Restoring Nantucket's Coastal Grasslands
Managing Japanese Black Pines to Promote Grassland Restoration
The Linda Loring Nature Foundation promotes environmental literacy through research, education, and conservation. We empower our community to develop a sense of place and stewardship of nature by deepening their connection to the environment around them.
The Foundation's 275 acre property on the west end of Nantucket provides space for environmental education, community enjoyment of self-guided trails, and serves as a living laboratory for research on coastal ecosystems.
Japanese Black Pine was first introduced to the landscape on Nantucket in the 1950's. It has become vulnerable to pests and diseases, and often ends up as standing dead creating a fire hazard. Removing this invasive pine species opens up the canopy and restores the natural wind and salt-spray regimes that originally helped shape this landscape.
Dense stand of Japanese Black Pine of various ages including standing dead. Grassland species in the foreground.
Beginning in 2018, the Linda Loring Nature Foundation has turned its efforts to habitat restoration, and has focused on the removal of non-native invasive Japanese Black Pine (Pinus thunbergii) while promoting sandplain grassland and coastal heathland restoration and expansion as well as resiliency of the landscape. We adopted a phased approach to restoration diversifying management targets and funding opportunities.
Phase 1 - January 2019
Pine cutting for grassland restoration and fire hazard removal
Phase 2 - October 2019
Pine removal to open up habitat for ground-nesting pollinators and fire hazard removal
Phase 3 - Winter 2020/2021
Pine cutting in the name of grassland bird habitats restoration
Phase 4 - January-December 2021
Pine removal to open up habitat for ground-nesting pollinators and fire hazard removal
Phase 5 - Winter 2022/2023
Pine cutting to restore sandplain grassland habitat and increase habitat resilience
Japanese Black Pine Removal during the winter of 2021.
Phase 1
At the Phase 1 sites we cut and removed Japanese Black Pine with the objective of restoring grassland and reducing fire hazards.
In January 2019, we hired contractors to begin cutting Japanese Black Pine from the Phase 1 sites. We chipped and removed all non-native Japanese Black Pine trees, needles, and cones that had accumulated over years from approximately 1.5 acres.
We then established vegetation transects to monitor the dominant vegetation and ground cover where the pines were removed, and vegetation data has been collected annually. We also use visual surveys of the cut areas to document species not included by the transects - these often include rare species.
Vegetation Transect
This work was funded by a State Wildlife Habitat Management Grant awarded in the fall of 2018.
Before and after one season of growth Phase 1 site
Phase 1 photo point prior to cutting.
Pink lady slipper orchid (Cypripedium acaule) sprouting the first growing season after pine cutting in Phase 1.
Phase 2
In October 2019 we cleared 1.5 acres of Japanese Black Pine from the Phase 3 site and removed leftover wood chips and needles to open up habitat for ground-nesting pollinators and promote regeneration of grassland plants from the seed bank. As part of this project, pollinator transects were established prior to cutting and pollinators monitored for 4 years.
This work was funded by the Xeric Grassland, Barren, and Woodland Pollinator Conservation Project.
American Copper (Lycaena phlaeas) on a Common Yarrow plant (Achillea millefolium).
Before and after clearing Phase 2 site
Phase 2 in 2022.
Phase 3
In winter 2020/2021 we removed all Japanese Black Pine from 1.7 acres of grassland area in the Phase 3 sites. The focus at the Phase 3 sites is pine cutting to restore grassland bird habitats. The Linda Loring Nature Foundation received a grant from the Robert F. Schumann Foundation to remove non-native, invasive Japanese Black Pines and monitor the change in vegetation and avian species present in our management sites over time.
Our goal was to encourage expanded use of these areas by grassland bird species, 24 of which are listed as species of Conservation Concern in the Massachusetts State Wildlife Action Plan . Each of these species rely on grassland habitat for some or all of their life strategy; nesting, foraging, and cover. Globally, grassland bird species are declining at a faster rate than any other bird taxa, making habitat restoration projects a crucial priority.
The Schumann Foundation seeks to fund initiatives that conserve birds as well as support efforts to educate and involve people in nature. This project is a perfect intersection between these goals and we look forward to sharing the results of the research once monitoring is completed.
Iconic grassland bird species of conservation concern highlighted in the Massachusetts State Wildlife Action Plan. Photos by E. Vernon Laux and Blair Dubeck (courtesy of the Macaulay Library).
This work was funded by the Robert F. Schumann Foundation.
Phase 4
At the Phase 4 site we cleared approximately 4 acres of Japanese Black Pine beginning in January 2021 and completing a year later. This project was part of a project to restore habitat for ground-nesting and other native pollinators. As part of this project, pollinator transects were established prior to cutting and pollinators monitored for 4 years. Moth trapping was also conducted for two seasons at this site.
This work was funded by the Xeric Grassland, Barren, and Woodland Pollinator Conservation Project.
Moth sampling at the restoration site in 2022.
Moth samples from Phase 4.
Before and after clearing Phase 4 site
Sampling for pollinators.
Phase 5
The aim of removing the non-native Japanese Black Pine at the site of Phase 5 is to improve habitat resilience and support rare species conservation by restoring 20 acres of sandplain grassland habitat.
We began removing Japanese Black Pine in December 2022, and have since cleared all cut material, and most pine needles, and pine cones that can inhibit vegetation regrowth. The open canopy has resulted in native plant and animal species returning to the site.
We are monitoring the regrowth and removing non-native plant species. In Fall 2023 we continue to remove the remaining pine needles and pine cones.
Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius) hunting over restoration site, June 2023. Harriers, an obligate grassland species, are listed as a species of greatest conservation need within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
This work was funded by a 2023 State Wildlife Habitat Management Grant.
Sandplain blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium fuscatum) adjacent to the restoration site.
Before and after clearing Phase 5 site
As of 2023, we have removed invasive Japanese Black Pine at five sites shown across the Linda Loring property. We are currently monitoring the restoration of sandplain grassland ecosystems, native vegetation including rare species, and bird species at the sites around the property.
Rare and uncommon plant species identified during sandplain grassland restoration: Sandplain blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium fuscatum), Pink lady slipper orchid (Cypripedium acaule), Yellow thistle (Cirsium horridulum).
Explore these resources
If you're looking for more information on these ongoing landscape restoration projects or on the other work the Linda Loring Nature Foundation is doing, check out these resources.
LLNF Celebrates 15 Years
