2017 Annual Report
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Annual Report 2017 - ANNUAL REPORT 2017 - 1 MISSION The mission of the Nantucket Conservation Foundation is to assist in the preservation of Nantucket’s character by permanently conserving, maintaining, and managing natural areas and habitats and to encourage an appreciation of and interest in the Island’s natural resources. 1 Nantucket Conservation Foundation Daniel Sutherland Photography Contents Board of Trustees .....................................................3 Advisors.................................................................4 Volunteers .............................................................49 Staff .......................................................................50 REPORTS President’s Report .................................................6 Executive Director’s Report ...................................8 Associate’s Report ................................................13 Treasurer’s Report .................................................14 Education Report ...................................................18 Cranberry Report ...................................................19 Statement of Financial Position .............................15 PROGRAMS & EVENTS Race for Open Space ............................................17 Property Management ..........................................21 Science & Stewardship .........................................22 Wildfire Prevention Program .................................27 Tupancy-Harris Foundation ....................................28 CONTRIBUTORS & DONORS Land Donors ..........................................................29 50 Year Contributors ..............................................30 40 Year Contributors ..............................................31 Milestone Partners ................................................32 2017 Contributors..................................................34 Honor Gifts ............................................................46 Memorial Gifts.......................................................48 - ANNUAL REPORT 2017 - 2 BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2016 - 2017 BOARD OF TRUSTEES OFFICERS President and Treasurer Vice President Clerk Arthur A. Gosnell John G. Macfarlane, III Mary G. West Vice President Assistant Treasurer Assistant Clerk John H. Davis David A. Champoux Alison S. Monaghan TRUSTEES Nathan R. Allen, Jr.* John G. Macfarlane, III* Susan R. Shapiro David A. Champoux Kate Miller Marianne R. Stanton John H. Davis* Daphne F. Mitchell Prescott D. Stewart Lisa N. Dawson* Alison S. Monaghan Patrick S. Wayland Arthur A. Gosnell* Ann B. Oliver Marcia D. Weber Dale Hamilton* David B. Poor* Mary G. West Todd M. Knutson Susan D. Rein Isabelle P. Loring Denise R. Scruton* *Executive Committee Member 3 Nantucket Conservation Foundation Daniel Sutherland Photography ADVISORS Heidi Cox Edward V. Lahey, Jr. Jeanne W. Riggs James L. Dunlap Ian R. MacKenzie David Ross* Lulie Gund Richard L. Menschel Samantha Sandler Edmund A. Hajim Priscilla G. Mleczko Hans E. Tausig Amos B. Hostetter Jr. Kathryn H. Penske Robert C. Wright EMERITUS George A. Fowlkes* Robert R. Larsen* Richard G. Verney* - ANNUAL REPORT 2017 - 4 5 Nantucket Conservation Foundation Daniel Sutherland Photography PRESIDENT’S REPORT ARTHUR A. GOSNELL 2017 was an eventful year for the Foundation. Thanks to the leadership of President David Poor and Executive Director Jim Lentowski the Foundation was able to complete the acquisition of Norwood Farm and move forward as an institution with no debt on our balance sheet. David and Jim were instrumental throughout the Norwood process, which took over a decade to complete if one includes the time needed to structure the transaction and get all parties to agree on an approach. David Poor stepped down as President in 2017 and we are grateful for all of his time and energy over the last 16 years as a trustee, Vice President, and President. During his tenure David had a tremendous impact on many aspects of our operations, but none more so than fundraising in connection with the acquisition of the Field Station on the Polpis Road and Norwood Farm. In recognition of these achievements the David Poor Development Chair has been established in David’s honor at the Foundation. 