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To: Bluedot Living
From: Nantucket Conservation Foundation
Subject: Next Steps in Conservation Land Stewardship: The Windswept Bog Wetland Restoration
The Nantucket Conservation Foundation (NCF) was founded in 1963 and now stewards more than 9,000 acres of open space on Nantucket, permanently protecting more than one third of the island. For over 60 years, these acres have provided bountiful habitat for plants and animals, valuable resources for scientific research, miles of trails for public enjoyment, and vital coastal protection for the island.
So, what is next? Where do we go from here? The Windswept Bog Wetland Restoration Project provides insight into the future of conservation land stewardship on Nantucket. The former cranberry bog has just been converted into a naturally functioning wetland to benefit wildlife, people, and the entire watershed.
Wetlands Restored
For nearly 100 years, Windswept was operated as a commercial cranberry bog, but before that the low-lying area was a natural wetland which fed into Polpis Harbor. Over the years of cranberry growing, layers of sand were added onto the bogs to stimulate cranberry growth. Year after year these sand layers built up the elevation of the bog, and when cranberry growing ceased in 2018, upland plants began to colonize the bog surfaces, which were segmented by straight, narrow drainage ditches. If left alone, this area would become degraded upland habitat surrounded by these unnatural ditches.
One major goal of the restoration project was to restore the cranberry bogs into natural low-lying wetlands and ponds — examples of the habitats that were likely here before the bogs were developed. This was accomplished by removing the many sand layers and lowering the elevation in the middle of the bog cells. Exposing soils that had last seen sunlight in the early 1900s allowed stored seeds of native plants to take root and colonize the new wetlands.
Life in a New Wetland
An important metric that indicates that the restoration was a success is the changed ecology of Windswept. NCF ecologists Kelly Omand and Danielle O’Dell worked with their teams to collect data on the growth of plants, and the movement and habitat use of spotted turtles at Windswept. This data is being compared to pre-restoration data to learn if native plants and wildlife are thriving in the new wetland system.
Kelly found that the altered landscape transformed both the wetland and upland vegetation by bringing buried wetland soil and seeds of native wetland plants to the surface. In the process of restoration, the re-shaped landscape created a natural gradient from low elevation wetland to higher elevation upland, providing ideal habitat for many native species of plants to colonize and establish.
Danielle had been monitoring the movements of spotted turtles at Windswept for several years. Post-restoration she found that some turtles moved extensively throughout large sections of the new wetlands. The new wetlands consist of larger ponds surrounded by shallow pockets of water with more vegetation. This diversity of habitat allows any creature to find a comfortable home. The spotted turtles enjoy sticking to the shallow edges of the ponds, while the open water gives space for freshwater fish, eels, painted turtles and waterbirds.
Teamwork
The entire restoration project could not have happened without monumental efforts from all partners involved. The success of the project highlights the benefits of local organizations working with ecological contractors and state and federal agencies. To complete the Windswept Restoration Project, NCF worked with Fuss & O’Neill, Inc., SumCo Eco-Contracting, and the Mass Division of Ecological Restoration (DER). We received generous funding from DER, the Southern New England Estuary Program (SNEP) Watershed Implementation Program, the Richard K. Mellon Foundation, and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program. To conserve and protect natural spaces we must collaborate to see effective results.
Public Enjoyment
Throughout the planning process, we prioritized maintaining public access and enjoyment of Windswept Bog as a core component of NCF’s mission. Pre-restoration, the property was used by walkers, bikers, kayakers and canoers, and offered a connection to the Middle Moors. Post-restoration, none of this has changed. While berms have been removed to improve water connectivity, they have been replaced with wooden boardwalks so people can enjoy an up-close view of the new wetlands. Educational signage will be installed this summer to tell the story of Windswept and the restoration. NCF will continue to lead tours of the property, allowing people to learn from our knowledgeable ecologists and educators. We hope that the restoration has created a sustained natural environment for many future generations to enjoy and we encourage anyone to get out and walk the property this summer!
As the Windswept Bog Wetland Restoration Project comes to a close, and we step back to allow natural ecological processes to proceed, NCF continues to look for other opportunities to enhance and project our open spaces. As we compete with sea level rise on our coastal properties and newly introduced harmful species inland, stewardship continues to be a high priority, ever-changing mission. We hope you will venture out to Windswept or our other properties and learn about the ongoing efforts to protect the natural places that make Nantucket so special to so many.
