Biodiversity Meadow Tour
In the fall of 2023, Nantucket Footprints partnered with the Nantucket Conservation Foundation to launch the first in a series of virtual garden tours, an immersive experience showcasing sustainable and resilient gardens that not only captivate with their natural beauty but also underscore their vital role in our island environment. By incorporating supportive plant species into personal landscapes, everyone can contribute to boosting the island’s natural biodiversity and inherent resilience.
Did you know that, according to the Vermont Natural Resources Council, there are currently over 40 million acres devoted to lawns nationwide? Transforming just half back into wildlife habitat would be equivalent to creating a new national park larger than the combined total of the national parks in the lower 48 states. Imagine the profound impact that fewer lawns and more resilient gardens could have on Nantucket’s bees, butterflies, other insects and birds.
The first tour, the ‘Native Biodiversity Meadow,’ results from a collaboration with the Nantucket Conservation Foundation. It features the island’s most diverse and native species, which play invaluable roles in the local ecosystem and bolster Nantucket’s resilience. This garden is in a constant state of change and growth, with new flora emerging while others rest, only to return another day.
Key highlights of these tours include an introductory video from the hosting land stewards, offering insights into the garden and their conservation efforts. As part of the interactive experience, viewers can virtually ‘walk’ through the garden by selecting navigational arrows. They can also pause at various plant species to explore stories in more detail with pop-up tags. These narratives deepen your understanding of the island’s flora and can be downloaded for personal reference.
The next garden tour featuring a pollinator garden from the Nantucket Land Bank will be available in the spring of 2024. Other planned gardens include a coastal garden, a rain garden and sustainable lawns. These unique experiences promise additional opportunities to support the island’s natural beauty and ongoing health.
Native Plant Resources for cultivation: