Nantucket National Wildlife Refuge
Comprehensive Conservation Planning

Latest News in Developing CCP

Please join us! A public meeting will be held on October 15, 2008 from 7-9 PM at the Town Annex Building. You will have an opportunity to browse the displays, speak with refuge staff, and provide any comments that you have as we begin the planning process. We look forward to seeing you there!

We would like your feedback! At our first planning team meeting in September, a draft refuge vision, and draft goals and objectives were created for Nantucket NWR. We are seeking your input on these drafts, as well as any ideas or concerns you may have about the refuge. Please submit the comment form no later than November 17, 2008 to the address on the form. These comments will be considered as the strategies and alternatives are developed, and the CCP is drafted.

Please read our Fall 2008 Planning Update to get more information about where we are in the planning process.

Refuge Establishing Purpose
"…particular value in carrying out the national migratory bird management program."
16 U.S.C. 667B (An Act Authorizing the Transfer of Certain Real Property for Wildlife, or other purposes)

Refuge Description
Nantucket NWR is located at the tip of the Coskata-Coatue peninsula on the eastern side of Nantucket Island, known as Great Point. The 24-acre Nantucket refuge was established in 1973 when the Service acquired the property under the Act Authorizing the Transfer of Certain Real Property for Wildlife or other purposes from the U.S. Coast Guard.

Although diminutive in size, its value to wildlife is anything but small. The Refuge was established for its particular value to migratory birds. It supports a variety of waterbirds including piping plover and common and least terns. Most recently it has become home to a protected marine mammal, the gray seal, as they haul out on the tip and feed in the waters around Great Point.

• Acquired property from U.S. Coast Guard under Federal-Federal Property Transfer Agreement.

• Signed MOU with Trustees of Reservations to ensure cooperative planning and management, and adequate protection for certain properties on Nantucket.

• Began CCP process for all eight refuges within the Eastern Massachusetts NWR Complex.
• Published Federal Register Notice.
• Conducted public scoping.

• Began meeting with partners to discuss opportunities for land protection and exchange.

• Between 1999-2001, public comments from scoping meetings were summarized, significant issues were identified, and alternatives looked at to address the significant issues.
• Published Federal Register Notice stating intent to split planning efforts: to write a CCP/EA for Assabet River, Great Meadows, Oxbow, Massasoit, and Mashpee refuges, and to write an EIS/CCP and Wilderness Review for Nomans Land Island, Monomoy and Nantucket Refuges.
• Efforts for Nantucket were halted to focus on Assabet River, Great Meadows, and Oxbow refuges.

• Published Federal Register Notice to write EA/CCP for Nantucket NWR.
• Assembled planning team consisting of USFWS staff, a representative from the State Division of Fisheries and Wildlife and a representative from the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah).
• Published draft Vision, Goals and Objectives for Nantucket NWR in Fall Newsletter.
• Conducted public scoping meetings in October.