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Land Bank staff outline quarterly workplan: permits, shorebird monitoring and forest management
Summary
The Environmental and Agricultural Resources director reported on winter permitting, training, shorebird monitoring, forest management for southern pine beetle resilience, Lily Pond sampling and the Melville property assessment during a quarterly update to the Land Bank Commission.
Emily Goldstein Murphy, director of environmental and agricultural resources for the Nantucket Land Bank, presented the department’s quarterly report covering January–March and described permitting activity, outreach, habitat and forest management, and several ongoing projects.
Goldstein Murphy said staff spent winter months on permitting with Natural Heritage and the Conservation Commission, on training (first aid/CPR, applicator certification and GIS tutorials), and on planning for the summer season’s field work and invasive-species monitoring. She reported the Army Corps of Engineers permit application for the Lily Pond project has been submitted and that Natural Heritage has been asked to review an updated design for the Clark project (name given as "By Clark" in the presentation); Natural Heritage had follow-up questions but the conversation was positive.
The department rehired shorebird monitor Anya Almeida and coordinated seasonal shoreline fencing required to go up by April 1. Goldstein Murphy described several outreach events and education partnerships, including bilingual seed-starting workshops and a coast-to-coast program with the new school’s eighth graders. The department is hosting outside researchers from multiple institutions on Land Bank properties.
Forest management work was highlighted: in-house crews and contractors completed operations at Gardner Farm and Hinsdale to reduce fuel loads and increase resilience to southern pine beetle. Staff showed drone before-and-after photos documenting clearing and improved canopy airflow; the project aims to reduce fire hazard and beetle vulnerability. Work at Hinsdale proceeded through procurement and is ongoing while trail and public-access work continues.
Goldstein Murphy said Melville will be treated as a season of assessment — observation through spring, summer and early fall to test ideas such as foraging trails, exercise trails, accessibility improvements, and possible additional access points and parking.
Staff also described property-specific actions: drainage and ADA work at 19 Walwynett, Long Pond ADA upgrades (discussed separately and voted on later), water flow and autosampler deployments at Lily Pond for pre-construction data, and collaboration with the Nantucket Conservation Foundation on access projects at Madaket/Sham Beach.
Commissioners asked clarifying questions about forest markings and the blue paint on trees (paint indicated trees planned to be cut; some markings remained where trees were not cut). Mark (commissioner) asked whether Audubon had done similar work on adjacent property; staff said the Audubon had done similar work on its own land, but no cutting occurred across the boundary. Commissioners praised drone imagery and new equipment, and staff agreed to report back with project progress as needed.
Goldstein Murphy concluded by inviting commissioners and the public to upcoming talks and walks, including a southern pine beetle presentation at the Athenaeum.
