Current Nature: Black Tupelo Beauty
Nantucket Current Linda Loring Nature Foundation Nantucket Current Linda Loring Nature Foundation

Current Nature: Black Tupelo Beauty

Attending The Ohio State University, I spent much of my undergraduate experience working in the hardwood forests that dominate the East Coast, walking under towering black cherry trees in a forest that would seem to continue forever. It was a memorable shock when I arrived at Nantucket and those same 60-foot-tall, thickly barked trees were here in a completely new form.

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A Conservation Milestone Achieved at the Linda Loring Nature Foundation
Saoirse McCarthy Saoirse McCarthy

A Conservation Milestone Achieved at the Linda Loring Nature Foundation

In an exciting milestone for island conservation, Purple Martins, North America’s largest swallow species, are nesting on Nantucket for the first time ever. After years of strategic conservation efforts at the Linda Loring Nature Foundation (LLNF) led by Conservation Science and Land Steward, Libby Buck, these aerial insectivores have officially taken up residence, marking an unprecedented addition to the island’s breeding bird population.

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Current Nature: One Island, Countless Species: Nantucket BioBlitz 2025
Nantucket Current Linda Loring Nature Foundation Nantucket Current Linda Loring Nature Foundation

Current Nature: One Island, Countless Species: Nantucket BioBlitz 2025

Is it possible to identify and collect data on thousands of animal and plant species across Nantucket? Are there even that many living organisms on the island? Where do they all exist?

Just a few hours participating in the Linda Loring Nature Foundation and The Nantucket Land and Water Council’s BioBlitz event at the Creeks, led by Dr. Sarah Bois (LLNF), enlightened me to the variety of living organisms that inhabit the island. This beach and salt marsh habitat held more diversity than I could have ever imagined!

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Current Nature: Yellow Thistle, A Hotspot Of Biodiversity
Nantucket Current Seth Engelbourg Nantucket Current Seth Engelbourg

Current Nature: Yellow Thistle, A Hotspot Of Biodiversity

Despite their unique adaptations, thistles are often misunderstood and underappreciated; cast off as spiky weeds that grow rampant and are impossible to maintain. Although we have several species of non-native thistle on Nantucket that may outcompete other plants, our native thistles species are massively important to our ecosystems and promote biodiversity.

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Current Nature: Turtles And Conserving The Common
Nantucket Current Linda Loring Nature Foundation Nantucket Current Linda Loring Nature Foundation

Current Nature: Turtles And Conserving The Common

As the Linda Loring Nature Foundation’s Conservation Research and Stewardship Intern, I spend much of my day trudging through a mosaic of wetland habitats, including bogs, pond edges, and ditches.

Equipped with waders and a backpack full of data collection tools, I head into thick vegetation and deep mud in search of one thing, the ever-elusive spotted turtle (Clemmys guttata)… or so I thought. Here’s the thing: although spotted turtles are relatively abundant across other parts of Nantucket, an adult spotted turtle hasn’t been officially recorded and measured since 2006, despite an abundance of habitat, anecdotal accounts, and hatchlings

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If You Build It, Purple Martins Will Come
Yesterday's Island Dr. Sarah Bois Yesterday's Island Dr. Sarah Bois

If You Build It, Purple Martins Will Come

Purple Martins have arrived on Nantucket for the first time ever. After three years of conservation efforts to support breeding habitat for the species, they have finally “set up house” at the Linda Loring Nature Foundation, primarily due to the efforts of Libby Buck, Conservation Science and Land Steward with LLNF.

First, a little more about purple martins: the latest seasonal residents on Nantucket Island.

Purple martins are colonial birds that are the largest of the swallow family in North America. They are insectivorous, which makes them a very welcome addition to our island.

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5 Hidden Nature Gems on Nantucket
Saoirse McCarthy Saoirse McCarthy

5 Hidden Nature Gems on Nantucket

Charming cobblestones, picturesque lighthouses, and miles of beautiful beaches, the Nantucket we know and love is getting busier as the summer season really kicks off! While the island is known for its impressive repertoire of restaurants and bustling downtown, it is equally renowned for its natural landscapes, rare species, and protected conservation land. 

Whether you're seeking a quiet escape from the crowds or just hoping to discover a new slice of natural beauty on this island we call our happy place, these 5 Hidden Nature Gems of Nantucket are just what you need.

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New Species for Nantucket - Give a Warm Welcome for Purple Martins
Nantucket Current Libby Buck Nantucket Current Libby Buck

New Species for Nantucket - Give a Warm Welcome for Purple Martins

Just last week, as I was walking the trails of the Linda Loring Nature Foundation (LLNF), I spotted something I had only dreamed might happen. Two Purple Martins were carrying nesting material into one of the gourds set up on the property. For the first time in recorded history, Purple Martins are nesting on Nantucket!

This is not just an achievement for LLNF, it is an exciting milestone for the entire island.

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