 percent of the earth’s remaining sand plain and heath are found on Nantucket Island. These fragile landscapes support hundreds of species of plants and animals, many of which are endangered. Habitats such as these, which once existed in abundance on the Eastern seaboard but now lie buried beneath parking lots and subdivisions, are testimony to Nantucket’s preservation efforts.
Spring And Fall Are Ideal Times For Outdoor Nature Activities
Sanford Farm/Ram’s Pasture, a sprawling series of hills and fields dotted with ponds and pine groves, offers hikers six miles of trails through heath and grasslands leading to the beach. The farm is home to a number of rare plant varieties, such as bushy rockrose, eastern silvery aster, and broom crowberry. During spring nesting season, bird enthusiasts might get a glimpse of a short-eared owl or a rare northern harrier, two endangered species that thrive on Nantucket’s open fields.
The autumn months also provide a great number of rare species to be sighted, including eagles, songbirds, warblers, and a wide variety of shorebirds. Perhaps the greatest treat for the amateur ornithologist, however, comes at year’s end, when birdwatchers flock to Nantucket for the Audubon Society’s annual census of migrating birds.
Twice a year—in spring and fall—several island ponds are breached to the ocean, an environmental management technique that allows for an exchange of fresh and salt water. The breaches are fascinating to watch, as white perch, herring, and striped bass return to the ponds to spawn and can be seen jumping through the channeling waters.
Washing up on miles of unspoiled beaches, Nantucket’s waters are among the cleanest in the nation and support hundreds of different animal species. Gray seals spend the winter frolicking off the Nantucket coast and can be seen in the Sound on the Jetties and in the surf around Tuckernuck and Muskeget (two small islands off the Western shore). Visitors in the early spring and late fall might enjoy a chilly boat ride to these sandy outposts. The ever-curious seals will come right up to the boat.
And it’s not unusual to see schools of whales passing through the island’s waters, particularly in the fall. While the leviathans can occasionally be spotted from South shore beaches, it’s best to head out by boat to their well-traveled migratory routes and watch them move in pods to their winter homes.
*When calling inns or hotels on Nantucket, be sure to ask about midweek values in the quiet season. Nantucket is accessible by airplane or ferry - one-hour high-speed ferry services are available. Visitors are encouraged to leave their cars behind, as all activities are accessible by walking, bicycle, seasonal shuttle, or taxi.
Copied in entirety from http://www.nantucketchamber.org
Fall 2005 Press Release