Conservation Restriction Program

Nantucket Land & Water Council has Preserved Thousands of Acres of Nantucket Land.

5 Decades of Open Space and Resource Protection

The NLWC was organized specifically to engage in the challenges that sometimes are necessary to defend open space. As an organization, our long term objective after a property has been protected has always been to eventually transfer it to another organization such as the Nantucket Land Bank or Nantucket Conservation Foundation for management. This allows the NLWC to remain focused on its roles in advocacy, education, research, resource protection, monitoring, and planning. 

Throughout its history, the NLWC has used a variety of methods for preserving open space. Initially, one of the ways the NLWC was most effective was by conducting extensive title research. The NLWC founders were concerned that a few individuals were converting Sheep Commons title and “owners unknown” land into personal gain. The NLWC took legal action to shield undeveloped land from dubious claims and to protect it for public benefit. Much of the NLWC’s early work was dedicated to securing title through the land court process. Beginning in the 1980s the Land & Water Council began protecting land through the Federal and State Conservation Restriction Program. The majority of our restrictions were donated by like minded individuals.

The Origin of NLWC’s Land Protection

Conservation Restriction Program

Download the Protecting Your Land with the Enhanced Conservation Tax Incentive brochure (PDF).

Preserved Open Space

Conservation Restriction on 10 acres of agricultural land at Bartlett’s Farm

At year-end 2012, the Land & Water Council finalized the purchase of a Conservation Restriction on 10 acres of agricultural land at Bartlett’s Farm. The newly conserved parcel abuts 104 acres of farmland that was placed in conservation by the Land & Water Council in 2004. The campaign to raise funds to secure the Conservation Restriction on the farmland at the corner of Hummock Pond Road and Somerset, where the new bike path has been constructed, was launched in February 2012. Campaign gifts ranging from $25 to $200,000 were received from 142 families, businesses and foundations. Instead of the possibility of a multi-home subdivision on the 10 acres, the new Conservation Restriction means that open space connections with previously protected farmland properties can be maintained, along with the preservation of existing public views associated with this important piece of land. Under the terms of the Conservation Restriction, subdivision and traditional development are permanently eliminated on the 10-acre site while allowing Bartlett’s Farm to continue to use the land for agricultural purposes. Also allowed under the terms are the building of one 1,000-square-foot farmhouse along with the right to build a defined number of barns and agricultural outbuildings in support of the agricultural use on the property.

Loring Campaign

In June of 2004, just a few short months after completing the Bartlett Farm Campaign (read below) the NLWC began its largest and most ambitious campaign ever. The Loring Campaign required raising $14 million to purchase Conservation Restrictions on 270 acres of land owned by Linda Loring and her fledgling organization, The Linda Loring Nature Foundation, Inc. The 270 acres not only represented the largest remaining parcel of unprotected land in private ownership, but also a significant portion of globally endangered sandplain grassland and heathland habitat. The protection of this property was one of the most significant conservation efforts in recent years. The Conservation Restrictions, which cover multiple parcels of land that Loring purchased (and notably NEVER developed) over the last 50 years, allow for an area less than 10 acres to construct classrooms, research facilities and other buildings to house the offices of the LLNF. Because the land will managed by the Foundation, the property will eventually be open to the public for education.

Bartlett’s Ocean View Farm “Keep the Fields” Campaign

In February of 2004, the Nantucket Land & Water Council recorded a permanent Conservation Restriction on 104 acres of land owned by Phil and Dorothy Bartlett and their family. The preservation of this property was an absolutely monumental victory for land conservation on Nantucket. In addition to being a sixth generation family farm which provides Nantucket’s community with delicious food and beautiful flowers, the property is Nantucket’s third largest privately owned contiguous land tract. The 104 acres were vulnerable to potential development, with the zoning allowing for 52 lots, with 2 dwellings on each lot, for the construction of 104 houses in total. At the time, the modestly estimated value of the land was no less than $18 million. In recent years, however, properties of less than 30 acres have sold for as much as $15 million. Fortunately, the Bartlett family agreed to sell the Conservation Restriction to the NLWC  at the price of just $6 million, which the NLWC successfully raised in just 2 years. The Conservation Restriction preserved 98 acres as open farmland and allows for a six acre building envelope where the family could construct more barns or greenhouses, if so desired. As a result, Bartlett’s Ocean View Farm is now permanently guaranteed land for farming in the future. It is especially important for Nantucket, as an island, to have access to locally grown produce. The NLWC  is proud to have helped create a more sustainable future for food and agriculture on Nantucket.

Squam

The Nantucket Land & Water Council has spent many years protecting the incredibly unique area of Nantucket known as Squam. Beginning in the 1980’s with extensive title research of sheep commons and other legal tactics in order to protect interests in open land, the  NLWC  also began to purchase undeveloped land in the 1990’s. Today the NLWC  has protected over 180 acres of land in Squam. Much of this land has now been transferred to the Nantucket Conservation Foundation (NCF) for management. This includes 90 acres which were donated to the NCF in 2001. Because the NLWC  has so many other roles to fulfill, we are happy to transfer land that we have protected to other Conservation Organizations who are better equipped to be stewards of such precious open space. In order to celebrate its incredible successes, the NLWC published the field guide “A Walk in Squam.

Tuckernuck Island

One of the places where the NLWC ’s work has been most effective is on neighboring Tuckernuck Island. Since 1986, the NLWC has recorded 21 Conservation Restrictions which protect over 346 acres. Most importantly, the NLWC provided critical technical assistance to help form the Tuckernuck Land Trust. Combined with efforts by the NLWC, the TLT, the Nature Conservancy and the Trustees of Reservations, the majority of Tuckernuck has now been protected. For more information on the history of our many successes, please visit our Land Preservation Map.

Land Conservation Brochures

Conserving Your Land (PDF)

Using The Land Conservation Tax Incentive (PDF)