Dr. Sarah Bois •
Linda Loring Nature Foundation Property along the northern head of the Long Pond. Photo with the kind permission of LLNF
Linda Loring Nature Foundation is working on a restoration project on the banks of Long Pond, which gives an example of how the increase in sea level itself can apparently affect the area of our island.
As many of them know, Long Pond is connected to the historical Madaket trench with Madaket Harbor, which was dug in the 1670s by English colonists and native Wampanoag. Due to this dismissal connection, Long Pond is brackish and regularly experiences tide sales. In addition to salty water, this connection means that Long Pond is exposed to the predicted increase in sea level. If you expect different scenarios of the increase in sea level with future climate change, even the most conservative projections show that the increase in sea levels to the coast of the northern head of the Long Pond will have an impact, where the Linda Loring Nature Foundation is located.
The Linda Loring Nature Foundation (LLNF) is devoted to the preservation and protection of nantuckets biologically diverse ecosystems. As part of the strategic and master planning processes, LLNF found that parts of the EEL Point Road property are particularly susceptible to the effects of the increase in sea level (SLR). In particular, the increase in the marine levels show that a large part of the LLNF property around the northern head of the long pond is flooded in near and long -term salt water. Even the highland areas are susceptible because the low -lying access to these areas is cut off by increasing water level.
Highland area is restored as a sandplain grassland. Photo with the kind permission of LLNF
The LLNF looks like a potential reduction room for climate change. Protection of the surrounding infrastructure, houses and the creation of resistant landscapes to strengthen them against predicted effects. For this purpose, the LLNF started seriously with the “Resilient Restoration” project with the financing of the Community Foundation for Nantucket and the remaining Nantucket Fund. LLNF committed Wilkinson Ecological, a company for ecological design and restoration company with work in Iceland. The design plan enables LLNF to create a local habitat for biological diversity that fits into the surrounding Upland Sandplain grassland on the north side and the Brackfeuchtland to the pond. The plan contains well -known ascant projects of the sea level, and thus the planting plan uses plants that are specifically tolerant compared to the expected conditions. The establishment of a diverse, healthy pond edge and the highlands with native species will increase the biological diversity and act as a buffer for the environmental impact.
This project has three aspects with a focus on building a resilient landscape in the face of climate change: retreat -Remove structures from the endangered area, To record -Plants of the banks of the pond edge Prepare – Plants of the highlands with locals, diverse species to restore the Sandplain grassland habitat.
The first step to make the area around the northern head of the long pond is more resistant to withdraw by removing all aspects of the built environment and further built at this location. After the structures made by humans and the fence were removed last autumn, the next phase of the project included a number of non -locals and invasive plants around the banks of the pond and in the nearby highlands. The area was then classified to create a more natural profile and erosion control ceilings in order to stabilize the soil at short notice. A native seed mixture was overtaken to initiate plants in order to further stabilize the area.
Instead of restoring the area on what has been stopped in the past, LLNF works on a transitional landscape with the influence of brackish water as part of the planting plan. The plan facilitates the transition from fresh to brackish water – a restoration practice that achieves what would happen, of course, but in a shorter time frame. The pond coast is planted with locals, bracken -tolerant plant species.
In addition to the effects projected with the increase in sea level, the Nantucket Coastal Resilience Plan (CRP) requires the ecological restoration of the areas around the north of Long Pond and the northern head of the long pond. A priority project that is proposed in the CRP is the increase in the Madaket Road and the creation of a bridge or several pierces on which the Madaket Road crosses via Long Pond. The LLNF project offers more brackish water on the LLNF property, which can be expected with the proposed increased water flow. Initiative this project would now enable the systems to properly establish themselves before future changes to the passports. When taking over the brackish water, which arises from the expected increase in sea level and the storm surge, the LLNF property can help alleviate the effects of climate change in order to protect the surrounding infrastructure and houses.
Long pond edge after the invasive system, with the area covered with erosion control ceilings. Photo with the kind permission of LLNF
The LLNF research and nature conservation personnel have monitored the salt content of the northern head of Long Pond since 2020 and determined the influence and fluctuations of tides. In 2022, the water level meters were installed in two places in two places to monitor the flood flow. This data will help create an information basis before changes.
Studies show that areas with a higher biological diversity are more resistant to changes, so that the project area is better prepared for the expected effects of climate change. Compared to most other habitats, healthy and diverse local grasslands can be more resistant to drought and other storm events that will increase with climate change.
For the restoration itself, LLNF seeds have collected from the surrounding landscape in order to have local seeds for the project. These seeds in property are supplemented with other seed material as well as adult plants to found and stabilize ground. All types will be native and the local ecotypes will match as far as possible. In the upcoming vegetation period, more plant businesses will take place in the course of the project.
In recent years, this project has been in the planning phase as part of the LLNF master plan for the property. The LLNF recognizes the susceptibility of this location and the role that LLNF can play in reducing the effects of climate change. As a demonstration area for the resilient restoration, LLNF hopes that the direct effects of this project will be wider within the community, so that people can recognize what is possible for retreat and restoration.
To personally see this in-progress project, visit the LLNF website (www.llnf.org) to get information about guided walks in the region. While the project continues, LLNF hopes to completely open the property for the public and to offer volunteer opportunities to help with plantings and other community projects.