2017 was Jim Lentowski’s last full year as Executive Director. After 47 years with the Foundation Jim is looking forward to retirement this July. The Foundation today has slightly over 9,000 acres in conservation, as compared with roughly 1,000 at the time Jim joined the organization. He not only did this, but by collaborating with other like minded organizations on Nantucket he helped facilitate other significant conservation endeavors such that in Roughly half of total roughly half of Nantucket has been Nantucket has been preserved as open space. Jim’s dedication preserved as open space. to the Nantucket Conservation “ Foundation sets the standard for - Arthur Gosnell conservation leadership on Nantucket, and he is recognized across the United States as a result. - ANNUAL REPORT 2017 - 6 Daniel Sutherland Photography PRESIDENT’S REPORT The conversion at the cranberry bogs over to organic production continued in 2017. We hope to be fully organic in 2018. This three year process has been expensive, but thus far seems to be going very well. We thank our supporters who made the conversion possible. Our efforts also continue with respect to cutting fire breaks across Foundation property in order to minimize the risk of a wildfire breaking out as has been the case in other parts of the country. Over the last four years we have cut 180 acres of fire breaks. This work has been made possible by a very significant anonymous gift that has enabled us to purchase two Fecon forestry mulching machines and to perform the work itself. The Foundation has always been very fortunate to have our wonderful staff of dedicated people who take care of our properties, farm the cranberry bogs, and perform important science, stewardship, and administrative functions. We thank them and all of our members for their continued support and look forward to seeing everyone this summer! 7 Nantucket Conservation Foundation EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT JIM LENTOWSKI Thanks to nine visionaries -- Rip management and the unobtrusive Nelson, Roy Larsen, Gerry Snow, oversight of those using Foundation Alcon Chadwick, Bob Mooney, lands. This is accomplished by a Fritz Haffenreffer, Walter Beinecke, group of full-time scientists working John Lyman, and Tell Berna -- your with a team of experienced land Nantucket Conservation Foundation managers. Each department is led was established a half-century ago by dedicated managers who are -- 54 years to be exact. To date, personally invested in the work it has protected more than 9,000 they do – passionate about their acres – can you believe that? Thirty responsibilities and eager to share percent of the island which is open their knowledge with fellow staff year-round to everyone for their members and others they come in responsible use from sunrise until contact with. sunset. And this is without an entry fee. Science To give you a sense of what has Unlike many land trusts that been done over the past year the you may be familiar with, the science staff, in addition to many Foundation is unusual in that it other projects, has been focused on actually owns the land it protects. completing resource inventories and It owns its properties as any private a detailed management plan for one property owner does with an of the Foundation’s major holdings obligation to care for it. Now that in Squam Swamp and Squam Farm. costs money, funds made available If you’ve visited these properties you through your annual membership, know that they are uncommon by gifts to our land fund, memorial island standards. In part, forested gifts, generous bequests, the support uplands scattered about in a large, of the Tupancy-Harris Foundation, wetland dominated area while and so forth. nearby is a former farm with open grassy fields. If you haven’t been In our case, with public use we try there I would encourage you to do hard to ensure that rare resources so –you’re in for a treat. are adequately protected and that damaging impacts and inappropriate While moving such work along uses or levels of use are discouraged. the four-person department has We do this through science guided been busy in editing and finalizing - ANNUAL REPORT 2017 - 8 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT several research papers that have Milestone Road. There the question been recently submitted for peer being addressed is if disc harrowing, review and publication. Now the a form of light plowing that disturbs wait begins for the news that they the root structure of mowed but have been accepted for inclusion in annually re-sprouting scrub oaks, one of several scientific journals. The will help to reestablish the island’s Foundation’s science staff is taking once common grasslands. If that lessons learned on our properties in happens, and there is already good the management of rare resources evidence that it could work, high and habitats and turning them into quality habitats will replace areas comprehensive reports that will that have been taken over in the benefit conservation colleagues past 50 years by dense stands of working in similar settings. impenetrable scrub oak. Another important benefit would be the As noted in a recent Foundation elimination of highly flammable oak e-newsletter, there is an ongoing thickets, a goal of the Foundation’s collaboration with researchers Wildfire Risk Reduction